Doom: The Dark Ages review

Published: Friday, May 9, 2025 at 2:00 pm

Doom: The Dark Ages Review: A New Era for the Slayer, But at What Cost?

"Doom: The Dark Ages" marks a bold shift for the iconic FPS franchise, trading the Slayer's agile, high-flying combat for a more grounded, tank-like approach. This installment, a prequel set in the Slayer's past, sees him wielding a shield, the core mechanic that defines the game's new direction. The shield allows for powerful parries and defensive maneuvers, fundamentally altering the flow of combat.

The review highlights the game's strengths: its visceral violence, engaging story elements with more cutscenes and character interactions, and the satisfying feel of the shield-based combat. The game's narrative, featuring the Slayer as a demigod figure, is also praised for its simplicity and focus on action.

However, the review also points out significant drawbacks. The game is considered easier than its predecessors, with simplified maps, obvious secrets, and less complex puzzles. The shield, while fun, becomes the primary focus, leading to a lack of weapon variety and strategic depth. The review also criticizes the streamlined resource management, the removal of the chainsaw, and the overall simplification of combat mechanics.

Ultimately, "Doom: The Dark Ages" is deemed a fun and accessible entry in the series, but one that sacrifices some of the complexity and challenge that made previous titles so beloved. While the shield mechanic is a welcome addition, the game's overall design choices result in a less replayable experience compared to its predecessors.

Keywords: Doom: The Dark Ages, Doom, FPS, video game review, Slayer, shield, combat, gameplay, id Software, action, demons, weapons, campaign, review, gaming, new game, prequel.

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