PSU (9.5/10)
"id Software once again found a way to reinvent the DOOM formula, adding new gameplay elements such as the thoroughly enjoyable shield saw. DOOM: The Dark Ages is nonstop, adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride from start to finish. This blockbuster demands your full attention as the best FPS this year so far."
IGN (9/10)
"Far from just being “More Doom,” Doom: The Dark Ages is a new flavor of the legendary shooter series that’s heavier and more grounded, but no less energetic and exhilarating. The new shield is an outstanding addition that adds a ton of both offensive and defensive options, and when combined with the extensive arsenal of traditional Doom guns, provides a ton of fun and exciting ways to dispatch the hundreds upon thousands of demons that stand in your way."
"With stellar combat, incredible weapons, hellish monsters to fight, and excellently implemented gameplay and design changes, DOOM: The Dark Ages delivers an excellent new style of DOOM, while still retaining the series' core strengths."
"DOOM The Dark Ages is aggressive as hell, loud, fast, and all the fun you want. Sometimes you just need to pick up a shotgun, a flail, and a saw-bladed shield and rip through baddies. To put it simply, DOOM The Dark Ages is rewarding. The gameplay matters and ultimately makes up for any weaknesses in the story."
"DOOM: The Dark Ages goes for something slightly different as it turns back time for a medieval assault on hell’s legions. Not every change pays off, as the introduction of a mech and dragon adds very little to the overall experience. However, when The Dark Ages gets to the FPS action, there aren’t many who do it better than id Software. Take some time to adjust to DOOM: The Dark Ages, and you’ll discover another fantastically ferocious first-person shooter."
"Doom: The Dark Ages gets so much right, that its main flaws come when the game takes you away from its main, excellent combat loop. While not every new addition works, the game’s new open zones are a treat, and the Doomslayer’s arsenal is still incredibly fun to run around with."
"While Doom: The Dark Ages is a solid game, the ways it differs from previous titles are largely to its detriment. Most of what's praiseworthy about the Slayer's 2025 adventures are what's translated from older entries, while new features like the melee focus and mech sequences feel like fumbled missteps the series would be well-advised to forget going forward. Still, the joy of blasting cacodemons with a shotgun is never truly lost, and the over-the-top aesthetic will always elevate the experience."
"Above all else, Doom: The Dark Ages has utterly fantastic combat. Moment-to-moment action is among the best in series history. But ultimately, in a desire to expand on a winning formula, id Software has fallen short of the high bar it set with Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal."
At the time of posting, DOOM: The Dark Ages has a Metacritic score of 83 and an OpenCritic rating of 86 - putting the average scores just below our Pure Xbox rating but fairly close overall. You can hop into id Software's new shooter via Xbox Game Pass on May 15, or even sooner with an early access upgrade.
