DOOM: The Dark Ages has hidden areas in each of its maps that are worth seeking out. While some of these areas just have collectibles like Toys or Codexes, many also contain useful in-game items like upgrade materials and Life Sigils. Although you can see these areas on your map, they can sometimes be tricky to get to.

The first level in DOOM: The Dark Ages has slightly easier secrets to find than some of the later levels, but they could be easy to miss your first time playing. After all, there are a lot of changes between DOOM: The Dark Ages and DOOM Eternal, and you'll likely be focused on learning these new mechanics. I've broken down how to find each of the secrets in DOOM: The Dark Ages' first level step-by-step.

How Many Secrets Are There In Village Of Khalim?

There Are Six Secrets In Village Of Khalim

The Village of Khalim level has six secrets. There are two Collectible Toys, two Codices, a Weapon Skin, and a Secret Key hidden in this first level. One nice thing about Village of Khalim is that, as the intro level to DOOM: The Dark Ages, it's much more linear than some of the later levels. This makes it a bit easier to find secrets. This is likely also intentional, so that even newer players may stumble onto a secret, cluing them to the fact that they should be checking each corner of the map for hidden loot.

It's also worth checking your map when you load up a new level. Although it won't tell you where all the secrets are, it will tell you the total number of secrets on a given level. Once you fill your map in more, secrets will also show up on it, even if you haven't actually found them yet. While it's still up to you to figure out how to get to them, knowing their approximate locations does help you track them down. Below, I'll go through a step-by-step guide on how to find each secret in the Village of Khalim level.

How To Find Each Secret In Village Of Khalim

You don't have to worry about looking for secrets until you've made it past the opening parts of Village of Khalim where DOOM: The Dark Ages is teaching you how to play. The first secret isn't available until after you finish the tutorial for the new melee weapons. During the tutorial, you will see the first hidden Life Sigil through a gate to your left, cluing you into the idea of secret areas.

How To Find The Hidden Life Sigil

The first secret area in DOOM: The Dark Ages is right after the melee tutorial after you enter the burning building. Your quest tracker will be telling you to climb up to the second floor of the building and move on, but don't go just yet. You'll have to get this secret area first, because once you move on you'll reach a Point of No Return in the level and not be able to get it.

Once you clear the enemies out of the first floor of the burning building, look at the wall to the left of where you enter. You'll see a faint blue circle on some exposed wooden planks. Shield charge through this wall and you'll end up in the first secret area, which is where the Life Sigil you saw earlier is. When you're done, head back through the burning building to continue the mission.

How To Get The First Toy

After ing the first Point of No Return, you'll fall into a courtyard with a Blue Key door. After clearing this courtyard, you'll be sent on to a smaller one to try and find the Blue Key. Once here, you'll notice another Blue Key door. You can't enter it yet, but this is where the first hidden Collectible Toy is in DOOM: The Dark Ages.

At this point, you'll want to just continue following the quest markers until you find the Blue Key. After finding it, you'll bust through some wooden planks and end up back in the first big courtyard with the first Blue Key gate. The objective marker will direct you to head through the gate, but before you do, you'll want to turn directly around and head back through the small gateway to where you saw the other Blue Key door. Now that you have the key, you can unlock it and grab the Toy.

How To Get The First Codex

After unlocking the Blue Key gate and advancing to the next section of the level, you'll be tasked with destroying four Demonic Portals. After clearing out the first area, you'll see a large statue with a glowing purple Secret Key door beneath it. Run past it and follow the path until you come to another Demonic Portal in front of a rocky cliff. Kill all the demons here to close the portal, then head to the right of the cliff where you'll find a place to climb up.

Climb the wall and follow the path up until you're standing directly above where the Demonic Portal was. Here, you'll find the first Codex in DOOM: The Dark Ages. Technically, there isn't actually an order during this section, so you can find the Weapon Skin or second Collectible Toy first, depending on which direction you head first.

How To Get The Weapon Skin

After grabbing the first Codex, head back to where you saw the Secret Key door. Head out of that arena to the left of the Secret Key door, and you'll find another Demonic Portal to destroy. Once you've done it, you'll see a short wooden fence, directly opposite of where the portal was, overlooking a seaside cliff. Walk carefully to the left side of the fence and hop over it to land on the rock outcropping on the other side.

Once over the fence, you can look down and see a ledge that leads to a cave. Hop down, and you'll find yourself in a cave crammed with explosive barrels with the Weapon Skin in the back. As you approach the Skin, enemies will spawn, and you'll need to kill them to get it. You can quickly clear this room by shooting the barrels to take out all the enemies. Just make sure you don't die in the blast.

How To Get The Second Toy

After leaving the cave where you get the Weapon Skin, you'll be facing a tunnel. Head through it to reach the next area where you'll be given a new weapon if this is your first time playing the level. Once you've defeated the enemies here, you'll see a Demonic Portal up on the cliff above you. Walk directly under it, and to your left you'll see a broken fence that seemingly leads over the side of a cliff.

Look down from the broken fence, and you'll see a rock ledge leading to a cave. In this cave you'll find health, ammo, and the second Collectible Toy on this level. Be ready to fight an enemy as soon as you leave this cave, as one will spawn when you head back.

How To Get The Secret Key

After climbing back up from the cliff where you got the second Toy, head up the ramp to where the last Demonic Portal is. After sealing it, don't jump back down just yet. Head to the left of the portal and cross the small bridge, then follow the path to the right, staying on top of the rock ledge. Here, you will find the purple Secret Key.

After grabbing the key, your quest marker will point you back towards where the door to open with it is, so long as you've destroyed all four Demonic Portals. Once back at the Secret Key door under the statue, you can open it to grab an extra Life Sigil.

How To Get The Second Codex

While you can collect some of the previous secrets in any order, the second Codex does have to be the last one you grab. This is because it's past another Point of No Return. Once you jump down the ledge to enter the Point of No Return and take out the enemies here, you'll head down a narrow path next to a massive mace that's lying on the ground.

As you're picking up the small armor packs on this path, turn to your right, and you'll see some scratch marks leading up to a ledge. Climb up, and you'll find the final Codex flanked by some friendly soldiers. This is the last secret here, so you're ready to move on to the next level in DOOM: The Dark Ages.