Fast-paced action, colossal weapons, heavy metal, and maximum violence! The new DOOM sticks to the formula of its predecessors while also introducing innovations and changes that could be embraced by many, and rejected by others.
As we saw in the game previews, the addition of the shield was the core gameplay change, casting its influence over everything else. Some believed that DOOM was shifting from fast-paced, high-mobility combat to a more stationary and heavy style. Even the developers echoed this with the statement: “In DOOM Eternal, you were a fighter jet; in DOOM Dark Ages, you’ll be a tank.” But let me tell you—it didn’t turn out that way at all, Dark Ages actually turned out to be faster than Eternal!.The shield itself is a major contributor to this speed, helping with parries, quicker movement, lunging onto enemies, and executing high jumps at key points. Throwing the shield brings the satisfying thrill of slicing enemies or stunning them.
But the biggest gameplay differences lie in two areas: First off, verticality in combat has been almost entirely removed. Unlike DOOM Eternal, where you constantly moved between ground and air while shooting, here you’re mostly engaged in parrying, using exciting melee mechanics (like punches and hammers), and shooting. Glory Kills are no longer as prominent either—they’ve been reduced to a set of limited animations, triggered only in very specific scenarios (by jumping from different angles toward the enemy and pressing the designated button at the right moment).
And second, the game takes a completely new direction in its level design. Some stages now offer a near-open-world experience, making exploration more crucial for uncovering items and progressing through the game.
The economic system has also been revamped into a much simpler and more intuitive form—collecting gold and items, then spending them—which proves to be even more effective. I find weapon upgrades and unlocking their final tiers far more satisfying than before.
The combination of this reimagined level design and streamlined economy makes exploration and discovery truly meaningful and rewarding, pushing players to play smarter and more strategically.
Let’s say you want to unlock a new ability for your favorite weapon. You’ll need 150 gold and 2 rubies. To get them, you’ll have to explore the environment, face a variety of challenges—from combat to puzzles—and eventually gather the necessary resources to upgrade the weapon. That way, not only have you enjoyed the journey, but you’ve sharpened your skills and experienced the thrill of discovery.
Weapon design is done amazingly. Visually and animation-wise, the weapons are stunning, and in terms of functionality and abilities, they’re highly engaging. They offer exactly what fans crave: a wide arsenal of cool and diverse weapons packed with exciting capabilities.
As for enemy design and variety, it’s fair to say there’s not a huge range. However, this makes sense when you consider the game’s core level design philosophy and how it shapes the player experience. To deliver that “tank” sensation and a sense of overwhelming power, the game places you in scenarios where a single move—a jump, a shield throw—can take down a swarm of small enemies. Your primary confrontations are with elites and larger enemies.
Overall, the levels in DOOM: Dark Ages can be divided into three categories: on-foot missions, Titan-riding missions, and dragon-riding missions. I’d describe the on-foot missions as excellent, the Titan missions as good, and the dragon missions as bad!
The only real drawback of the Titan missions is their repetitive nature—aside from dodging, charging, and punching, you don’t get to do much else. These segments could’ve been enhanced with more varied environmental puzzles and challenges. That said, they do a great job of conveying the feeling of riding a Titan—heavy, powerful, and imposing.
The dragon-riding sections, on the other hand, feel more like you’re riding a kite than a dragon. The dragon riding physics is a disaster, so much so that I suspect this feature was slapped together at the end of development, just to meet the deadline. Structurally, these missions are painfully repetitive: a chase sequence, landing and dismounting, clearing the area, returning to the dragon, and then fighting spaceships in a static and rigid flight mode. Dodging and positioning during these encounters feel like anything but dragon-riding, and the phase where you open vents by destroying their shields features some of the worst combat design, with physics that border on ridiculous.
The game shines in its accessibility options. It gives you so much freedom that you can enjoy the experience however you prefer. Everything is adjustable at any moment—from difficulty level and parry timing windows to even the overall game speed.
The visuals are artistically and technically striking and nearly flawless. They succeed in conveying the dark, medieval vibe the game is built around.
When it comes to the music, there’s something important to point out: Mick Gordon’s magic is no longer present. Following his fallout with id Software and subsequent departure, many anticipated a decline in the soundtrack’s quality, but it’s actually weaker than expected. Most tracks consist of repetitive riffs looping endlessly, with minimal creativity, barely any compelling melodies, and almost no memorable solos. The most surprising issue, though, is the poor audio quality and extremely low volume of the music. At times, it almost feels like the soundtrack is missing entirely, or that certain levels simply don’t have music at all.
In the end, DOOM: Dark Ages is still a fast-paced, chaotic first-person shooter that stays loyal to DOOM’s core identity. Slaughtering demons remains highly satisfying, but I genuinely believe that if the game had been released a year later—with extra development time dedicated to the weaker aspects—it could have emerged as a significantly more refined and impactful title.
Score:85/100
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