DOOM: The Dark Ages review… This cacophony of chaos impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender
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LIKE a beloved old pet dog, DOOM: The Ages is impossible to put down.
It's a demonic drug, a hit of horrifying annihilation that makes you want more and more. Because it slays more than Taylor Swift in a glitter hat factory.
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10
Hell hath no fury... like a Doom Slayer with loads of guns
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
Care must always be taken when trying to improve a cult classic - and the original Doom rightfully belongs among the icons of gaming history.
So it's a huge relief to see that idSoftware has not only been respectful in making this DOOM, they've also been really smart. But is The Dark Ages the best game since the original release?
Hell yeah!
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There's an impressive array of weaponry to dispatch demons with
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
First off, there's a more involved plot than previous follow-ups like DOOM (2016) and 2020's DOOM: Eternal.
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You play the heavy-footed Doom Slayer called upon by the Night Sentinels of Argent D'Nur and the mysterious Maykrs in their battle against the dark forces of Hell. Your job? To save humanity.
The Maykrs have a strange hold over the Slayer who gradually starts to think, and fight, on his own terms.
Previous follow-ups to this mega franchise were decent nods to the original but they weren't truly great games. They lacked what makes a DOOM game utterly brilliant - an intense, mind-blowing run-and-gun experience which takes your breath away. Literally.
The Dark Ages, however, achieves this in bundles.
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The 22 chapters are bold and intense
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
Because you become so engrossed in dispatching the multitude of enemies spawning all around you that you forget to breathe.
I lost count of the times where I finished a chapter (there are 22 to smash through), let out an exhausting breath… and noticed that I was two feet away from my gaming chair.
Such is the intensity of The Dark Ages.
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Jumping into a giant mech suit feels like Power Rangers but, you know, better
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
It's not just a blast and dash game either. This time round you have to be more tactically astute in your demon-slaying ways.
The sheer number of enemies that bear down on you during battle is daunting, but this just increases the adrenaline rush you get when your planned destruction works.
This immersive action results in hours lost wiping the floor with growling Pinky Riders and horrible Hell Knights.
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Plan your battles wisely as you'll need to be smart as well as sharp
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
The arsenal is as kick-ass as it is clever. And each new weapon brings slightly different whoops of joy as you learn more about what can be achieved when you pull the trigger.
For example, the Impaler is brilliant for headshots and once you get your upgrades to a certain point, it can then slow down time to get the perfect hit.
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Enemies vary in difficulty and there are some cool close-up melee options
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
The Shredder can dispatch hordes of Imp Stalkers all at once and again, use your upgrades wisely, and it can auto-charge to a more destructive ammo when following a melee attack.
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Saving humanity has never been so exhaustively exhilarating
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
But id Software's addition of a shield is a masterstroke - this can rip through multiple foes or deflect attacks. It's upgradable too and becomes an essential tool at your side. That is until you get the ball and chain - talk about an epic flail!
Each chapter is gorgeous in its detail and impressive in scope. The map is easy to read and offers a clear pathway to cute collectables, gold chests and secret areas you won't want to miss in your 20+ hours of the game.
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A banging soundtrack helps immerse you in the depths of Hell
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
Even the soundtrack is gloriously DOOM-esque. A head-banging barrage of heavy metal which delights the senses when blasted through decent headsets - I couldn't help but ramp up my Turtle Beach Stealth 700s to complete the experience.
It all makes for an epic romp in Hell - you won't just dip your toes in the Lake of Fire, you'll want to go skinny-dipping and plunge in head-first.
10
A deep plot gives DOOM: The Dark Ages an extra edge over predecessors
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
The Dark Ages is intense - a cacophony of chaos that impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender.
10
A dragon! Yes, you can ride a dragon
Credit: Bethesda Softworks
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