LGR Doom: The Dark Ages Review
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Date: 2025-05-16
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Comments and reviews: 20
TheUltimateBlooper
I saw a lot of hype for this, as is normal these days (for some reason, but I also had my reservations. It just does not feel like DOOM, other than having the DOOM guy.
Weirdly-enough - Bethesda recently released DOOM 2016 on GOG and I took the chance to replay it again - oh boy how fun that game was! It really once again showed me how the choices made in Eternal were a bit meh (the combat chess thing is just not fun for a lot of people. In 2016 I get to use whatever weapon, whenever, on whichever enemies I please. In Eternal - you're given restrictions, like use this gun with this mod on this enemy/weak spot, otherwise face an unsatisfying bullet sponge. Or those Marauders that you only get to kill by waiting for the green ping.
Now with Dark Ages they went even deeper into colorful blobs you must parry/avoid, lol. Why the weird arcade How does it make sense that a demon shoots 5 things, but 1 of them is for you to kill them back with. Nonsensical. The cyber-dragons are just meh. It feels like the doll-collecting nerds at id forgot what DOOM is.
Ah well. Maybe I'll get it, maybe I'll wait for sale. This is the first DOOM game I have to question like that. If it were named something other than DOOM - it would have been better. But I'm sure this will sell anyway.
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I saw a lot of hype for this, as is normal these days (for some reason, but I also had my reservations. It just does not feel like DOOM, other than having the DOOM guy.
Weirdly-enough - Bethesda recently released DOOM 2016 on GOG and I took the chance to replay it again - oh boy how fun that game was! It really once again showed me how the choices made in Eternal were a bit meh (the combat chess thing is just not fun for a lot of people. In 2016 I get to use whatever weapon, whenever, on whichever enemies I please. In Eternal - you're given restrictions, like use this gun with this mod on this enemy/weak spot, otherwise face an unsatisfying bullet sponge. Or those Marauders that you only get to kill by waiting for the green ping.
Now with Dark Ages they went even deeper into colorful blobs you must parry/avoid, lol. Why the weird arcade How does it make sense that a demon shoots 5 things, but 1 of them is for you to kill them back with. Nonsensical. The cyber-dragons are just meh. It feels like the doll-collecting nerds at id forgot what DOOM is.
Ah well. Maybe I'll get it, maybe I'll wait for sale. This is the first DOOM game I have to question like that. If it were named something other than DOOM - it would have been better. But I'm sure this will sell anyway.
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billyb7119
I guess Eternal sold well, so people must have liked it-- but I still am baffled by the decisions they continue to make for this series. I went into Doom 2016 with low expectations, thinking from all the footage I'd seen it looked like a pretty unremarkable, bog standard fps, and the stories of development hell didn't instill confidence. But I ended up being blown away, and it was easily one of my most memorable gaming experiences of the past decade. I was hyped about Doom Eternal hoping it would just be more Doom, but instead I got a game that constantly gets in its own way with weird amounts of momentum-killing platforming and exposition that I couldn't possibly care less about, as well as the Marauders which again, totally killed the pacing of combat. To hear that they've essentially doubled down on the lore is baffling. I'm sure I'll give it a shot on game pass, but it really bums me out that I'm not excited about this game, because it looks awesome in a lot of ways. Honestly I think I'd feel better about it if they just didn't make it a Doom game, but something else altogether. As many have suggested-- Hexen, maybe
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I guess Eternal sold well, so people must have liked it-- but I still am baffled by the decisions they continue to make for this series. I went into Doom 2016 with low expectations, thinking from all the footage I'd seen it looked like a pretty unremarkable, bog standard fps, and the stories of development hell didn't instill confidence. But I ended up being blown away, and it was easily one of my most memorable gaming experiences of the past decade. I was hyped about Doom Eternal hoping it would just be more Doom, but instead I got a game that constantly gets in its own way with weird amounts of momentum-killing platforming and exposition that I couldn't possibly care less about, as well as the Marauders which again, totally killed the pacing of combat. To hear that they've essentially doubled down on the lore is baffling. I'm sure I'll give it a shot on game pass, but it really bums me out that I'm not excited about this game, because it looks awesome in a lot of ways. Honestly I think I'd feel better about it if they just didn't make it a Doom game, but something else altogether. As many have suggested-- Hexen, maybe
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PaulOrtiz
Part of me wishes they had done a bit more research into the musical genre to make sure it was brutally crushing in its own way, but I also appreciate that the skillset to soundtrack a game is a different one to just making good metal. So it’s not like if only they had used it would have worked. And it’s definitely not a bad soundtrack. When it’s cool it’s cool! It’s just not a feature like 2016s was. Personally I agree - they should’ve leaned into the dark age vibes. Ancient chants, war drums, huge choirs mixed with the metal, and just put more distance between them and Mick, so it could stand on its own strengths rather than being compared. Which was inevitable really. Missed opportunity IMO but again, not gonna shit talk them; they made a whole soundtrack. I struggle to finish one song lol
