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Spectator
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Ridiculously enjoyable: Doom – The Dark Ages reviewed
Grade: A In the beginning, there was Doom. The videogame landscape was formless and void. But id Software created a square-headed space marine and several billion two-dimensional demons for him to kill with a shotgun, a chainsaw and a BFG (Big Fracking Gun); and several billion teenage boys saw that it was good, and they called it the First-Person Shooter, and lo, they gave up leaving their bedrooms altogether. The original Doom (1993) really was the genesis of a genre: dark, intense, relentless, addictive. The latest iteration of the game – which plunks our space marine and his demon hordes in a medieval world rather than a space station – stays true to its vibe, while using all the processing grunt available in next-gen consoles to tune that vibe up. You're still chasing a blue keycard to open that door, still strafing frantically to avoid incoming fireballs, still grunting and panting as the screen throbs red at low health, still mowing down uglies in their hecatombs. The big innovation: Doomguy now has a shield. You can shield-charge distant enemies, throw it like Captain America, bounce incoming projectiles back to source – and, yes, if you must, use it to block attacks. But it doesn't make the game defensive. When you're on the verge of dying, baddies drop more health boosts, so the way to stay alive is… to attack more aggressively. And melee-strikes reward more ammo, so you're further incentivised to get up close and personal. There are so many demons. Even on easy mode ('Hurt Me Plenty') it's frenetic; and the gameplay is rich without being overcomplicated. It's just ridiculously enjoyable. Welcome back, Doomguy.
Tom's Guide
17-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I played Doom: The Dark Ages on RTX 5080 vs RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptops — and the results surprised me
Doom: The Dark Ages has finally arrived, and after ripping and tearing my way through Doom Eternal over the past few years to test the best gaming laptops, it's now time for Doomguy to brutalize hordes of demons in medieval fashion with the latest Nvidia RTX 50-series gaming laptops. I recently got my hands on an MSI Stealth A16 AI+ with an RTX 5070 Ti and an Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 with an RTX 5080, and there's no better way to put these gaming laptops to the test than by playing Doom: The Dark Ages — with the franchise having a solid history of delivering well-optimized PC games. For the most part, that's true. Developers id Software and Nvidia teamed up to have the latest installment of the iconic first-person shooter be a flagship title of sorts for RTX 50 gaming PCs. However, Nvidia's Gamer Ready driver for Doom dropped, and there has already been a list of known issues for PCs (with fixes in the works). Fortunately, I haven't experienced any freezes or crashes, so I was able to get on with all the ferocious and bullet hell-like action Doom: The Dark Ages throws at you. And what a blast it is. There's no Path Tracing and DLSS Ray Reconstruction yet, as they are set to arrive sometime later, but you will find DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, ray tracing and Nvidia Reflex — and it all very much adds to the destruction and savagery our Doom Slayer stomps around in. But the question is: how does it perform on an RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptop? Very well, as you'd expect, but I've been surprised by the results. Before getting into the results, here's a look at what's under the hood of the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ and Asus ROG Zephyrus G16. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. MSI Stealth A16 AI+ (RTX 5070 Ti) Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (RTX 5080) Price From $2,899 From $3,599 Display 16-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) OLED, 240Hz refresh rate 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) OLED, 240Hz refresh rate CPU AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Intel Core Ultra 9 285H GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 RAM 32GB DDR5 32GB DDR5 Storage 2TB 2TB Ports 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C (with USB4/DisplayPort/Thunderbolt 4/ PD 3.0), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm audio jack 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (with DisplayPort/ PD 3.0/G-Sync), 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x SD card reader, 1x 3.5mm audio jack Connectivity Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Dimensions 14 x 10.2 x 0.7 inches 13.94 x 9.69 x 0.59 ~ 0.69 inches Weight 4.6 pounds 4.3 pounds Even by latest standards, these gaming laptops pack a mighty punch. There's a difference in CPUs and GPUs here, with the Stealth A16 AI+ sporting an AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370 and the ROG Zephyrus G16 with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H chip. Both are some of the top of their respected brands, and they pull their weight when it comes to heavy duty gaming tasks. The RTX 5080 onboard the ROG Zephyrus G16 should pull off greater performance feats than the RTX 5070 Ti in the Stealth A16 AI+, but with the results I got, that isn't exactly the case. Other than that, these 16-inch laptops share similar specs. We've tested Doom: The Dark Ages on an RTX 5090 PC and saw amazing results in both its raw power and with DLSS turned on, as expected from a pricey GPU. Nvidia's RTX 50-series laptop GPUs won't ever reach those heights due to lower TDP and thermal constraints, but that doesn't mean they can't deliver great performance. Set on Ultra Nightmare (the highest graphical settings) at 1600p, these