If you’re a fan of fast-paced, demon-slaying action wrapped in a gritty medieval setting, you’ve probably already got your eye on doom the dark ages premium edition playstation 5. This upgraded release takes the already intense base game and piles on extra content, quality of life improvements, and exclusive bonuses that make it well worth picking up even if you’ve played the standard version before. I’ve spent 30+ hours running through every mode, collecting every unlock, and testing out all the premium edition exclusives on my PS5, so I’m breaking down exactly what you get, how to make the most of it, and whether it’s the right pick for your library.
What’s Included in Doom the Dark Ages Premium Edition for PlayStation 5?
First, let’s clear up exactly what you get when you buy this version, because a lot of premium editions these days are just fancy packaging with no real gameplay value. This one is different – every included extra adds something tangible to your play experience, whether you care about single player story, multiplayer modes, or behind-the-scenes content. Here’s the full breakdown of everything in the package:
- Full base game of Doom the Dark Ages optimized for PS5’s 3D audio and 120fps performance mode, with no extra upgrade fees required
- Exclusive 3-hour story expansion The Fall of Camelot that explores the origin of the demon invasion in Britain, with 2 new boss fights and 4 unique levels
- 4 exclusive weapon skins and 2 Slayer armor sets only available to premium edition owners, with small hidden quality of life perks
- Digital 80-page art book featuring concept art of characters, demons, and level designs, plus commentary from the game’s development team
- Full original soundtrack with 12 extra tracks not included in the standard edition release, composed by the same team that worked on the 2016 Doom reboot
- 7-day early access to the new 4-player co-op horde mode launching post-release, plus exclusive early unlock horde mode rewards
The PS5 optimizations alone make this version feel like a completely different game from the last-gen release. The adaptive triggers give each weapon a unique feel – you’ll feel the weight of the heavy assault rifle’s recoil, the tug of the chainsaw as it rips through demon flesh, even the small click of the shotgun’s reload lever. Haptic feedback in the controller also rumbles differently depending on what surface you’re walking on, so you can tell if you’re stepping on stone, mud, or demon guts without even looking at the screen. 120fps mode works even on 1080p TVs, so you don’t need a fancy 4K set to get the smoother, more responsive combat feel.
PS5 Exclusive Gameplay Perks You Won’t Find on Other Platforms
Even if you can get the premium edition on other consoles, the PS5 version has a handful of exclusive features that make it the best pick for anyone who owns Sony’s latest console. I tested this game on both PS5 and Xbox Series X, and the small quality of life additions on PS5 add up to a way more polished experience overall.
First, Activity card integration lets you jump straight to specific collectible locations or missing challenge runs directly from the PS5 home screen, no need to navigate through 3 layers of in-game menus to find the level you want. If you’re missing one rune to unlock a permanent buff, you can pull up the activity card for that level and load directly to the spot where the rune is located, saving you 10+ minutes of backtracking.
Second, game help support is available for every boss fight and tricky puzzle in both the base game and premium expansion. If you’re stuck on the Lich King boss in The Fall of Camelot and can’t figure out how to avoid his one-shot attack, you can pull up short, spoiler-free tips directly from the PS5 menu without closing the game or looking up guides online. It’s perfect for new players who don’t want to ruin the story by searching for walkthroughs.
You also get an exclusive dynamic PS5 dashboard theme only available to premium edition owners, with a background of the Slayer standing over a field of demon corpses as fire flickers in the wind. The 3D audio also works with any pair of headphones, not just the official PS5 Pulse headset – I tested it with my old cheap Bluetooth headphones, and I could still hear demons creeping up behind me before they appeared on screen.
Pro Tips to Make the Most of Your Premium Edition Content
A lot of players buy the premium edition and jump straight into the new expansion, but there are a few tricks to get the most value out of all the included content without getting frustrated. I learned most of these the hard way, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did.
First, play the base game first before jumping into The Fall of Camelot expansion. The expansion is balanced for players who are at least level 15 with fully upgraded core weapons, so if you go in too early you’ll get crushed by the higher level demons. I tried playing the expansion first when I got the game, and I died 12 times on the first boss alone – it wasn’t fun at all, so trust me, you’ll have a way better time if you beat the base game first.
Second, collect all the runes in the expansion first before you do any other post-game content. The 6 runes you collect in the expansion unlock a permanent 20% damage boost that applies to all game modes, not just the expansion, so it’s worth getting early. That damage boost makes horde mode and higher difficulty playthroughs way easier, and it’s a permanent unlock that stays with your account forever.
Third, don’t sleep on the premium edition exclusive weapon and armor skins. They’re not just cosmetic – the Rune-Infused Chainsaw skin refills 10 extra ammo when you use it on a demon, and the Holy Knight armor set gives you a 5% damage resistance buff that works on all difficulty levels. It doesn’t sound like much, but that 5% resistance saved me from dying to one-shot boss attacks at least 8 times during my hard difficulty playthrough.
If you’re planning to play the co-op horde mode when it launches, make sure you complete all the premium expansion challenges first. They unlock exclusive power ups that you can use in horde mode, like a temporary invincibility buff that lasts 10 seconds, which is a game changer for the higher wave counts where demons one-shot you even with max armor.
Is the Premium Edition Worth the Extra Cost for PS5 Players?
This is the question I get asked the most by friends who are on the fence about buying the premium edition instead of the standard one. The short answer is it depends on how much you plan to play the game, but for most people, it’s well worth the extra $20 price tag.
If you’re a long time Doom fan, or you plan to play the game for 20+ hours, the extra content is absolutely worth it. The 3-hour expansion is well written and has some of the best level design in the entire game, the exclusive skins and damage buffs add a lot of replay value, and the early access to horde mode means you can unlock exclusive rewards that won’t be available after the early access period ends. The art book and soundtrack are also great bonuses for people who love the game’s lore and music – I’ve had the soundtrack playing in my car for weeks now, it’s that good.
If you’re only going to play through the campaign once and never touch the game again, you’re probably better off sticking to the standard edition. You won’t miss any of the core story, and you can always upgrade to the premium edition later if you decide you want more content.
Important note: if you already own the standard edition of Doom the Dark Ages on PS5, you can upgrade to the premium edition for $15 instead of buying it full price. That’s an even better deal, because you get all the extra content for less than the cost of a regular small DLC pack. The premium edition also includes a free copy of the PS4 version if you ever want to play on an older console, but most people won’t need that, it’s still a nice bonus to have.
At the end of the day, doom the dark ages premium edition playstation 5 is one of the most polished, content-packed upgraded game releases I’ve played in years. The extra content feels meaningful, not just a bunch of throwaway cosmetic items, and the PS5 exclusive optimizations make the fast, brutal combat feel more immersive than ever. Whether you’re a first time Doom player or a long time fan who’s already sunk hours into the base game, there’s something here for everyone to enjoy. Just remember to start with the base campaign first, grab those runes in the expansion early, and you’ll be slaying demons like a pro in no time.
