The Age of Hell is an action game developed by Hellforge Studios. Free to play, it is an awesome GZDoom powered, first-person shooter game aimed at fans of the classic DOOM franchise. Here, you will play as The Crusader going through a massive set of hell-themed maps across six episodes.

As it started as a DOOM mod, The Age of Hell will have the same play style as the DOOM games, fast-paced and action-packed. It even has the same type of enemies. That said, it is more like an evolution of the classic shooter rather than a copycat.

What is The Age of Hell?

Age of Hell started as a mod for DOOM. However, thanks to the work of over 20 talented people, it is now a standalone game. Here, players can go through a massive, hell-themed map across six episodes. Each will have its unique monsters and two boss encounters. Moreover, there will be various themes, including icy brutalism, ornate marble crypts, diabolical tech,  Lovecraftian nightmare realms, and infernal gothic places.

As mentioned, the game is powered by the GZDoom engine. With this, the play is very much like DOOM. It even features a full remake of the DOOM 2 bestiary, all based on the original concept. Even the monsters retain the charm of the original aesthetics. However, there will be an all-new set of holy-themed weapons and powerups. There is even an almighty big hammer that you can grab.

Visually, The Age of Hell is impressive. Thanks to its full utilization of GZDoom's abilities, you can see dynamic lighting, a full 3D environment, and complex enemy actions. The level design is also satisfyingly complex, with lots to discover. However, it needs more balance on the difficulty progression. The game starts brutally hard, but the succeeding stages get easier. Then, the difficulty picks up again in the later levels. 

Is the game good?

All in all, The Age of Hell is clearly a game made by DOOM fans for DOOM fans. The game features a great deal of old-school run 'n gun thrills that fans of the classic shooter have come to love. However, there will be new features introduced. It also comes with a challenging difficulty level, which even the most hardcore DOOM players will find tough. Highly recommended.