The following contains story spoilers for Doom: The Dark Ages.
Doom: The Dark Ages boasts a remarkable medieval setting that is not only immersive but is an earnest and eager segue after both the 2016 Doom reboot and Doom Eternal laid its expository brickwork tremendously well. Doom: The Dark Ages doesn’t abandon science fiction during its medieval jaunt, either; instead, science fiction is indelibly and brilliantly enmeshed with fantasy to account for ancient spacecrafts and technology in the Sentinels’ civilization, as well as the Maykrs they worship. But, while this biome should have been allowed to revel, it disappointingly takes a backseat to a biome that is also brand-new to the Doom series.
Doom: The Dark Ages’ medieval setting is terrific, but it’s debatably undervalued. Even if it’s not visited for too long, the Cosmic Realm stamps an unmistakable signature on the game, which is unfortunate for two reasons: one, it’ll now be unfortunate if it’s not explored more in a future Doom game; and two, if it is explored in a future Doom game, it risks not having as much mystique in a sequel since players have already received a decent dose of it.
Doom: The Dark Ages Sets a High Bar For Future Entries
Doom: The Dark Ages brings a long list of changes to the series, leaving the next game with the difficult task of going even bigger.
After The Dark Ages, Doom Can’t Go Back Idly to Pure Sci-Fi
Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal squeeze as much juice (or blood) out of Mars, Earth, and Hell as they possibly can, relishing a brand of science-fiction aesthetic that isn’t necessarily untrodden in other media but has been iconic and superb in id’s franchise. Plus, while the Doom Slayer also takes multiple trips to Hell in The Dark Ages, including an involuntary one when he awakens there zombified after being killed, the Doom franchise has made Hell something of a second home anyhow. Doom: The Dark Ages was rejuvenating on paper as it was finally cashing in on its two predecessors’ massive amounts of exposition and treating players to a setting painted with brush strokes of dark fantasy.
This aesthetic and atmosphere is probably even more ubiquitous than Doom’s bread-and-butter science fiction, but The Dark Ages weaves Doom’s flavor into it with Atlans, a Mecha Dragon, and an arsenal of medieval-themed guns and melee weapons.
To return to a wholly science-fiction setting, much less one the series has relied on heavily already, may be understandably daunting, and it won’t be surprising if Doom has packed its bags and moved to Doom: The Dark Ages’ Argent D’Nur for the foreseeable future. That said, Doom didn’t go a single game before also unveiling a new biome that nearly eclipses its medieval one.
Doom: The Dark Ages’ Cosmic Realm Should’ve Been Worth Its Own Game
A sizable chunk of Doom: The Dark Ages’ back half takes place in the Cosmic Realm as the Doom Slayer attempts to rescue Commander Thira, abruptly introducing the Doom franchise to surrealist Lovecraftian horror. The Cosmic Realm was not kept clandestine from players; in fact, Doom: The Dark Ages’ Cosmic Realm was revealed long before the game was released and left no stone unturned in terms of enemies players would encounter and what the setting’s levels would look like.
The Cosmic Realm is fascinating, to be fair, but it seems shortsighted to have depicted as much of it as The Dark Ages did when id seemingly could have withheld and preserved it for its own dedicated game. Now, if a future Doom game ever revisits the Cosmic Realm, its luster may be dulled unless id can accomplish something novel and unprecedented with it beyond what’s achieved in The Dark Ages.
Doom: The Dark Ages was rejuvenating on paper as it was finally cashing in on its two predecessors’ massive amounts of exposition and treating players to a setting painted with brush strokes of dark fantasy.
If it had barely been teased as something of a post-credits scene or occupied only a single chapter, perhaps this new setting wouldn’t have had its cake and eaten it, too. That said, players explore quite a bit of the Cosmic Realm, an environmental puzzle-saturated biome that couldn’t contrast The Dark Ages’ humble medieval biome more starkly, and battle the Old One in an epic Atlan robot boss fight.
Unfortunately, seeing the Cosmic Realm again after its unnerving and bewildering debut in Doom: The Dark Ages may not have the same effect, regardless of whether it features more intriguing underwater traversal and spectacular demon variants. It would be surprising if Doom’s tethers to the Cosmic Realm and Commander Thira were severed following this prequel and, depending on how big of a gap still lies between The Dark Ages and Doom (2016) in Doom’s chronological timeline, it’s possible that id could have more in store for both the medieval and cosmic horror settings.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 86 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- May 15, 2025
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
WHERE TO PLAY
BECOME THE SLAYER IN A MEDIEVAL WAR AGAINST HELL
DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells an epic cinematic story worthy of the DOOM Slayer’s legend. In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM Slayer, in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a dark fantasy/sci-fi single-player experience that delivers the searing combat and over-the-top visuals of the incomparable DOOM franchise, powered by the latest idTech engine.
REIGN IN HELL
As the super weapon of gods and kings, shred enemies with devastating favorites like the Super Shotgun while also wielding a variety of new bone-chewing weapons, including the versatile Shield Saw. Players will stand and fight on the demon-infested battlefields in the vicious, grounded combat the original DOOM is famous for.
STAND AND FIGHT
Experience an epic story of the DOOM Slayer’s rage in this cinematic and action-packed story. Bound to serve as the super weapon of gods and kings, the DOOM Slayer fends off demon hordes as their leader seeks to destroy the Slayer and become the only one that is feared. Witness the creation of a legend as the Slayer takes on all of Hell and turns the tide of the war.
DISCOVER UNKNOWN REALMS
In his quest to crush the legions of Hell, the Slayer must take the fight to never-before-seen realms. Mystery, challenges, and rewards lurk in every shadow of ruined castles, epic battlefields, dark forests, ancient hellscapes, and worlds beyond. Armed with the viciously powerful Shield Saw, cut through a dark world of menace and secrets in id's largest and most expansive levels to date.
- Engine
- id Tech
- Franchise
- DOOM
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5
