Doom: The Dark Ages Review [2025] – Medieval Mayhem, Bigger Demons, and the Wildest Slayer Yet

 

Ready to swap your plasma rifle for a shield saw? Doom: The Dark Ages smashes onto PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with chainsaws spinning and demons shrieking. This 2025 prequel dares to drop the Slayer straight into a heavy metal version of the Middle Ages—think dungeon thrones, gothic castles, and a whole lot of angry hellspawn.

Get set for a wild ride. The game mixes old-school mayhem with new guns (and a few that bite back), wild melee flails, and the most unhinged monsters yet. It's classic Doom chaos, now with more armor, bigger bosses, and a healthy dose of medieval grit. If you thought you’d seen everything this legendary series could throw at you, think again—because Hell just got a lot more historic.

Origins of Doom: The Dark Ages

The Doom name means fast action, unholy monsters, and a hero who never quits. But how did a sci-fi shooter from the ‘90s end up storming a medieval nightmare? “Doom: The Dark Ages” isn’t just another sequel—it’s a prequel, a fresh slab of metal in a franchise that changed gaming history. Let’s turn the clock back, polish our armor, and charge straight into this Slayer’s brutal backstory.

A Doom-Sized Legacy: Walk through the main beats of Doom history

Doom isn’t just a game. It’s a grenade the size of a franchise. When id Software dropped the first "Doom" in 1993, they didn’t just give us a new shooter—they handed players the keys to a digital madhouse. Levels weren’t just mazes. They were monster-filled playgrounds. The BFG wasn’t just a gun. It was a legend.

Here’s why Doom matters:

• Pumped-up Influence: The original Doom helped define the first-person shooter for everyone else—period.
• Tech Powerhouse: Doom’s 3D(ish) graphics, mod scene, and networked deathmatch made it a living museum for gaming innovation.
• Never-Ending Mayhem: Every follow-up, from "Doom II" to "Doom Eternal," doubled down on speed, style, and a punchy soundtrack. For some, it’s the ultimate stress relief.

Players stuck around for decades because Doom doesn’t get soft. It’s always about bigger monsters, crazier guns, and movement that makes you feel like a wrecking ball. Want more on the franchise’s wild ride? The Doom Wiki has a full breakdown.

Setting the Stage: Medieval Mayhem

Slip on a spiked helmet, because "The Dark Ages" takes the series somewhere wild—a monster-infested Middle Ages. Forget sci-fi labs. Now it’s haunted castles, gnashing portcullises, and secret crypts that creak with every step.

• Demons in Armor: Think hell knights with chainmail, gargoyles swooping from stained glass, and imps sporting maces.
• Castles Built for Carnage: Levels twist with hidden passages, cracked stone bridges, and relics that wouldn’t look out of place in an old vampire flick.
• Weapons with Edge: Bye-bye, bland pistols. Hello, shield saw and bone-cracking flails. Every tool feels homemade by maniacs in a medieval forge.

This fresh medieval spin isn’t just for looks. Every fight feels heavier, dirtier, and more desperate. The world drips with dread and hidden hope, setting it apart from any other Doom. Bethesda gives a closer look at the new setting on their official Doom: The Dark Ages overview.

Who is the Doom Slayer This Time?

In "The Dark Ages," the Slayer isn’t a lone marine. He’s something older—a knight, a myth that’s whispered in the shadows. This isn't the man from the Mars base. It’s a legend in iron boots.

• Reborn Hero: The game tosses you into the origins of the Slayer, before he ever heard the word "BFG."
• Fresh Backstory: Now he fights to save humanity in a war against Hell itself, wielding weapons straight from the middle ages, but with Slayer flair.
• Hints and Secrets: The lore trickles out. Why is he this angry? What started the feud with the demons? Expect answers—but also new mysteries.

