‘Doom: The Dark Ages' game review
Doom has always managed to stay at the cutting edge of the first-person shooter (FPS) genre — something it practically invented with the original 1993 release. Synonymous with pulse-pounding gunplay, the franchise saw a major revival with 2016's Doom and its follow-up, Doom Eternal. Rather than a direct sequel, Doom: The Dark Ages is iD Software's bold attempt to expand the mythos further. Acting as a narrative bridge between the end of Doom 64 and the opening of Doom (2016), while carefully sidestepping the non-canonical Doom 3,The Dark Ages takes the series in a bold new direction. With a heavier focus on melee combat and medieval fantasy aesthetics, the gamble pays off.
The story centres around a key MacGuffin known as the 'Heart of Argent', a precursor to the Argent energy mined by humans in Doom (2016). This mysterious artifact sets the stage for a fierce conflict between the forces of Hell and the Sentinels of Argent D'Nur. You play as the Doom Slayer, a former space marine turned superhuman demon-slayer, now under the control of a third faction: the Maykrs. Enslaved and deployed like a weapon, you are sent to battle Hell with a very short leash.
While the plot may initially seem like standard action-game fare, it is clear that iD Software is attempting to weave a more cohesive lore around its dark fantasy setting, albeit with mixed results. At times, the exposition feels overwrought, borrowing the brooding tone and deliberate pacing of Dune. Still, I found its predictability oddly comforting. The art direction is phenomenal, and the slower moments gave my hands a chance to recover before the next burst of ultra-violence.
The Dark Ages delivers a near-hypnotic gameplay experience. It is fluid, immersive, and meditative in a way that few shooters manage. Compared to the frenetic chaos of Doom Eternal, this entry feels more controlled, more rhythmic. Once you are locked into the flow of melee-gunplay combat, it is almost like dancing through a storm. Early on, the game arms you with a shield-chainsaw hybrid and introduces parrying as a core mechanic. Time your moves right, and you will deflect green hellfire back at enemies, opening them up for brutal finishers. One standout moment saw me parrying fireballs while surrounded by towering demons, triggering a chain reaction of gory carnage. It was exhilarating and gory.
Then come the Kaiju levels. Yes, you get to pilot a mech and take on skyscraper-sized demons with your bare metal fists, Pacific Rim style. Do not worry — this is not a spoiler; it is in the trailers. These levels are a visual and gameplay spectacle. And because no dark fantasy would be complete without dragons, The Dark Ages lets you ride your very own cybernetic flying beast. It is not quite as jaw-dropping as the mech segments, but it is undeniably fun — especially when you are blasting down hellships and boarding them mid-flight.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Publisher: Bethesda
Developer: iD Software
Price: ₹4,999 on Steam, Xbox One, Playstation 5
Of course, a Doom game lives and dies by its arsenal. You begin with your trusty shotgun before unlocking the Quake-inspired nailgun. The standout weapon, however, is the Skullcrusher — a monstrous gun that grinds skulls and fires bone shards in wide, devastating arcs. While the guns are slick and satisfying, they serve more as support tools for your melee and shield play. Combat becomes a dance of crowd control, perfectly timed parries, and brutal finishing moves. As you explore massive levels, defeat demon hordes, and collect gold, you will be constantly upgrading your weapons — giving you ample reason to revisit previous stages.
Visually, The Dark Ages is a technical marvel. Running on iD Tech 8, the game renders massive levels and colossal enemies with breathtaking clarity. From detailed ground-level skirmishes to epic aerial battles atop dragons, the scale is immense and fluid. One flying level, which has you soaring through a demon-infested city, is a standout set piece. The Dark Ages may be the best-looking game of the year, with a unique visual identity that makes many Unreal Engine titles look generic by comparison.
Doom: The Dark Ages is an absolute must-play for fans of fantasy, action, or first-person shooters. It is a triumphant reminder that one of the genre's founding fathers still knows how to innovate, stay relevant, and deliver unforgettable experiences. Without question, one of the games of the year.
