Doom: The Dark Ages Review

If the thought of blasting demons to heavy metal music never gets old for you—and let’s be honest, why would it? Then Doom: The Dark Ages may be your next adrenaline fix. Developed by id Software and published by Bethesda, this ambitious prequel transports the iconic Doom Slayer from futuristic Mars bases straight into the gritty, blood-soaked trenches of medieval warfare. Yes, you heard right—our favorite shotgun-wielding demon exterminator now battles the forces of Hell in an era of knights, castles, and ancient darkness. It’s time to exchange plasma rifles for bone-crushing medieval weaponry and dive headfirst into id’s latest demonic playground.

As the third entry in the modern DOOM series following the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, expectations for The Dark Ages couldn’t be higher. Thankfully, id Software confidently rises to the challenge, offering players a fresh yet faithfully brutal experience that still respects the series’ beloved roots. Using the cutting-edge idTech engine to power their demonic rampage, the developers deliver gameplay that’s visually stunning, brutally satisfying, and absurdly violent—in other words, everything fans have come to love and expect from a DOOM title.

Yet, the bold new medieval setting isn’t just a cosmetic change. It brings with it novel weaponry, expansive environments, and intriguing narrative possibilities. Armed with the familiar roar of the Super Shotgun and the satisfyingly grotesque Shield Saw—a medieval tool for shredding demons (and presumably trees, but mostly demons) players will experience new depths of carnage and creativity. There’s something distinctly gratifying about battling Hell’s legions in medieval armor while heavy riffs thunder in the background. It’s like combining your favorite metal album with a particularly visceral renaissance fair.

But does the medieval twist breathe new life into the DOOM formula, or is it merely a novelty that wears thin quickly? Can id Software successfully maintain the series’ frenetic pace and satisfying gameplay in an entirely different historical context? Grab your shield, fuel up your saw, and join us as we delve into the brutal depths of Doom: The Dark Ages—where Hell meets medieval mayhem in spectacular fashion.

Setting and Story

Doom: The Dark Ages plunges players into an era of iron, flame, and fury, skillfully blending the franchise’s signature sci-fi horror with a gritty medieval atmosphere. The setting feels like a blood-soaked tapestry woven from dark fantasy and historical warfare, featuring ruined castles, mist-laden forests, ancient battlefields, and grotesque hellscapes. id Software clearly had immense fun crafting these expansive, detailed environments, each brimming with hidden secrets, sinister corners, and enough demonic surprises to keep even seasoned Doom veterans on their armored toes.This time around, the Doom Slayer isn’t just humanity’s savior; he’s the reluctant weapon of gods and kings embroiled in a desperate war against the relentless hordes of Hell. The story feels surprisingly rich and cinematic, expanding upon the lore introduced in previous entries. Players witness the origins of the Slayer’s legendary status through battles against terrifying demonic leaders intent on destroying humanity and claiming dominion over mortal realms. It’s less a subtle narrative journey and more a gloriously bombastic epic—exactly what you’d expect (and want) from a DOOM game.

Narrative presentation has notably improved, utilizing well-crafted cutscenes and environmental storytelling to enrich the overall experience. Dialogues and lore entries provide intriguing glimpses into the motivations of characters, both mortal and demonic, ensuring the world feels alive beyond mere combat arenas. While the story remains enjoyably straightforward—kill demons, save humanity, repeat—it now carries added emotional heft and depth, providing meaningful context to your brutal slaughter-fests.

Ultimately, Doom: The Dark Ages excels at creating a compellingly dark and immersive setting, blending familiar franchise elements with refreshing medieval twists. The balance between storytelling and gameplay remains expertly handled, never overshadowing the essential thrill of annihilating demonic hordes. It’s a narrative that proudly knows exactly what it is—bloody, epic, and gleefully excessive—and delivers precisely the kind of over-the-top storytelling that Doom fans crave.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Let’s face it: nobody picks up a DOOM game expecting subtlety, and Doom: The Dark Ages certainly doesn’t disappoint in this department. Gameplay remains relentlessly fast-paced, brutally satisfying, and addictively visceral, with id Software once again proving their mastery at refining and evolving the formula without sacrificing what made DOOM iconic. Combat is tight, responsive, and packed with gratifyingly explosive feedback, ensuring every encounter feels like a high-stakes dance choreographed by a particularly angry demon choreographer.

At the forefront of your medieval arsenal is the Shield Saw, a glorious new addition that feels equal parts chainsaw massacre and medieval fantasy. Combining defensive capabilities with the ability to rip through enemies (literally), the Shield Saw perfectly encapsulates DOOM’s trademark creativity in weapon design. Fans will be thrilled to see the classic Super Shotgun return, accompanied by a collection of innovative new weapons and brutally medieval variations of familiar favorites. Each weapon feels powerful and distinct, rewarding experimentation and strategic thinking amid the chaos.

Level design is ambitious, expansive, and packed with secrets, collectibles, and hidden encounters. id Software masterfully blends linear narrative segments with open exploration, ensuring players remain engaged through varied pacing and clever environmental storytelling. Players must frequently juggle mobility, positioning, and strategic weapon use, especially during high-intensity arena fights and massive set-piece battles against monstrous bosses. The environments often become an essential part of combat strategy, encouraging players to utilize verticality, hazards, and terrain advantages creatively.

The difficulty curve remains challenging yet fair, ensuring victories feel genuinely earned. Enemy AI is aggressive, relentless, and varied enough to keep gameplay fresh throughout the campaign. It’s not uncommon to find yourself frantically switching between weapons, dashing through enemy ranks, and improvising wildly as demon hordes close in—exactly the adrenaline-pumping mayhem fans expect from DOOM. Overall, Doom: The Dark Ages maintains the series’ legacy of exhilarating gameplay while adding new layers of depth, creativity, and medieval brutality.

