Alright, grab your shield, hop on your cybernetic dragon, and let’s rip and tear through DOOM: The Dark Ages. Boy, oh boy, this game is a face-melting, demon-slaying, medieval-fantasy dream that somehow makes the Slayer even cooler than before, and that’s saying something after DOOM (2016) and Eternal. This prequel, out May 15th, is a meaty, bloody masterpiece that stands tall as id Software’s boldest swing yet. It’s not perfect, some gripes keep it from a perfect 10, but with a 9/10, The Dark Ages is a must-play that’ll have you grinning like the slayer himself. Let’s dive into why this game is pure, unfiltered awesome, how it shakes things up from its predecessors, and why I’m still begging for a multiplayer mode to cap it all off.
First off, can we talk about how id Software keeps making the Doom Slayer the most badass dude in gaming? In DOOM (2016), he was a silent wrecking ball. In Eternal, he was a parkour-loving demon-shredder. Now, in The Dark Ages, he’s a medieval tank, a Captain America-meets-King Arthur beast who’s basically Hell’s worst nightmare with a shield and a flail. Stripped of the Praetor Suit, he’s slower, heavier, and feels like he’s carved from stone. I’ll be blunt, I miss the zippy, double-dashing speed of Eternal sometimes. The Praetor’s absence makes you feel less like a demon killing speed freak and more like a battering ram, which can suck when you’re itching to fly all about. It’s a whole new kind of fun. You’re still dodging and weaving, but also planting your feet, parrying attacks, and smashing demons into giblets. It works like a charm once you get used to it.
The new weapons? Hell yeah, they’re a riot! The Shield Saw is the star, a spinning, serrated buckler you can chuck like Captain America’s shield, cutting through demon hordes or parrying projectiles back at their ugly faces. I legit cackled the first time I yeeted it into a crowd and watched it carve a bloody path. Then there’s the Skull Crusher, a shotgun that fires bone fragments, because why not? The flail (my personal fav) lets you get up close and personal, cracking skulls with combos that feel like a heavy metal concert in your hands. The Super Shotgun’s back, of course, because it’s a DOOM staple, but the new toys, like a chaingun turret for defensive sections, keep things fresh. Upgrading these bad boys is a treat, thanks to a new system using Shrines scattered across levels. You spend Gold (for smaller tweaks) and Rubies (for big, game-changing mods) to juice up your arsenal. It’s simple but satisfying, letting you tailor your Slayer to your playstyle, whether you’re a shield-throwing maniac or a flail-swinging psycho. I personally upgraded my combat shotgun, shield and flail the most.
Speaking of levels, The Dark Ages is the most open-linear DOOM yet. With 22 missions, clocking in at 15-20 hours for a first playthrough (and easily double that if you’re a completionist), this is the beefiest campaign in the series. Maps like the Siege level are massive, blending tight arenas with sprawling areas packed with secrets, collectibles, and optional fights. You could spend hours scouring every corner for Life Sigils, codex entries, or hidden bosses that boost your health and ammo. It’s less “run to the next arena” like Eternal and more “explore this ruined castle and find all the goodies.” The balance of linear combat and sandbox exploration feels like id Software cracked the code, making every map a playground of destruction. Replayability is off the charts, between difficulty sliders, secret-hunting, and trying different weapon builds, I’m already itching for a second run.
The story’s another high point, and wow, does it go big. DOOM (2016) was light on narrative, Eternal added lore via codex entries, but The Dark Ages is a full-on cinematic epic. Set in Argent D’Nur’s medieval past, it’s a prequel diving into the Slayer’s origins, and I’ve never seen so many cutscenes in a DOOM game. They’re gorgeous, packed with freaky characters (shoutout to the tiny-handed Maykr Kreed) and epic battles that set up the Slayer’s legend. You don’t need to read codexes anymore. It’s not Shakespeare, but it’s way more engaging than I expected, and it makes you feel like the star of a summer blockbuster. The scope keeps expanding with each DOOM game, and I’m hooked on where this “medieval arc” is headed.
Now, let’s talk about the Atlan (mech) and Serrat (our dragon), because id Software went full Pacific Rim and Game of Thrones on us. Piloting a 30-story Atlan mech is pure Kaiju-killing joy, stomping tanks, punching Titans into next week, and unloading massive guns feels like you’re in a Del Toro’s mech epic. The dragon, with its Gatling guns and laser wings, is even better. Flying sections are flawless, letting you swoop through caverns, blast Hell Carriers, and leap off to shred demons on foot. I was skeptical about these gimmicks, but they’re not one-offs, both have full levels with unique mechanics, and they’re integrated so well I forgot I was playing DOOM for a second. The dragon’s a wicked beast, and soaring above a holy city while raining fire is the kind of over-the-top thrill only DOOM delivers. How do they keep making the Slayer cooler? By giving him a mech and a dragon, that’s how!
The music, though? It’s… okay. Mick Gordon’s god-tier riffs in 2016 and Eternal set the bar stupidly high, and The Dark Ages’s score, while heavy and fitting, I miss Gordon’s signature chaos. It’s a small letdown in an otherwise stellar package.
My biggest gripe? No multiplayer. DOOM (2016) had a epic multiplayer mode, Eternal had Battlemode (I thought it was meh), but The Dark Ages is single-player only. I get it, focusing on the campaign let id Software go ham with the story, but I’d kill for some team deathmatch.
So, why 9/10? DOOM: The Dark Ages is a triumphant evolution, blending the grounded carnage of 2016 with Eternal’s depth and adding a medieval twist that feels fresh yet quintessentially DOOM. The Shield Saw and new weapons are a joy, the open-linear maps are a explorer’s dream, and the Atlan and dragon sections are stupidly fun. The story’s the best yet, with cutscenes that make you feel like a legend. Sure, the Praetor’s absence slows things down, the music’s not Mick Gordon-level, and the lack of multiplayer stings, but these are nitpicks in a game that’s otherwise a bloody triumph. id Software’s crafted a campaign that’s bigger, bolder, and more replayable than ever. I’m already counting the days until I can jump back in and bash more demons. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a dragon to ride and a Hell Carrier to blow up.
