Quick Verdict
Of the modern DOOM trilogy, DOOM: The Dark Ages is now my favorite, followed by DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, a very far distant third. Having grown up playing classic DOOM II on local BBSes, which was my gateway to online PC gaming, the DOOM series has always been very dear to me. No other first-person shooter has ever managed to capture that feeling of slaughtering demons in your path with silky smooth, fluid movement.
DOOM: The Dark Ages does what many sequels strive to do but often fall short of. It manages to add just enough to the core loop to make it feel fresh, while remaining familiar. It’s a tired old cliché, but it’s the most accurate way to describe DOOM: The Dark Ages in a few words. Despite the addition of a shield, parrying, and numerous new weapons, DOOM veterans will feel right at home playing this entry. Of the three modern games, DOOM: The Dark Ages truly encompasses the spirit of the classic titles with its larger, open arenas fit for ripping and tearing.
Knightmare Fuel
As I mentioned in my Quick Verdict, my first foray into online PC gaming started with classic DOOM II on local BBSes. I would often spend my free time creating my own deathmatch levels (.wads) and happily spend hours on dial-up fragging against others. The DOOM series really started my love for first-person shooters, which of course led me to playing other franchises like Halo, Battlefield, Call of Duty, Destiny, and more. But nothing truly ever replaced DOOM, and to this day, I feel like it’s in a category of its own when it comes to fast-paced shooters. Sure, there has been an interesting resurgence of “boomer shooters” in the last year or two, and they do a great job of being Doom-like, but they ultimately just aren’t the same.
Most DOOM games have always been this perfect amalgamation of fast-paced action, fantastic gunplay, and an assortment of weapons to mutilate the legions of demons from Hell. The exception to this rule is mainly DOOM III, which took a much more cinematic approach with a focus on horror that didn’t sit well with the core audience. When the series got a reboot in 2016, it was a return to form, a game that made me smile as I played. It was then that I knew the DOOM franchise was in good hands.
When DOOM Eternal launched in 2020, it was clear the team at id Software was trying to change up the formula. Personally, though, it was too much of a departure from that core DOOM experience I loved. I absolutely disliked the constant gun switching, especially since I grew up mainly playing with the Super Shotgun in DOOM II. Additionally, the platforming seemed entirely out of place and frustrating. Needless to say, the follow-up to DOOM 2016 was a massive disappointment, but I did appreciate that the team was trying to do something different. It simply wasn’t for me.
Skull Splitter
The early previews for DOOM: The Dark Ages had me worried. While the idea of giving the DOOM Slayer a shield was interesting, I initially cringed when I learned there would be parrying mechanics in DOOM: The Dark Ages. The popularity and success of soulslikes have encouraged developers to find ways to incorporate similar mechanics into their genres, but more often than not, they fail. Still, I kept an open mind to the idea, because if there was a team that could pull it off, it’d be id Software. For the most part, I’m terrible at parrying mechanics. I lack the patience for it and generally prefer dodging over parrying in soulslike titles.
Typically, I avoid talking about other games when reviewing one, but in the case of DOOM: The Dark Ages, it’s rather hard not to compare it to the recent release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Like id Software, the team at Sandfall Interactive decided to add parrying mechanics to a genre that, for the most part, has never seen them before. In Expedition 33’s case, it was parrying and dodging in a turn-based RPG, and it was executed nearly flawlessly. Fortunately, the same can be said for DOOM: The Dark Ages with its shield and parrying mechanics. But I do have to say, part of my enjoyment comes from the fact that Expedition 33 forced me to get good at parrying. That game managed to cram the mechanics into a system I enjoyed, and DOOM: The Dark Ages delivers the same sentiment.
Now, to be clear, the parrying window is a lot more generous in DOOM: The Dark Ages, and to a certain degree, you can spam the parrying button, unlike in Expedition 33. The system is a lot less punishing, even when you make the window as small as possible in the settings. I did my entire playthrough on Ultra-Violence, but I also played on Nightmare after I completed the campaign. I would recommend Ultra-Violence to DOOM veterans, as the game is a bit on the easier side when compared to DOOM Eternal. I went through DOOM Eternal on Hurt Me Plenty and struggled, while Ultra-Violence felt right to me in DOOM: The Dark Ages. I still died plenty, as some of these arenas do get really chaotic, but those were all enjoyable, fun deaths.
Smooth as Hell
For those who are entirely new to the franchise, DOOM: The Dark Ages is pretty easy to describe. Gameplay consists of going from Point A to Point B and killing everything in sight with your arsenal of weapons. New weapons unlock at a regular cadence, and there are individual upgrade trees for each. Many fan favorites, like the Super Shotgun and Rocket Launcher, return alongside an assortment of new weapons like the Chainshot and Pulverizer. What I truly loved seeing this time around was the variety of ways people could play through DOOM: The Dark Ages. I mainly used the Super Shotgun and Cycler, while two other FullCleared contributors preferred entirely different weapons like the Impaler. It’s a nice departure from DOOM Eternal, which essentially forced you to weapon swap for certain enemies. Nothing was more satisfying this time around than knowing I could run through most of the game using the Super Shotgun, so long as I had ammo.
