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Doom: The Dark Ages

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Doom: The Dark Ages
Cover featuring Doom Slayer slaying Demons with Saw Shield and Super Shotgun. Note the Titans in the background.
Developer(s)id Software
Publisher(s)Bethesda Softworks
Director(s)Hugo Martin
Artist(s)Emerson Tung
Writer(s)Hugo Martin
Composer(s)Finishing Move
SeriesDoom
Engineid Tech 8
Platform(s)
Xbox Series X/S
Release
  • WW: May 15, 2025
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Doom: The Dark Ages is a 2025 first-person shooter game developed by id Software and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the eighth main entry in the Doom franchise and the third installment of the modern series, following Doom Eternal (2020). The game is set many years prior to Doom (2016) and follows the Doom Slayer's efforts to save humanity during a war against Hell.

id Software began work on The Dark Ages following the completion of Doom Eternal's post-launch campaign The Ancient Gods in 2021, entering full production by August 2022. The game was announced in June 2024.

Doom: The Dark Ages was released on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on May 15, 2025, with it being included as a day one launch for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. The game received generally positive reviews upon release, with praise for its story, atmosphere, gameplay, level and weapon design, and soundtrack. It reached 3 million players in its first week.

Gameplay

See also: Doom (2016 video game) § Gameplay, and Doom Eternal § Gameplay
First-person perspective of the Doom Slayer, wielding the Super Shotgun and his Shield Saw while facing off against demons

While previous entries in the Doom series, such as Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal (2020), focused on fast-paced, acrobatic combat, Doom: The Dark Ages shifts towards a heavier, more grounded combat experience, emphasizing strategic engagements.[1] The Doom Slayer is portrayed as an "iron tank", equipped with enhanced melee options and a slow-motion glory kill feature for improved control during combat.[2] The introduction of the Shield Saw allows for blocking, parrying, and attacking within a single input. Players can wield new weapons like the Skull Crusher, a gun that fires bone fragments at enemies. Melee weapons such as a gauntlet, an iron mace, and a flail, are available.[3] The game is the first in the series to allow players to pilot vehicles, like a cybernetic dragon and a 30-story Atlan mech, to combat enemies during certain sections of the game.[4] The narrative places a greater emphasis on storytelling, with more cutscenes and character development, providing a deeper insight into the Doom Slayer's origins.[5]

Plot

Long before Hell's invasions of both Mars and Earth, the Night Sentinels of Argent D'Nur and their allies the Maykrs are locked in a ferocious war with the forces of Hell, who seek the Heart of Argent. The Doom Slayer, who has been empowered by the Maykrs, is deployed to help turn the tide in favor of humanity. However, the Slayer does not fight completely of his own free will, as his master Kreed Maykr suppresses his mind with a device called the Tether. Meanwhile, the leader of Hell's forces, Prince Ahzrak, realizes that it is not worth attempting to fight the Slayer directly and focuses his efforts on finding the Heart.

Ahzrak finally finds the hiding place of the Heart and assaults it, but working together, the Slayer and King Novik are able to thwart Ahzrak and keep the Heart out of his hands. However, Novik decides to keep the Heart with himself, not fully trusting the Slayer or the Maykrs. Ahzrak then leads a counterattack to surround and destroy the Sentinel forces before they can escape. Kreed refuses to deploy the Slayer to help them, intending to keep himself protected. Unwilling to see innocents slaughtered by demons, the Slayer is able to break free of the Tether's control over him, forcing Kreed to send him back into battle, where he successfully holds off the demons long enough for the Sentinels to escape. Ahzrak is able to steal the Heart from Novik but is enraged to find it empty and useless. Having been thwarted again, Ahzrak offers to make an alliance to Kreed, who himself has come to fear the Slayer turning on him. Meanwhile, the Slayer attempts to remove the Tether from his armor with little success, and Commander Thira tasks him with finding the Heart's power source before Ahzrak does.

