Doom: The Dark Ages Inspired by Eternal's Marauder

When director Hugo Martin unveiled the mantra for Doom: The Dark Ages as "stand and fight" during Xbox’s Developer Direct earlier this year, it immediately piqued my interest. This approach starkly contrasts with Doom Eternal, a game built around hyper-kinetic, constantly moving combat. However, one enemy in Eternal already demanded players to "stand and fight"—the Marauder. This enemy has sparked intense debate within the community, being both reviled and adored. For me, it's the latter. The revelation that Doom: The Dark Ages hinges on reacting to bright green lights, similar to defeating the Marauder, sealed my enthusiasm for the game.

Rest assured, The Dark Ages doesn't confine you to a frustrating duel akin to Eternal's Marauder. While the Agaddon Hunter, with its bulletproof shield and lethal combo attacks, presents a challenge, the essence of Eternal's intense battles is woven into the fabric of every enemy encounter in The Dark Ages. The game reimagines, recalibrates, and refines the Marauder's mechanics, embedding them into the core combat system. The outcome is a series of encounters that carry the strategic depth of a Marauder fight without the associated frustrations.

The Marauder is a unique entity in Doom Eternal. Combat in Eternal typically involves circling the arena, slicing through lesser enemies while juggling engagements with more formidable foes. The game has been dubbed a management simulator, where players juggle resources, speed, space, and shotguns to control the horde. The Marauder disrupts this flow, requiring full attention and often leading to one-on-one confrontations. When it appears in larger battles, the strategy shifts to dodging its attacks, clearing the field, and then engaging directly.

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; in Doom Eternal, it's about controlling the battlefield through strategic positioning. Approach too closely, and the Marauder's shotgun will catch you. Retreat too far, and you'll be pelted with easily dodged projectiles but out of range for his axe swing. The key is to position yourself so that the Marauder attempts an axe attack, as his vulnerability window opens during this move. His energy shield absorbs all other attacks, so you must wait for his eyes to flash bright green—a signal to strike.

This green signal also plays a crucial role in Doom: The Dark Ages. In homage to the series' origins, demons unleash volleys of projectiles, among which are special green missiles that can be parried using the Doom Slayer’s new shield. This parry sends the ordnance back to its sender. Initially a defensive maneuver, it becomes a powerful offensive tool once you unlock the shield’s rune system, stunning enemies or triggering your shoulder-mounted, auto-targeting cannon.

Navigating The Dark Ages' battlefields involves engaging in a series of focused one-on-one encounters with various demons. While not solely reliant on the green lights for survival, mastering the shield's runes makes parrying a vital part of your arsenal. Integrating it into your combat strategy reveals similarities to Eternal's Marauder fights. You must find the optimal distance, maneuver into position to catch the green projectiles, and react swiftly to execute the parry. This focus transforms your journey into a series of strategic standoffs, echoing the "stand and fight" ethos.

The Marauder’s biggest criticism was its disruption of Doom Eternal's flow, forcing a shift from the game's established tactics. This is precisely why I appreciate it; while Eternal requires a balletic approach, the Marauder demands breakdancing. Eternal challenged conventional first-person shooter mechanics, and the Marauder challenged those new rules. While I find this exhilarating, I understand the frustration it causes for others.

While the Agaddon Hunter may echo the Marauder most closely in The Dark Ages, every demon carries a bit of Eternal's most fearsome enemy within them. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda

Doom: The Dark Ages addresses this by integrating various combat styles into the broader combat ecosystem. Each major enemy type has its unique green projectile or melee attack, requiring you to adapt your strategy for each encounter. The Mancubus, for example, fires energy "fences" with green "pillars" that you must dodge to parry. The Vagary's volley of spheres demands quick sprints to deflect the right ones, while the Revenant's green skulls require timing akin to the Marauder's attacks.

By necessitating different movement patterns for each demon, The Dark Ages smoothly introduces new enemies without disrupting the flow. While the Agaddon Hunter and Komodo might spike the difficulty with their melee attacks, you're already conditioned to adapt your movements and reactions by the time they appear. This contrasts with the Marauder's introduction in Eternal, where players were unprepared for its rule-breaking nature.

The Marauder's issue was never its design but its unexpected disruption of Eternal's established gameplay. Doom: The Dark Ages prepares players for similar mechanics by making reaction-based combat a fundamental part of the experience from the outset. Although the challenge may be less intense due to a more forgiving parry window, the core concept of timing your strikes to green signals remains central to every battle. The Dark Ages may reinterpret these ideas, but they remain unmistakably connected to the Marauder's essence. You stand, and you fight.