This new take teases more about the Slayer’s past, showing how a myth gets built one shattered demon jaw at a time. For a rundown on the story and timeline, the Doom: The Dark Ages Wikipedia page has the essentials, while fans are busy theorizing every clue.

Doom: The Dark Ages isn't just more Doom. It's the fever dream origin story we didn’t know we needed—every inch soaked in shield-bashing glory and demonic dread.

Gameplay, Weapons, and Juicy Combat Tricks

Step into the pit, and it’s clear: “Doom: The Dark Ages” isn’t just the same old demon dance. The heart-thumping rhythm of classic Doom is alive, but now every riff is played on battered steel and brutal medieval toys. The new engine throws around heavier metal and gorier physics, so each encounter feels like a thunderstorm of claws, cannonballs, and chainsaw teeth. Let’s break down how the past gets even nastier, one kill-streak at a time.

Old-School Action Gets a Makeover

Forget slow siege warfare. Doom’s brutal ballet stays fast, but gets weighed down with iron and stone. Catapults arc fireballs across castle courtyards as you dodge rolling boulders. Mechs—yes, lumbering, armor-smashing mechs—join the fray for set pieces that let the Slayer rain chaos like a medieval war god.

The combat is still about frantic movement and quick reflexes. It just feels grittier with:

• Heavy Melee: Swing flails and crushed armor into the demon front lines.
• Siege Setups: Blast open castle gates with powder kegs or launch impaling spikes from trebuchets.
• Familiar Faces: Shotguns, super shotguns, and of course, the chainsaw, all return—rattling with more weight and bite.

For battle-hardened fans, it’s the same adrenaline, now flavored with rust, stone, and fireballs instead of neon and lasers. Want practical tips on how to keep up? Check out the Essential Combat Tips guide for fresh strategy.

New Toys: The Shield Saw and Beyond

Doom’s weapon locker explodes with wild new options. The Shield Saw stands out—half whirling buzzsaw, half tower shield, all rage. Block a demon’s strike, then rev the saw edge right into their spine. It’s the kind of weapon that says, “Come closer, I dare you.”

Other inventive tools shake up every scrap:

• Pulverizer: Unleashes wide blasts, perfect for turning crowds into demon salsa.
• Cycler: A rapid-fire contraption that dances between ammo types for creative combos.
• Bone-Flail: Whip bone and chain for nasty crowd control, yanking imps clean off balconies.

And don’t forget classic favorites. The super shotgun and chainsaw are chunkier, meaner, and perfect for mid-combat pick-me-ups.

New combat tricks keep the action unpredictable:

• Shield Charges: Smash through legions with shockwave slams.
• Environmental Kills: Launch demons onto spikes or into fire traps for bonus splatter.
• Weapon Swaps and Finishers: Flow between ranged and melee in a single move and finish foes in creative, gory fashion.

Get the scoop on every weapon and their upgrades by checking out the complete weapon list for Doom: The Dark Ages. For weapon strategies and upgrade locations, the Polygon weapon guide is packed with details.

The Meanest Demons Yet

Hell’s talent show just got even weirder. “The Dark Ages” throws sadistic new demons into the grinder—some armored up, some slithering, and some just straight-up monstrous. Expect fresh surprises, like:

• Gargoyles in Plate: Swooping, brick-busting flyers that spit hellfire from cathedral rafters.
• Siege Juggernauts: Eight-foot death machines swinging massive mace-arms (and breaking your favorite cover spot).
• Possessed Knights: These bruisers block shots and launch shield bashes of their own.

Best part? They now react smarter and coordinate attacks, flanking and charging in squads. Boss fights push the spectacle even further, with multi-phase behemoths and arena hazards that force you to move or die.

The bestiary isn’t just a lineup of reskins. It’s built to test every trick in your arsenal—even if you’ve been slaying since 1993. Curious how to survive? Peek at tips from GamesRadar’s Doom combat guide and get ready to sweat.

This time, the only thing older and nastier than these demons is your newfound medieval rage.