Thira invokes an ancient ritual to empower the Slayer's shield, and he moves to assault Ahzrak's fortress in Hell. Meanwhile, Kreed betrays the Sentinels by sending a recording of Thira's ritual to Ahzrak, who realizes that Thira is actually the Heart's power source, and he orders her to be captured alive. Failing to find Ahzrak, the Slayer returns to Argent D'Nur only to see Thira and Kreed be captured by demons. In order to follow them, the Slayer reawakens an ancient Old One and follows it back to its homeworld. However, Kreed betrays the Slayer and Ahzrak is able to overpower and subdue him. Ahzrak reveals Thira houses the soul of a Wraith, and extracts it to power the Heart. Instead of following Kreed's advice to kill the Slayer since the latter cannot permanently die, Ahzrak instead leaves him imprisoned while he leads the final assault against the Sentinels.

Imprisoned by a trio of Old Ones, the Slayer self destructs the Tether in his armor, killing the Old Ones along with himself. His soul is then sent to Hell, where he proceeds to fight his way back to the mortal plane as Commander Valen resurrects him with a demonic ritual. The Slayer kills Kreed for his treachery, and then confronts Ahzrak once again, defeating him and freeing Thira's soul. Ahzrak flees back to Hell, with the Slayer and Thira leading a counteroffensive to eliminate him once and for all. The Slayer corners and kills Ahzrak, causing his forces to retreat and saving Argent D'Nur. Afterwards, the Maykrs disavow Kreed's actions while Novik and Valen plan to purge any remaining traitors in their midst. Thira rallies the Sentinels, bidding them not to put their faith in the Maykrs, but in themselves instead. The Slayer meanwhile commandeers Kreed's ship and uses it to continue his crusade against Hell.

Development

After the release of Doom Eternal's second downloadable content (DLC) campaign The Ancient Gods - Part 2 in March 2021, creative director Hugo Martin mentioned that he was open to exploring more stories with the series protagonist Doom Slayer in future games, despite intending for The Ancient Gods to act as a culmination for the character's arc that began with Doom (2016).[6] One possibility he expressed was telling a narrative around the Slayer's first encounter with the Night Sentinels on Argent D'Nur, in a setting that was more rooted in fantasy aesthetics compared to previous games.[7] By November 2021, id Software had begun pre-production on a new action first-person shooter game.[8] During QuakeCon 2022, executive producer Marty Stratton confirmed that the developer had begun production on their next project.[9]

In September 2023, numerous documents submitted by ZeniMax Media parent company Microsoft during the FTC v. Microsoft court case concerning their impending acquisition of Activision Blizzard were leaked online.[10] Included was an internal roadmap concerning multiple Bethesda Softworks titles in development.[11] A new Doom entry titled Doom: Year Zero was listed as slated for release during Bethesda's 2023 fiscal year ending March 2024 at that time, with two sets of downloadable content (DLC) tentatively dated for the 2023 fiscal year and the 2024 fiscal year ending March 2025, respectively.[11][12]

In May 2024, numerous outlets reported the game as being officially titled Doom: The Dark Ages, which was speculated to be a prequel to Doom (2016), taking place in a dark fantasy setting reminiscent of the Middle Ages and exploring an earlier period in the life of the Doom Slayer.[13]

Doom: The Dark Ages uses the id Tech 8 engine and features advanced game physics, which includes destructible environments.[14]

Release

Life-sized statue of the Doom Slayer at Gamescom 2024

In September 2020, following Doom Eternal's launch, Microsoft entered an agreement to acquire Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, for $7.5 billion, gaining ownership over all of Bethesda's associated development teams and franchises, including id Software and the Doom license, now as part of Microsoft Gaming.[15] Doom: The Dark Ages was announced at Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase event on June 9, 2024, where it was confirmed for release on Windows and Xbox Series X/S in 2025.[16][17] Following the presentation, a PlayStation 5 version was announced as launching day and date with the other platforms.[18] On the decision to not pursue exclusivity on the title, Phil Spencer explained that the Doom series' history on other platforms made it a series he felt "everyone deserves to play."[19]

Doom: The Dark Ages was launched on May 15, 2025, though the game provided an advanced access period to pre-order purchasers.[20]

