DOOM: The Dark Ages

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DOOM: The Dark Ages is a single player shooter game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by id Software and was released on May 14, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Buy DOOM: The Dark Ages on PlayStation Store. Become the DOOM Slayer once more in this prequel to DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 20,628 reviews

gameplay1.9k positive mentions

stability258 negative mentions

The introduction of new mechanics, such as the shield and parry system, adds a fresh layer to combat and encourages aggressive strategies.
The graphics are stunning, showcasing high fidelity and a dark medieval aesthetic that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
The character design, particularly of the Doom Slayer, has been praised for its impressive visuals and fitting integration into the game's theme.

The gameplay has been criticized for being slower and more methodical, detracting from the fast-paced action that the series is known for.
Many players have reported frequent crashes and performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, leading to frustration and a lack of stability.
The story and character development have been deemed shallow and convoluted, with some players feeling that the increased focus on narrative detracts from the core gameplay experience.

gameplay
5,938 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of "Doom: The Dark Ages" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the introduction of new mechanics such as the shield and parry system, which add a fresh layer to combat. However, some critics argue that these changes slow down the fast-paced action characteristic of previous titles, making the gameplay feel less dynamic and more repetitive. While the game offers a unique experience with its medieval themes and varied environments, it has been noted that the reliance on the parry mechanic can detract from the overall intensity and fluidity of combat, leading to a divide among fans of the series.
- “Some of the best game mechanics out there; the ability to combo a lot of movement and weapons, as well as the shield techniques, makes for great gameplay.”
- “Doom: The Dark Ages is not just another entry in the legendary Doom franchise—it’s a thunderous, blood-soaked return to form that masterfully fuses the raw brutality of the series' roots with modern, refined gameplay mechanics.”
- “The gameplay loop is very interesting and incentivizes aggressive and creative strategies.”
- “The gameplay loop is weaker, enemy encounters feel flat, and the level design lacks that aggressive flow the series used to have.”
- “The parry mechanic gets really stale after a while and to be honest, there are too many cutscenes for a Doom game with a story that is pretty cliché.”
- “The gameplay is slower and more methodical than compared to Doom Eternal, but it lacks the challenge that Eternal had.”
music
4,578 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
64%
10%
The music in "Doom: The Dark Ages" has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the absence of composer Mick Gordon. While some tracks are noted as decent, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack lacks the intensity and memorability of previous entries, feeling generic and often blending into the background during gameplay. Players have suggested adjusting audio settings to enhance the music experience, but many still feel it falls short of the high standards set by Gordon's iconic scores in "Doom 2016" and "Doom Eternal."
- “I loved the soundtrack.”
- “The music by Finishing Move is great in-game and works to convey the medieval theme and atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is great!”
- “I'll ding it for lackluster, soulless music that just worries about fulfilling the metal tropes vs actual meaningful music that hits you right where it needs to, when it needs to.”
- “The music also took a notable decline in quality.”
- “Doom without a hard-hitting soundtrack just feels wrong, and here it never comes close to what the series used to deliver.”
story
4,429 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The story in "Doom: The Dark Ages" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its deeper narrative and character development compared to previous entries, while others criticize it for being convoluted and overly cinematic. Many feel that the increased focus on story detracts from the core gameplay experience, which traditionally emphasizes fast-paced action and minimal narrative. Overall, while the story adds some context and lore to the Doom universe, it may not resonate with all fans, especially those who prefer the franchise's classic approach to storytelling.
- “The story is engaging and definitely not boring.”
- “The story is surprisingly solid for a doom title, and the cutscenes are impressively well done.”
- “The story is a perfect blend of demonic sci-fi cheese.”
- “Story-wise, up to this point I have no idea what the story is, what order or anything about what is really happening, so I cared little about the cutscenes.”
- “The story is bland; there are almost no bosses, and the ones that exist are very bland and simple.”
- “The story is completely forgettable, and the gameplay is extremely similar between any particular level.”
graphics
1,913 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
50%
3%
The graphics of "Doom: The Dark Ages" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and high fidelity compared to previous titles, particularly in terms of character and environment design. However, some players have expressed frustration over the game's demanding hardware requirements, particularly the necessity for ray tracing, which can hinder performance on lower-end systems. Overall, while the aesthetic and graphical quality are often highlighted as standout features, concerns about optimization and accessibility for players with less powerful graphics cards persist.
- “The visuals are definitely of higher fidelity than in the previous games, and the theming is great as well.”
- “The graphics are a return to a darker and grittier look rather than a lot of bright colors.”
- “The graphics are stunning, yes, and the game also loads very fast.”
- “The game looks bland, ugly, and colorless, even just comparing it to its own other games. Nothing graphically justifies that my computer has to sacrifice 2/3 of its power bouncing rays from a torch around in the darkest pits of hell.”
