DOOM: The Dark Ages

The game may not be perfect, but it is a really meaty fiesta of fighting. Tearing demons asunder will never not be cool as hell, and for that reason alone, I can easily see myself coming back to DOOM: The Dark Ages time and time again – especially after a particularly stressful week.

Doom: The Dark Ages is AAA gaming at its best, with huge set pieces and memorable moments around every corner of the beautiful environments that only add to the highly-polished and heavily-addicting gameplay. Id Software hasn't held back any punches in creating one of the most grandiose and large-scale games in recent memory, utilizing their big-budget funding to create a 100% user-focused experience that makes the player feel immensely powerful without forgoing a sense of challenge or difficulty. The classic Doom formula has been deconstructed and reformed into a techno-medieval bloodbath, with gaming's original one-man army going on an unbridled rampage of demon-slaying destruction that somehow tops the scale of the iconic franchise yet again.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a fantastic experience from start to finish. Mixing up the gameplay of its predecessors drastically, while still feeling like DOOM.

Doom: The Dark Ages is modern Doom executed better than ever. It’s a bloody, challenging, and strategic thrill ride that tested my skills, forced me to catch my breath, and always had me asking for more. With the Shield Saw and other great additions, id Software gives me something I didn’t know I wanted, proving once again that this legendary series can still evolve in ways we haven’t even dreamed of.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a fantastic addition to this rebooted Doom franchise. It borrows from and builds on most of the aspects that made Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal so great. It stays true to the roots and offers exciting and fluid combat mechanics, while diving into a backstory that stands alone as a narrative but can also let the sickos geek out on some of the details. What it does best is just capture the hyper cool feel of being the "only one they fear" and delivering soundly on sprinting from one story beat to the next at a breakneck, metal pace.

There's no doubt about it, DOOM: The Dark Ages is one of the best games of the year, one of the best FPSs of the generation, and an experience you absolutely have to play. Completely ignoring this title is blasphemy you shouldn't commit.

id Software once again found a way to reinvent the DOOM formula, adding new gameplay elements such as the thoroughly enjoyable shield saw. DOOM: The Dark Ages is nonstop, adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride from start to finish. This blockbuster demands your full attention as the best FPS this year so far.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is the most badass DOOM has ever been. A killer soundtrack, first-person melee combat better than it has any right to be, and the most intriguing version of The Doom Slayer we've ever seen.

In all the ways that matter, Doom: The Dark Ages is a pure power fantasy, loading you up with outlandish weaponry and lethal powers and unleashing you on the horde.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is not only a prequel, it is a brave reinvention. In a scenario where the big franchises tend to repeat formulas, here we have a game that mixes the classic flavor of the first DOOM with a modern, epic and brutal structure. It is an ode to excess, metal, blood and intelligent gameplay. A title that will surely mark 2025.

The Doom Slayer returns in amazing fashion with riveting gameplay, exceptional variety and gorgeous design. It might just be the best iteration of Doom so far, even though some elements pull you out of the game's adrenaline-filled tempo.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a fantastic new beginning for the prolific franchise. While the sound mixing is lackluster and the soundtrack fails to reach the same heights as previous entries, the narrative and gameplay makes up for it. The story is a thrilling blockbuster that will have you grinning and at the edge of your seat from beginning to end and the gameplay, while more grounded than DOOM Eternal, is extremely fun due to the great gunplay, new weapons, unique mech and dragon segments, open levels, and melee focus. Id Software have delivered once again, and I can't wait to see where the franchise goes next.

Expectations for Doom: The Dark Ages were huge, especially given the merit of its predecessors. In many ways, it even surpassed the last games, including story, performance, variety and scope of the challenges. In others, we had a competent experience, with combat that mixes FPS and action in an engaging adventure. Many secrets to discover, giant robots and other qualities complement the experience and its changes that, although not necessarily inferior, may or may not be popular with the public. It took me a while to get used to it, but then I fell in love with it like happened before. The biggest criticism is the lack of any extra mode, which could expand the game. In the end, it still is an incredible suggestion for your library.

