Doom: The Dark Ages

Honestly it's kind revolutionary how much doom has evolved as a franchise, where we started pixelated trynna keep distance from ugly ass pixelated creatures and shooting tf out of them till they exploded in pixelated blood and gore. Even though the graphics and level design change every game. The specific guns and movement options you could call on might change from game to game, but the basic rhythm of that dodge-and-shoot gameplay never has.

I think this game fully evolved the franchise starting something new...something fresh. You guys know by now i dont like first person shooters however...THIS IS DOOM! Fuck yea imma love doom. This game alone travelled away from the usual formula we are so used to. They finally introduced something that should have been introduced a very very long time ago. Which is a shield. Usually the formula was Run dodge and shoot now it is all those 3 but also block, parry and stunning enemies if you counter. This although is a simple change makes the game revolutionary because i can just stand still now, because before if i just stood still and did nothing that was insant death. Now i can just take attacks and withstand on my own.

This is truly game changing because back then you were just a squishy ball who had to plan out their attack without getting squished now with this game you feel like you're a fucking tank. 👏🏻 There have been many and i mean MANY quality of life changes since Doom Eternal. Secondary weapons like grenades chainsaws and flamethrowers? Gone because they always put you in a disadvantage when facing hoardes of enemies. Enemies that you felt forced to use many weapons just to find out what their weakness was? Gone too. Bye bitch!🤷🏻‍♂️

The shield? She a sexy diva. I call her Patricia. Like Patricia be my bestie in this game. The shield can be used to deflect enemy attacks DAMAGE FREE and you can even throw Patricia at the enemies. Like how could you not say Cunty diva. That is a cunty diva to me.🧎🏻‍♂️ I've never been so in love witha. Shield before. But the shield’s most important role comes when you stand face to face with a particularly punishing demon, waiting for a flash of green to appear on the screen. When that color appears, it’s your signal that the associated projectile and/or incoming melee attack can be parried by raising your shield just before it lands rebounding the shot back to whoever it came from knocking them back. She is a diva after all.

Parries definitely need to be well timed and at times are your only option because attacks can be so quick that you wont have enough time to dodge it. Like it feels like when your cat is bathing itself and you touch the spot thinking nothing is gonna happen. So your pussy goes crazy and paws you in the head😭 and if your parry is successful you might even get bonus crit damage. Of course this....is slightly a generous process it's not shit like Expedition 33 where you need to memorise movement. You get signs of when you need to parry and sure that can feel repetitive to players but bitch i was playing Ultra Violence. So i take everything in gratitude🤷🏻‍♂️

Outside of being on the defence the game is veey fast faced. Combat is not just shooting there are different styles to approach combat. Like lets say you can slam your shield on the floor to leap at higher grounds to tackle demons with different meele weapons in close combat encounters although they are unfortunately limited. You can also use the shield slam to escape attacks. The downside of using close combat is that you may also reveive damage but killing enemies do give you health drops, armor, and ammo, this of course depending on what methods you used to take them down. You having to play offence and defence at the same time feels like youre participating in a tug of war. The gameplay never stays stagnant or makes you feel overwhelmed
.....well thats a lie depending on difficulty settings cause at times i did feel overwhelmed because it got too hard at Ultra Violence.

At times this change did make me miss the gameplay of Eternal...heck even (2016) where you could double jumb or air dash but this game just feels like a breath of fresh air. This game comes with many different chapters of story telling, excellent designed cut scenes, there were elements of religion and politics in this game between humans and demons as they try to dwell on the ideology of who should rule and what their strategy of using the Slayer will be in this mythical war.

I do have an issue with this game which is sometimes the cutscenes feel underdeveloped, sometimes i had trouble following character motivations in this game and at times the cut scenes felt...skippable not something id ever do of course. Never ever skip a cutscene. Because i do want the full illusion. I'm just saying the devs should have focused more on clear storytelling. Although the level designs do provide a sense of familiarity as you got your typical hellish designs this game feels more of a open habitat for enemies rather than Eternal did, meaning enemies feel more scattered as the levels provide more room. Here's another issue i have. There are way too many open spaces where once you set foot a lot of enemies will teleport to jump you and sure the first 3 times is fun but it gets repetitive and it's not like these open spaces are well designed. Theyre just bland looking. It felt like a last thought thing.

There are many hidden treasures that you can find throughout the levels but as usual theyre well hidden or locked behind a blocked path which then will involve you to resident evil your way by crawling through your map and opening it and memorising alternative paths to get to those collectibles and sometimes you would have to solve puzzles to get to them. It can be a calm situation if you do that after you clear the area around you from enemies. Just enough for you to gather your brain cells but it is Doom after all the quiet is a big no no since it's a fast paced environment.

