DOOM: The Dark Ages - Through Ash and Faithless Fire

I still see it clear in my mind: the Slayer dropped to one knee, not out of tiredness hell, we know that would never happen to study the blackened shell of a fallen knight, the metal hissing like a dying star. For just that heartbeat, I thought maybe, just maybe, the ruthless killing machine hiding beneath those thick shoulder plates could hold a hint of humanity. Then the soundtrack snapped into overdrive, a fresh wave of growling demons flooded the screen, and that tender heartbeat was stomped flat beneath the usual pile of guts and gunfire. That single spat of gameplay pretty much sums up DOOM: The Dark Ages-it teases you with a spark of commentary, swallows it whole, and reminds you that this series survives on hammering chaos, not hand-holding whispers.

They really did give it a shot (not what I would have chosen to do). God help them, they worked hard to turn this grind into something that felt real in an environment, I guess, unfamiliar. Now there are cutscenes-small movies, with real faces and shaky voices. The Slayer even gets a wink of backstory if you squint: a quick flash that hints he is more than a wrecking ball for our anger. In one moment, he lifts a dead soldier's helmet, rolls it between his fingers, and for one heartbeat, the man behind the steel comes out of hiding. Then he shatters it because moving forward is the only trick he remembers.

It's infuriating. The bones of a great tale and all the things that make it a catch for players who buy Xbox shooter games - betrayal, lost crowns, the heavy chain of legacy, and more - lie buried under a stampede of flying guts and thundering guitar riffs. The most interesting questions (Why does he keep punching? What happens when the last scream fades?) are asked and then tossed aside like an empty shell. Even the bad guys fall flat; they start a dramatic monologue, then cut to black because, let's face it, we all logged in to yank spines out.

Combat: The Only Language This World Speaks

But oh, what beautiful violence it is.

The first time I really whacked the shield-toss button, not the lazy tap most rookies use, it howled through the air. It sliced a clean arc, slammed into a Cacodemon's huge mouth, and chewed up guts before the thing burst into slime. The second throw, though, careened off a pillar like a tipsy drunk on payday. That little moment sums up DOOM: The Dark Ages: when your aim locks in, you feel like an artist; when it flubs, you're wrestling the sticks almost as hard as the demons.

The fresh weapon-swap feature is a lifesaver: tap L1 and swap between two guns that share ammo; no more clumsy wheel-search in a panic. Plugging the chainsaw into the melee combo means every brawl feels like one long, bloody scene. And the sound work? Absolute gold. The Super Shotguns bang rattles hallway walls, the soggy smack of a Hell Knight skull thumping down, and that moment the music cuts before a Glory Kill-it all hits your ears like an angry war drum.

The awkward truth is this: we're still playing the same god we met back in DOOM 2016. Everything runs faster, looks smoother, and feels a bit tighter-but the core game hasn't changed. For a lot of fans, that's all they needed. I whistled that tune, yet still waited for one brilliant twist that never arrived.

Sound Design: List to the Sound of Carnage

Let's not tiptoe around it-Mick Gordon's absence stings. The new score isn't bad-its solid enough and even throws out the odd pulse-pounding riff-but it lacks the manic spark that turned 2016's soundtrack into legend. There is no BFG Division. There's no anthem that shoves you forward into a mob of Barons just so the bass rattles your teeth.

Mixing, on the other hand, is top-shelf. Crank the music to 100, dial the effects down to 65, and slap on a decent headset. You'll get glorious chaos: every shotgun blast shakes the room, every demon roar hangs in the air, and even the Slayer's tired grunt reminds you that gods can run out of breath.

The Verdict: A Gorgeous Fight That Lacks Purpose

I feel like I have fought this war before. A hundred times. A thousand. In 1993, in 2016, and now, dates change, the guns shine brighter, yet the brawl is the same. DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prettiest remake to date, a lesson in brutal action dressed up in a plot that nearly matters.

Still, when the credits crawled across the screen, I did not whoop with joy. I felt hollow. The Slayer strolls off once more because what else is left for him? No peace, no clarity, just fresh dirt, and fresh foes, and the grind starts again.

Maybe that is the idea. Maybe DOOM wishes to be nothing but a flawless engine of mayhem, inexorably looping through the same crimson swamp.

Even so, I wish it would reach for something higher.

Final Score: 8/10 - A Gorgeous Killing Machine Still Seeking Meaning

✅ The Good: Unrivaled combat, excellent sound work, instant weapon swaps

❌ The Bad: The plot goes nowhere, Mick Gordon's absence stings (the composer of DOOM 2016's soundtrack), little true innovation

🔥 The Verdict: Join the carnage, and you will leave smiling. Seek depth, and you will keep waiting.