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Doom: The Dark Ages does what Doom does best, forging carnage in a forge of chaos
Don't you think video games are getting too complicated? Every title coming out these days feel compelled to drop me into a 200-hour increasingly cinematic sandbox filled with fetch quests that demand dozens of hours exploring vast open worlds for what, just to kill off the bad guy for world peace? Well, Doom: The Dark Ages is exactly that but it's honest about it, and bluntly effective. After years of watching the franchise from the sidelines, occasionally nodding along to Mick Gordon's brutal soundtracks without context, I finally dove headfirst into it. What I discovered wasn't just my entry point into the series, but a reminder of why sometimes the most sophisticated gaming experiences come wrapped in the simplest packages. The Dark Ages positions itself as a prequel to the modern Doom trilogy, casting the legendary Slayer in a medieval-meets-sci-fi setting where alien overlords, demonic hordes, and humanity's last defenders clash across sprawling battlefields. The premise couldn't be more straightforward: you are an unstoppable force of nature, demons exist, and your job is to make them not exist anymore. No moral complexity, no branching dialogue trees, no companion approval ratings to manage. Just pure, undiluted aggression channeled through increasingly creative methods of digital violence. What struck me immediately was how liberating this clarity felt. In a gaming landscape increasingly obsessed with cinematic storytelling and player choice consequences, The Dark Ages presents a different philosophy entirely. The Slayer speaks exactly one word throughout the entire campaign, yet his character development through body language and environmental storytelling proves more compelling than most fully-voiced protagonists. There's something profoundly satisfying about a character who solves every problem by hitting it really, really hard with medieval weaponry. Rip and tear, stand and fight by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo The Dark Ages' isn't very good with it's storytelling but let's honest it doesn't really need to be. Instead, it is the Doom's ages old combat formula, which is subtly evolved but still maintain its frenetic DNA. The introduction of the Shield Saw fundamentally changes how encounters unfold, shifting from Doom Eternal's emphasis on constant movement to a "stand and fight" mentality that initially sounds counterintuitive to everything the franchise represents. Yet somehow, it works brilliantly. While shields have mostly been known to be defensive equipment to humans, for the Slayer, it's a weapon, traversal tool, and tactical game-changer rolled into one circular buzzsaw of destruction. Parrying incoming attacks feels satisfying in a way that transcends mere mechanical feedback; there's a rhythm to combat that emerges naturally as you learn to balance aggression with precise timing. Unlike the rigid resource management that sometimes made Doom Eternal feel like solving an equation under pressure, The Dark Ages allows for more improvisational approaches to demon disposal. The weapon roster adapts familiar tools to the medieval setting without losing their essential character. The Super Shotgun remains the close-quarters king, but new additions like the skull-spitting gatling gun and chain-attached railgun offer fresh approaches to crowd control and armour piercing. Each weapon feels purposeful rather than redundant, contributing to a combat system that rewards experimentation without punishing players who develop preferences. What impressed me most was how the game manages to feel both more accessible than its predecessor while maintaining tactical depth. The shield bash's traversal capabilities replace Eternal's air dash system seamlessly, while the parry mechanics add a layer of skill expression that never feels mandatory for success. It's a delicate balance that many action games struggle with, providing systems that enhance experienced play without alienating newcomers. Hell on earth (but make it medieval) Beyond the moment-to-moment combat, The Dark Ages succeeds in creating environments that justify their existence beyond being demon-killing arenas. The level design strikes an excellent balance between linear progression and exploratory freedom, with larger hub areas offering multiple objectives and secrets to discover at your own pace. These aren't the overwhelming open worlds that dominate modern gaming, but focused playgrounds that reward curiosity without overwhelming players with busy work. The medieval aesthetic could have easily felt like a gimmicky departure from the series' established visual language, but id Software wisely blends fantasy elements with the technological underpinnings that define Doom's universe. Watching massive mechs stomp across castle battlefields while dragons soar overhead creates moments of genuine spectacle that feel earned rather than manufactured. These setpiece moments, while not always mechanically perfect, serve their purpose as palate cleansers between the more intense combat encounters. The game's approach to progression also deserves mention for how it respects player time. Upgrades feel meaningful without being overwhelming, and the currency systems are straightforward enough that you're never confused about what you need or where to get it. Secrets are well-integrated into level design, offering genuine rewards for exploration without requiring exhaustive searching to find every hidden item. When glory kills actually feel glorious Perhaps what surprised me most about The Dark Ages was how it made me reconsider my relationship with action games in general. I've spent years gravitating toward narrative-heavy experiences, convinced that emotional investment required complex storytelling and character development. The Dark Ages demonstrates that