When director Hugo Martin unveiled the mantra for Doom: The Dark Ages as "stand and fight" during Xbox's Developer Direct, it sparked immediate intrigue. This approach marks a significant departure from Doom Eternal, a game renowned for its fast-paced, constantly moving combat. However, Doom Eternal did introduce one enemy that embodied the "stand and fight" ethos—the Marauder. This adversary, polarizing yet fascinating, is a personal favorite. The realization that Doom: The Dark Ages revolves around reacting to bright green lights, reminiscent of the strategy used to defeat the Marauder, cemented my enthusiasm for the game.
Rest assured, The Dark Ages doesn't replicate the Marauder's frustrating dynamics. While it introduces the Agaddon Hunter, an enemy shielded by a bulletproof barrier and wielding a lethal combo attack, the essence of Eternal's combat philosophy permeates every enemy encounter. The Marauder's design principles have been reimagined and integrated into The Dark Ages' core combat system, resulting in encounters that are both intelligent and enjoyable, free from the frustrations of the original.
The Marauder stands out in Doom Eternal due to its unique demand for players' undivided attention, often encountered in one-on-one scenarios. In Eternal, you typically navigate arenas, managing resources and enemies with speed and precision. The Marauder disrupts this flow, requiring a focused, strategic approach. You must evade its attacks, clear other threats, and then engage in direct combat. The key to defeating it lies in timing: when its eyes flash green during its axe swing's wind-up, you get a brief window to deal damage.
Doom Eternal's Marauder is one of the most controversial enemies in FPS history. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda
In The Dark Ages, the same green flash signals opportunities for interaction, echoing the original Doom's projectile-heavy combat. Here, demons launch volleys of projectiles, some marked by green missiles that the Doom Slayer can parry with a new shield, sending them back at the attackers. Initially a defensive tactic, this parry evolves into a powerful offensive tool once the shield's rune system is unlocked, allowing for stunning effects and triggering an auto-targeting cannon.
Navigating The Dark Ages' battlefields involves a series of strategic, one-on-one confrontations with various formidable demons. The game encourages a balanced approach, where survival isn't solely reliant on reacting to green lights but is enhanced by using your entire arsenal effectively. The shield's runes make parrying a crucial component of combat, demanding precise positioning and timing, much like facing the Marauder.
The Marauder's controversial nature stemmed from its disruption of Doom Eternal's established gameplay rhythm. It forced players to abandon their learned strategies, which is why it was both loved and loathed. Doom Eternal challenged traditional FPS mechanics, and the Marauder took this a step further, making it a unique yet divisive element.
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 integrating varied combat styles into its overarching battle system. Each major enemy has distinct green projectiles or melee attacks, necessitating different strategies. The Mancubus requires dodging and parrying between energy "fences," while the Vagary demands quick sprints to deflect deadly spheres. The Revenant, reminiscent of the Marauder, is invulnerable until its green skulls are deflected.
This diversity in enemy encounters ensures seamless transitions between different combat styles, eliminating the jarring experience that the Marauder introduced in Eternal. Although the Agaddon Hunter and Komodo present challenging melee attacks, the game's consistent demand for adaptive tactics prepares players well.
The Marauder's design was never the issue; it was its unexpected disruption of Eternal's flow. Doom: The Dark Ages mitigates this by making reaction-based mechanics a fundamental part of the gameplay from the start. While the challenge may be less intense due to a more generous parry window, the essence of the Marauder's combat—timing and strategic engagement—remains a core element of every battle. The Dark Ages reinterprets these ideas effectively, ensuring that the "stand and fight" philosophy is both recognizable and engaging.