Doom: The Dark Ages is the most brutal entry in the modern Slayer trilogy. It has the best and most engaging combat in the series.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is the perfect antidote to anyone that felt Eternal was getting away what made the reboot so special. It’s as metal as they come, endlessly playable, and with memorable moments scattered throughout – whether it’s the ones you create moment to moment or those id has laid out.

DOOM The Dark Ages is an excellent title that does the series proud. True to DOOM's DNA, it offers refreshing new mechanics, such as the chainsaw shield, which offers a nice duality to the gameplay, combined with numerous weapons. The possibility of embodying a giant mecha and riding a dragon also brings an exotic feel to the experience, even if we would have liked to see more of these sequences over the course of the game's 22 chapters. This new episode nevertheless brings enjoyable sensations in an extremely well-crafted and bloody universe.

After Doom Eternal proved somewhat divisive among fans, Doom: The Dark Ages should be a Doom game everyone can appreciate. It’s fast and hard hitting, featuring robust combat systems that make learning their ins and outs fun and empowering. I daresay it’s even better than Doom 2016, and is a must-play title for everyone interested in Doom, first-person shooters, and action games as a whole.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a thrilling, feverishly-paced slaughter, the one thing most DOOM fans crave with each entry. Forgoing the brutal complexity of Eternal, id Software has stripped the formula down only slightly, making the Shield Saw one of the franchise’s best additions since glory kills. In the voyage towards reclaiming the roots of 1993, DOOM again shoves arena shooters into the future.

Doom: The Dark Ages shows that the team at id Software refuses to rest on its laurels and is always looking to iterate upon Doom’s fantastic base. The addition of the shield helps the gameplay feel entirely fresh, with the parry system and melee combat helping it differentiate itself from Doom Eternal, which perfected the push-forward combat. With a varied campaign that features some truly stellar moments and boss encounters, this is one of the best PS5 shooters ever made.

DOOM turns back the clock for an incredible prequel that'll get your blood pumping.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is an action-packed, cinematic, glorious delight, and with the bonus of it being a prequel, it could be an ideal entry point for those new to the series. Depending on how 2025 continues to play out, it wouldn't surprise me if DOOM: The Dark Ages is a topic of hot discussion as a Game of the Year contender.

Doom: The Dark Ages offers a new way to experience the classic Slayer, as blocking and parrying take the spotlight over the lateral dodges and double jumps featured in previous entries. Now, the Slayer is an unstoppable war tank — a true threat that must be managed carefully with a wide array of short- and long-range weapons. It all plays out like a macabre dance where counterattacking is the key.

Block, parry, cut through demons: DOOM: The Dark Ages is a great addition to the cult series, taking the action to a new level without forgetting the series' roots. Anyone who enjoys challenging shooters with a ton of style and options will get their money's worth here. An absolute must-have for fans and newcomers alike.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a bold, successful reinvention blending dark fantasy and sci-fi, offering a unique experience. Gameplay innovations like the versatile shield and "stand and fight" add tactical depth while keeping the signature frenzy. Despite minor flaws, expanded environments and deeper progression create a rich, accessible journey that evolves the series while staying true to its brutal core.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is the most well-executed entry in this long-respected franchise yet. Exceptional stage layouts, terrific implementations of player choice, and rewarding enemy design alongside the new shield and parry mechanics make this riveting FPS familiarly refreshing. Despite a few bumps in the road where spectacle overtakes ingenuity, DOOM: The Dark Ages is an undeniably must-play outing that can effortlessly appeal to prospective new and veteran returning DOOM fans.

