LIKE a beloved old pet dog, DOOM: The Ages is impossible to put down.
It’s a demonic drug, a hit of horrifying annihilation that makes you want more and more. Because it slays more than Taylor Swift in a glitter hat factory.
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Care must always be taken when trying to improve a cult classic – and the original Doom rightfully belongs among the icons of gaming history.
So it’s a huge relief to see that idSoftware has not only been respectful in making this DOOM, they’ve also been really smart. But is The Dark Ages the best game since the original release?
Hell yeah!
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First off, there’s a more involved plot than previous follow-ups like DOOM (2016) and 2020’s DOOM: Eternal.
You play the heavy-footed Doom Slayer called upon by the Night Sentinels of Argent D’Nur and the mysterious Maykrs in their battle against the dark forces of Hell. Your job? To save humanity.
The Maykrs have a strange hold over the Slayer who gradually starts to think, and fight, on his own terms.
Previous follow-ups to this mega franchise were decent nods to the original but they weren’t truly great games. They lacked what makes a DOOM game utterly brilliant – an intense, mind-blowing run-and-gun experience which takes your breath away. Literally.
The Dark Ages, however, achieves this in bundles.
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Because you become so engrossed in dispatching the multitude of enemies spawning all around you that you forget to breathe.
I lost count of the times where I finished a chapter (there are 22 to smash through), let out an exhausting breath… and noticed that I was two feet away from my gaming chair.
Such is the intensity of The Dark Ages.
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It’s not just a blast and dash game either. This time round you have to be more tactically astute in your demon-slaying ways.
The sheer number of enemies that bear down on you during battle is daunting, but this just increases the adrenaline rush you get when your planned destruction works.
This immersive action results in hours lost wiping the floor with growling Pinky Riders and horrible Hell Knights.
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The arsenal is as kick-ass as it is clever. And each new weapon brings slightly different whoops of joy as you learn more about what can be achieved when you pull the trigger.
For example, the Impaler is brilliant for headshots and once you get your upgrades to a certain point, it can then slow down time to get the perfect hit.
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The Shredder can dispatch hordes of Imp Stalkers all at once and again, use your upgrades wisely, and it can auto-charge to a more destructive ammo when following a melee attack.
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But id Software’s addition of a shield is a masterstroke – this can rip through multiple foes or deflect attacks. It’s upgradable too and becomes an essential tool at your side. That is until you get the ball and chain – talk about an epic flail!
Each chapter is gorgeous in its detail and impressive in scope. The map is easy to read and offers a clear pathway to cute collectables, gold chests and secret areas you won’t want to miss in your 20+ hours of the game.
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Even the soundtrack is gloriously DOOM-esque. A head-banging barrage of heavy metal which delights the senses when blasted through decent headsets – I couldn’t help but ramp up my Turtle Beach Stealth 700s to complete the experience.
It all makes for an epic romp in Hell – you won’t just dip your toes in the Lake of Fire, you’ll want to go skinny-dipping and plunge in head-first.
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The Dark Ages is intense – a cacophony of chaos that impales itself firmly as a Game of the Year contender.
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DOOM: The Dark Ages
- FORMATS: PS5 (reviewed), Xbox, PC
- PRICE: £69.99
- PUBLISHER: Bethesda Softworks
- DEVELOPER: id Software
- RELEASE DATE: Out now
- AGE RATING: 18+
- SCORE: 66/6 (erm, 5 out of 5)