Fresh blood for a classic shooter

BACK in 1993, the gaming world was rocked by the launch of Doom.

- By JAMIE SALMON

While it may not have been the first first-person shooter (that honour amazingly goes to 1973's Maze War), it was certainly the most impactful.

Thirty-two years later, with multiple sequels and reboots under its belt, Doom: The Dark Ages has arrived as the third (or first) part of the modern take on the series, while attempting to bring some fresh ideas to the gore-soaked table.

Set up as a prequel to 2016's Doom, The Dark Ages follows the rise of the Doom Slayer, a one-man army being used as a mind-controlled weapon against the forces of hell.

Beyond that loose plot device, it’s easy to ignore the details of a story packed with fantasy, horror and sci-fi cliches.