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 captured my interest. This approach contrasts sharply with Doom Eternal, a game characterized by its relentless, high-speed combat. However, Doom Eternal introduced one enemy that demanded players to "stand and fight" – the Marauder. This enemy, perhaps the most polarizing in Doom history, is despised by many yet adored by me. The revelation that Doom: The Dark Ages incorporates a combat mechanic centered around reacting to bright green lights, reminiscent of the Marauder's vulnerability, solidified my excitement for the game.

Rest assured, The Dark Ages does not confine players to a frustrating one-on-one battle akin to Eternal's Marauder encounters. While the Agaddon Hunter presents a formidable challenge with its bulletproof shield and lethal combo attacks, the spirit of Eternal's challenging encounters permeates every enemy in The Dark Ages. The Marauder's core concepts have been reimagined, refined, and integrated into the game's overall combat system, resulting in encounters that retain the strategic depth of Marauder fights without the irritation.

The Marauder stands out in Doom Eternal as an anomaly amidst the game's usual frenetic pace. Typically, players navigate combat arenas, swiftly dispatching weaker foes while juggling encounters with more substantial enemies. Eternal has been described as a management game, where players must adeptly handle both resources and the battlefield dynamics. However, the Marauder disrupts this flow, necessitating a complete shift in focus. Its appearance often leads to isolated, intense duels where the best strategy is to clear surrounding threats before engaging it directly.

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

Engaging the Marauder isn't about standing still but about mastering the battlefield through strategic positioning. Approaching too closely invites a devastating shotgun blast, while retreating too far triggers a barrage of easily dodged projectiles. The key to defeating the Marauder lies in provoking its axe swing, as its energy shield deflects all other attacks. The moment its eyes flash bright green during the axe's wind-up is your window to inflict damage.

This bright green signal also plays a crucial role in Doom: The Dark Ages. In homage to the original Doom, demons unleash volleys of projectiles akin to bullet hell. Among these, green missiles can be parried using the Doom Slayer's new shield, sending them back to their source. Initially a defensive tactic, the parry evolves into a powerful offensive tool once the shield's rune system is unlocked, enabling stunning effects or activating an auto-targeting cannon.

Navigating The Dark Ages' battlefields involves a series of focused one-on-one engagements with various formidable demons. Unlike the Marauder encounters, survival isn't solely dependent on reacting to green signals. Effective use of traditional weapons can still lead to victory, but mastering the shield's parry system significantly enhances your combat arsenal. This mechanic echoes the Marauder fights of Eternal, requiring precise positioning and quick reflexes to successfully parry.

The primary criticism of the Marauder was its disruption of Doom Eternal's flow, forcing players to abandon familiar tactics. Personally, I appreciate the Marauder for this very reason; it breaks the mold of Eternal's balletic gameplay, demanding a different dance. Eternal already pushed the boundaries of first-person shooter mechanics, and the Marauder challenges players to rethink their strategies entirely. While I enjoy this challenge, I understand why it frustrates many players.

While the Agaddon Hunter may resemble the Marauder the most in The Dark Ages, every demon incorporates elements of Eternal's fearsome foe. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda

Doom: The Dark Ages addresses the Marauder's disruptive nature by integrating various "dances" into its combat system. Each major enemy has its unique green projectile or melee attack, necessitating different strategies. For example, the Mancubus fires energy "fences" with green "pillars" that require lateral movement to parry, while the Vagary's volley of spheres demands quick sprinting to intercept the deflectable projectiles. The Revenant closely mimics the Marauder, remaining invulnerable until its green skulls are parried.

By demanding varied footwork for each demon, The Dark Ages ensures that the introduction of new enemies feels seamless rather than jarring. The Agaddon Hunter and Komodo might present a challenge due to their intense melee attacks, but players are already accustomed to adapting their movements and reactions by the time these enemies appear. Unlike the Marauder in Eternal, which required a departure from established tactics, The Dark Ages builds its reaction-based mechanics into the core gameplay from the start.

The Marauder's issue was never its design but its unexpected deviation from Eternal's established rules. Doom: The Dark Ages prepares players for similar challenges by making reaction-based mechanics a fundamental part of the game, rather than an abrupt change. While this approach may reduce the challenge – with a more forgiving parry window compared to the Marauder's split-second vulnerability – the essence of "stand and fight," waiting for the green light, remains central to every encounter. Doom: The Dark Ages offers a fresh take on these concepts, yet they are unmistakably rooted in the Marauder's legacy. You stand and you fight.