The upgrade trees for each weapon are rather basic and mostly linear. There are, however, different builds you can create based on the weapons you prefer, with some synergies for melee action. In addition, the system also offers upgrades for the shield and each melee weapon, but again, they are very linear. Resources to unlock these upgrades are scattered throughout each of the 22 levels, some of which require solving basic puzzles or hunting down statues. This encourages exploration, rewarding players who want to spend the time exploring every corner of the map for every collectible. Like other past DOOM games, The Dark Ages gives you a completion percentage for each level, so completionists can have at it. If you’re like me and play DOOM to shoot things rather than explore, I still managed to fully upgrade my shield, two melee weapons, and my Super Shotgun even though I mostly went straight to the objective each level.
The shield is the biggest addition to the formula this time around, and it serves multiple purposes. Unlike the DOOM Eternal movement mechanics—such as jump dashing—the shield in DOOM: The Dark Ages somehow feels like a natural extension of the DOOM Slayer’s toolkit. The shield can block multiple attacks or projectiles before it goes on cooldown. It can also parry green-colored attacks, returning them to the sender. Doing his best Captain America impression, the DOOM Slayer can also throw the shield, which is essential for some enemies that are also equipped with a shield. My favorite is using it as a way to dash to a target. With keyboard and mouse, the shield really works its way naturally into the gameplay. You’ll get into this nice dance of dashing, shooting, blocking, throwing your shield, parrying, and repeating. Everything clicks into place, and I was very skeptical of the idea when it was first introduced. It feels like an actual evolution of DOOM’s core gameplay, making combat even more engaging and strategic. I never thought I would type these words, but adding a shield to DOOM was a brilliant idea.
Barrels o’ Fun
What weren’t such great ideas were the two alternative “gameplay modes.” If you watched the trailers, it’s not really a spoiler, but essentially they’re mounts for the DOOM Slayer. One mode is much more melee-focused, while the other takes to the sky and focuses on ranged attacks. While they should have made you feel like a complete badass, they somehow feel very basic and downright boring compared to the rest of the game when you are just the DOOM Slayer. I applaud the effort to change things up, but both of these modes truly fell flat from my perspective. I jokingly said they are in the game so you can better appreciate the good parts. These sequences are comparatively short and provide a brief breather from the more intense moments, but I found them rather bland.
Another aspect that was a miss for me was the story. I know the team has been trying to incorporate more narrative elements into this generation of DOOM games, but it is not very good. I paid attention to every line of dialogue and earnestly watched every cutscene, but I still cannot say I care any more about the DOOM Slayer or the world id Software is trying to build around him. I almost wish the franchise would lean into something extremely over-the-top, wild, and absurd if it wants to craft a story around the DOOM Slayer. I don’t think what’s been attempted in the past three games has any real impact.
My final criticism of DOOM: The Dark Ages is its $69.99 price tag. While the quality and fun are there, the game is relatively short. I completed my Ultra-Violence playthrough in about 15 hours, but I didn’t come close to getting 100 percent on every level. Going back to chase every collectible or explore missed map areas doesn’t really appeal to me. Even if I chose to go back and achieve 100 percent completion on all the levels, DOOM: The Dark Ages is probably a 25-hour experience if I am being generous. With no multiplayer or additional gameplay modes to enjoy, the $69.99 price is understandably a hard pill to swallow for some gamers. Fortunately, you can just subscribe to Game Pass to get your hands on the game, and that’s much more affordable.
Slayer Legacy
By combining larger, open arenas with greater enemy variety and even some interesting boss fights, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the closest modern version of classic DOOM II I have experienced to date. I thought DOOM (2016) was as good as it could get, but the addition of a shield works surprisingly well. This was the most fun I’ve had with a DOOM game since I was a teenager, despite moments when the game removed me from the ground-based combat as the DOOM Slayer. I love the new weapons, as well as the mechanics and synergies possible when paired with melee weapons. The action feels tighter than ever, and once you get into a groove of parrying and shooting, it flows so well—running rock-solid on PC at over 200 FPS at times on my rig. I also know some people are interested in the game’s soundtrack, especially since id Software had a falling out with previous composer Mick Gordon. It’s a soundtrack fitting to a DOOM game and it’s serviceable, but it’s definitely not at the same level as the previous two games. Gordon’s presence is definitely missing here, at least to me.
DOOM: The Dark Ages definitely has moments of frustration, with something killing me offscreen or taking damage while stuck in an animation where I couldn’t control the Slayer. I would, however, take that any day over having to double jump and dash in midair to grab onto a wall in a DOOM game. At least those deaths involve shooting a gun or pummeling a demon to a bloody pulp, two things I believe are synonymous with DOOM. Obviously there are going to be DOOM Eternal fans who do not enjoy DOOM: The Dark Ages at all, and I feel like that’s a great thing. The fact that each modern DOOM game is able to differentiate itself from the others shouldn’t be overlooked.
As I grow older, I find myself less and less interested in first-person shooters. I haven’t played a Call of Duty title in years, and Halo Infinite is the first entry in the series whose campaign I never played. Even with Destiny 2, I never went further than the base game. Part of it is that the genre feels a bit stale, and another part is that the gameplay no longer interests me. With DOOM, though, that’s different. The sheer fun and pleasure I get while playing a DOOM game continue to be one-of-a-kind. Sure, not everything is always a success, but I’m glad id Software is at least trying to innovate with each entry in the series. I’m very much looking forward to the DOOM Slayer’s next adventure, so long as it keeps him on the ground.
DOOM: The Dark Ages has a scheduled release date of May 15, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This review is based on a copy of the game provided as part of Xbox Game Pass on PC. While FullCleared does have affiliate partnerships, they do not influence our editorial content. We may, however, earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.
DOOM: The Dark Ages Review Gallery (possible spoilers!)
