Doom: The Dark Ages Review

In an age where games drown us in lore and endless cutscenes, Doom: The Dark Ages slices through the noise. It’s a fiery, unapologetic bloodbath that trades narrative depth for raw, metallic chaos. And honestly? It’s exactly what the genre needed right now.

Doom has always been about one thing — movement and mayhem. This latest chapter throws you back into the boots of the Doom Slayer, and once again, it’s time to rip and tear. While Doom Eternal was intense and sometimes overwhelming, The Dark Ages dials back some mechanics and finds balance. It’s not perfect, but it’s bloody brilliant where it counts.

Doom: The Dark Ages

Combat – Brutal, Fast, and Satisfying

Let’s start with the good stuff. The moment-to-moment combat is absolutely phenomenal. Gunplay remains tight and punchy. Enemies explode in a satisfying spray of gore. The variety of weapons on offer is excellent, with each one bringing weight and purpose.

The best part? You’re not interrupted every five seconds by a glory kill. Unlike Doom 2016 or Eternal, you’re given more freedom. The rhythm feels better — it’s smoother and less reliant on constant health chains. Fans of the older entries may miss the frequent finishers, but personally, I don’t.

You’re encouraged to play fast, aggressive, and clever. Ammo management returns, but it feels more forgiving. The difficulty ramps up nicely, keeping you on your toes without overwhelming you.

Visuals – Medieval Metal Aesthetic Done Right

Visually, Doom: The Dark Ages is stunning. The game trades neon hellscapes for a darker, medieval fantasy vibe. Think corrupted castles, molten dungeons, and skies pierced by fire. It’s like Doom met Diablo — but with rocket launchers.

Textures are razor-sharp, lighting is cinematic, and the art direction stands out. It’s gritty but not grey, with plenty of colour contrast and detail.

That said, the sound mix out of the box is a bit off. The music feels drowned under effects. Once you tweak the audio settings though — turning SFX down and cranking music up — the soundtrack absolutely shreds. In my opinion Mick Gordon isn’t as missed as much as fans feared. The riffs that Finishing Move craft for Doom: The Dark Ages make every fight feel like an arena concert.

The Mech and Dragon – Cool Ideas, Poor Execution

The game introduces a few new ideas, and not all of them land. You’ll pilot a massive mech suit in certain sequences, and yes, there’s a dragon you ride. On paper, it sounds amazing. In practice? These segments feel undercooked.

The mech combat is slow and lacks the finesse of normal gameplay. The dragon sequences look cool, but control is clunky. These moments break the pacing rather than enhance it. They’re not terrible, just forgettable.

Still, they don’t ruin the experience. They’re minor stumbles in an otherwise powerful sprint through hellish lands.

Story – There, But Barely

Let’s be clear — Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t here to tell a story. There’s lore, sure. Some cutscenes. Hints at deeper mythology. But if you’re after emotional arcs and long monologues, look elsewhere.

And that’s fine. After dozens of open-world RPGs and “serious” adventures, it’s refreshing to just be the Slayer. To smash demons without worrying about dialogue trees or moral decisions. The story serves the game, not the other way around. It’s a palate cleanser in the best way.

Doom: The Dark Ages

Comparisons to Previous Doom Titles

Compared to Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages feels more grounded. There’s less verticality and more arena-based combat. It’s closer in tone to the original Doom 2016, though mechanically deeper.

If you loved the constant mobility of Doom Eternal, you might find the slower moments jarring. However, the game strikes a better balance between chaos and control. It’s less exhausting. More focused.

You’ll still get those edge-of-your-seat fights. You’ll still feel like a god of war. But it never overstays its welcome or overcomplicates itself.

Performance and Polish

On the PS5 pro, performance is silky smooth. Load times are fast, framerates are stable, and the controls feel tight. No major bugs or crashes occurred during testing, which is a welcome change in today’s market.

Menus are simple. UI is clean. You’re in and out of missions quickly. Even better, the adaptive triggers and haptics add extra punch to each weapon. DualSense support is top-tier.

Final Verdict

Doom: The Dark Ages might not reach the genre-redefining heights of Doom Eternal, but it absolutely earns its place. It’s a more focused, refined experience. One that favours visceral fun over narrative fluff. The Doom: The Dark Ages review must acknowledge its faults — the underwhelming mech/dragon bits and thin story — but it’s still a hell of a good time.

For those burnt out on slow-burn, story-heavy games, this is your antidote. A blood-soaked, pulse-pounding reminder of what FPS games can be. Pure, unfiltered action.

If you’ve been waiting to feel like a badass again, suit up. The Slayer lives.