engagement can come from perfectly tuned mechanics and clear, achievable goals just as effectively as any branching storyline. The game's violence is cartoonish in the best possible way—so over-the-top that it transcends any concerns about real-world implications and becomes pure digital catharsis. There's an almost meditative quality to chaining together perfect parries, weapon swaps, and glory kills that creates its own form of flow state. The feedback loop is immediate and satisfying: see demon, devise elimination method, execute plan, admire results, repeat. This isn't to say The Dark Ages completely abandons narrative ambition. The wordless characterisation of the Slayer, the environmental storytelling embedded in each level, and the broader mythology all contribute to a surprisingly coherent world. But these elements serve the gameplay rather than demanding attention in their own right, creating a more integrated experience than many games that pride themselves on their storytelling. The campaign's 22-chapter structure maintains excellent pacing throughout its roughly 20-hour runtime, never allowing any single element to overstay its welcome. Even the occasional mech and dragon sequences, while mechanically simpler than the core combat, provide necessary variety and spectacle without derailing the overall experience. The sound of silence (and chainsaws) If there's one area where The Dark Ages stumbles, it's in the audio department. While I haven't really spent hours slaying on Mick Gordon's composition, yet somehow his absence is immediately noticeable, and I guess it would be even more so for someone who have been a regular of series' previous entires. While Finishing Move's soundtrack is competent, it lacks the driving intensity that made Gordon's work such an integral part of the Doom experience. The music often fades into background noise rather than amplifying the on-screen chaos, a significant departure from how seamlessly audio and gameplay integrated in previous entries. This isn't a fatal flaw, but it does represent a missed opportunity to elevate already excellent gameplay with equally excellent audio design. The sound effects themselves remain top-tier, every shotgun blast, demon roar, and shield clang carries appropriate weight, but the musical backing never quite matches the energy of what's happening on screen. Until it is done (for now) Doom: The Dark Ages succeeds as both an entry point for newcomers and a worthy addition to an established franchise by remembering that complexity and sophistication aren't synonymous. It knows exactly what it wants to be and executes that vision with laser focus. Now I understand what I'd been missing all these years. The Dark Ages doesn't just serve as my belated introduction to the series, it's a masterclass in why Doom has endured for over three decades. What I initially dismissed as mindless violence revealed itself as carefully orchestrated chaos, where every system works in harmony to create something greater than the sum of its parts. The sophistication I'd been seeking in complex narratives and sprawling worlds was here all along, hidden beneath layers of demon viscera and shotgun shells. This realisation feels almost embarrassing in hindsight. I'd spent years chasing elaborate gaming experiences, convinced that depth required complexity, when Doom was quietly perfecting the art of elegant simplicity. The Dark Ages strips away every unnecessary element to focus entirely on what matters: the pure joy of interactive entertainment. No padding, no filler, no respect for your time wasted on anything that doesn't contribute to the core experience. In a year likely to be dominated by sprawling open worlds and narrative epics, Doom : The Dark Ages offers something increasingly rare: a game that respects your time, trusts your intelligence, and never forgets that fun should be the primary objective. Sometimes that's exactly what hell ordered. Our rating: 4/5 AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
How to Get All Weapons in Doom The Dark Ages
Image via: Bethesda Weapons are not just about brute force in Doom: The Dark Ages. The Doom Slayer is a raving manifestation and thus a strategic arsenal in motion. Survival is hence about mastering any weapon the game throws at you, rather than fist-smashing skulls or shield-crushing bones. And there are plenty of them. Unlocking new weapons in every chapter, here's all of them that can be acquired, and the uses for them. The Arsenal Begins: Weapons by Chapter Weapons in Doom: The Dark Ages are not given away like candy; they are earned with story progression, dropped from pods, or unlocked through environment-based puzzles. Here is a rundown of how weapons enter your hands: The first chapter opens spectacularly and dishes three must-have weapons: Combat Shotgun, Power Gauntlet, and Shredder. They establish a sort of "mid-range fury and ammo recovery" sort of feeling. It is between Chapters 2 and 6 that your core playstyle in the Shield Saw, Accelerator, Cycler, and Super Shotgun is put to test-and traditionally help flip armored demons and shielded threats. Really deadly action starts from Chapter 8 onward when the weightier powers of heavy grenades, rockets, and crushing skulls of Ravager get loaded in your toolkit. Major late-game power spikes go to weapons from Atlan (Chapters 3 and 11), the Ballistic Force Crossbow (Chapter 14), and Dreadmace (Chapter 15). Doom: The Dark Ages - BEST Weapon Upgrades to Get First Choosing the Right Weapon for the Right Demon Localization of different weapons into different contributors means exploiting enemy weaknesses. Close-quarters brawlers: Time hits carefully when the Flail and the Power Gauntlet are face-to-face with demons, because their melee stacks recharge quite slowly. It can get you through the groups easily. Shield breakers: Accelerators and Cyclers overheat and wreck the shields so that their defenders cannot shield