Doom: The Dark Ages
Review
Doom Slayer Origin story
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Back to the future
Set before the events of 2016's Doom, Doom: The Dark Ages has players taking on the role of the Doom Slayer in a sort of origin story as he takes on the forces of Hell. If you've played Doom, then the game will be somewhat familiar. The gameplay in The Dark Ages feels heavier and more geared towards full-frontal ground based assault and the use of melee weapons. However many of the iconic Doom weapons remain, which will no doubt cater to the needs of Doom fanatics.
Given that players are tasked with destroying the forces of Hell, the weapons do play a big part as has been the case with Doom since the original. Although several weapons such as the Super Shotgun and Rocket launcher will be familiar to Doom fans, The Dark Ages brings with it a host of cool new ways in which to destroy the forces of Hell. The Pulveriser was one of my favourites, a gun that uses skulls as ammunition and crushes them to fire out bits of bone at enemies. Each of the enemies have weapons that they are vulnerable to, so it pays to switch through the weapons to find an optimal attacking device.
Although ammunition is readily available throughout the levels, players will soon run out if they only use the projectile weapons. As such, melee combat is often encouraged, particularly against pawn-like enemies. The shield-bash is highly effective in most situations, but once the Slayer collects the Gauntlet, it too can provide plenty of punch as does the flail once it becomes available. I particularly enjoyed the Shield Saw (an upgrade for the Captain America-like Shield) that rips through enemies - including shielded foes - and returns back to you.
Climb aboard
At times, the Slayer will take the controls of an Atlan mech, a gigantic robotic contraption that towers over the locations. As the Atlan mech moves through the cities, players will encounter the larger enemies that occasionally appear in the background of other levels. Combat in these areas are generally a melee affair, with the Slayer-controlled Atlan mech throwing powerful punches at these large enemies, whilst dodging their attacks. The gameplay in these sections is slower (to represent the slower mechanical movements of the Atlan mech), and allow for a change of pace from the frenetic shooter levels. However, I did find that these also reduced the flow of the game and the main story.
As well as the Atlan mech, players will be able to take flight atop a cybernetic dragon. These set pieces give the game a futuristic Game of Thrones vibe. Although your dragon does not breathe fire when attacking (finishing moves do have the dragon breathing fire down the throat of an enemy), it can fire projectiles at will, enabling players to attack any towers that may be providing a danger.
The controls throughout are smooth and responsive, and I felt that the only time I got into trouble was because of something I did wrong (mistiming a parry for instance) rather than laggy or unresponsive controls. Most of the controls are intuitive, although I initially struggled whilst mounted on the cybernetic dragon. But again, that was more my issue understanding the mechanics rather than poor controls. Indeed, like the rest of the controls, the flying mechanics as you sit atop the dragon work extremely well.
Taking out the forces of evil either with projectile weapons, melee weapons, the Shield Saw or atop the Atlan mech or Dragon is a smooth experience. However, depending on which difficulty level you play, you may eventually succumb to Hell's forces. When you do, players will begin back at the most recent checkpoint…that is unless they have collected a special Life Sigil. These Life Sigils will enable players to respawn from where they died and players can continue from the fateful location.
Hidden gems
These Sigils are generally hidden throughout the levels, and along with other collectibles scattered about, encourage players to explore the whole map rather than sticking to the main path. Indeed, gold - which is required for upgrading weapons and skills - can often be found off the beaten path. A mini-map, reminiscent of the original Doom will help players navigate their way through the labyrinths.
As players travel through the various locations, they are met by an awesome soundtrack. The hard rock tunes fit in perfectly with the tone of the game, providing players with a heart-pounding beat as they cut a swathe through enemy hordes. Indeed, when foes are nearby, the music ramps up as an audio cue that something is about to go down.
The visuals are stunning, even if at the lower end of the required PC specs. Many of the locations have a futuristic medieval vibe, which fits in perfectly with the melee weapons that players can collect through the course of the game. Crumbling towers and piles of bricks indicate some of the destruction that has already taken place…and that is before the Doom Slayer smashes his way through the settings.
Darkness reigns
When Doom: The Dark Ages plays to its strengths, it is the ultimate in destruction. The mechanics of the Shield Saw work amazingly well, bringing something different to the series, and combined with the iconic Doom weaponry, provide for a smooth combat experience. And although the sections with the Atlan mech and the cybernetic dragon aren't as entertaining as the main combat phases, they are still enjoyable. The awesome soundtrack gets the heart pumping and sets the tone perfectly, whilst the visuals look stunning, with the cutscenes doing a wonderful job of continuing the story. A word of warning though, Doom: The Dark Ages does require a decent PC to run even on minimum. Indeed, if you were hoping to play on the go with a Steam Deck you will be disappointed. But if you have the system to play it, and enjoy shooters then Doom: The Dark Ages should definitely be on your must-play list.
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9.0
fun score
Pros
Smooth, responsive controls, Awesome soundtrack
Cons
Requires a decent PC to run, Atlan mech sections
