Steam’s First Ever Black Friday Sale
Steam runs so many discounts through the year that it sometimes feels like every week is a sale event. But this year marks a first for PC gamers. Valve is officially running a Steam Black Friday sale, a promotion branded around the post Thanksgiving shopping rush.
This Black Friday sale is not one of the huge flagship Steam events that completely overhaul the store front with stickers, mini games, and massive themed banners. It is a bit more low key in terms of presentation. Still, it brings at least one deal that stands out in a big way for shooter fans on PC.
If you or someone you know loves first person shooters, especially singleplayer campaigns, there is one game worth paying close attention to in this sale. Doom: The Dark Ages is currently 50 percent off, dropping the price to 34.99. For a major AAA shooter that is only about half a year old, that is a serious bargain.
Why Doom: The Dark Ages Is A Big Deal
Doom: The Dark Ages is the latest entry in id Software’s modern Doom trilogy. Following the rebooted Doom in 2016 and Doom Eternal in 2020, it had a lot to live up to. Those first two games set a high bar for fast, aggressive combat and clever level design, so every new Doom carries huge expectations on PC.
The Dark Ages does not quite top its predecessors in every category, but it does deliver a big, polished and visually impressive campaign. It looks and feels like a high budget singleplayer shooter in an era where those are becoming rare. If you enjoy story driven FPS games rather than live service grind, this alone makes it worth a look.
In one review, the game earned an 80 percent score with praise for its violent, indulgent combat. At the same time, the reviewer called it clearly easier and more straightforward than Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal. Compared to those earlier games, The Dark Ages:
- Uses simpler maps with more open, flat areas
- Hides secrets in more obvious places
- Includes puzzles that are easier to figure out at a glance
This shift can feel like an overcorrection. Doom Eternal in particular pushed complex combat systems, weapon swapping and resource management very hard. Some players loved that depth. Others bounced off it, saying it felt more like a rhythm game than a classic shooter.
The Dark Ages leans in the opposite direction. Combat is slower and more deliberate, with a focus on fundamentals over complicated juggling of mechanics. For veterans who adored Eternal’s high speed execution, that can initially feel like a downgrade. But there is another way to see it.
After revisiting the original 1990s Doom on Steam Deck, the reviewer found a new appreciation for what The Dark Ages is trying to do. It can be viewed as a modern throwback: simpler weapons, flatter arenas and a more old school feel. Even so, the original Doom still wins out in intensity thanks to its dense monster placement and cramped spaces, but The Dark Ages channels some of that spirit while staying accessible to modern players.
Is It Worth Buying At 50 Percent Off
At full price, Doom: The Dark Ages might feel like a harder sell for players who are unsure about its slower style. At 34.99 however, it becomes a much easier recommendation for almost any FPS fan on PC.
The campaign is meaty, offering 22 levels that are packed with demons to shred and weapons to master. You get a wide selection of memorable guns and abilities, all wrapped in a cinematic presentation with more cutscenes and story moments than you might expect from id Software. It is a complete singleplayer package rather than a live service platform.
The discount also arrives at a convenient time for anyone who was playing through Game Pass. With recent price increases pushing some players to cancel their subscriptions, a lot of people may have lost access to The Dark Ages before finishing it. The Black Friday price on Steam gives you a chance to grab a permanent digital copy without paying full price.
If you:
- Enjoy classic feeling shooters with modern visuals
- Want a big singleplayer FPS campaign rather than a multiplayer grind
- Found Doom Eternal a bit too intense or fiddly
- Just want a strong shooter deal in the Black Friday chaos
then Doom: The Dark Ages at 50 percent off is one of the standout PC offers in Steam’s first branded Black Friday event.
You will not get a massive store wide spectacle with mini games and animated stickers like during the big seasonal Steam sales. But if you are building a library of must play shooters on your gaming PC, this is an easy add to your cart while the discount lasts.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-standout-steam-black-friday-deal-is-undoubtedly-doom-the-dark-ages-for-50-percent-off/
