DOOM: The Dark Ages is proving to be another great entry in this rebooted franchise, giving fans more of that visceral combat. It’s really fast-paced, to the point that id Software removed the fan-favorite Glory Kills. Fans have accepted that gameplay change is for the better, though the focus on lore is a different story.
While it doesn’t detract from the gameplay, DOOM: The Dark Ages focusing on story is a step back for this series. There were signs of more story coming in DOOM: Eternal, and that comes full circle here. It’s a shame, since the strength of these games is their fast-paced gameplay, so making the plot important feels weird.
Complaining about cutscenes might sound odd, but this particular set of games is hindered by them. Some fans might be interested in the lore, but it essentially boils down to “demons are taking over the world, kill them.” That simple storyline is perfect for video games, so it doesn't need that much attention.
But id Software and Bethesda insist that its important, when it really isn't.
To play devil’s advocate here, there are plenty of gameplay-focused sections throughout this adventure. Sometimes, there are even long periods of just shooting and exploring, with no cutscene in sight. When this happens, The Dark Ages is a pretty good time, especially since players have that awesome shield saw.
Unfortunately, DOOM: The Dark Ages will eventually have long cutscenes, annoying fans and slowing down the fast-paced gameplay. It’s admirable that id Software wanted to do something unique with the story, especially since that led to this unique setting filled with demons to kill. But this is a game that doesn’t need a complex narrative, so seeing these expensive cutscenes with top-notch voice acting just makes things feel slow.
Some fans saw this coming pretty early. It’s easy to remember how DOOM 2016 starts with you shutting up a talking-computer in the middle of its exposition, making players think the story doesn’t matter. This goes on for a good while when you’re exploring the base, as it’s filled with demons to kill. But as the game goes on, your character is forced to listen to characters talk about a story that’s really just demons trying to kill everyone, but with a lot of self-importance for no reason.
This is a trend that didn’t break with DOOM: Eternal and continued onto DOOM: The Dark Ages. Honestly, all of that is disappointing, because the gameplay gets better with each entry. We just don’t know why id Software is trying to make people care about a story that can be simplified to “demons are bad, go kill them.”
Stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com: the best place for DOOM coverage.