By far my least favourite aspect of this game are the large mech battles, theyre slow, uneventful, repetitive and boring as all you had to do was hit the attack button. Baby girl, baby boy, baby they. This aint power rangers bro. Idk why it was introduced but i was already over it. I was counting down the minutes for it to end so i could stick back to what i was doing. I was very excited when i found out the Slayer could ride the dragon....however my excitement faded very quickly. I didnt hate it, it was just like....oh thats cute i guess. Nothing wrong much i just was expecting it to be challenging rather than it just being a chase sequence like at least add some obstacles where i could actually be in danger of getting hurt or even dying like id add something spicy where if i changed positions or was leaning on a side id be in danger of falling and id have to crawl back on the dragon. You know what i mean?

Sorry i do sound like i'm nitpicking but this is doom you know? The game is still fantastic but it could have been EXTRAORDINARY if they fixed these minor issues. Whatever i had fun i got what i wanted. New game style, new mechanics. Long live this franchise! ALSO SHOUT OUT TO MISS PATRICIA. I LOVE YOU BITCH I AINT EVER GONE STOP LOVING YOU BITCH🥹🥹🥹

Version: Physical
Price: £65
Next review: The Plucky Squire

THE PUREST MASTAPEECE

Doomslayer,I mean Mastaslayer is back with another brutalicious expensive testosterone mode,this game is banging to my ears,whacking to my eyes,shacking to my soul,i could die in PEACE with no women to make love with,MASTAPEECE.

The Dark Ages trades the chainsaw for a shield saw,power gauntlet (Hail to the King Baby) and throws you into a brutal futuristic, fantasy,medieval hellscape with all the firepower of a siege engine strapped to a war dragon.Its Rip & Tear, its metal,I guess most of y'all know by now what makes a man,a beast.

This prequel sets place after Doom 64 when Doomguy sacrificed himself to protect his planet from demons and hell and before Doom (2016).
ID Software has taken a new approach to evolve the game franchise but also keep the core formula which keep's Doom a great FPS shooter.Each game is same but also each game is different.It's slower in pace but still get a kick of adrenaline to keep the steady moving. There is a more tactical way to play then just shooting, so they added a parry mechanic which isn't very complicated to deal with. Not just parrying but defense is a necessity, as one of your main weapons you hold is the banging shield saw,named her BABYBLUE,she's the main highlight in this game.Another big change is those quick kills from previous games is now superseded with slow-mow executions and still slaughtering in all its glory.

In general it's Doom with eye candy that aesthetically pours blood in guts on the screen. From the moment you start you are in a world of chaos bent on destruction.Your surroundings are beautifully detailed with futuristic castles but also have a medieval appeal to it. It's enchantingly stunning to walk in a architecture and see tech in it. Some of the chapters you go through have delicate and vibrant colors and other chapters has a feeling of a dark and gritty atmosphere. In the midst of this war the demons also have there castles and barracks which gives off the Hell vibe. Seeing a war in front of you from below as flaming arrow's and ships fly by while above its a clear night, shining bright with clouds is a visual spectacle in a brutal form. The cinematics have stunning particle effects which gives more to the lore and action pack events. Did I mention all the blood and guts?

The signature aspect of Doom comes from the combat just senseless shooting hordes of demons viciously spilling there blood back to Hell. It still has this gruesome, over the top kills but it seems like some was tamed down by kicking or punching. But yet once again as mention earlier it is slowed down for a more what I believe to be a smooth experience. Your weapons range from a shield, shotguns, launchers and others that resemble medieval ones. You also get your power gauntlet plus two others for melee. Each one has a function for a enemy that may have more effect, for a example the shield saw would help against one wielding a metal shield. Not to mention like the previous ones you get to upgrade them with gold and runes. Ones pleasing mechanic I loved was to plow down a group of demons with the shield and bash there brains in. The parrying system is no learning curve, you see a green orb or one that looks like lighting, or a enemy jumping at you in green you press the mouse button and it reflects back to them.There are still plenty of secrets and collectibles you can find,quests to get gold,building the toughest bastard you could ever be.

One word-Convenience,this game is a direct approach to an audience who never had a taste of boomer shooter before but also made it so easy,so smooth and very polished gaming experience but also with a damn controller which makes it one of the best in casual shooting space genre considering Eternal which was made for hardcore fans of this franchise who knows what that game was all about.Its the game closest to my heart,more closer than Mickey gordy metalhairs.
I don't know why people are comparing it with Mick Gordon music and Eternal game design,Dark ages is its own thing.
Mickey music won't work in this game because the mechanics are very different in this game.Eternal was all about moving fast every millisecond,running and jumping,grabbing your eyeballs every frames,while this game is all about parrying, punching the shi out of it,throwing banging shield,so yea 'Finishing move' did a great job on this one and it works great as it should be.
TDA can't be enjoyed without the heavy metal as it blasts through your ears tearing your eardrums apart.Just remember don't headbang at your Pc you don't want to bash your head in the monitor,console players are lucky.

