When director Hugo Martin unveiled the guiding principle of "stand and fight" for Doom: The Dark Ages during Xbox’s Developer Direct earlier this year, I was immediately captivated. This concept starkly contrasts with the hyper-kinetic, mobile combat of id Software's previous title, Doom Eternal. However, Doom Eternal did have one enemy that forced players to adopt this very strategy: the Marauder. A polarizing figure among fans, the Marauder is an enemy I personally adore. Discovering that the key to combat in Doom: The Dark Ages involves reacting to bright green lights—just like with the Marauder—cemented my excitement for the game.
Rest assured, Doom: The Dark Ages doesn't trap you in frustrating one-on-one battles like those with Eternal's Marauder. While you will encounter the Agaddon Hunter, a formidable foe with a bulletproof shield and deadly combo attacks, the essence of Eternal's challenging encounters has been thoughtfully integrated into the core combat system of The Dark Ages. Every fight now embodies the strategic depth of a Marauder showdown, minus the irritation.
The Marauder is a unique adversary in Doom Eternal. Typically, Eternal's combat arenas demand constant movement, juggling between lesser enemies and more significant threats. The game is often described as a management challenge, requiring players to handle resources, space, and weaponry adeptly. However, the Marauder changes the game entirely. This formidable enemy, armed with an axe and a shotgun, compels players to focus solely on him, often in isolated battles. When he appears amidst a larger skirmish, the best strategy is to evade his attacks, clear the surrounding mobs, and then engage him directly.
Doom Eternal's Marauder is one of the most controversial enemies in FPS history. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda
"Standing and fighting" doesn't mean standing still in Doom Eternal; it's about mastering the battlefield through strategic positioning. Approach the Marauder too closely, and he'll hit you with a near-undodgeable shotgun blast. Retreat too far, and he'll pelt you with easier-to-dodge projectiles, but you'll be out of reach of his axe swing. The crucial moment comes when he prepares to swing his axe—his only vulnerable moment. His energy shield deflects all gunfire, so you must position yourself perfectly to exploit the brief window when his eyes flash bright green, signaling your chance to strike.
Doom: The Dark Ages also employs bright green indicators, paying homage to the original Doom's bullet hell-like projectile volleys. Special green missiles within these volleys can be parried using the Doom Slayer’s new shield, sending them back at the attackers. Initially, this serves as a defensive tactic, but once you unlock the shield's rune system, parrying becomes a powerful offensive tool. It can stun enemies with lightning bolts or activate an auto-targeting cannon mounted on your shoulder.
Navigating the battlefields of The Dark Ages involves engaging in a series of focused one-on-one encounters with various formidable demons. Unlike the Marauder fights, survival here isn't solely dependent on reacting to green lights. You can rely on more conventional weapons to succeed, but mastering the shield runes makes parrying a vital part of your arsenal. By integrating it into your combat strategy, you'll find that the parry mechanics in The Dark Ages echo the Marauder battles of Eternal. You need to find the optimal distance, as demons won't launch projectiles at close range, and when green orbs appear, you must position yourself correctly to parry them. Quick reflexes are essential, much like timing your shot when the Marauder's axe is mid-swing.
One common critique of the Marauder was that it disrupted the flow of Doom Eternal, requiring a different approach than the game's usual tactics. This is precisely why I appreciate the Marauder—it forces a shift from balletic movement to breakdancing, challenging players to adapt. Doom Eternal broke the rules of traditional FPS games by making players think differently about resources, weapons, and combat. The Marauder, in turn, broke those new rules, presenting an ultimate challenge. While I enjoy this challenge, I understand why it frustrated many players.
![](/uploads/24/682736e99f8f0.webp>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 issue by incorporating various "dances" into the broader combat experience. Each major enemy type has unique green projectiles or melee strikes, necessitating different approaches for each encounter. For example, the Mancubus fires wide energy "fences" with green "pillars" at each end, requiring you to weave to parry them. The Vagary unleashes volleys of deadly spheres, which you must sprint to deflect as if playing a deadly game of tennis. The skeletal Revenant mirrors the Marauder closely, being invulnerable until you deflect one of its green skulls.
Since each demon requires a unique movement strategy, introducing new enemies feels seamless. The Agaddon Hunter and Komodo present significant challenges with their intense melee attacks, but by the time they appear, you're already accustomed to adapting your movement and reactions. This wasn't the case with the Marauder in Eternal, as its tactics didn't align with the game's standard approach of selecting the right weapon for the right demon.
The Marauder's design was never the problem; it was the unexpected shift in gameplay that caught players off guard. Doom: The Dark Ages prepares players for this by making reaction-based mechanics a fundamental part of the entire experience, rather than a sudden change. Although this makes the challenge less intense—the parry window with the shield is more forgiving than the Marauder's eye flash—the core concept remains: lock step with your enemy, wait for the perfect moment, and strike when the light turns green. Doom: The Dark Ages reinterprets these ideas in a new way, yet they remain unmistakably familiar. You stand and you fight.
