Doom is a franchise with a long and beloved history, from its beginnings as a first-person shooter genre pioneer to the newest franchise entries developed by id Software. The latest entry in the franchise takes a strong medieval inspiration as a prequel to id Softwares previous entries and explores the origins of the Doom Slayer.
Set long before Hell’s invasions of both Mars and Earth, the Doom Slayer is deployed to fight against the armies of Hell as the being who may just be able to turn the tide in this war. With a versatile Shield Saw and a variety of cool weapons at you disposal, you’ll be fighting all the demons Hell can offer you.
The Koalaty critics were generally positive about the latest entry in the FPS game franchise. Most were grateful to have more Doom to experience, with the change in combat pacing appreciated as a change that takes inspiration from the earlier games but still delivers the action expected from an id Software title. While some appreciated more of a focus on narrative, many didn’t need any reason to go about delivering violence to any enemy who crossed their path. While visually stunning, some lamented the removal of glory kills from previous entries. The critics were also split on the Mech and Dragon levels with those against them finding them an unnecessary change of pace that did not control well. The absence of composer Mick Gordon was also felt by several of the critics, with the game’s score being far less memorable than the previous 2 games.
Doom: The Dark Ages is available now on Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC
KOALATY CRITICS – AUSTRALIAN CRITICS
Here’s what Australian critics are saying about the game.
Ani-Game – 9/10 (Joel Gralton)
“With The Dark Ages, id Software has taken that rock-solid foundation and built something bold on top of it. This is still unmistakably DOOM, but the developers have reshaped the pacing, tone, and structure in a way that feels fresh, ambitious, and—at times—surprisingly experimental. It’s not just another sequel. It’s a statement piece. And while not every gamble pays off, I respect the hell out of what they’ve attempted here.”
The Beta Network – 9/10 (Anthony Culinas)
“DOOM: The Dark Ages is an absolute feast of a boomer shooter. Even though the story is mostly slick window-dressing to the hardcore action, zooming around the ground at a smooth 60FPS as you annihilate enemies is pure entertainment. It’s so easy to get swept into a flow-state, as you transition from weapon to weapon, battle to battle, all while exploring each of the 22 levels’ secret areas for upgrades and cute little plushie toys.”
Checkpoint Gaming – 9/10 (Omi Koulas)
“DOOM: The Dark Ages is carefully crafted and distinct. The sheer variety of visual environments is impressive, whether you’re trudging through the outskirts of the Sentinel city, navigating an ancient forge, or exploring the depths of Hell itself. The enemy design is somehow more grim than previous entries. Returning demons like the Hell Knight and Mancubus have been redesigned with heavier detailing and gruelling looks. They look like they’ve crawled out of medieval nightmares. It’s clear the art team put effort into making every creature feel part of this older era of DOOM.”
Explosion Network – 9/10 (Dylan Blight)
“Doom Slayer has a shield and a badass coat as he battles against the forces of hell, in a prequel to Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal. If the gameplay trajectory of those two games took the Doom Slayer into the sky, as he got a grapple and begun flinging himself around in acrobatic ways in the battlefield, Doom: The Dark Ages is a firm plant in the ground; Doom Slayer is a tank, and will stand his ground with shield at the ready in the face of the demon hordes.”
Gadget Guy – 8/10 (Chris Button)
“Doom: The Dark Ages acts as the next evolution of demon hunting, one that’s deliberately slower and more considered. At times, the inconsistent pacing grates, getting in the way of boots-on-the-ground action. Most of the time, however, it’s an adrenaline rush of an escapade. Accompanied by otherworldly heavy metal music and a thunderous sound design, Doom: The Dark Ages is the video game embodiment of the dudes rock philosophy.“
GamesHub – 4/5 (Steph Panecasio)
“This is a game that will spike your adrenaline like almost no other. DOOM: The Dark Ages is a violent and vibrant extravaganza of big punches, powerful grenade launchers, and launching yourself mindlessly at your enemies. It’s a glorious endeavour, peppered with cinematics to provide a throughline for narrative, while still focusing entirely on what matters most: kicking absolute demon ass.“
Maxi-Geek – 9.5/10 (Luke Henderson)
“The gunplay is just as satisfying here as it was in the past games, but the fun of more melee options and more antique weapons keeps things fresh. The shield is an incredible addition because it honestly adds so much to the game and with the accessibility options, it can tuned to suit your preference. DOOM: The Dark Ages is just damn good, from the opening moments until the credits roll and you should play it as soon as you can.”
