DOOM: The Dark Ages

Doom: The Dark Ages might be a prequel, but it feels like an evolution for the franchise. Packed into a tightly crafted campaign that ramps up the stakes at every turn, it's without a doubt the most bloodthirsty and satisfying Doom to date. With fresh additions like the Shield Saw, Atlan, and Cyberdragon, there is a ton of variety to keep you engaged and hooked to the very end. Another fantastic win for Xbox and Bethesda.

DOOM: The Dark Ages reinvents the franchise with a brutal medieval prequel that retains its frenetic core while introducing fresh elements like the Saw Shield (featuring parry mechanics) and epic battles atop dragons or inside towering Titans. Though resolution on Xbox Series S is a weak point, the game shines with a sprawling campaign, secret-packed levels, a pulse-pounding OST, and exquisitely choreographed violence. A must-play for fans and a new benchmark for modern shooters, proving once again that DOOM is eternal.

Doom: The Dark Ages does many things differently from its predecessors, but it does them well. A rich story, a great sense of power, and still memorable, brutal gameplay make it not only a great addition to the legendary action franchise, but also one of the best games of the year.

DOOM: The Dark Ages takes us back to the Slayer at his most powerful, stylish cape and all. Twenty-two levels of mayhem, excellent pacing, and furious combat make this entry my favorite in the series yet.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a bold and refreshing take on the legendary franchise. It slows things down just enough to feel heavier and more deliberate, without losing any of the intensity fans expect. The new setting, tone, and combat style bring a surprising amount of variety and creativity, making each encounter feel distinct. Whether you're a longtime Slayer or new to the series, this is a must-play FPS that respects its roots while confidently forging a new path. Brutal, stylish, and consistently fun—this is DOOM at its most fearless.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a gloriously gory game which manages to feel familiar but fresh at the same time. Adapting the gameplay may well have seemed like a gamble, but in the capable hands of id Software, it has certainly paid off.

A hefty slab of pure FPS gameplay, DOOM: The Dark Ages nails just about everything, balancing brutal combat and a spot of open exploration beautifully. Crucially, playing as the Slayer makes you feel like an unstoppable beast - it’s fantastic.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is another absolutely stellar offering from id Software. It may bring far more narrative aspects to the table, whilst also slowing the flow down with larger levels, but in action it's the same old pulse-pounding core combat; highly strategic, hugely challenging (at higher difficulties) and as clever, colourful and cool a shooter as you'll likely play this year. DOOM asked you to sweat your bullet count. Eternal made movement more meaningful. For this latest lesson, the Slayer brings defensive options, more space and time, and the perspective of a god-killer as he drops into battle. A slightly different death-dance, then, but still a gloriously great one.

Doom: The Dark Ages is an excellent addition to this first-person shooter series. It sacrifices Eternal's mobility in exchange for making us feel like an unstoppable tank in a story filled with action and variety, both in weapons and enemies, ensuring that the excitement never stops from start to finish.

It’s easily the best first-person action game since 2016.

Doom: The Dark Ages effectively reinvents the hellish shooter franchise with a revamped movement system and deepened lore. The celestial, sci-fi brutality of the previous two games is swapped for medieval goth.

DOOM: The Dark Ages modernizes the series with flair, offering intense gameplay and sleek graphics. Despite a weak story and some repetition, it’s a compelling experience overall.

Although it doesn't offer a campaign on the same level as Doom: Eternal, Doom: The Dark Ages is yet another success for iD Software since the reboot launched in 2016. Boosted by very welcome additions to the franchise, such as combat with mechs and the possibility of flying and fighting while controlling a dragon, the new chapter in the series is a must-have title for fans of FPS and action games in general. With a huge variety of weapons that completely change the combat, enemies with very different mechanics and maps with lots of secrets to explore, Doom: The Dark Ages is fun from start to finish. However, the gamble of diving too deeply into an uninteresting story with one-dimensional characters shows an exaggerated focus on an aspect that has never been the franchise's strong point. Even so, The Dark Ages seems to be the embryo of a new phase of Doom and stands out as one of the best FPSs of the new generation.

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.

DOOM The Dark Ages is aggressive as hell, loud, fast, and all the fun you want. Sometimes you just need to pick up a shotgun, a flail, and a saw-bladed shield and rip through baddies. To put it simply, DOOM The Dark Ages is rewarding. The gameplay matters and ultimately makes up for any weaknesses in the story.

Exquisitely playable and outstandingly powerful shooter, which noticeably runs out of breath towards the end.

The Dark Ages wanted to be the most forceful Doom, and it succeeded. Did it take the series any further? No, not really. And as much as I love the fact that there Doom: The Dark Ages exists and as much as I wouldn't want to miss it - the world certainly doesn't need a second one any time soon.

Doom: The Dark Ages nails that feeling of "classic Doom in a new era," thanks to its relentless combat, interesting if not perfectly suitable levels, and hordes upon hordes of demons. The new weaponry feels great – especially my pal the Pulverizer – and some streamlined adjustments to the process makes dropping demons dead feel great, especially in large groups of them. It's not a total reinvention of the demonic wheel, but it'll offer you plenty of Hell-themed fun in a familiar setting.

Doom: The Dark Ages is action-packed and has really high highs, though the last quarter of the game doesn't quite maintain its momentum. Still, Dark Ages is a no-brainer for fans of the 2016 Doom game and Doom Eternal, as well as anyone who is in the mood for a high-quality and exciting first-person shooter experience.

Here's a more grounded Doom, but one that's as brisk and playful as ever.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a hybrid onslaught of the brutal combat we know and love and all-new intuitive parry mechanics. We're unsure if the game's additions are enough to compensate for what's been lost from Doom Eternal, but the foundation of slaying hordes of demons in visceral and bloody battles remains as fun as ever.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a fierce and fresh take that nails the franchise’s core, delivering a brutal first-person experience wrapped in stunning audiovisual design. The campaign’s combat loop is as gripping as ever, though the narrative feels undercooked and fails to fully capitalize on the game's cinematic ambitions. While weapon switching can feel clunky, and the soundtrack doesn’t quite reach the iconic highs of its predecessors, id Software still delivers a bold and commendable entry that just falls short of topping its legendary forerunners.

Doom: The Dark Ages is more Doom and that means it is without question one of the best action games you will play in 2025. But is it a step up or a noticeable evolution from what Eternal served up in 2019 or what Doom presented in 2016? The answer is no.

Doom: The Dark Ages' brand of heart-pounding frenetic action still makes for one of the most fun shooters you can play this year, and another spellbinding step in the series that revolutionized the first-person shooter.

DOOM: The Dark Ages wasn't what many fans expected. This is a step away from being a bit specific, but very powerful, offering a hurricane of meaty gameplay with an emphasis on spectacular melee combat.