If you’ve just downloaded this gritty, retro-inspired Doom mod, you’re probably wondering what the standard doom the dark ages time to beat is for your playstyle. I’ve put over 40 hours into this mod across casual, 100% completion, and speedrun attempts, so I’ve got a clear breakdown of what you can expect, plus tricks to cut down your run time if you don’t want to grind for hours. Unlike base Doom, this mod throws in RPG elements, branching paths, and tough boss fights that can easily catch new players off guard and add hours to your playtime if you don’t know what to look out for.
What Is the Average Doom The Dark Ages Time to Beat by Playstyle?
Run times vary wildly depending on how you choose to play, so there’s no one-size-fits-all number to aim for. Casual players who stop to explore occasional side paths, die a few times to bosses, and test out different weapons usually finish the main story in 8 to 12 hours. That number jumps to 15+ hours for first-time players who don’t know which paths are mandatory and which are optional side content. Casual players who stick only to the main quest line can finish in as little as 7 hours if they avoid unnecessary fights. Completionist runs, where you collect all runes, unlock every weapon, finish all side dungeons, and beat secret bosses, take between 18 and 22 hours for most players. Speedrunners have pushed the any% run time down to just over 2 hours, while 100% speedruns sit around 7 to 9 hours for top players. These numbers don’t count restart time if you’re playing on permadeath mode, which can add dozens of hours if you die late in the run.
Key Factors That Slow Down Your Run Time
Most first-time players end up taking far longer than the average run time for avoidable reasons. A lot of the mod’s mechanics are intentionally opaque for new players, so it’s easy to waste hours on tasks that don’t move the main story forward. Some of the most common slowdowns include wasting upgrade shards on weak starting weapons, backtracking through cleared levels to find missing quest items, and fighting every enemy you see even when they don’t drop useful loot. The three biggest time-wasters to avoid on your run are:
- Wasting 10+ minutes per level searching for low-tier loot that won't help with boss fights
- Dying repeatedly to the first two bosses because you didn't upgrade your fire resistance stat first
- Backtracking through cleared levels because you forgot to pick up a mandatory quest item early on
Pro Tips to Cut Your Doom The Dark Ages Time to Beat
You don’t need to learn complicated speedrun glitches to finish your run faster. Small, simple changes to how you play can shave hours off your time without making the run less fun. First, prioritize upgrading your core damage and resistance stats before you waste points on quality of life perks like extra inventory space. The extra damage will cut boss fight time in half, and extra resistance means you won’t have to restart checkpoints as often. The fire sword is the most overpowered weapon in the mod, so dump all your upgrade shards into it as soon as you unlock it at level 3. It melts every regular enemy in one hit for the first 6 levels, and takes off 70% of the first three bosses’ health bars with a single charged attack. You can skip upgrading all other weapons entirely if you focus on the fire sword, which saves you hours of farming for upgrade materials. Use the fast travel system as soon as you unlock it at level 2, and don’t walk between areas unless you have to. Most players don’t realize you can fast travel from any open outdoor area, not just from designated waypoints. You don't need to kill every enemy you see -- running past non-aggroed mobs is a legitimate strategy for fast runs. Most mobs won’t chase you more than 50 feet from their spawn point, so you can just sprint past them if you don’t want to fight.
Should You Rush Your First Run Or Take Your Time?
The short answer is it depends on what you want out of the mod. If you only plan to play through once, it’s better to take your time, explore side paths, and experience all the world building and secret content the creators added. The side dungeons have some of the coolest set pieces in the mod, and the secret boss fight is one of the most fun parts of the entire experience. If you plan to do multiple runs, including new game+ or speedruns, it’s okay to rush your first run to unlock permanent upgrades that carry over to later playthroughs. Permanent upgrades like extra health, stamina, and fast travel points make all later runs much faster and easier. If you plan to play multiple runs, it's better to take your time on your first playthrough to unlock all permanent upgrades. You’ll save far more time on later runs than you spend unlocking the upgrades on your first playthrough. Don’t feel pressured to stick to the average run time either -- if you’re having fun exploring, there’s no reason to rush just to hit a specific time goal.
At the end of the day, the doom the dark ages time to beat varies a lot based on how you prefer to play, so don't stress if your run is taking longer than the average. If you want to finish faster, the tips we covered will help you skip most of the unnecessary grind without taking away from the fun of the mod. I've had just as much fun doing 2-hour speedruns as I have doing 20-hour completionist runs, so pick the playstyle that fits what you're looking for right now. If you're stuck on a specific boss or can't find a shortcut, don't be afraid to experiment with different weapon loadouts to find what works for you.