What makes Dark ages so good is that most of us play it so fast but don't even realize that it has some of the excellent sound design, Graphics polished so hard which is expensive to make,if you know how a AAA game is developed.Sends shivers down the spine with it's masterpiece audio quality on every asset,be it enemies,objects or anything,the destruction mechanism is by far the best I have ever seen yet,giving that crisp dopomine soothing experience to my ears like Ahhhh yes baby,this is what I m talking about.I mean little details that makes it a wow factor in shooter space syncronizing with brutal combat and fleshy gore in a nutshell.
Good thing is that it's available on xbox game pass so you don't have to worry about paying a ridiculous price for a 15 hrs gameplay or 100% achievements but you do need a heavy GPU to run this bad boy because of in-game real time Ray tracing.
Infact I m thinking about another run with a controller which is rare for me to do this,I hate playing fps games with a controller.
Boomer shooter genre will always be a special place in my heart,after all this is the grandaddy of them all,I mean the Doom franchise.Apologize for my longest review yet,it had to be done.
My peripheral babies I use for boomers-
Razer viper mini V2 Pro,Razer gigantus V2 mat,Red dragon K585,Steelseries arctis 5.
Completed on Nightmare mode.

Sorry ladies,this is a men's only game but if you really wanna checkout something special like Ryan gosling wearing a golden scorpion jacket,driving 1973 Chevy Malibu with Fainted OST running from Blade runner 2049,you can check me out for a serene Drive,its Mastapeeceman's natal day.

- men sad

- men play Doom

- men rip and tear

- men happy

a.k.a. Testosterone Replacement Therapy

DOOM: The Dark Ages gives the player all new weapons and moves to rip & tear with that makes the gameplay feel fresh without trying to fix what isn't broken. They've also added some really fun vehicle sections, bigger levels with more secrets, and a map to make the secrets easier to find, but the most surprising new addition is that of a story and cutscenes. These don't overstay their welcome or interrupt your flow, and add just enough lore and worldbuilding to enhance the action. I don't really understand what's happening most of the time but the atmosphere is so cool. It's an epic space opera with the perfect mix of sci-fi and fantasy - like Dune or Star Wars - blended with Lovecraft and a heavy metal music video. Warhammer 40K painted Black Sabbath. A combination of a few of my favourite things…

Vibranium frisbees and chainsaws for hacking
Big fucking crossbows and maces for whacking
Riding a dragon with guns on its wings
These are a few of my favourite things
When the imp strikes
When the knight swings
When I'm seeing red
I simply remember my favourite things
And then the demons are dead

…Nothing gets me more fired up than the sound of DOOM music. I recommend playing this game for an hour before and after the gym to improve your gains. Rip and freaking tear those muscles baby.

I'm so conflicted, it has maybe the best combat loop of the trilogy, but eternal made me too good and this was so easy that it wasn't as satisfying, even on nightmare with 150% speed, it's mostly a me problem so fuck it, 10 it is

'DOOM: THE DARK AGES'

I've played Doom: The Dark Ages since launch day, and have finished the game. New gameplay direction works. Although I miss the previous gameplay, I love this.

id software made the right choice. I know it's a step in a new direction, that some players might not like. But we needed something fresh, and this is excellent.

Core experience:

The story is set up well as a prequel and is serving it's purpose. The levels have more depth and contain bigger playable areas and extra secrets, a lot of fun.

Weapon variety each has their mastery challenge and weapon alterations. Gameplay and performance is polished, and the graphics are visually stunning.

The gameplay is now slightly slower, from what I could tell. It's more focused on your shield and parrying attacks, glory kills have also been removed.

Visuals:

The newest id software engine doesn't look any better than Doom 2016 or Doom Eternal. It just allows beautiful sandbox atmospheres. 22 levels, fantastic art.

We have seen a decline in game graphics. Not the most important. Yet the difference between modern graphics, and games 10 plus years back are minimal.

Performance:

Played on Xbox Series X. I can say that the performance was very good. I had a consistent 60fps, which only dropped after long play sessions or quick resume.

Rant:

Quick disclaimer! For anyone who likes to buy physical games for ownership, (no Internet or required downloads) to have in your collection, DO NOT buy this.

The download requires an Internet connection... really Microsoft? There's only 55mb of data on the disc, absolutely unacceptable. Save the money.

It's interesting that online retailers aren't showing that the game has an 'Internet required' logo on the box art, yet they're all charging £70? Play with Gamepass.

As good as this is. The game contains 22 levels and can be beaten in about 20 hours. That's great and all, but £70? I think these devs stretched that price out a lot.

Final Verdict:

I'm going to score Doom: The Dark Ages a 9/10. For executing a prequel story so well, and adding innovative changes to the core gameplay.

This has awesome moments. I'm deducting a point for the inexcusable 'physical copy' and some irritating progression bugs and glitches, that caused a lot of problems.

I strongly recommend. Jump into this now if you want to play, you'll likely want to play the next two after. As mentioned above, don't buy the physical.