REVIEW: DOOM: The Dark Ages (Xbox Series X)

Id Software, the long-respected masters of the first-person shooter, have dived back into their most famous series and pulled out something that’s both familiar and excitingly new. DOOM: The Dark Ages, the newest part of the Slayer’s endless war, hits Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC as a brave new take, not just another sequel.

Thirty-two years after the original game that started it all, id shows they still get what makes DOOM special, even as they change things up. This isn’t the super-fast, almost dance-like action of DOOM Eternal. Instead, The Dark Ages swaps lightning speed for raw power, offering a medieval-themed blast that’s smart to play and incredibly fun.

Story

DOOM games usually didn’t focus much on story beyond giving you a reason to fight demons, but DOOM: The Dark Ages is a big and welcome change. This game is a prequel, showing the Slayer’s earlier, even rougher, battles in a war-torn medieval world mixed with hellish sci-fi. It really puts its story out there.

You get well-made cutscenes and good voice acting that make the wild story feel important. And things are definitely over-the-top – think big, mythical threats, larger-than-life characters, and a strong heavy-metal feel to all the drama.

But even though it’s so dramatic, the story in The Dark Ages is clear, holds together well, and is genuinely one you’ll remember. The game is loud and proud about its style and delivers it well. This means the campaign feels less like just a series of fights and more like a great, epic adventure.

It’s a story that finally feels big enough for the Slayer’s legend, building up his tale without slowing down the action or losing that raw DOOM feeling. This new focus on story is great for pulling you in and makes you wonder where the series might go next. It shows that non-stop action and a good story can definitely go together.

Gameplay

The biggest and clearest change in DOOM: The Dark Ages is the pace of the gameplay. DOOM (2016) brought back smart, aggressive fighting, and DOOM Eternal had players flying around in a fast-paced dance of death. The Dark Ages is much more grounded. The speed is slower on purpose, making the combat feel heavier and more deliberate. It’s a fresh take that still feels 100% DOOM.

A key part of this new style is the shield. It’s not just a small addition; it’s key to the game. It’s great for defence and a brutal weapon for attack. With a nasty saw attachment, you can charge across areas and rip through demons, which feels amazing. This adds a new layer of tactics, making you think more about your surroundings and how you want to fight.

You can also unlock an ability to slow down time with the shield, which is great for dodging, aiming, or setting up some really gory kills. While modern DOOM games have been all about moving fast, this time you often get the best feeling from standing your ground, shield up, before unleashing fury up close.

This new way of fighting works really well with the game’s bigger levels. The Dark Ages gives you much larger, more open areas to explore than before. These huge battlegrounds and twisted medieval castles are great for exploring, with smart puzzles built into the world and plenty of collectibles and upgrades to find if you look around.

The jumping sections that some players loved and others didn’t in DOOM Eternal have been toned down. You still move around a bit, of course, but it feels more natural and less like a series of crazy jumps. If you found Eternal’s platforming too much, you’ll like this more straightforward way of exploring.

Of course, the heart of any DOOM game is how the guns feel, and The Dark Ages gets this absolutely right. The weapons, a great mix of medieval tools and powerful future guns, feel amazing. Every weapon feels powerful and satisfying, from the solid hit of a well-aimed shot to the massive sound of its bigger guns. The upgrade system gives you useful improvements, and the game cleverly gives you new weapons as you go, so there’s always something new to discover and cause destruction with.

The enemies are great too. You’ll see familiar demon faces, but they often act differently, have better animations, and are more aggressive, making even experienced players rethink how to fight them. Making old enemies feel new, along with the different combat speed, keeps you on your toes. One of the best changes is that you don’t have to do Glory Kills all the time.

These bloody finishing moves are still in, and just as gory, but you’re not forced to use them constantly to get health or ammo. This makes fighting smoother, keeps you in control more, and encourages you to use all your weapons, your shield, and the environment in creative ways.

And yes, DOOM: The Dark Ages isn’t afraid of big moments. You’ll get to ride a giant, fire-breathing dragon to destroy tons of demons, and later, you’ll control a massive mech style robot to fight equally huge monsters. These parts might not be super deep in terms of gameplay, but they are undeniably cool and add pure, exciting heavy metal moments that fit the game’s brutal style perfectly.

There are a couple of small complaints, though. The slower speed, while mostly good, can sometimes mean quiet moments in the bigger levels where you might be looking for enemies. Also, on its normal difficulty, The Dark Ages can feel a bit easier than older DOOM games, sometimes letting you get through fights without really getting to grips with all its combat tricks.

A tougher fight for experienced players on the standard setting might have been nice, but the harder difficulties definitely give you the needed challenge.

Visuals

Thanks to the new id Tech 8 engine, DOOM: The Dark Ages looks amazing on the Xbox Series X. The game’s look – a cool mix of dark medieval buildings and futuristic, almost machine-like demon tech – gives it its own unique style. You get a real sense of a dark fantasy world, maybe like the tense feeling of early Quake games, but it looks incredible with today’s graphics.

The environments are full of detail, from bloody castle walls to strange hell environments. The Slayer and the demons are designed with lots of care and move with wild energy.

The cutscenes, which are more important now, look much better because of these graphics, making the bigger story feel more like a movie. On the Xbox Series X, the game runs great. The action stays smooth and quick, even when things get crazy, with steady graphics, quick loading, and it’s good to see no obvious bugs or problems during our playtime. Id Tech 8 is clearly a powerful engine, and The Dark Ages is a great example of what it can do.

Conclusion

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a huge success. It’s a smart and sure-footed step forward for modern DOOM that is, quite simply, great fun. By giving the Slayer new gear, especially the shield that really changes how you play, and bigger areas to plan your attacks and fight in, id Software has made a game that feels respectful of the old games but also excitingly new.

The shift to a more down-to-earth fighting style, with more focus on where you stand and playing defensively, adds new smart ways to play without losing the series’ classic speed, messiness, and over-the-top violence. The slower speed might not be for every long-time fan, and the normal difficulty might be a bit easy for some, but these are small things when the game is this good.

When you’re in the middle of a demonic battle – shield-bashing, shotgun-blasting, and smashing demons – DOOM: The Dark Ages is amazingly brutal and just plain fun. Id Software didn’t just go back to Hell; they’ve changed it, and it’s fantastic.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Pricing & Availability

DOOM: The Dark Ages is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC starting at €69.99 on Steam. It is also available to play via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.