MKAU Gaming – 9/10 (MKAU Gaming)
“Once again, id Software has delivered an exceptional game, staying true to the beloved and brutal gameplay style that DOOM fans have come to expect, while also introducing new weapons, abilities, and mechanics.”
Player2 – A (Matt Hewson)
“This game is about getting up close and personal with the hordes, not wiping them away with guns from afar. That isn’t to say that guns don’t exist, but almost all of them are more effective up close. This combines with a new melee and parry system that uses a shield and one of three melee weapons to make getting face-to-face even more important. As attacks are parried, melee strikes are charged, which creates a dance of brutality that is so satisfying, so engaging that there were many moments that I forgot about the guns entirely.”
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PowerUp Gaming – 8.5/10 (Adam Mathew)
” I recognise that it doesn’t quite topple the high-water mark set by its feature-rich and more complex forebears. However, and paradoxically, there’s an old-school purity to this new niche carved, and I loved the infernal delights of its moment-to-moment massacring. In short, and please excuse the unholy wordplay, it’s a sacrilicious ritual of stripped-down slaughter that’s worthy of possession.”
Press Start – 8.5/10 (James Berich)
“Doom: The Dark ages trades Eternal’s speed and complexity for a slower almost methodical approach to the classic combat that put the series on the map so many years ago. While not every addition works in It’s favour, it still delivers a satisfying experience. And while The Dark Ages is not the Doom game that I was expecting, it’s still one that I welcome to the already illustrious Doom canon.”
Progress Bar – 8.5/10 (Darcy Tranter-Cook)
“Having come fresh from a replay of 2016 and Eternal, this change of pace took some getting used to. The grenades, flame belch/ice bomb, chainsaw and glory kills from earlier games are all gone. There’s definitely a lot of fun and satisfaction to be had with this new combat system, but whether you will like it more than what it used to be is a harder question for me to answer. Regardless, it’s undeniably bold of ID Software to so drastically change things up with each new game.Rest assured, once it clicked, that good old DOOM magic began to kick in.“
Qualbert – Unscored (Mach Speed)
“The Doom franchise is second to none when it comes to the visceral slaying of demons. Taking the Super Shotgun to the stomach of a demon will blow out the side of them, if not completely eviscerate them if they’re small enough and the damage stays there too until they’re completely dealt with. Graphics have definitely come a long way since the DOS days.“
Quest Daily – 7.5/10 (Julian Price)
“The Slayer hits hard and fast, with 22 levels of ripping and tearing. He may be a man of few words, but his fists, flail, and arsenal of overpowered weapons say more than enough. Using a chainsaw shield — Captain America style — to mow down demons was gratifying and shield rushing hit just right.“
SIFTER – 7.5/10 (Gianni Di Giovanni)
“I had countless encounters where I was switching through weapons frequently, when I ran out of ammunition in a favourite gun I just moved to the next one and didn’t feel like it was game over. That was absolutely not the case in the previous game. I could also actually have a favourite weapon and build strategies around using that gun I liked, weaving together counters with the new shield and the different melee weapons. It comes with a pretty major trade off, one that might be a deal breaker for certain players, it’s a lot slower. You need to be ready for enemy fire and position yourself correctly, but you’ve definitely got time to get there.“
Stevivor – 6.5/10 (Jay Ball)
“The always brutal, often hilarious, and always satisfying glory kills of the previous games are almost completely gone and I simply can’t figure out why. To be clear, the mechanic of the glory kill remains in the executions mentioned above, but gone are the piles of demon-specific animations which changed based on the angle you approached a staggered enemy. If you’re hoping to break a demon’s arm and shove its broken humerus through its face, or bash a baddie’s head down inside its body, you’re going to have to go back to Doom Eternal to scratch that itch.“
WellPlayed – 9.5/10 (Ash Wayling)
“One could posit that the story is a bit shallow, but really I’d be more inclined to say it is very deliberate in the sense that the beats are clearly crafted to ensure that something epic is always right around the corner. There is no long cutscene with some random character expositing at the Slayer, trying to connect with whatever humanity he has left – bugger that – you can say a whole lot more by having the guy literally fight his way out of the afterlife to continue his most sacred mission. It is supremely my jam.“
Koalaty Critics
Aggregator Score
