8Bit/Digi

Hand Me My Crowd Pleaser

I’m not a violent man, but the DOOM series helps bring that out – in an incredibly constructive way, Mr. Senator, I promise – and this time they want to get medieval with the brutality. The team at id Software is at it again, delivering that sweet, sweet slaying-satisfaction as we spend our time cutting through the hordes of monsters and sweating in the flames of Hell. Like the previous two installments, DOOM: The Dark Ages plays differently, trying to evolve its means of massacre while attempting to preserve the core gameplay. So, how does this version hold up when its mettle is tested?  

I’d mention the story here, because there is actually a good bit (for a DOOM game) this time, but I’m finding it hard to think that most people care. It isn’t easy to follow, almost encouraging us to read all the data entries and do a little extra research, but I doubt most people will take that extra step, and even for people who play these games, some parts aren’t exactly clear, especially when trying to fit this prequel into the timeline. There are a lot of cutscenes, and even though they look wonderful, it feels like they aren’t needed, making some of the action a little stop-and-go. I was surprised how long it took me to gain control of the character and start fighting, something the developers have talked about being very aware of in previous games. I’ve heard several people say they’re just skipping these cinematics, and though I would never, it’s hard to blame them. There is one really cool turn in the narrative that I loved in the late game, and I am glad they kept the tone dark, foreboding, and no one here is the ‘good.’

This is the most I’ve probably ever cared about John D. DOOM Guy (probably not his real name). They’ve “put him on a leash,” and everyone is afraid of him, what he’s capable of, so for once, we get to see how the masses treat our hero. The player takes control of an unstoppable force, a god amongst demons, laying waste to anyone with Hell’s taint on them, even traitors who don’t fight back. Caution is thrown to the wind here, I often leap right into the fray, challenging everyone to try and fuck on me, no time to think—only kill—dicks have never felt this hard while playing. The DOOM Slayer operates more like a tank, destined to get hit, but a few well-timed parries, a couple of prudent melee attacks, and I’m set to decimate their numbers, making those bastards wish they’d stayed on the other side of that portal.

Captain Dark Ages

I legitimately love the shield and hope everyone else does too, because it’s the centerpiece for combat and demands attention. Not only is it used for blocking enemy fire and parrying certain attacks to gain the upper hand, but it also helps with breaking defenses, immobilizing larger foes, solving puzzles, and movement. I was worried combat might feel slower this time, but the shield charge, throw, and the spray on our weapons helped assuage any of those concerns.

DOOM Eternal encouraged a ton of weapon swapping, specific tools for certain enemies and situations were important, but The Dark Ages is almost the opposite of that, where we just pick our favorites, upgrade only them, and make sure we’re using melee enough to keep us in the right kind of ammo. I wasn’t a fan of The Dark Ages arsenal at first, but starting with the shotgun helped me feel at home and slide into the others, quickly developing favorites after I began buying enhancements. Some of those improvements didn’t feel like they worked for me, but even the weapons I barely used (like the Chainshot, which others adore) still have their uses and devastate the enemy when fully powered up. There’s something for everyone here, but the firearms are more like accents than a base.

All together, this makes for some interesting and enjoyable gameplay. I appreciate id Software pushing to evolve their play style, changing things up, even if some think this was the safer direction. We often say, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” but that’s no way to innovate. The Dark Ages certainly isn’t stale, defeating enemies feels satisfying, and as much as some people miss the glory kills their absence may help the pacing in spots. We are ripping and tearing, the blood and gore are still there, but perhaps a bit more focused as targeted shots remove chunks from the demons, limbs fly off, the shield cuts weaker minions in half, the whole thing is brutal and delightful. The enemy variety isn’t bad, even if many of the tougher versions are simply old baddies with armor, which was a shame.

