Doom: The Dark Ages, the new old Doom

Doom: The Dark Ages is the latest entry in the Doom franchise, developed by id Software, the Texas-based game studio behind the series. Above all, this new title makes one thing clear: the roots of Doom will be preserved at all costs—Doom will continue to be Doom, at least for now.

The game proposes a classic-style hack 'n' slash experience, with different enemies being taken down within seconds, each featuring unique abilities and mechanics. The core idea remains faithful to the original Dooms—the core gameplay hasn’t changed, even if new mechanics have been added throughout the years and across different titles. The new entry tries hard not to stray from its roots, but the downside is that it clings too tightly to the past, especially when it comes to the HUD and general design concepts.

Killing waves of demons across multiple levels while a story unfolds is a classic Doom trademark—and it’s been retained just as it was. This approach isn’t necessarily bad, even if it’s a structure that’s becoming less common in modern games. That’s a shame, as it’s a solid and consistent format. The game feels like it’s trying to innovate, but never at the expense of its legacy—which ultimately limits its creative potential. The player is frequently left feeling that things get repetitive, due to a lack of enemy variety and overly familiar weapon strategies.

Doom: The Dark Ages clearly aims to satisfy long-time fans of the franchise. The goal seems to have been to introduce something new without losing the essence of being a "one-man army" battling hordes of demons to the sound of heavy rock. As such, the game sticks with the classic structure of segmented levels, collectibles within each stage, and a time-based challenge system across different difficulty levels. Beyond the rather weak storyline, there's room for speedrunners to shine—competing against themselves and one another is a core appeal.

When it comes to difficulty, a crucial element in this type of game, the title is relatively easy. It presents a steep learning curve at first, but things settle quickly after a few levels. The curve flattens out once the player learns how to properly time shield blocks and execute melee attacks effectively. Difficulty here is less about brute force and more about juggling multiple mechanics—blocking, throwing the shield, shooting, and close-range combat all need to be performed in sync for effective gameplay.

Changes to the blocking system, melee attacks, weapon variety, and skill tree are welcome, though they’re not what will keep most players hooked. What truly impresses—and stands out as the most engaging mechanics—are the Dragon and Mecha sequences. These bring much-needed variety to an otherwise repetitive gameplay loop, though their limited functionality prevents them from being more thoroughly explored.

Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t uninteresting, nor is its formula flawed. The problem lies in the lack of genuine innovation. Staying so closely tied to the franchise’s roots pleases long-term fans, but may disappoint players expecting bold, new ideas from a studio as prominent as id Software. The franchise seems to have made its choice: keep doing what has worked so far. But how long can that formula remain relevant in the AAA market? From the looks of it, major overhauls to reinvent the series aren’t part of id’s current plans. Given this trajectory, a remake of a previous title wouldn’t be surprising in the near future.

In conclusion, Doom: The Dark Ages doesn’t surprise—but it delivers exactly what fans expect from a Doom game. The new mechanics are interesting but not revolutionary, and while the experience is fun, there’s nothing truly remarkable or groundbreaking on display. It’s a solid game, no doubt—but one that plays it safe. What it offers is what many already anticipated: Doom being Doom. And that’s precisely what it delivers. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends entirely on the player.