Doom: The Dark Ages Review — Unleashing Medieval Fury in the Slayer’s Origin Story

Introduction

When Doom: The Dark Ages launched on May 15, 2025 (with early access for Premium Edition owners on May 13), it brought a fresh yet familiar feel to the franchise. This prequel reimagines the Slayer’s origin, placing you in a dark medieval world where combat is heavier, slower, and packed with raw brutality. While it preserves the series’ signature fast-paced violence, every movement and attack feels more deliberate and grounded.

Gameplay Experience

Slowing Down to Smash

Unlike the high-mobility combat of Doom Eternal, The Dark Ages emphasizes raw, punishing melee. The standout weapon is the Shield Saw, which doubles as a defensive block and close-range weapon. Alongside flails, electrified gauntlets, and the Skullcrusher, combat feels tactical and rewarding, demanding precise timing and spatial awareness.

Epic Arenas and Exploration

Levels are large and multi-layered, packed with secrets, lore, and alternate routes. You’ll find yourself revisiting areas to uncover upgrades or defeat leftover enemies. Massive set-piece battles, like piloting a war mech or riding a cyber-dragon, offer cinematic flair, though they sometimes prioritize spectacle over gameplay depth.

Tailored Challenge with Difficulty Sliders

The game offers six preset difficulty levels:

• Aspiring Slayer (easy, generous parry windows)
  
• Hurt Me Plenty (balanced default)
  
• Ultra-Violence (increased enemy damage and aggression)
  
• Nightmare (high difficulty, fewer resources)
  
• Pandemonium (hardcore mode with limited revives)
  
• Ultra-Nightmare (permadeath, one life only)
  

Beyond presets, you can tweak variables like enemy aggression, projectile speed, parry timing, and resource availability, allowing a customized experience for every skill level.

Visuals & Sound

The Dark Ages is visually stunning, with gothic castles, hellish skies, and detailed environments powered by idTech 8’s ray tracing. The Slayer’s animations feel heavy and deliberate, reinforcing the game’s grounded tone.

The soundtrack, composed by Finishing Move, fits the setting but lacks the iconic intensity of Mick Gordon’s previous work on the series. Some combat sequences could have benefited from more dynamic music to heighten tension.

Story & Worldbuilding

This entry offers the most narrative depth in years, detailing the Slayer’s origin amid a war between gods, kings, and demons. The story is presented through cutscenes and environmental cues, enriching the action without slowing down gameplay.

Difficulty Breakdown

Custom sliders allow further adjustment, making it possible to craft anything from a laid-back playthrough to a punishing hardcore run.

Performance & Technical Polish

Tested on a high-end PC with maxed settings and ray tracing, the game runs smoothly at 60 FPS with minimal loading times. Console players report similarly stable performance, making it one of id Software’s most polished launches.

Final Verdict

Score: 8.5 / 10

Pros

• Intense, impactful melee combat
  
• Large, explorative levels filled with secrets
  
• Stunning visual design and atmospheric presentation
  

Cons

• Soundtrack falls short of the series’ iconic sound
  
• Slower pacing may not suit fans of hyper-mobile gameplay
  
• Some feel it leans heavily on franchise legacy rather than innovation
  

Summary

Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t a fast-paced sequel like Eternal, but its grounded combat and medieval setting provide a fresh take on the Slayer’s legend. Fans craving brutal, tactical melee and cinematic battles will find much to love here.

Suggested Reading

Doom Loses Its Edge — Vulture

Doom: The Dark Ages review – id Software gets medieval in a dramatic rewrite of the shooter’s rules — The Guardian

Doom: The Dark Ages has problems but also some great demon killing — The Washington Post

Doom: The Dark Ages es la entrega más brutal y visceral del Slayer hasta la fecha — Meristation (Spanish)