laptops made Doom: The Dark Ages look absolutely stunning in all of its hellscape glory. From slicing demons in half with a buzzsaw shield to firing plasma rounds at soldiers with (terrible) shields only to see an eruption of blue sparks explode on display, everything is smooth and thrilling to look at. Even with DLSS off, graphics looked gorgeous and frame rates were what I'd want from an optimized PC gaming experience. That's not to say a higher-end RTX 40-equipped gaming laptop wouldn't dish out the same numbers, but these rigs even without the aid of DLSS. Anyway, despite enjoying my time on both laptops, I realized I was getting a similar experience. Using Nvidia's analytics overlay and Doom: The Dark Age's own logistics tool, the RTX 5070 Ti laptop saw an average 87 FPS without DLSS. That's impressive numbers for max graphical settings at 1600p, and that number jumped to a whopping 207 FPS with DLSS multi frame gen x4. Moving to the RTX 5080 laptop, I saw an average of 95 FPS with DLSS off, and up to 221 FPS with DLSS x4. Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (RTX 5080) MSI Stealth A16 AI+ (RTX 5070 Ti) 1600p no DLSS 95 87 1600p DLSS x4 221 207 Having anything over 120 FPS for a single-player experience (I'm even satisfied at over 60 FPS) is superb, even if the differences are negligible. But over 200 FPS? That's wild. However, even though the RTX 5080 clearly comes on top, it's equally clearly not by much. I checked if there was something the ROG Zephyrus G16 had switched on that was making the smaller gap, but all settings were the same. Sure, it packs a lot of power, but so too does the RTX 5070 Ti — and not by much less. Of course, gaming laptops all come with different configurations and builds, so even if they offer the same specs, they may offer slightly differing performance. That's all to say that the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 with an RTX 5080 may be slacking a tad, as the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ with the RTX 5070 Ti isn't too far behind when it comes to Doom: The Dark Ages. Both deliver the latest graphics potential for the game that's made to be optimized using Nvidia's graphics cards, and it's a stunning ride. However, it's clear that even the RTX 5070 Ti has a lot going for it. I don't know about you, but I'd opt for a gaming laptop, delivering that kind of performance, that's around $700 cheaper compared to a slightly more powerful notebook. That said, as you'll find in my Stealth A16 AI+ hands-on, this machine can make a lot of racket, especially when compared to the ROG Zephyrus G16. Regardless, if you're after the latest in graphics with a bunch of demons to obliterate, whether it be on a laptop or gaming PC, you'll get a kick (and shield saw) out of playing Doom: The Dark Ages with an RTX 50-series GPU.
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Doom The Dark Ages release time and when it arrives on Xbox Game Pass
Here comes the Doom Slayer in a new adventure, arriving in The Dark Ages shortly for superfans of the franchise and players on Xbox Game Pass. Doom: The Dark Ages is almost here, and if you're desperate to get into the action, you can play it right this moment. It's been too long since we ripped and tore. It's time to kick back into gear. Doom: The Dark Ages is almost here, and it's set to be a hotter-than-hell plunge into the past as we learn more about how Doomguy truly became the Doom Slayer, with a heap of dragons, mechs and flails in his medieval arsenal. The game has been a long time coming after the huge success of Doom Eternal and the groundbreaking arrival of 2016's start of the rebooted series, and so far, it's been proving itself with players. There are a few things different here, though, with glory kills becoming a little sparse and a number of changes coming in via the game's new Shield mechanics. Our Doom: The Dark Ages review described the game as 'not so much a bold leap forward on all the aspects and features 2016's Doom perfected, but rather another sidestep – complete with its own mechanical quirks, benefits, and drawbacks,' indicating that your feelings about the new changes will vary on what it is you're trying to get out of a new Doom game, whether it be the bone-crunching action of its two predecessors, or a linear shooting experience like the classic games. Regardless, the guesswork is taken out of the process for many, as it is set to come to Xbox Game Pass on day one and deliver a chance to play it at no extra cost on console and PC when the title officially launches. It's a great example of just how good day one releases on the service can be, especially as the rest of the rebooted Doom series makes a home on Xbox Game Pass too. But when exactly is the Doom: The Dark Ages release time? Here's what you need to know. Doom: The Dark Ages release time The Doom: The Dark Ages release time is 5pm PDT / 8pm EDT on Wednesday, May 14, and 1am BST on Thursday, May 15. This is the exact time you can start playing the game if you've bought the standard edition, and is also the time it goes live on Xbox Game Pass. We explored these times when we took a look at the Doom: The Dark Ages release date, and it has since been confirmed by a new graphic shared by Xbox on Twitter. The Doom: The Dark Ages release times are as follows: Wednesday, May 14 5pm PDT 6pm CDT 7pm MDT 8pm EDT Thursday, May 15 12am UTC 1am BST 2am CEST 10am AEST Article continues below If you simply can't wait, you can jump on the tail end of early access and start playing right now by purchasing the game's Special Edition on Xbox, PlayStation or PC. If you're willing to shell out, the time for ripping and tearing is right now. Otherwise, you don't have long left to wait. Enjoy your catharsis.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How to find the Shield Saw in Doom The Dark Ages?