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Part of me wishes they had done a bit more research into the musical genre to make sure it was brutally crushing in its own way, but I also appreciate that the skillset to soundtrack a game is a different one to just making good metal. So it’s not like if only they had used it would have worked. And it’s definitely not a bad soundtrack. When it’s cool it’s cool! It’s just not a feature like 2016s was. Personally I agree - they should’ve leaned into the dark age vibes. Ancient chants, war drums, huge choirs mixed with the metal, and just put more distance between them and Mick, so it could stand on its own strengths rather than being compared. Which was inevitable really. Missed opportunity IMO but again, not gonna shit talk them; they made a whole soundtrack. I struggle to finish one song lol
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n64fan60
I'm on Chapter 8. I'm glad they went in a new direction, even if I end up preferring Eternal. That game was basically perfect, so I dont think they could have followed it up with similar gameplay and done it any better.
IMO, The Dark Ages could mature like a fine wine once updates and DLC arrive, just like Eternal did. I appreciate the move to a sort of bullet-hell shmup in first person concept. Gives the game its own fresh style. Never personally played an FPS that has these elements.
My advice to make the soundtrack better in-game; go into the options and increase the volume of the music relative to everything else.
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I'm on Chapter 8. I'm glad they went in a new direction, even if I end up preferring Eternal. That game was basically perfect, so I dont think they could have followed it up with similar gameplay and done it any better.
IMO, The Dark Ages could mature like a fine wine once updates and DLC arrive, just like Eternal did. I appreciate the move to a sort of bullet-hell shmup in first person concept. Gives the game its own fresh style. Never personally played an FPS that has these elements.
My advice to make the soundtrack better in-game; go into the options and increase the volume of the music relative to everything else.
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VGamingJunkieVT
It's kind of ironic that Dark Ages is so similar to Quake, given a lot of Quake's development boiled down to Make it like Doom, gotta play it safe or at least that's what Carmack forced it to head towards, both being a first person shooter and starring a space ranger. Romero wanted something more akin to a Fantasy RPG and wasn't pleased when he didn't get his way. Given how Quake immediately abandoned its own eldritch roots with Quake 2 and later 4 with the Strogg, it's funny how we come full circle with the Quake 1 elements realized in a Doom game of all things.
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It's kind of ironic that Dark Ages is so similar to Quake, given a lot of Quake's development boiled down to Make it like Doom, gotta play it safe or at least that's what Carmack forced it to head towards, both being a first person shooter and starring a space ranger. Romero wanted something more akin to a Fantasy RPG and wasn't pleased when he didn't get his way. Given how Quake immediately abandoned its own eldritch roots with Quake 2 and later 4 with the Strogg, it's funny how we come full circle with the Quake 1 elements realized in a Doom game of all things.
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BronzeAgePepper
Losing Mick Gordon seemed to lead naturally to the game losing a lot of its identity. If this had been made as Quake 2016 it could've coexisted alongside BethesDoom, but we're in the dark timeline of the games industry right now. I guess for this series in particular it could be worse, but it's not a must-play for me right now since my skepticism of it living up to Eternal's huge pedigree, based on what I saw before release, seems to be confirmed. I'll wait for a sale and maybe an opportunity to upgrade my system, although that's also a hard sell right now.
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Losing Mick Gordon seemed to lead naturally to the game losing a lot of its identity. If this had been made as Quake 2016 it could've coexisted alongside BethesDoom, but we're in the dark timeline of the games industry right now. I guess for this series in particular it could be worse, but it's not a must-play for me right now since my skepticism of it living up to Eternal's huge pedigree, based on what I saw before release, seems to be confirmed. I'll wait for a sale and maybe an opportunity to upgrade my system, although that's also a hard sell right now.
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lazygamereviews
Doom 3 was supposed to be an awesome doom 2 enhancement, or well it looked a heck of a lot cooler than doom 2 and graphics and gore seemed to be enhanced. I only remember 3 screencaps from the prototype and I haven't a clue as to where they may exist now. Seems they took a Duke Nukem Forever approach and scrapped it maybe. Far as this doom game goes. For the Dark Ages it sure seems very very colorful. More like a successor to Heretic and Hexen. But no multiplayer.