Buyers of a GeForce 50 series graphics card of the RTX 5070 and above models will be able to receive a free copy of Doom: The Dark Ages until May 21, 2025.[21] In addition, Asus partnered with Bethesda Softworks and id Software to offer a limited edition RTX 5080 ROG Astral graphics card in a Doom: The Dark Ages design.[22]

Reception

Doom: The Dark Ages received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[23][24][25] OpenCritic determined that 96% of critics recommended the game.[26]

Reviewers praised the game's innovative combat mechanics and atmospheric setting. Mitchell Saltzman of IGN awarded the game a 9/10, noting that while it "may strip away the mobility focus of Doom Eternal", it "replaces it with a very weighty and powerful style of play that is different from anything the series has done before, and still immensely satisfying in its own way".[34] Marcus Stewart from Game Informer gave the game a 9.5/10, describing it as "modern Doom executed better than ever", and highlighting the "bloody, challenging, and strategic thrill ride" that tested his skills and kept him engaged.[44] Alessandro Barbosa of GameSpot rated the game 8/10, stating that it "reinvents and reigns [sic] in with equal measure, taking the series in a bold new direction without straying from its captivating roots".[45] Morgan Park of PC Gamer gave it an 80/100, calling it "indulgent and deliciously violent, but surprisingly safe".[46]

However, some critics expressed reservations. Jade King from TheGamer criticized the game as "the weakest entry in a fantastic trilogy", stating that despite its additions to combat and exploration, she would prefer an experience that took more risks and sought to reinvent what it means to play a Doom game.[47] Vulture's review highlighted that "playing Doom: The Dark Ages just feels recursive", suggesting that despite its attempts at innovation, the game remains too tethered to its predecessors without expanding the vocabulary of its violence.[48] The Washington Post noted that while the game introduces a refined first-person action gameplay with a shield-based combat system, it suffers from the absence of signature "glory kills" and a less impactful musical score compared to previous titles.[49]

Sales

Doom: The Dark Ages reached 3 million players in its first week, seven times faster than Doom Eternal, making it the biggest launch in id Software's history, however it was also the first Doom game to be released on Xbox Game Pass at launch.[50]