DOOM: The Dark Ages manages to innovate in a positive way the solid gameplay of its predecessors. The shield mechanics are very good, giving the combat a new feel. The parts with Serrat (dragon) and Atlan (mecha) are quite fun, despite being few. The campaign has a reasonable story and its length is just right, but the collectibles and secrets are easier to discover in general. In the end, DOOM: The Dark Ages is worth playing, despite not offering any other content besides the campaign itself.

The shield and melee weapons haven't changed the character of Doom, it's still fast, furious and brutal. Despite my initial misgivings, The Dark Ages swept me away completely, which I particularly appreciate given that Eternal is, in my opinion, one of the weakest instalments in the series.

Brilliantly rethinks run-and-gun gameplay for the 2020s, enabled by thoroughly modern visuals. Doom: The Dark Ages is an object lesson into how to modernise an old classic.

If you prefer something more complex, there may be some elements here that can bother you, but nothing so serious that it takes away the fun. At the end of the day, DOOM: The Dark Ages is still Doom and it's simply very hard not to have a blast ripping apart dozens of demons with the music at full volume.

Despite what its title may suggest, DOOM: The Dark Ages plays more like a brutal renaissance for DOOM, trading the aerial flair of DOOM (2016) and Eternal for a grittier, boots-on-the-ground combat loop. With a mech, a dragon, a darker story, and a crusade-sized campaign, it's everything you'd want to sink your chainsaw shield into.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a masterclass in how to evolve a classic franchise without losing its identity. It’s still the frenzied demon-slaying bloodbath fans adore, but now it’s wrapped in a darker, more atmospheric package that respects both gameplay and story. With creative new weapons, a cinematic presentation, massive set pieces, and deeper lore, this is more than just another DOOM game—it’s a celebration of everything the franchise can be. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the series, if you crave high-octane action, heavy metal carnage, and just the right touch of fantasy madness, The Dark Ages demands your attention. DOOM has once again reinvented itself—and somehow, it still rips and tears.

DOOM: The Dark Ages reimagines the series' approach by offering unique and highly personalized gameplay supported by simple yet engaging additional systems. The Slayer's carnage is as immersive as ever, but the shadow of past installments partially overshadows the final result, which falls short of memorable status.

The XXL menu concocted by id Software is made for action lovers who always want more ketchup. Between two slices of laughter aboard a giant robot or on the back of a ferocious dragon, The Dark Ages takes advantage of its gigantic zones to let the warrior decide which smoky BBQ sauce he'll be eaten with. The more open worlds allow for extraordinary confrontations never before seen in a Doom, but like the mecha or dragon phases, everything is designed to provoke immediate thrills at the risk of lacking a bit of depth. In any case, Bethesda's production doesn't repeat the same formulas, however magical they may be: it relies on ancestral know-how to better venture into demonic astral planes.

At the same time that DOOM: The Dark Ages brings the series back to its roots, it also keeps innovating as the third part of the modern era of the franchise. It doesn't take a lot of risks, but adds a new combat dynamic with the shield, makes the story more impactful and delivers exactly what you'd expect of a DOOM experience. Even though it's a little bit slower and not so vertical as the last entries.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a good game within the Doom franchise. The shield introduces some interesting ideas to the gameplay, but the changes to combat, making it more methodical, didn’t appeal to me as much. The limited number of Glory Kills and the soundtrack also leave something to be desired. Still, if you're a fan of the franchise, you'll probably have a lot of fun with the game.

The Doom Slayer is back in yet another violent and fast-paced adventure that stands out in the medieval setting. With new elements such as the shield and dragon, the game brings innovation that makes for a lot of fun. Also because the game is packed with content and technically excellent performance. The story on the other hand is not really special and in essence it is mostly more of the same, but don't let that stop you from playing the game.

Doom: The Dark Ages trades Eternal's speed and complexity for a slower almost methodical approach to the classic combat that put the series on the map so many years ago.

