I’ve been a DOOM fan since DOOM (2016) came out of nowhere and redefined the modern FPS landscape. It was fast, brutal, and inspired a wave of imitators. DOOM Eternal then came along and, for me, set an all-time high bar for the genre one of the best shooters I’ve ever played. Following that up was never going to be easy. The Dark Ages succeeds in delivering another great DOOM title, but it doesn’t quite hit that same legendary status.
Nobody plays DOOM for deep narrative, which makes The Dark Ages being the most story-heavy of the trilogy an odd choice. The cutscenes are plentiful but often feel disjointed, with a strange mid-game stretch where hours pass without a single cinematic. The cast is forgettable, with no standout or memorable allies or villains. Things do pick up toward the finale, offering some well-earned “Slayer moments,” but the plot as a whole doesn’t feel cohesive. Marketing heavily suggested this game would lead directly into DOOM (2016)—it doesn’t. If that link exists, it’s likely being saved for DLC.
Gameplay – Great Shield, Simpler Slayer
The big new mechanic here is the shield, and it’s undeniably fun. Blocking, parrying, throwing it, and using it to launch into enemies creates a satisfying rhythm of block → attack → melee → shoot. The tank-like feel of combat is a nice shift in tone.
The problem is everything around it feels simplified compared to Eternal. Weapon swapping is much slower, discouraging the kind of dynamic loadout cycling that Eternal practically demanded. You can easily beat most encounters using only a fraction of your arsenal—most notably the “stun with shield + super shotgun” combo. In Eternal, failing to adapt meant death; here, repetition often works just fine.
One of the most baffling changes is the near-total removal of glory kills. They’re replaced with a generic melee animation, complete with a slow-mo effect, that you’ll see constantly. Special glory kills for mini-bosses exist but repeat so often they quickly lose impact. This is a stark downgrade from Eternal’s hundreds of unique finishers and makes the combat loop feel more repetitive halfway through.
Mechs & Dragons
Two new set pieces help mix things up:
- Altan Mech: Short, punchy segments where you stomp through enemies in a massive war machine. Fun, but would’ve been cooler with unique mech glory kills.
- Dragon Flights: Aerial combat sections that are surprisingly enjoyable on a first run but may lose novelty on replays.
Both break up the pace without overstaying their welcome.
With Mick Gordon gone, the soundtrack was always going to be a tough sell. While it’s not on the same level as DOOM 2016 or Eternal, it’s far from bad. “From the Ashes” is a standout track, and there are moments where the music kicks hard. Too often, though, it fades into the background instead of driving the action like Gordon’s work did. Visually, The Dark Ages is fantastic. The updated ID Tech engine delivers massive vistas and intricate world detail without sacrificing performance. It’s one of the best-optimized PC releases I’ve played this year smooth framerates, crisp visuals, no major bugs. A welcome break from the trend of messy PC ports.
Final Verdict
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a strong, standalone shooter with satisfying shield-based combat, gorgeous visuals, and some fun new set pieces. But when stacked against Eternal, it’s hard not to feel like parts of the gameplay loop have been simplified to its detriment—slower weapon swapping, fewer glory kills, and less incentive to master the full arsenal.
At ~$70 for a ~15-hour campaign with no multiplayer or SnapMap, it’s a tough sell at full price. On Game Pass or at a discount, though, it’s still a hell of a good time.