Multiplayer and Replayability

Before diving deeper, let’s address the demon-shaped elephant in the castle: Doom: The Dark Ages boldly opts to be a single-player-only experience, completely sidestepping multiplayer modes. For fans who cherished the multiplayer mayhem of earlier DOOM titles, this choice might initially sting. However, id Software clearly focused their energies on crafting an epic, narratively driven adventure, and this choice significantly pays off in terms of polish, depth, and immersive quality.

Despite the lack of traditional multiplayer, replayability remains impressively high due to the game’s exceptional campaign design. Levels are dense, expansive, and intricately layered with secrets, collectibles, and optional challenges. Each playthrough rewards players who revisit earlier stages with enhanced skills and upgraded weapons, encouraging repeated runs to uncover missed secrets and improve combat performance. If you’ve ever wanted to master the art of medieval demon slaughter—and honestly, who hasn’t?—there’s ample reason to replay levels again and again.

Additionally, various difficulty settings and the introduction of unique challenge modes offer further incentives for replay. From Nightmare difficulty, which pushes even seasoned DOOM players to their limits, to special challenges focusing on weapon restrictions or time trials, the game provides continuous reasons to return and test your mettle. Speedrunners, completionists, and hardcore players alike will find themselves repeatedly drawn back to refine their strategies, optimize their routes, and sharpen their demon-slaying techniques.

Though multiplayer enthusiasts may miss the social chaos and competitive camaraderie from previous installments, the game’s singular focus results in an extraordinarily polished single-player experience. Ultimately, while some may lament the absence of online battles, Doom: The Dark Ages offers more than enough solo replay value to keep even the most voracious Doom Slayer enthusiastically slicing and blasting through the medieval abyss.

Graphics and Sound

Powered by the latest iteration of the idTech engine, Doom: The Dark Ages is an absolute visual feast—or perhaps a banquet, if your tastes run towards demon-infested medieval landscapes. Graphically, id Software once again pushes the envelope, crafting breathtakingly detailed environments that ooze atmosphere and menace. Every shadowy castle corridor, gore-drenched battlefield, and otherworldly hellscape bursts with stunning detail, rich textures, and dynamic lighting effects. On PS5, the game truly shines, showcasing fluid animations and blistering performance even amid the most chaotic, demon-filled encounters.

Enemy design remains exemplary, marrying grotesque creativity with striking visual clarity. Each demon type features distinct animations, attack patterns, and visual cues, ensuring players immediately recognize threats even during frantic combat. The monstrous bosses deserve special mention—colossal, intricately designed creatures whose terrifying presence fills the screen, providing both visual awe and pulse-pounding terror. id Software’s attention to graphical fidelity ensures every kill, every explosion, and every satisfying melee takedown delivers an impactful visual payoff.

Sound design matches this graphical brilliance note-for-note. Weapons sound satisfyingly powerful, from the booming blasts of the Super Shotgun to the visceral buzz of the Shield Saw slicing through demonic flesh. Environmental audio further immerses players in the dark medieval world, from the echoes of distant combat to the unsettling whispers lurking in shadowy corners. Every sound contributes meaningfully to building tension, excitement, and immersion, perfectly enhancing gameplay intensity.

And, of course, the soundtrack is nothing short of phenomenal. Continuing DOOM’s beloved tradition, the music blends crushing metal riffs with dark orchestral arrangements, creating a relentlessly driving soundscape that fuels every brutal encounter. Composer Mick Gordon’s legacy is superbly honored here, with a soundtrack that dynamically adjusts during gameplay, matching the furious pace and intensity of each moment. The combined audiovisual excellence ensures Doom: The Dark Ages is not merely played but experienced—preferably at maximum volume, neighbors permitting.

Final Thoughts

Doom: The Dark Ages is exactly the kind of thrilling, brutal, and unapologetically visceral experience fans have come to expect—and love—from id Software’s iconic franchise. Seamlessly blending the frenetic combat, grotesque enemies, and pulse-pounding soundtrack of modern DOOM games with an inspired medieval setting, this prequel successfully refreshes the formula while respecting the series’ core identity. It’s a glorious, gory rampage through history, with enough innovation and polish to feel fresh, yet reassuringly familiar.

While the absence of multiplayer might disappoint those who enjoyed previous titles’ competitive modes, id Software’s unwavering focus on a deep, rich, single-player experience pays off spectacularly. Levels are expansive and intricately designed, packed with secrets and challenges that reward repeated exploration and mastery. The added depth from new weapons and strategic combat mechanics—particularly the Shield Saw—ensures every battle feels fresh and engaging, even after hours of relentless demon-slaying.

Graphically stunning and sonically breathtaking, The Dark Ages maximizes the capabilities of the PS5 hardware, delivering smooth performance, dazzling visuals, and a soundtrack guaranteed to shake your living room walls. This superb technical execution complements an engaging narrative that, while not groundbreaking, provides more than enough context and motivation for your demon-slaying escapades. It’s a DOOM game through and through—intense, bombastic, and undeniably addictive.

Ultimately, if you’re a DOOM fan craving another reason to dive headfirst into id Software’s beloved hellscapes—or simply a gamer who appreciates masterfully executed action and adrenaline-pumping gameplay—Doom: The Dark Ages is an absolute must-play. Suit up, grab your Shield Saw, and brace yourself for a gloriously violent medieval rampage. Hell hath no fury like a Slayer unleashed.

We prepared this review with a digital copy of Doom: The Dark Ages for the PS5 version provided by Bethesda PR.