References

  1. ^ Savage, Phil (January 23, 2025). "After Doom Eternal's intense acrobatics, Doom: The Dark Ages will focus on simplified, ergonomic controls: 'You shouldn't be fighting the controls, you should be fighting the bad guys'". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  2. ^ Castle, Katharine (January 23, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages gets release date confirmed, will make you feel like an "iron tank" rather than the "fighter jet" acrobatics of Doom Eternal". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  3. ^ McWhertor, Michael (January 23, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages ditches Doom Eternal's acrobatics for raw, heavy power". Polygon. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  4. ^ Vatankhah, Matt (January 23, 2025). "As if Doomguy Wasn't Strong Enough, 'DOOM: The Dark Ages' Turns the Power Fantasy up to 666". VICE. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  5. ^ Webster, Andrew (January 23, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages looks metal as hell and launches in May". The Verge. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  6. ^ Reiner, Andrew (October 20, 2020). "New Details On The Slayer's Final Days In Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 17, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Kuchera, Ben (March 17, 2021). "Where does Doom go next?". Polygon. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  8. ^ Hollis, Daniel (November 1, 2021). "id Software Is Hiring For A 'Long-Running Iconic Action FPS' Game". Pure Xbox. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  9. ^ Moore, Logan (August 21, 2022). "DOOM Eternal Developer Teases Next Game". ComicBook.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Warren, Tom (September 19, 2023). "Xbox leak: new Xbox Series X design, next-gen in 2028, and more". The Verge. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Peters, Jay (September 19, 2023). "Microsoft documents leak new Bethesda games, including an Oblivion remaster". The Verge. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  12. ^ Stedman, Alex (September 19, 2023). "Xbox's Phil Spencer Acknowledges Massive Court Document Leak: 'So Much Has Changed'". IGN. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (May 13, 2024). "New Doom reveal hinted at by Zenimax trademark". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  14. ^ Linneman, John (April 1, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages hands-on tech preview - idTech 8 impresses hugely on PC". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  15. ^ Spencer, Phil (September 21, 2020). "Welcoming the Talented Teams and Beloved Game Franchises of Bethesda to Xbox". Xbox Wire. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  16. ^ Zwiezen, Zack (May 24, 2024). "New 'Medieval' Doom Reportedly Coming To PS5 And Xbox, Will Be Announced In June". Kotaku. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  17. ^ Webster, Andrew (June 9, 2024). "Doom: The Dark Ages is launching in 2025". The Verge. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  18. ^ Lyles, Taylor (June 9, 2024). "DOOM: The Dark Ages Announced, Confirmed for PS5 - Xbox Games Showcase 2024". IGN. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  19. ^ Stedman, Alex (June 9, 2024). "Phil Spencer Briefly Explains the Decision to Bring Doom: The Dark Ages to PlayStation 5 - IGN Live 2024". IGN. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  20. ^ Litchfield, Ted (May 12, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages launch times, release date, and advanced access period". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  21. ^ Stockton, Ben (April 30, 2025). "Grab a free copy of Doom The Dark Ages, thanks to this new Nvidia offer". PCGamesN. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  22. ^ Sayyed, Rayan (April 30, 2025). "Asus Unveils Limited Edition Doom-Themed Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 ROG Astral GPU With Exclusive Bundle for $1,999". IGN India. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Doom: The Dark Ages for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Doom: The Dark Ages for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  25. ^ a b "Doom: The Dark Ages for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  26. ^ a b "DOOM: The Dark Ages Reviews". OpenCritic. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  27. ^ Benson, Madison (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review – A gloriously gory prequel". Destructoid. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  28. ^ Colantonio, Giovanni (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review: thrilling prequel goes too big too fast". Digital Trends. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  29. ^ Donlan, Christian (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  30. ^ Romano, Sal (May 28, 2025). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1900". Gematsu. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  31. ^ Barbosa, Alessandro (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages Review - The Old One". GameSpot. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  32. ^ Franey, Joel (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review: "Some may appreciate the greater focus on close-quarters, but others will find themselves nostalgic for the simple joys of double jumps"". GamesRadar. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  33. ^ Green, Parker (May 9, 2025). "Review: Doom: The Dark Ages". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  34. ^ a b Saltzman, Mitchell (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages Review". IGN. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  35. ^ Park, Morgan (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  36. ^ Down, Aaron (May 9, 2025). "Doom The Dark Ages review - the ultimate dark (power) fantasy". PCGamesN. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  37. ^ Croft, Liam (May 9, 2025). "DOOM: The Dark Ages Review (PS5)". Push Square. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  38. ^ Craddock, David (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review - Rip and tear and parry". Shacknews. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  39. ^ Lane, Rick (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review – id Software gets medieval in a dramatic rewrite of the shooter's rules". The Guardian. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  40. ^ Middler, Jordan (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages Review: Brutal, challenging, and laugh-out-loud funny". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  41. ^ Peppiatt, Dom (May 9, 2025). "Doom The Dark Ages review: The road to hell is paved with hypertension". VG247. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  42. ^ Bardwell, Tom (May 9, 2025). "DOOM The Dark Ages review – an overstimulating barrage of visceral hyperviolence". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  43. ^ Stewart, Marcus (May 15, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages Review - Believe In The Shield". Game Informer. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  44. ^ Stewart, Marcus (May 15, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages – Review In Progress". Game Informer. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  45. ^ "Doom: The Dark Ages review - The Old One". May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  46. ^ published, Morgan Park (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages review". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  47. ^ King, Jade (May 9, 2025). "Doom: The Dark Ages Review - The Only Thing They Fear Is Parries". TheGamer. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  48. ^ Rivera, Joshua (May 20, 2025). "Doom Loses Its Edge". Vulture. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  49. ^ Park, Gene. "'Doom: The Dark Ages' has problems but also some great demon killing". The Washington Post.
  50. ^ Tolbert, Samuel (May 20, 2025). "DOOM: The Dark Ages just crossed this huge player milestone". Windows Central. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
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