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Doom 3 was supposed to be an awesome doom 2 enhancement, or well it looked a heck of a lot cooler than doom 2 and graphics and gore seemed to be enhanced. I only remember 3 screencaps from the prototype and I haven't a clue as to where they may exist now. Seems they took a Duke Nukem Forever approach and scrapped it maybe. Far as this doom game goes. For the Dark Ages it sure seems very very colorful. More like a successor to Heretic and Hexen. But no multiplayer.
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hotdrowlibrarian
this is very much how I felt about it. the gimmicks felt gimmicky and while the game felt a bit samey and not DOOM it was an excellent FPS title.
there was chatter early on that DDA would be a quake game and I wonder if partway through the design process they were like but it has to be DOOM GUY and we need the mechs. it feels like certain gimmicks were forced into something that is otherwise a brilliant re-imagining of quake.
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this is very much how I felt about it. the gimmicks felt gimmicky and while the game felt a bit samey and not DOOM it was an excellent FPS title.
there was chatter early on that DDA would be a quake game and I wonder if partway through the design process they were like but it has to be DOOM GUY and we need the mechs. it feels like certain gimmicks were forced into something that is otherwise a brilliant re-imagining of quake.
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sugarpolecat4781
Its intereating that a lot of people feel the same: reminds more of Quake than Doom.
What a shame, Doom ran so that Quake could rocket jump through lovecraftian lava pits and fighting knights and abominations.
It feels like Doom suits better for the futurist things, whilst the original quake feels more medieval.
This could have been Quake: Return of Wrack, and no one would bat an eye
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Its intereating that a lot of people feel the same: reminds more of Quake than Doom.
What a shame, Doom ran so that Quake could rocket jump through lovecraftian lava pits and fighting knights and abominations.
It feels like Doom suits better for the futurist things, whilst the original quake feels more medieval.
This could have been Quake: Return of Wrack, and no one would bat an eye
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MCBGamer
I know you probably wont see this, but I felt the EXACT same about the game. I haven't played it yet but the second it was revealed I had the cursed thought that an executive committee decided no one likes Quake (Which I mean. sales wise they arent wrong, so this game cannot be Quake. Rebrand it with Doom Guy. So they did. I have zero issues with that, but I wish they would be honest about it.
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I know you probably wont see this, but I felt the EXACT same about the game. I haven't played it yet but the second it was revealed I had the cursed thought that an executive committee decided no one likes Quake (Which I mean. sales wise they arent wrong, so this game cannot be Quake. Rebrand it with Doom Guy. So they did. I have zero issues with that, but I wish they would be honest about it.
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handznet
Past two dooms sucked, repetitive (in a worst console game way) shooters with constant closed arena elements. But this one. my god. WHY. Why to mix Doom with Medieval, why to make such weird mix. I love Doom 1 and 2 for their simplicity and great gameplay. I love 3 for logical move from basic FPS 90s shooter to something more sophisticated. But these modern Doom games are just a disgrace.
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Past two dooms sucked, repetitive (in a worst console game way) shooters with constant closed arena elements. But this one. my god. WHY. Why to mix Doom with Medieval, why to make such weird mix. I love Doom 1 and 2 for their simplicity and great gameplay. I love 3 for logical move from basic FPS 90s shooter to something more sophisticated. But these modern Doom games are just a disgrace.
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CptFitzgerald
Hey, I'm glad that this lineage is still going- but, the whole point of DOOM was being fearful and in isolation as a mere human being making you vulnerable against a sinister overwhelming threat and overcoming that barely through corporeal technology. The aesthetic has been lost since I was dissapointed of how DOOM 3 didn't make me scared like the original DOOM did.
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Hey, I'm glad that this lineage is still going- but, the whole point of DOOM was being fearful and in isolation as a mere human being making you vulnerable against a sinister overwhelming threat and overcoming that barely through corporeal technology. The aesthetic has been lost since I was dissapointed of how DOOM 3 didn't make me scared like the original DOOM did.
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GetToWhereYouAre
Great review, you really dig in to it in ways how I shape my purchase decisions. I initially began being a bit disappointed I can't just shoot my way through things, but I was also reminded there are a lot of boomer shooters on Steam, to satisfy that itch. I suppose it's nice to have something different, even Doom 3 was different, so yeah. I'll pick it on sale.
