Doom: The Dark Ages Inspired by Eternal's Marauder

When director Hugo Martin unveiled the "stand and fight" mantra for Doom: The Dark Ages during Xbox’s Developer Direct, it immediately captured my attention. This concept stands in stark contrast to Doom Eternal, which thrived on fast-paced, highly mobile combat. Yet, there's one enemy in Eternal that embodies this new mantra: the Marauder. This enemy is notorious, dividing fans with its challenging nature, but it's an adversary I've grown to appreciate deeply. The revelation that The Dark Ages' combat revolves around reacting to bright green lights—just like defeating the Marauder—solidified my excitement for the game.

Rest assured, The Dark Ages doesn't trap you in frustrating stand-offs akin to the Marauder encounters in Eternal. While the Agaddon Hunter presents a formidable challenge with its bulletproof shield and deadly combo attacks, The Dark Ages integrates the Marauder's principles into its core combat mechanics across all enemies. This evolution results in engaging battles that retain the Marauder's strategic essence without the associated irritation.

The Marauder stands out in Doom Eternal by disrupting the usual flow of combat. Where Eternal typically has you dashing around arenas, juggling weaker enemies and larger threats, the Marauder forces a one-on-one confrontation that demands your full attention. Encounters with the Marauder often require you to clear the battlefield of lesser foes before engaging in a focused duel, emphasizing the need to "stand and fight."

Doom Eternal's Marauder is one of the most controversial enemies in FPS history. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda

This doesn't mean standing still; it's about mastering the combat space. Approach too closely, and the Marauder's shotgun blast is nearly impossible to evade. Retreat too far, and he'll pelt you with projectiles, though these are easier to dodge. The key is to stay at the perfect distance to provoke his axe swing, which leaves him vulnerable during its wind-up. When his eyes flash green, that's your cue to strike. His energy shield absorbs all other attacks, making this brief moment your only chance to deal significant damage.

In Doom: The Dark Ages, green flashes also play a crucial role. A tribute to the original Doom, enemies unleash volleys of projectiles, among which are green missiles that can be parried back with the Doom Slayer's new shield. Initially a defensive tactic, this parry evolves into an offensive powerhouse once you unlock the shield's rune system, enabling stunning effects and activating your shoulder-mounted cannon.

Navigating The Dark Ages' battlefields, you'll engage in numerous one-on-one skirmishes with various demons. While survival doesn't hinge solely on these green flashes, mastering the shield's parry system significantly enhances your combat effectiveness. Positioning and timing are key, much like with the Marauder, requiring you to find the optimal distance and react swiftly to parry the green orbs.

The primary criticism of the Marauder was its disruption of Doom Eternal's flow, forcing players to adopt a completely different strategy. I find this change refreshing; while Eternal is a dance, the Marauder demands a breakdance. Eternal broke the conventions of first-person shooters, and the Marauder challenged even those new norms, presenting a unique test.

The Agaddon Hunter may be the most Marauder-like enemy in The Dark Ages, but every demon has a little bit of Eternal's most fearsome foe in them. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda

Doom: The Dark Ages addresses this by weaving various combat "dances" into a cohesive battle experience. Each major enemy type has a distinct green projectile or melee attack, requiring you to adapt your strategy. The Mancubus, for example, launches wide energy fences with green pillars you must weave through to parry effectively. The Vagary sends volleys of spheres you must sprint to intercept, and the Revenant mimics the Marauder with its invulnerable state until you deflect its green skulls.

This diversity ensures a seamless transition between different combat styles, unlike the Marauder's sudden shift in Eternal. Even challenging foes like the Agaddon Hunter and Komodo, with their intense melee attacks, fit naturally into the gameplay by the time they appear, as you've already adapted to shifting tactics.

The Marauder's issue was never its design but its unexpected disruption. Doom: The Dark Ages prepares you for similar challenges by making reaction-based mechanics a fundamental part of the game. While the parry window is more forgiving than the Marauder's split-second opportunity, the essence of timing your attacks to the green light remains. The Dark Ages offers a new take on these concepts, but the core idea of standing and fighting, waiting for the right moment, is ever-present.