Steam Deck Verification for Doom: The Dark Ages
In a move that has garnered attention, Doom: The Dark Ages has officially received Steam Deck verification. This announcement, while somewhat anticipated given id Software’s legacy of creating visually stunning and highly optimized shooters, still brings a sense of excitement to the gaming community. Known for their adeptness at adapting titles for handheld devices, id Software previously impressed players with the Nintendo Switch version of Doom Eternal released in 2020.
However, The Dark Ages presented unique challenges as it was the first installment in the franchise to be fully and consistently ray-traced. This feature made it less of a straightforward candidate for handheld gaming upon its initial release. Although the game performed adequately on various PC hardware and even managed to deliver decent framerates on budget gaming laptops, the Steam Deck faced difficulties in meeting its minimum requirements, leading to a less than stellar performance.
The recent Update 2.2 aims to address these concerns by introducing a suite of optimizations tailored for handheld devices. Among the enhancements are:
- General performance improvements
- Advanced optimization settings specifically for handheld gaming
- Enhanced sound effects (SFX) and visual effects (VFX) for on-the-go gaming
Players who have taken Doom: The Dark Ages for a spin on the Steam Deck have reported a notably smoother experience, albeit with a visual fidelity that is understandably less polished compared to a traditional PC setup.
Beyond the handheld optimizations, Update 2.2 also incorporates a variety of bug fixes for both the campaign mode and the wave-based Ripatorium introduced in August. Key adjustments include:
- Tweaks to weapon balance, ensuring accurate damage registration when enemies sustain multiple damage instances within the same frame of death
- Adjustments to the Slayer’s shield mechanics to better account for melee stagger
- Corrections to various combat encounters throughout the campaign
- Fixes for issues such as the misalignment of “Sentinel civilians’ heads” in specific locations
While the Steam Deck version of The Dark Ages may not surpass the experience offered by a traditional desktop, it remains an enticing option for fans of first-person shooters. Although it may not reach the heights of its predecessor, Doom Eternal, it successfully reinvents the core mechanics of the series. As noted in a review by Morgan Park, the game presents “the trilogy’s sharpest zag yet,” transforming the Slayer from a nimble fighter jet into a formidable tank, charging headfirst into the fray.
