The Doom franchise charges into new territory with Doom: The Dark Ages, delivering a fresh take on its signature demon-slaying mayhem. Set against a medieval backdrop, this latest instalment maintains the series’ core identity while introducing innovative elements that breathe new life into the formula. The Doom Slayer returns, now armed with period-appropriate weaponry alongside futuristic firepower.
You tear through hordes of hellspawn using everything from enchanted broadswords to laser-spewing crossbows. The combat remains as visceral and satisfying as ever, with the new setting providing unique opportunities for carnage.
While the last two titles left me feeling a little uninspired, it’s clear that Dark Ages has taken the game back to its roots, delivering a rip-roaring experience that harkens back to the original 3 games, while still putting enough of a fresh spin on it, to fit into the 2025 gaming landscape, and also moving the series forward.
Drawing on the Past
Doom has been a solid franchise in my gaming history, from watching my dad play the Doom Simpsons Mod back in 1998, to getting to experience the games for myself late at night after my parents had gone to bed, and then growing up with the different titles and iterations. Each game offers a unique experience, while keeping the core of demon slaying, blood flying everywhere, and fun, which quickly became one of my favourite franchises.
The most recent title, Doom Eternal, seemed to stray from the original titles and didn’t engage me as much as the previous titles. Fortunately, The Dark Ages harkens back to the original titles while still updating them for the current generation of consoles.
The story, while present, takes a backseat to the action as expected. However, the medieval setting does allow for some interesting lore expansion, delving into the eternal conflict between Heaven, Hell, and humanity across different eras. There is a cutscene to introduce each level, and one at the end to flesh out the story.
Many of these remind me of the Halo games, just replacing aliens with demons. The story is not why we are here, and it seems interesting that the developer spent so much time on these scenes. That being said, the storyline is not essential, but if you are looking for more Doom lore, this will satisfy you.
Where Dark Ages stumbles slightly is in its pacing. The mid-game can feel repetitive, with some arena battles overstaying their welcome. Additionally, while the beast-riding segments are exciting, their controls can be a little too sensitive at times, leading to occasional frustration.
Dark Ages’ most significant addition is the ability to mount and control various mythical beasts. Soaring through the skies on a fire-breathing dragon or stomping across battlefields in a colossal war golem brings some much-needed updates to the gameplay. These new mechanics, while not perfect, showcase the developers’ willingness to push the series in bold new directions. There is a quick tutorial for each one, allowing you to get used to being able to control them while you fly and maneuver the weapons that are unique to each animal.
It provides such a contrast to running through each level blasting and ripping your way through enemies, this involves a lot of coordination and timing to get past the enemies and into the next area. There is even one level where you have to use a dragon to take down the shield on a ship, before it drops you in, and you have to clear out the enemies with your gun, rinse and repeat a few times. This is all set against the backdrop of a huge medieval castle that you have to navigate through.
Learn the Moves
The game opens with a short tutorial, allowing you to get used to the controls. There are guns that you can easily switch between (with LOADS of fun ones) while also gaining access to a shield that you can use to access different areas, take enemies out with a powerful swipe. You can also attach spikes to it, which makes it a pretty powerful weapon when enemies get the jump on you and you are trying to switch weapons.
When you gain access to a few different guns as the game progresses, you get into the groove of wiping out waves of enemies that require different firepower to do so effectively. Some enemies need a power surge from a pulse blaster before your shield brings down their shield, and you can take them out. The same goes for accessing areas that are locked behind ancient shields and keys; a swift swipe with the shield, and you’re in.
Enemies drop beautifully lit power-ups, health restore, various armour and potions that stop you from having to restart the level. While I was not brave enough to put the game on the hardest mode, the easy and medium modes had loads of drops in each wave of enemies to keep me progressing. Playing as the demon slayer, you feel practically indestructible, but in the best way.
The heavy armour and solid weapons give a Master Chief-like feel, which is emphasised further when you jump from heights and land, creating a wave that wipes out enemies that are on the ground below. It’s incredibly satisfying, and I found myself doing a run-up to get the most effect out of this mechanic.
Hellishly Good Visuals
Visually, the game is a feast for the eyes. Gothic castles and plague-ridden villages are backdrops for the relentless action, with impressive lighting and particle effects bringing the hellish invasion to life. The trademark heavy metal soundtrack has been infused with medieval instruments, creating a unique audio experience that perfectly complements the on-screen chaos.
The Dark Ages is specifically made for next-gen consoles and high-end PC setups, and you can tell. The level of detail in each level and the weapons are the best the series has ever had. There is only one weapon called the Crusher, which loads up skulls and shoots them in rapid succession at your enemies. You can see the skulls loading into the gun’s chamber as you press down and have them fly out.
While you are walking around, you can see (and hear!) the skulls moving around and rattling in sync with your body movement. It’s those little touches that the developers have made sure are front and centre that make all the difference with this game. The levels are quite dark, particularly the indoor areas, and it can be a bit difficult to see where you are going at times, but it is rarely a big issue.
The game does shine when there are multiple enemies on screen. There are moments in this game when waves of various enemies come hurtling at you, and the look and performance don’t change. Overall, the game does run smoothly (I reviewed on a PS5 Pro) and did not notice any dips or stutters throughout my entire playthrough.
Final Thoughts
Despite these minor gripes, Doom: The Dark Ages stands as a worthy entry in the franchise. It successfully blends the series’ tried-and-true formula with fresh ideas, resulting in an experience that will satisfy longtime fans while potentially drawing in newcomers intrigued by its unique setting.
The story does attempt to keep you engaged, but it is all about the bloody and gory slashing of waves of enemies that make this game a ridiculously good time. The graphics and performance are virtually perfect on the PlayStation 5 Pro, and there are no noticeable dips. Doom: The Dark Ages is the most fun I have had with a game in 2025 so far; in fact, it might even be the best Doom game I have played since the original trilogy.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Innovative weapons; Thrilling beast riding play, stunning visuals; Lengthy campaign that keeps it fun.
Lowlights: Pacing issues in the middle of the game, which can be dark and hard to see.
Developer: ID Software
Publisher: Bethesda
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC
Available: May 15, 2025
Review conducted on PlayStation 5 Pro with a pre-release code provided by the publisher.
