Doom The Dark Ages isn't as good as Eternal or Doom 2016, but it doesn't matter

“You’re a space marine, one of Earth’s toughest, hardened in combat and trained for action. Three years ago you assaulted a superior officer for ordering his soldiers to fire upon civilians. He and his body cast were shipped to Pearl Harbor, while you were transferred to Mars. With no action for fifty million miles, your day consisted of suckin’ dust and watchin’ restricted flicks in the rec room.”

That’s our introduction to Doomguy, in the instruction manual that accompanies the original game from 1993. Doom doesn’t have any cutscenes or dialogue. In terms of a narrative, each episode ends with a short passage of text summing up what you’ve just done and teasing the next location you’re about to enter, and that’s all. But the eponymous hero of id’s greatest shooter nevertheless has character. When his nose and teeth are bloodied, Doomguy soldiers on regardless, one brow raised, hungrily looking for fresh meat. When he finds a new, big gun, he grins, bares his teeth - he can’t wait to kill something with this.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Doom The Dark Ages review, Doom The Dark Ages weapons, Doom The Dark Ages missions