throw or heavy round. Crowd control: When the arenas fill with smaller enemies, the Pulverizer and ironically the Grenade Launcher dominate more. So this is when area-of-effect weapons really stand out. Precision kills: The Impaler and Ballistic Force Crossbow are your sniper kits. They should be used after stunning the enemies or clearing the field for breathing room. Mastering the Mecha: Atlan's Limited-Time Arsenal These interludes result in a drastic shift in gameplay, with primary emphases on timing and positioning. Perform dodges to charge Atlan's Machine Gun or Shotgun. These are non-customizable but give raw moments of giant-on-demon combat that feels satisfying and cinematic. DOOM : The Dark Ages - All Weapons Showcase Late-Game and Legendary Tools Ravager : Think Pulverizer, but focused. Good against elites. Ballistic Force Crossbow: Short ammo but devastating — keen on one shot against a boss. Hunt for hidden arrows and plan their use Dreadmace : The final melee unlock, the Dreadmace is a giant one-shot AoE monster. It has no combos but the big splash damage and style do make up for it. It's always tempting to get into a single wielding weapon, but mastery in Doom: The Dark Ages is in adaptability. Change your weapons often, read enemy types, and choose strategically rather than savagely. Your weapons are varied for a reason: every gun and every swing has the demon it is supposed to kill. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- The Hindu
‘Doom: The Dark Ages' game review
Doom has always managed to stay at the cutting edge of the first-person shooter (FPS) genre — something it practically invented with the original 1993 release. Synonymous with pulse-pounding gunplay, the franchise saw a major revival with 2016's Doom and its follow-up, Doom Eternal. Rather than a direct sequel, Doom: The Dark Ages is iD Software's bold attempt to expand the mythos further. Acting as a narrative bridge between the end of Doom 64 and the opening of Doom (2016), while carefully sidestepping the non-canonical Doom 3,The Dark Ages takes the series in a bold new direction. With a heavier focus on melee combat and medieval fantasy aesthetics, the gamble pays off. The story centres around a key MacGuffin known as the 'Heart of Argent', a precursor to the Argent energy mined by humans in Doom (2016). This mysterious artifact sets the stage for a fierce conflict between the forces of Hell and the Sentinels of Argent D'Nur. You play as the Doom Slayer, a former space marine turned superhuman demon-slayer, now under the control of a third faction: the Maykrs. Enslaved and deployed like a weapon, you are sent to battle Hell with a very short leash. While the plot may initially seem like standard action-game fare, it is clear that iD Software is attempting to weave a more cohesive lore around its dark fantasy setting, albeit with mixed results. At times, the exposition feels overwrought, borrowing the brooding tone and deliberate pacing of Dune. Still, I found its predictability oddly comforting. The art direction is phenomenal, and the slower moments gave my hands a chance to recover before the next burst of ultra-violence. The Dark Ages delivers a near-hypnotic gameplay experience. It is fluid, immersive, and meditative in a way that few shooters manage. Compared to the frenetic chaos of Doom Eternal, this entry feels more controlled, more rhythmic. Once you are locked into the flow of melee-gunplay combat, it is almost like dancing through a storm. Early on, the game arms you with a shield-chainsaw hybrid and introduces parrying as a core mechanic. Time your moves right, and you will deflect green hellfire back at enemies, opening them up for brutal finishers. One standout moment saw me parrying fireballs while surrounded by towering demons, triggering a chain reaction of gory carnage. It was exhilarating and gory. Then come the Kaiju levels. Yes, you get to pilot a mech and take on skyscraper-sized demons with your bare metal fists, Pacific Rim style. Do not worry — this is not a spoiler; it is in the trailers. These levels are a visual and gameplay spectacle. And because no dark fantasy would be complete without dragons, The Dark Ages lets you ride your very own cybernetic flying beast. It is not quite as jaw-dropping as the mech segments, but it is undeniably fun — especially when you are blasting down hellships and boarding them mid-flight. Doom: The Dark Ages Publisher: Bethesda Developer: iD Software Price: ₹4,999 on Steam, Xbox One, Playstation 5 Of course, a Doom game lives and dies by its arsenal. You begin with your trusty shotgun before unlocking the Quake-inspired nailgun. The standout weapon, however, is the Skullcrusher — a monstrous gun that grinds skulls and fires bone shards in wide, devastating arcs. While the guns are slick and satisfying, they serve more as support tools for your melee and shield play. Combat becomes a dance of crowd control, perfectly timed parries, and brutal finishing moves. As you explore massive levels, defeat demon hordes, and collect gold, you will be constantly upgrading your weapons — giving you ample reason to revisit previous stages. Visually, The Dark Ages is a technical marvel. Running on iD Tech 8, the game renders massive levels and colossal enemies with breathtaking clarity. From detailed ground-level skirmishes to epic aerial battles atop dragons, the scale is immense and fluid. One flying level, which has you soaring through a demon-infested city, is a standout set piece. The Dark Ages may be the best-looking game of the year, with a unique visual identity that makes many Unreal Engine titles look generic by comparison. Doom: The Dark Ages is an absolute must-play for fans of fantasy, action, or first-person shooters. It is a triumphant reminder that one of the genre's founding fathers still knows how to innovate, stay relevant, and deliver unforgettable experiences. Without question, one of the games of the year.
