Doom: The Dark Ages breaks the mold instead of just adjusting it. This game doesn’t focus on Doom Eternal’s fast-speed runs and quick weapon swaps. Instead, it changes what being the Slayer means.
You’re still fierce and unstoppable, but now it’s all about precision and timing, not just raw firepower. The change is bold since id Software went further than just adjusting the formula. Shifting to melee as the core changed Doom’s entire feel.
The game feels slower, with a heavier, more purposeful pace. Doomguy ventures to Argent D’nur, a dark techno-medieval realm set prior to the 2016 reboot.
Here, he’s less a sprinter and more a tank, trading rapid weapon-switching for grounded melee and calculated parries. Perfect timing is mandatory since it shapes the whole game's rhythm.
The Shield Saw and Dread Flail headline this fresh take. These tools deliver heavy impact, brutal action, and satisfaction well, but they need serious effort. The risk was obvious: by focusing on melee combat, id Software bet players would accept a different kind of brutality.
The old quick-swap meta is also gone, and some players really miss it, especially those who loved chaining mods and pushing max DPS in Doom Eternal. Personally, I think it’s a good shift, leveling the field for controller players and favoring more measured gameplay.
It’s not easier per se—just a different style that won’t let you mash buttons. Glory Kills are also still part of the game, though less elaborate, with most enemies now just taking hits like punches or boots instead of dramatic stagger animations.
Tougher enemies and bosses get the grand send-off, but the average imp gets a fist to the face. The world design reflects that new pacing as well. Levels have more exploration with branching and looping paths that hide secrets and collectibles and offer different ways to approach fights.
Mechs and dragons also shake things up by taking you from stomping battlefields in a skyscraper-sized Atlan the next, you’re riding a dragon through the skies. These set pieces focus on spectacle more than challenge and serve as breaks from the main gameplay.
Not all of them work perfectly. Some players find the shield controls awkward in close quarters, while others wish for the smooth rhythm-based weapon swapping from Eternal. Parry windows might feel either too forgiving or too unforgiving, depending on your settings and build.
The Dark Ages shows id Software’s willingness to try something different. Instead of Eternal 2.0, we got something bold that is slower, heavier, and strangely elegant in its violence.
It may not win over every longtime fan, but it’s carving out its own legacy. If the past has shown anything, it’s that when id takes a risk, they usually pull it off. And if you’re willing to adapt, there’s a lot to love in this new era of pain and steel.
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