- “Washed out demon textures; the entire graphics design is just plain garbage.”
- “The graphics are somehow worse (oddly fuzzy?) than earlier titles even after tweaking it as much as I could.”
optimization
1,391 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
55%
14%
The optimization of "Doom: The Dark Ages" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly related to the mandatory use of ray tracing, which has led to lower frame rates on various hardware setups. While some users report smooth gameplay and excellent performance on high-end systems, others experience crashes and stuttering, especially on mid-range or older PCs. Overall, the game is seen as less optimized compared to its predecessors, "Doom 2016" and "Doom Eternal," prompting many to recommend waiting for patches to address these issues before purchasing.
- “The optimization is impressive—multiple chapters can be loaded within the same map.”
- “Id software has done an amazing job on the gameplay, optimization (especially for a ray-traced game), accessibility, and overall polish, plus some great post-launch updates too.”
- “The game runs smoothly with stable frame rate, lightning fast reloading time, and zero stutter.”
- “There is a lack of polish and a severe need for optimization.”
- “The gameplay loop is fun, but the poor optimization and heavy system requirements make it a stutterfest unless using frame generation (which sucks).”
- “The performance drop from this game, especially compared to the super optimized Eternal, is quite appalling.”
stability
348 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
3%
74%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent crashes and freezes, particularly during gameplay and when accessing menus. While some users experienced smooth performance with minimal issues, a significant number faced persistent technical problems that required extensive troubleshooting, leading to frustration and negative feedback. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern, with many players unable to enjoy the experience fully due to these ongoing issues.
- “The game is a technical masterpiece; it looks great and runs great.”
- “I have good specs and it contributes, but from a technical standpoint, I saw no bugs, no glitches, no crashes, no frame drops at max settings with DLSS on quality and frame gen on 2x.”
- “Id has created another masterpiece that plays amazingly, looks beautiful, and runs great.”
- “Super disappointed - game crashes and freezes constantly, for no obvious reason.”
- “This review is negative because the game is fundamentally not playable for no good reason, it is freezing with increasing frequency and these freezes can sometimes brick my whole PC, meaning I have to ungracefully force restart my computer to get out of it.”
- “The game constantly freezes after 10-20 minutes of play time, forcing me to reset the game forcefully and setting me back in-game by a good margin each time.”
atmosphere
285 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
46%
4%
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its dark medieval and gothic aesthetic, immersive environments, and strong visual design that evoke a sense of dread and intensity. However, some players feel that it lacks the cohesive atmosphere and narrative depth found in previous entries, particularly in terms of sound design and thematic consistency. Overall, while the game successfully creates a visually stunning and atmospheric experience, opinions vary on its effectiveness in capturing the essence of the Doom franchise.
- “The atmosphere created by the background, music, and enemy designs are absolutely phenomenal.”
- “The dark medieval/gothic style architecture and atmosphere is a great touch and one of the game's biggest strengths to me, and it's clear that a lot of care went into crafting it.”
- “The atmosphere, the gun/shield gameplay, the feeling of being an unstoppable demon-killing machine while listening to blaring heavy metal music ticks the right boxes for me.”
- “There is no real medieval atmosphere, no grounded dark-age setting, and no coherent era.”
- “The typical doom atmosphere doesn't really show; weapon feedback feels lame.”
- “If you long for the days of a terror-inducing demonic invasion, you won't find that here. It's been replaced by an adderall-fueled, TikTok-brained bloody jaunt through some unrelated universe that doesn't bother to build atmosphere, and even if it did, you wouldn't be given the time to enjoy it anyway.”
grinding
238 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
7%
91%
The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, particularly when it comes to completing levels and collecting secrets. Many players find the repetitive nature of enemy encounters, backtracking for collectibles, and certain gameplay segments (like dragon and mech sections) to be monotonous and detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the game's visuals and combat mechanics, the consensus is that the grinding elements often feel more like chores than engaging gameplay.
- “100%ing the game isn't tedious either.”
- “Yes, I am aware that you need resources, and I would go as far as to say that the game probably could have gone without said resources, but it's not that tedious.”
- “'Open' levels are really well done; they are not tedious even if you go for 100% completion.”
- “After playing it on Xbox Game Pass and Steam and getting all achievements unlocked, it’s safe to say that even though the game itself is visually impressive and presents some new ideas, I find that 100%-ing this game is more tedious than fun and doesn’t provide any sort of proper replayability, not to mention that I have to start a stage all over again just to get some coins.”
- “Campaign becomes quite sad after chapter 6, mostly about grinding through the same enemies again and again, through layers of the map itself.”
- “The secrets feel like a tedious part of game advancement instead of interesting exceptions.”
replayability
208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of substantial content beyond the main campaign. While some appreciate the customizable difficulty sliders and the addition of the ripatorium for replay value, others feel that the absence of modes like New Game+ or multiplayer significantly limits replayability. Many reviews suggest that the game could benefit from additional content updates to enhance its long-term appeal.
