The exciting, fast-paced, brutal franchise Doom is back, but with a twist, as you are taken back to the Dark Ages. The medieval spin on Doom: The Dark Ages is a perfect fit for this franchise, as you trade in the typical Sci-Fi atmosphere for a dark and brutal hellscape. Do not worry, there are still plenty of demons and worse for you to cut down or blast away, depending on your preferred combat style, and the weapons and armor are even more brutal than before. Aside from the total change in scenery compared to previous titles, Doom: The Dark Ages brings a whole new style of combat that will feel slower yet far more powerful as the medieval weapon styles truly satisfy when you make contact with a hellspawn. Speed and momentum are still a focal point, as is the case with all Doom games, but in Doom: The Dark Ages, it is more important to know when to use that speed and when to slow down for more intensive battles.  You will find that targeting specific enemies first and implementing more strategy to your play style will only benefit your experience in Doom: The Dark Ages. Mastering the pace of combat will be the key to unlocking the full potential of Doom Slayer and sending those demons scrambling.
 

Best Controller Settings To Optimize Your Combat 
Whether you are familiar with the Doom franchise or if Doom: The Dark Ages is your first introduction, you will want to spend some time exploring the settings. I have found that, unlike previous games, the slower pace of Doom: The Dark Ages will have you immediately running to tweak your sensitivity settings. Once you have figured out the sensitivity that works for you, I would also recommend you test out a few other settings that can make gameplay so much smoother. Turning Auto Sprint on is an actual lifesaver, because speed is still a crucial part of surviving hordes of demons, and toggling this setting on allows you to always be in run mode. Now that you have that turned on and are zooming across the battlefield, you will quickly realize each weapon comes with a unique shot pattern and rate, which can cause inaccuracies as you quickly swap weapons mid-battle. The solution to this can also be found in your accessibility settings under Aim Assist, Now, this is different from your usual aim assist that simply helps your precision. In Doom: The Dark Ages, turning aim assist on will give you a major advantage in combat because it slows down your reticle as it moves over an enemy. This gives you just enough support to nail a perfect shot in the heat of battle, and you can change the strength of aim assist as you improve.

The last controller setting tips I recommend if you are looking to optimize your combat and are not looking for complete immersion. Turning the camera shake setting down to 0 has made an immediate improvement to my aim, accuracy, and made the combat experience feel sharper overall. A positive about turning camera shake down for those looking to immerse themselves is that there is a separate setting that allows motion blur for cut scenes. Toggling the controller vibration setting off is another easy way to stay sharp amid battle. When the hordes of demons are coming your way, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, and not having a vibration throwing off your aim could benefit you. Lastly, I would encourage you to spend time learning the different controls and making sure you are identifying buttons that could be remapped. As someone who utilizes the claw grip while playing on a controller, this is my favorite setting offered. Doom: The Dark Ages’ combat is designed to push the player to constantly switch between weapons, distance, and timing parry’s so the default settings could play to a disadvantage depending on your combat style. Try swapping around key buttons to see what aligns best with your play style, and don’t worry, you can always hit reset to go back to default. 

Pro Tips to Improve Aim & Movement with KontrolFreek
As you stare down the endless horde of demons before becoming their worst nightmare, you will want to make sure your controller can handle it. Whether you are the type who enjoys close combat, the ultimate weapon master, or a silent stalker sniping from afar, KontrolFreek Performance Thumbsticks are your secret weapon. For those who enjoy the heat of the battle and want an advantage when up close and personal, you will want to try out the KontrolFreek Frenzy Black Edition Thumbsticks. Coming in both high-rise and mid-rise heights, the comfort and versatility provided will allow you to move like never before. The new improved rubber material provides your thumbs comfort in the middle of battle while the grip and concave contour keep your thumbs from slipping even the slightest. This will only boost your confidence as you hack and slash your way to victory. For those who prefer a more balanced gameplay with a mix of ranged and close combat, you will find the mixed heights pay a perfect compliment. Using the high-rise thumbstick for your aim and the mid-rise for movement, you will quickly feel your shots hitting more with precision as you move across the map with ease. Lastly, for our more long-range combatant, the high-rise thumbstick was designed for you. The added height will provide you with a wider range of motion, allowing more precision and accuracy. The KontrolFreek Frenzy Black Edition Thumbsticks are a must-have for Doom: The Dark Ages, and the black colorway is a bonus to fit the dark tones of this game. 

The Best Weapons to Use to Elevate Your Playstyle 
Doom: The Dark Ages introduces a whole new arsenal of destruction, and with the medieval theme, you know there are going to be some brutal ones. To help you choose which weapon gives you the best advantage, I have broken down my top 3 for each playstyle. 

• Up Close & Personal: The combat shotgun is one of my favorites for many reasons, but it packs a punch and is a perfect finisher when you may feel overwhelmed. Compared to the Super Shotgun, which does insane damage with limited ammo, the combat shotgun has more versatility with a larger clip. As you progress through the game, you’ll have opportunities to upgrade your weapons and attach mods. These upgrades, such as burn, can build into a lethal effect that can cut down hordes with ease and limited accuracy. 
• Long Range: As you progress through the late game, you’ll be introduced to the Ballista, an energy weapon with extremely powerful long-range capabilities. This weapon is great for several reasons, such as being able to scope out areas before entering and even annihilating ranks of enemies to give yourself a smoother run through. One fallback is the limited ammo, with only 3 shots, you will have to be strategic and know where to find ammo throughout the map. 
• The Boss Finisher: The impaler is a fantastic choice if you are trying to do damage to a single target (or boss). Due to the upgrade tree, including plenty of utility buffs like filling the melee bar on head shots, can give you a major advantage or keep you alive to finish off a tough boss. 
• Honorable Mention: The shield turret is more of an attachment rather than an actual weapon. It is by far my favorite shield mod, and it has saved my life more times than I would like to admit. The trick is the master parrying because, without a successful parry, your turret is useless. 

Each weapon is powerful and unique in its own way, so you will want to try everything to get a feel for what best suits your play style. Upgrades at the shrine add another layer of customization for your play style as well, so do not forget to pick up gold as you will need plenty to upgrade and add mods. Each weapon has unique paths that can be upgraded, so it will be a grind, but each upgrade makes a massive difference in damage or usability. Doom: The Dark Ages has been an absolute blast to play, so you will enjoy grinding out different upgrades and mods for each weapon.