Doom: The Dark Ages will create division among fans. With a slower pace and the obligation to master the parrys, it's a game that if you like it can be very enjoyable, but if you are looking for another Doom Eternal you may find a barrier that prevents you from enjoying it. Musically we find the weakest delivery.

Id Software doesn’t shake up the formula flawlessly, but despite some shallow mech and dragon levels, they deliver another brutally fun shooter.

Doom: The Dark Ages is an excellent shooter, absolutely no doubt about it. This might not be the revolutionary new-kid-on-the-block title that some of its predecessors over the years have been, but it does everything anyone could want from a shooter exceptionally well. The exploration sections that punctuate the action might not always hit the mark, but it isn't long before there are more things to kill and more ways to kill them. It also helps that visually and aesthetically things look wonderful. The grittiness of the combat is matched by the unique medieval-style setting of the story. For fans revisiting the series it will be a familiar treat, and for those jumping in for the first time, the prequel story presents an awesome platform from which to dive into this world.

Visually, everything looks top notch, the environments are stunning and the accompanying heavy metal adds another layer of hell. Although there is also sad news: you cannot play against others. Fortunately, this is not a huge loss, as the campaign lasts more than 20 hours and there is a lot of variety. You can even fly on dragons - though we think those are the weakest parts of the game. The game also feels different from the 2016 reboot and Doom Eternal: the environments are wider and you're a little less mobile. We can imagine that some fans might be turned off by that, but not us: Doom: The Dark Ages is a lovingly made game with a lot of new elements, and we can heartily recommend it for anyone who wants to fight demons from time to time.

Doom: The Dark Ages retains all the hallmarks that have defined the series—slick, fluid visuals and relentless, adrenaline-fueled combat—but introduces a fresh, more grounded twist that sets it apart. This medieval-inspired entry adds a new layer of atmosphere without compromising the franchise’s signature intensity. As the third chapter in a trilogy, it smartly offers a distinct variation on the core Doom formula, reinforcing the idea that a great trilogy doesn’t just repeat itself—it evolves with purpose and style.

Doom: The Dark Ages sees id Software pivoting away from their floaty bullet hell formula and into being the hell for bullets in a new "stand and fight" approach to combat, with tremendous results. The new hefty design makes the Slayer feel like the one man army he's always been portrayed as and delivers on being a Doom for the ages. Whilst there's some slight missteps in storytelling, music, and new gameplay elements that don't fit as well into its design, the moment-to-moment hook and metal aesthetic proves why the franchise is still the gold standard of modern FPS.

Unlike Eternal, Dark Ages keeps your feet planted on the ground, forgoing complex platforming amid level design that is chiefly of single-storey construction. That’s not to say there isn’t a vastness and scale at play but it’s apparent mostly in the disappointing sequences where the Slayer takes control of a giant robot and a metal dragon at various points. Sadly, Id fails to do anything interesting with these avatars, a curious development that counts as the game’s key failing. The campaign may also be stretched to flabbiness by its 22 levels as compensation for the absence of multiplayer. But that visceral combat still drives Dark Ages to riveting effect, its one-two punch of shield plus guns teasing players to master Doom anew.

Doom: The Dark Ages is an experience entirely worthy of the saga's legacy, while introducing elements that boldly renew and reconfigure it. Although it is not a flawless game, especially with somewhat disappointing visuals on consoles, it is a solid offering. The pleasure of playing is constant, and the sense of reward that each battle brings is very intense. In the end, that's exactly what I look for in a video game: challenge, intensity, and pure satisfaction.

Doom: The Dark Ages is fun, brutal and a great twist on classic gameplay. The shield and new weapons are great additions, but the dragon and giant robot are an unnecessary and poorly resolved distraction.

Though DOOM: The Dark Ages skirts around the tried and tested formula of the DOOM we know and love, which may not please everyone, its core DNA still shines through with beautiful, brutal strength.