(Image via id Software) The Shield Saw is not just another weapon—it's the very embodiment of Doomguy's rage wrapped in spinning steel. Equal parts buzzsaw, shield, and carnage dispenser, this beast of a weapon is a brutal game-changer in Doom: The Dark Ages . If you're hunting it down, then this guide will help you. What Is the Shield Saw in Doom The Dark Ages? The Shield Saw is a vicious hybrid melee weapon with rotating blades built into a shield. It's made for slicing demons clean in half and blocking incoming projectiles without breaking your stride. Bonus: You can throw it like a boomerang and it comes back . Stylish and savage. Shield Saw - DOOM: The Dark Ages - Man at Arms: Reforged When Can You Get the Shield Saw in Doom The Dark Ages? You'll get your hands on the Shield Saw early in the game, during the Hebeth mission. It's not a side item. It's part of your main loadout progression—you won't miss it unless you're speedrunning blindfolded. Where to Find the Shield Saw in Doom The Dark Ages? Once you start the Hebeth mission (likely Chapter 2 or 3 depending on your path), keep pushing forward until you reach a large open courtyard with descending stone steps. Look around for a drop cage marked with a glowing yellow indicator—that's your cue. Walk up to it, press the interact button, and boom—Shield Saw unlocked. No puzzles, no gimmicks. Just pure Doom-style delivery. What Makes It So Special? The Shield Saw isn't just a defensive tool or a melee finisher. It's multi-functional and scales hard as the game progresses: Melee Brutality : One hit and most lesser demons are toast. Projectile Block : Deflect fireballs, spears, and magic attacks. Boomerang Throw : Toss it like a discus to hit multiple enemies. Parry Mechanic : Time your block to counter and stun enemies. Environmental Destruction : Smash through barriers, statues, and more. Some bosses even require the Shield Saw to expose weak points or interrupt attacks. In short: you don't want to leave this behind. Master the Shield Saw in Doom The Dark Ages! Pro Tip: Use It Often, Not Sparingly Unlike limited-ammo weapons, the Shield Saw doesn't need fuel or cooldowns (unless later upgrades change that). So go wild. Spam throws, use it to block, and crush everything in your path. The game rewards aggression, and this weapon was built for it. The Shield Saw isn't just a weapon—it's a power move. You'll unlock it during the Hebeth mission, and from there on, it becomes one of the most versatile tools in your demon-slaying toolkit. Whether you're parrying hellspawn or shredding through barriers, this is one upgrade you'll never want to part with. 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. Catch Lovlina's story unfold on Game On. Watch here!
Geek Culture
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Unboxing The ‘Doom: The Dark Ages' Collector's Bundle!
Id Software's highly anticipated third chapter in its Doom reboot franchise, Doom: The Dark Ages, is finally on the horizon, and this time, things are about to get medieval, featuring a prequel story to 2016's Doom centred on the rise of the series' iconic protagonist, the Doom Slayer. With a character so widely known and beloved like Doomguy, it's only apt that he receives an equally epic collector's edition to celebrate his latest outing. Retailing at US$199.99, the Doom: The Dark Ages Collector's Bundle provides exactly that, with an awe-inspiring 12-inch statue of the Slayer serving as its centrepiece and showing off his fresh new look. Here's everything that comes with the Doom: The Dark Ages Collector's Bundle: Physical copy of the game for the Xbox Series X + Premium Edition digital content Doom Slayer statue with detachable Super Shotgun, flail, and faux fur cape SteelBook case Replica Red Key Card Standing proudly atop the literal skull and bones of his fallen foes, the 12-inch Doom Slayer statue depicts the character with his updated techno-medieval getup as seen in the game, with intricate sculpting and impressive details alongside a detachable faux fur cape and two interchangeable hands featuring the Super Shotgun and flail weapons. The collection also comes with a replica of a Red Key Card encased in its SteelBook case, a live-sized representation of the in-game item used to unlock doors and gain access to secret areas. Doom: The Dark Ages will be released on 15 May 2025 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
