Doom: The Dark Ages Review — Metacritic 91, Best DOOM Since Eternal

Setting: Dark Medieval Fantasy

The Dark Ages moves the action to a dark medieval fantasy setting — before all previous games. The Slayer is a legendary warrior, not an anonymous soldier from the future. This tonal shift refreshes the series while preserving its core: aggressive movement and relentless combat.

The Shield Mechanic

The main gameplay addition is a magical shield. Blocking projectiles and reflecting them adds tactical depth absent in Doom Eternal. Players can now hold position rather than constantly moving. In our editorial view, this is the best mechanical addition to the DOOM formula since the chainsaw and BFG.

Arsenal

id Software significantly refreshed the arsenal: medieval weapons coexist with recognizable Slayer equipment. Each weapon has two modes, both equally useful — an improvement over Eternal's mod system.

Metacritic 91: Deserved

Critics agree: The Dark Ages is the best DOOM since Eternal (2020). The campaign is the right length, with no padded areas. Game Pass gave the game unprecedented day-one reach.