DOOM: The Dark Ages doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it sure does kick a punch. A familiar installment in many ways, which manages to bring freshness with new mechanics and gloomy scenarios in which you will love to get lost exploring.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a good shooter at its core, but as a follow-up to two of the best FPS games ever made, it falls a little flat. The new defensive combat feels like a step back, with movement getting a significant nerf, and, while Doom Slayer is still an exciting character, the story focus feels out of place.

DOOM: The Dark Ages feels packed with situations that test a player and challenge them to use every element in their arsenal. Not to mention, it’s also quite accessible and filled with collectibles that make it worth replaying Chapters in its story. However, I do feel like it is geared toward people who played DOOM and DOOM Eternal, with a narrative that sometimes necessitates prior knowledge of the storyline since 2016. Also, the mecha dragon and Atlan mech sections don’t leave the sort of grand impression one might expect.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a welcome attempt to reinvent the most iconic shooter franchise of all time rather than sticking with what had previously worked. Some of the changes work, and some don't, but for the most part, the gameplay is extremely fun, even if it didn't hit the highs of Eternal. An extremely weak plot, some feeble side mechanics, and a somewhat underwhelming soundtrack drag down things a tad, but if you enjoyed Eternal and 2016, then The Dark Ages still has a lot of fun in store for you. Just be prepared to parry like you're playing Metal Gear Rising.

DOOM The Dark Ages is an unrelenting barrage of visceral hyperviolence that comes at you thick and fast, leaving you overstimulated and exhausted but thrilled and gratified.

Doom The Dark Ages will get your blood pressure up. It will test your reflexes, your problem-solving skills, your aim, and your ability to solve problems on the fly. It’ll probably test your patience a little, too, when the chugging, uninspired, padded-out sections in the middle start to wear a bit thin. But when it does manage to get your adrenaline pumping, you’ll be champing at the bit and thumbing shells into your shotgun so fast that the princes of hell themselves shaking in their boots.

Doom: The Dark Age improves on the more polarizing elements of its predecessor, with its defensive gear offering an exciting twist on the familiar Doom formula. The level designs are overly drab, and the vehicle sections wear out their welcome, but the actual battles against hordes of demons are as fun as ever, and you’re given tons of awesome tools and toys to unleash on them.

Besides the meaningful addition of shield combat, The Dark Ages does little to reinvent the series' gameplay formula. Nor does it have to. Sure, riding dragons are kinda neat, but at its core Doom continues to deliver some of the crunchiest, gnarliest shooting in the business.

DOOM: The Dark Ages has turned out to be an excellent shooter, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of DOOM: Eternal. What remains is a stellar shooter campaign that feels more like the original DOOM games, crafted by the masters of the genre. And that’s more than enough to keep me satisfied until the next installment.

With DOOM The Dark Ages, the series takes a 180-degree turn, especially with a return to a less airborne, less frenetic DOOM compared to DOOM Eternal. The game might divide players who loved that ultra-fast FPS approach, but the developers at id Software wanted to shake up the formula. Those looking for a more grounded, back-to-basics experience will be pleased, especially since the gameplay centered around the shield-chainsaw, parries, and dodges offers a new dimension. There's less verticality and fewer aerial movements; this DOOM favors close combat but with the same brutality. While the sequences inside the large robot are fun, we're less fond of the dragon-riding sequences, which aren't always that engaging. Overall, we had a great time.

DOOM: The Dark Ages goes for something slightly different as it turns back time for a medieval assault on hell’s legions. Not every change pays off, as the introduction of a mech and dragon adds very little to the overall experience. However, when The Dark Ages gets to the FPS action, there aren’t many who do it better than id Software. Take some time to adjust to DOOM: The Dark Ages, and you’ll discover another fantastically ferocious first-person shooter.

Doom: The Dark Ages gets so much right, that its main flaws come when the game takes you away from its main, excellent combat loop. While not every new addition works, the game’s new open zones are a treat, and the Doomslayer’s arsenal is still incredibly fun to run around with.