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One step forward, two steps back.

(Hour= Steam offline mode, did %100 completion in 21 hours.)
Doom Eternal built on the solid foundation laid by the series’ 2016 reboot, evolving the classic, fast-paced first-person action by adding a complex layer of strategy and quick decision-making. While this shift was well-received, it did alienate some players who preferred the more straightforward gameplay of its predecessor—focused on constant movement, juggling resources, and frequently swapping weapons—all of which could sometimes detract from the pure joy of nonstop demon slaying.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3482099750
Doom: The Dark Ages doesn’t step back, though. Instead, it finds a middle ground by bringing back a thrilling power fantasy with simpler, yet satisfying mechanics that push the combat into fresh, new territory for the series.
The game puts a big focus on standing your ground in combat, rather than constantly moving around. To help with that, you’re permanently equipped with a shield that lets you parry enemy attacks and block incoming damage. It’s a versatile tool—you can soak up hits or redirect damage with well-timed blocks and parries—allowing you to face down more enemies at once than ever before. But true to Doom’s style, the best defense often comes with a heavy dose of offense.
Your shield is more than just protection—it’s a deadly weapon. When you’re not slicing demon heads off with its chainsaw edges, you can bounce it between enemies or use it to shatter armor that’s been superheated by your bullets. It’s also great for closing distance, replacing Eternal’s air dash with a powerful shield bash that can reach far across the sprawling battlefields. The shield locks onto distant enemies, and with a quick button press, the Slayer lunges forward to obliterate them in a devastating attack.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3488133150
For a series that’s so focused on its arsenal of weapons, it’s interesting that the biggest change comes from adding a defensive tool. But with all the variety and depth the shield brings to the gameplay, it’s an upgrade that’s hard to imagine playing without.
You still need to manage health and ammo by taking down demons, but less so than in Doom Eternal. The focus here is on a rhythm of balancing parries and melee attacks. You have powerful moves on cooldowns that shorten with successful parries. Charging a demon with a shield bash, parrying strikes, then counter-attacking feels satisfying and gives each fight a tactile, impactful rhythm.
The weight behind your hits is amplified by just how physically imposing the Doom Slayer feels this time around. He’s always been an unstoppable force of destruction, but The Dark Ages really drives home his battlefield presence. Every jump down from a ledge ends with an earth-shaking thud, smashing nearby enemies to bits like a classic superhero landing. It’s insanely satisfying to make that entrance before a big fight, with the enemy hordes visibly trembling in fear.
That said, movement feels different too. You no longer have a double jump or air dash, encouraging you to carefully pick your fights and stand your ground until you’re done. But don’t mistake that for slow gameplay—Doom has always been about quick, brutal kills and snapping your aim to the next target, and The Dark Ages keeps that frantic energy alive. It’s just noticeably slower than Eternal, which might take some getting used to, but it fits perfectly with the new combat tools you have at your disposal.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3489156760
All these changes take a bit of time to click, making the first hour or so feel a bit uneven. The early chapters do a solid job of slowly introducing new mechanics, but the pacing takes a hit when you’re frequently interrupted by tutorial pop-ups. Plus, your new abilities only really start to mesh once you’ve upgraded your weapons and found some devastating synergies. But the payoff is worth it—once everything comes together, Doom: The Dark Ages nails that power fantasy, letting you mow down enemies that gave you trouble just hours before, and revel in how your skills and gear have leveled up with every fight.
Doom: The Dark Ages doesn’t throw away the series’ legacy just because it’s diving deep into melee combat. The weapon lineup brings back classic favorites, while cleverly tweaking some to fit the medieval setting. It’s still a blast to blast demons up close with the Super Shotgun — which feels right at home in a game all about getting up in your enemies’ faces — but it’s the newer weapons that kept me hooked, offering a perfect mix of fun and usefulness. One standout is a railgun-like rifle that fires a cannonball attached to a chain, smashing armored foes with a shockwave. Another weapon literally chomps on skulls and fires the shattered bits like bullets — basically a rapid-fire gatling gun that’s perfect for crowd control. These weapons are clearly inspired by the medieval vibe of the game’s world, changing familiar designs just enough to feel fresh and exciting.
The Dark Ages also pulls you into its setting with much larger, open-ended levels to explore. These hubs are packed with multiple objectives, secrets, and challenges — and you get to decide the order and pace you tackle them. It’s like an expanded version of the secret-filled, linear levels from the 2016 reboot and Eternal, but with way more to discover and more creative hiding spots. The standout is the Cosmic Realm, a completely new area inspired by Lovecraftian horror, offering some memorable side quests. None of these hubs ever feel empty or oversized; they’re filled with demon battalions that keep the fights messy and intense. Plus, the mix of more linear sections balances things out nicely, keeping the 22-chapter campaign feeling fresh and varied.
However, The Dark Ages stumbles a bit when it steps outside these tight core mechanics. Scattered through the campaign are moments where you pilot a giant mech in epic kaiju-style battles or ride a heavily armored dragon with glowing energy wings across huge battlefields. While these sequences are introduced in cool ways, their gameplay feels shallow. Whether you’re in the mech or on the dragon’s back, it basically boils down to finding enemies and wading through slow, drawn-out fights focused on timing dodges and trading hits. These sections feel like they belong in a completely different game compared to the crisp, well-balanced foot combat, and honestly, they just make you eager to get back on solid ground and fight demons the Doom way.
The focus on melee combat fits seamlessly with the classic Doom pace, making every parry and counter-attack just as thrilling as the first. It’s a carefully crafted experience that delivers the raw power fantasy of tearing through hordes of demons, without losing the complexity that keeps every fight exciting. Although it occasionally stumbles when it strays too far from what made the series great, Doom: The Dark Ages proves there’s still plenty of untapped potential here. Sometimes, smart and measured tweaks can push the franchise into new territory and deliver some of its finest moments yet.
+The shield and parry system is well integrated into the game
+Still plenty of great Doomguy moments
+Supports all current technologies and runs very smoothly
-The overall theme and atmosphere can’t even come close to Doom Eternal.
-The exploration aspect kills the action vibe
-Boring cutscenes, tedious dragon and mech sections, and weapon swapping is too slow.
-When Mick Gordon left, the music turned into something that sounds like TV demo tracks.

Review Score: 77/100

DOOM 2016 Review
DOOM Eternal Review