Doom: The Dark Ages vs High On Life 2

One trades speed for medieval weight, the other trades writing for skateboarding — two very different shooter experiences.

Updated 12d ago

Doom: The Dark Ages cover
Doom: The Dark Ages 8.6/10 Strong

The shield-saw parry trades Eternal's dash-juggling for something heavier and just as sharp — Revelations alone earns the price, if you can stand the slower pace.

High On Life 2 cover
High On Life 2 7.3/10 Fair

Falls short of HoL1's voice-cast peak — HoL2 trades sharper writing for skateboard mechanics, leaving the gunplay split 56/44 among critics.

By the numbers

Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.

Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.

Measure Doom: The Dark Ages High On Life 2
Value Doom: The Dark Ages wins on value
Price now $19.87 −72% · GreenManGaming $51.20 −15% · AllYouPlay
All-time low $19.17 $40.19
Cost / hour $1.40/hr $19.87 · 14 h main story $4.33/hr $51.20 · 12 h main story
Off its low +4% low was Feb 2026 +27% low was Jun 2026
Main story 14 h 12 h
Health Doom: The Dark Ages wins on player health
Steam reviews 88% 44k reviews 72% 3k reviews
Recent reviews 91% 2k votes · vs 88% lifetime 72% 95 votes · vs 72% lifetime
Peak players 13,796 Jul 2026 · ↑ 562% MoM 262 Jul 2026 · ↑ 18% MoM
Launch peak 44% of May 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 9% of Feb 2026 launch peak · as of Jul 2026
All-time peak 31,401 May 2025 2,937 Feb 2026
Support
Last patch 10 days ago 2 months ago
Patch cadence 3 in last 90 days 1 in last 90 days
Steam Deck Gold Platinum

Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.

Doom: The Dark Ages
May 2025 – Jul 2026
High On Life 2
Feb 2026 – Jul 2026

What players say

Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.

Doom: The Dark Ages

Love

The campaign and Revelations DLC form a complete package, with the shield-saw parry the move every veteran calls the standout.

Struggle with

Pacing shifts from Eternal's sprint to a tank-like weight divide fans; some find the puzzle detours break the kill flow.

from our August 2026 verdict

High On Life 2

Love

Improved puzzles and humor over the first game are the highlights long-time players consistently enjoy.

Struggle with

Recurring bugs and soft locks across levels are the frustrations that undermine many playthroughs.

from our May 2026 verdict

Key differences

Combat pacing
Doom Dark Ages replaces Eternal's acrobatic ammo-juggling with slower, parry-based ground combat.
High On Life 2 maintains fast shooting but adds skateboarding traversal, earning only 56% critic recommendation.
Narrative depth
Doom Dark Ages focuses on set-piece scale like giant mechs and dragon battles over story.
High On Life 2 trades sharper writing for skateboarding, with IGN noting a narrative step backward.
Movement systems
Doom Dark Ages grounds combat with a shield-as-weapon parry system, no aerial acrobatics.
High On Life 2 adds skateboarding mechanics to its shooter loop, changing traversal fundamentally.

Which one is for you?

Pick Doom: The Dark Ages if

  • You found Eternal's platforming exhausting and want weighty, grounded combat.
  • You prefer set-piece scale like giant mechs and dragon battles.
  • You want Doom to feel slower and more deliberate with parry mechanics.

Pick High On Life 2 if

  • You played and enjoyed High on Life 1 and want more absurdist comedy.
  • You enjoy Borderlands-style FPS humor and tolerate uneven gunplay.
  • You're curious about a 12-hour shooter with skateboarding traversal.

Bottom line

Pick Doom The Dark Ages for heavier medieval combat; choose High On Life 2 if you want comedic shooting with skateboarding gimmicks.

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