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Great review, you really dig in to it in ways how I shape my purchase decisions. I initially began being a bit disappointed I can't just shoot my way through things, but I was also reminded there are a lot of boomer shooters on Steam, to satisfy that itch. I suppose it's nice to have something different, even Doom 3 was different, so yeah. I'll pick it on sale.
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JallenMeodia
Thanks for this review, I had forgotten this game was about to come out. Does sound like I would have mixed feelings over this game as well. I loved Doom 2016 and was already a little disappointed with the direction taken with Doom Eternal. However, much like that game mixed things up you do have to hand it to ID for attempting to create a unique experience.
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Thanks for this review, I had forgotten this game was about to come out. Does sound like I would have mixed feelings over this game as well. I loved Doom 2016 and was already a little disappointed with the direction taken with Doom Eternal. However, much like that game mixed things up you do have to hand it to ID for attempting to create a unique experience.
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MrGatonegroish
It's weird. I've seen some people say it feels like 'DOOM: Blood Dragon' and I sort of agree. It feels more like an outgrown DLC -- not because the quality is lower or there's less stuff in it, but because it feels like a wild experimental direction that I don't see the devs building on. Just a fun wacky excursion in a way, but not 'DOOM Eternal 1'.
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It's weird. I've seen some people say it feels like 'DOOM: Blood Dragon' and I sort of agree. It feels more like an outgrown DLC -- not because the quality is lower or there's less stuff in it, but because it feels like a wild experimental direction that I don't see the devs building on. Just a fun wacky excursion in a way, but not 'DOOM Eternal 1'.
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Blur4strike-2
I'm just going to wait for a 'Complete Edition' and deep sale of Doom: The Dark Ages like I did with the other more recent Doom titles (2016 and Eternal, mostly because it's easier on the wallet and the other reason being due to what went on behind the scenes during Eternal's production (specifically the soundtrack by Mick Gordon.
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I'm just going to wait for a 'Complete Edition' and deep sale of Doom: The Dark Ages like I did with the other more recent Doom titles (2016 and Eternal, mostly because it's easier on the wallet and the other reason being due to what went on behind the scenes during Eternal's production (specifically the soundtrack by Mick Gordon.
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tbray
I actually stopped playing Doom Eternal because i was tired of those darn QTE requirements - push the button/jump/twirl/thread the needle/jump again/backflip/ before the timer runs out or do it again. After trying something like 48 times on the last one just gave up. When it's not fun, what's the point. I hope this is different.
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I actually stopped playing Doom Eternal because i was tired of those darn QTE requirements - push the button/jump/twirl/thread the needle/jump again/backflip/ before the timer runs out or do it again. After trying something like 48 times on the last one just gave up. When it's not fun, what's the point. I hope this is different.
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xombiegriffin
For me, I'd put The Dark Ages over Eternal, but under 2016. I really enjoy all the changes they made and appreciate them experimenting with the formula. Mind you, I feel a bit of it can be long in the tooth, such as with the mech and dragon sections. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy em.
Wonderful review, LGR!
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For me, I'd put The Dark Ages over Eternal, but under 2016. I really enjoy all the changes they made and appreciate them experimenting with the formula. Mind you, I feel a bit of it can be long in the tooth, such as with the mech and dragon sections. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy em.
Wonderful review, LGR!
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Saltbreather
I hate this sentiment that the soundtrack is mediocre. I’m upset at iD for how they treated Mick Gordon, and I’m sad that he’s gone, but the OST for TDA is, if I’m being objective, really damn good. DOOM Eternal had, while not Mick’s fault, music mixing issues, but people will pretend that’s not the case.
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I hate this sentiment that the soundtrack is mediocre. I’m upset at iD for how they treated Mick Gordon, and I’m sad that he’s gone, but the OST for TDA is, if I’m being objective, really damn good. DOOM Eternal had, while not Mick’s fault, music mixing issues, but people will pretend that’s not the case.
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BasicTechGirl
I played the game last night for almost 4 hours and i love the game. The fact that the game can dip into 75fps and still be stable and smooth shows how optimized it is. Unlike Oblivion remastered.
The combat with the shield is a good change and able to change the difficulty on the fly is a nice touch.
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I played the game last night for almost 4 hours and i love the game. The fact that the game can dip into 75fps and still be stable and smooth shows how optimized it is. Unlike Oblivion remastered.
The combat with the shield is a good change and able to change the difficulty on the fly is a nice touch.
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