In the lead-up to the release of Doom: The Dark Ages, a lot has been made of a more story-based approach and a grounded combat system that harkens back to the classics.
These changes have been pre-emptively polarising and left some Doom fans feeling apprehensive after the success of Doom Eternal. Thankfully, the new entry strikes a good balance of Doom Eternal and Doom 2016 while changing things up slightly with a few new gameplay features.
A new focus on parry mechanics combined with the throwable Captain America-esque Shield Saw separate this game from previous titles while still retaining the DNA of a Doom game.
First things first, the frantic fast-paced combat of Doom Eternal hasn't gone away and Doom: The Dark Ages doesn't stray too far from what we've come to expect when it comes to slaying demons.
The biggest change is that Doom Eternal's dash and double jump mechanics have been traded in for a more grounded parry system. You are definitely in control of a more tanky Doom Slayer in The Dark Ages, and you feel it with every interaction, especially when landing on a horde of demons after jumping from a satisfyingly bone-crunching height.
Having a more weighty feel doesn't sacrifice speed and slow down combat, though. If anything, the combat feels incredibly similar to its predecessor and doesn't do too much differently after you get accustomed to the new parry system.
What to Read Next
A plethora of fun and creative weapons remain and there's plenty of demon variants to use them on. Enemies have unique melee and projectile attacks that require specific parry timings, whether it's blocking a giant axe or rebounding plasma orbs back to the sender.
There's a shield charge ability that can instantly zip you to enemies at distance and the option to embed your spinning saw into enemies to stun them, which create very fun combat encounters when used in unison.
Difficulty can be adjusted and there are a lot of accessibility options that can be tweaked to make the game as easy or as difficult as you like, but overall combat flows naturally and the parry system works incredibly well as a good substitute for Doom Eternal's movement, though we'd be lying if we said we didn't miss being able to dash.
Related: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered review
Something else Doom: The Dark Ages does to differentiate itself from its predecessors is mix up the kind of levels you play during the campaign. Among the usual open and linear maps are levels that are focused on a huge controllable mech and a rideable dragon that are intended to add variety from all the rip-and-tearing.
The giant mech sections are inoffensive and don't overstay their welcome. They're essentially slow intervals that require you to throw clunky punches at giant demons and dodge when the game tells you to.
The dragon riding levels are more interwoven with standard gameplay where you hop on and off the dragon to reach distant areas of the map. While visually cool and definitely a change of pace, it is a departure from the intense combat encounters most players are probably craving when they pick up a Doom game.
The game's emphasis on rhythm, parry and dodge mechanics carries over to dragon gameplay too, with the game asking you to lock onto an enemy while dodging in a specific sequence to avoid attacks. These elements aren't egregiously implemented but it does make us question how necessary they are and if they could have done more with them.
Long-time fans of Doom have voiced skepticism over how The Dark Ages has been touted as story-focused, but after beating the game's epic 22-chapter campaign, we can say it's not nearly as intrusive or dominant as some expected.
Cinematics only really occur before and after campaign missions and aren't much different than those seen in Doom Eternal. If you're playing Doom for the lore then there is a story here that might be interesting, but it's not the kind of narrative that makes you care about the characters outside of who the Doom Slayer is going to slaughter next.
It makes us wonder what a game like Doom: The Dark Ages needs to do to balance story and gameplay. The gameplay isn't overshadowed by the story at all, but going through the effort to create these well-shot cutscenes and ultimately not having the audience care seems a bit counter-productive.
The best parts of the campaign are when there's limited cutscenes and we just see the Doom Slayer going from place to place eviscerating demons in style like a badass. Maybe we're easy to please but it does make us wonder why the story was used as a selling point in previews when it doesn't seem to be a factor in what makes these games great.
The campaign is a meaty one with a mixture of long and short levels with some of the best environments so far in a Doom game. From the expected Hellish landscapes to foreboding forests and otherworldly shipwrecks, the level design is great and visually impressive, with some late-game maps pushing the creativity.
The Shield Saw also plays a part in how progress is made and some secrets are found with a number of environmental puzzles. It essentially works like the axe from God of War where you can throw it to cut chains and activate switches, which breaks up the violence somewhat.
Something noticeable and missing is the Slayer Gates from Doom Eternal. While there are optional battles throughout the levels that include beefed-up enemies that drop upgrades, Slayer Gates no longer seem to be a thing, which is a shame as these were some of the best blood-pumping moments from Eternal.
Another noticeable change is that Glory Kills seem to have been toned down. They still exist but you're mostly just using your shield or melee attack to instantly turn demons into an explosive cloud of limbs. You can still saw enemies in half or decapitate heads if you jump at them from an angle, but nothing has quite felt as gratifying as pulling them apart with your bare hands or punching heads in like in the previous games.
Related: 2025's best game is out on PS Plus and Game Pass
Ultimately, Doom: The Dark Ages feels like more Doom and doesn't change too much of the formula that made us fall in love with Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal. If you liked those games, then you'll like this.
As fans of the previous games, more of the same is a good thing, but it also has to be said that the changes they've made aren't as impactful or game-changing as expected, and the inclusion of gimmicks like the giant mech and dragon levels don't really add to the experience in a meaningful way.
We can't really talk about Doom without addressing the music. Blistering metal has been a staple of Doom since the reboot in 2016, mostly thanks to Mick Gordon's memorable and perfectly intense soundtrack. However, Mick Gordon is notably absent from The Dark Ages, and sadly it shows.
Finishing Move are behind the OST this time, and while it provides the appropriate head-banging backdrop you'd expect, it doesn't quite reach the heights of the previous games and makes encounters sometimes sound generic as a result.
The revisions id Software has made manage to strike a perfect balance of not making The Dark Ages any better or worse than previous entries. It's a solid addition to the series that fans will have an awesome time playing, with all the adrenaline-fueled action carrying over from the previous two games.
The combat is some of the best you'll find in any first-person shooter and the new gunplay and Shield Saw dynamics are a fresh addition to the carnage we're used to. The levels are full of environmental secrets and look great with just enough variety to keep them interesting throughout.
Whether The Dark Ages will become your favourite of the three games will ultimately come down to preference – some players prefer Doom 2016 and some Doom Eternal – and this new entry is sure to throw a flail in the works and become a viable front-runner for some.
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.
Platform reviewed on: Xbox Series X
Doom: The Dark Ages is out on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Game Pass on 15 May 2025, or two days early on 13 May if you buy the Premium Edition.