The mini bosses, referred to as leaders, were enjoyable at first, though it’s easy to grow tired of enemies that can’t be hurt until a certain number of their underlings are slain. I like the idea of lowering their morale, but I just question their use as an added difficulty element. I thought the main antagonist, the demon Prince Ahzrak, was a slick and cool main bad guy. There are only three proper boss fights and they aren’t egregious in any way – unless you count the number of phases I whooped Ahzrak’s ass, probably gave him a complex – but both types of encounters did have a small flaw. Often, these encounters are just dodging or blocking and holding down the trigger while waiting for flashes of green to parry, making these sequences feel more like I was playing Furi than a DOOM game. This aspect seems to put the action on a tether, waiting, shooting, back and forth until it goes away, more like it wants a forced rhythm aspect, just with more blood and bullets.

It’s A Freaking Dragon

Probably the worst part of the gameplay is the addition of mech combat, where we punch to build up a meter for powerful attacks, but get hit once and lose all of our momentum. At least there’s a pretty bitchin’ gun to dick around with at times. There are also sections where we mount a cool-looking dragon, straight off a metal band’s album cover, which has us dodging attacks to be granted ammo that can actually take out our targets. We also have to chase down enemy fliers, which is annoying, and I almost wonder if some of this would have worked better as an on-rails element. If these two other modes had been one stage each, I probably wouldn’t mention them, but as is, they are a bit too repetitive, a little dull, and already hurting my desire to replay this one as much as the previous entries.

Thankfully, the boots on the ground levels are quite good and feature some thoughtful design. There are more linear portions and a few open areas where the player can wander around and choose what to tackle first, which sounds neat, but this also hurts the pacing in some small ways. Backtracking and more extensive searching, or stopping to solve environmental puzzles, wasn’t hurting the experience too much, except when I realized I could be committing virtual slaughter instead. The Dark Ages has a huge amount of secrets and collectibles, which are somewhat distracting when I’m just trying to get my slay on, especially in these open arenas. I thought I’d leave those hidden bits for another playthrough at first, but we kind of need the extra lives and gold for upgrades, making finding these more of a core part of the gameplay. I do love the destructible environments, changing structures by finding heated metal to strike, destroying statues, or breaking wall ornaments for fun. DOOM Guy is such a behemoth that he just walks into most objects and obliterates them with the slightest touch, like a comical bull in a china shop. It’s also still weird to see him swimming, and it happens a good bit here.

Murder is Best Done to Metal

The visuals are wonderful, a lot of dark paintings and beautiful skyboxes sprinkled with colorful power-ups and resources to guide the player through. The placement of these accents and the amount of detail help turn some of the washed-out expanses into beautiful vistas of arcade-like battlefields. It can be a bit tough to spot some enemies at times, and that red hue surrounding the screen when we are close to death is almost too distracting. The early Middle Ages’ architectural influence mixed with the Gothic themes contrast beautifully with some later levels that try to turn the biomes upside down. Almost every place feels at least a little bit inspired. The music is kind of the same way. It’s good. It’s fine. DOOM has just had much better, more memorable tunes. The Dark Ages has some impressive sound design, especially with the effects. The weapons fire is weighty, the footsteps are like heartbeats – even when it skips a couple – and I swear I can almost hear these demons grinding their teeth and choking on their own blood as I stomp their heads in.

This is probably the easiest DOOM game of the new trilogy, while still being the most enjoyable to go berserk in,  and it might also have some of the best smaller segments, but it doesn’t quite stand up to the previous two installments as a whole package. It’s lacking some of that rawness, the technical expertise, and has some rough edges. Thankfully, there are numerous options to customize the experience, especially concerning difficulty, which means I will probably dive back in quite soon. I’m glad the developers did their thing and tried something new. Even if it’s the weaker of their current endeavors, The Dark Ages still reminds us id are the Masters of DOOM. It provided an enjoyable little journey through Hell, taught me to love shields, and helped burn off some of this murderous intent, so it’s hard not to love. 

Disclaimer: I played this game using Xbox Game Pass, which I pay for.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt, then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

DOOM: The Dark Ages

8

Excellent

8.0/10

Pros

• Solid combat that makes you feel like a badass.
• Visually enticing in most areas.
• Excellent sound effects.
• An easy, breezy adventure.

Cons

• Several levels of alternate gameplay modes drag.
• The extra story feels unnecessary.
• Soundtrack does not live up to the moment.