- “The addition of the ripatorium adds so much replayability to the game.”
- “The game looks phenomenal, the replayability is great due to the custom difficulty sliders and the combat feels ever refreshing.”
- “The combat loop just isn't strong enough for you to get a really good replay value.”
- “After playing it on Xbox Game Pass and Steam and getting all achievements unlocked, it’s safe to say that even though the game itself is visually impressive and presents some new ideas, I find that 100%-ing this game is more tedious than fun and doesn’t provide any sort of proper replayability, not to mention that I have to start a stage all over again just to get some coins.”
- “The short campaign has little to no replay value outside of the ripatorium.”
- “First, replayability is basically non-existent—you can't revisit levels once you finish the game, which sucks for players who want to master or explore more.”
humor
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
1%
3%
The humor in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it amusing and engaging, particularly in moments of absurdity and unexpected interactions, while others feel it has been significantly toned down compared to previous titles like Doom 2016 and Eternal. Many noted that the game features funny mechanics and moments, such as quirky enemy behavior and humorous dialogue, but also criticized the lack of consistent humor and character charm that defined earlier entries. Overall, while there are still funny elements present, the game is perceived as more serious and less character-driven than its predecessors.
- “By the end, I was just laughing at how silly the story was.”
- “They basically broke the fourth wall and had the Doom Slayer saying, 'This is a bunch of bullshit - forget this nonsense and let's just rip and tear,' and it was hilarious and fun.”
- “You can shoot off a demon’s arms and they can’t attack you anymore, so they simply follow you around and stare at you, which is quite funny.”
- “On top of this, it is so poorly optimized it is unfunny.”
- “The enemy AI for some demons is weird, if not funny.”
- “They have a literal green paint 'joke', but it's not funny because of how many design mistakes litter this mess.”
emotional
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players feeling that while the gameplay is exhilarating and immersive, the narrative and character development often fall flat. Some reviews highlight moments of emotional connection, particularly during cutscenes, but overall, the story is criticized for being shallow and lacking depth, leading to a disconnection from the characters. Despite this, players still find moments of personal investment and satisfaction in the combat, suggesting that the game's emotional impact is more tied to gameplay experiences than to its storytelling.
- “The ancient gods DLC made me feel like I'd just fought my way out of hell with a butter knife duct-taped to a chainsaw.”
- “I loved the cinematic feel of the story and some spoiler stuff near the end made me cry; the gameplay is the best out of the three new games in my opinion.”
- “Overall, the game is a masterpiece and made me cry more times than I can count.”
- “Long story short, very fun game, but with a boring story and characters that take themselves too seriously, lacking soul and self-awareness.”
- “It's kind of antithetical to the vision of the first game, which had a metanarrative about how no one cares about a boring story - only for this game to dump lore and cutscenes on you every chance it gets.”
- “Boring story filled with many slow-paced cinematics, which is very jarring.”
monetization
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
32%
57%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and battle passes, which they see as a refreshing change in a AAA title. However, some critics feel the game gives off a "cash grab" vibe, suggesting it lacks passion and innovation, despite being fully playable at launch. Overall, while there are no additional monetization schemes currently, concerns about the game's rushed development and potential future monetization strategies linger among players.
- “This is the first AAA title I've played in almost a decade that has actually innovated continuously instead of feeding me the same slop over and over for $70-100 before microtransactions, which the game doesn't have.”
- “TDA has been released in a complete and fully playable state with no major bugs, no crashes, and no microtransactions.”
- “Just... know what you're signing up for if you buy it - and have some solace in the fact that at least they aren't hiding any microtransactions or paywalls.”
- “Unfortunately, it gives off lazy, uninspired vibes, as if it was made solely for a quick cash grab rather than out of passion for the franchise.”
- “For a franchise that once redefined intensity and innovation, this feels like a lazy cash grab.”
- “You can tell this game has been rushed, so Bethesda can do another quick cash grab, which they have been known to do before, but to the Doom franchise, of all the games you had to pick to screw over, why Doom?!?!”
character development
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
41%
13%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the character designs and visual aesthetics but criticizing the lack of substantial backstories or growth for the characters. While the Doom Slayer's new design and the overall artistic direction are highlighted as impressive, players feel that the narrative fails to deliver meaningful character development, leaving it feeling shallow and disjointed. Overall, the focus remains on gameplay and design rather than deep storytelling.
- “Whoever gave Doom Slayer a cape and shield deserves a raise; 10/10 character design, fits very well with the game's atmosphere.”
- “The Doom Slayer himself also looks as heroic as he's ever been with a rocking cape, and the rest of the character design works perfectly with each member of the cast, too.”
- “[b]Character design[/b]: 9/10 (greatly improved over previous titles, each character has unique lively animations)”
- “There is no character development whatsoever.”
- “The game's narrative attempts to explore the Doom Slayer's origins but falls short due to shallow character development and a disjointed plot.”
- “The character designs are also just kinda vapid and uninspired.”