Doom Eternal. It’s fast, visceral, powerful, heavy…and smart. I don’t particularly mean smart in terms of AI, but more on how the game is built on core principles that rotate around every aspect of combat. There’s more meat on the bone compared to the literal rip and tear approach of its predecessor back in 2016. We understand that Doom Eternal is a great game, from its production, controls, combat and bombastic aurora. But there’s a constant that keeps rearing its big horny head. It gives no fucks, it takes no prisoners. The Marauder.
I could spend paragraphs embellishing The Marauder’s role in the game, detailing every inch of its big ol demon body. Instead, there’s an issue that such a beast has seemingly created. An issue that could possibly bleed into the Doom Eternal’s cultural impact. Difficulty, or at least a perceived notion of difficulty.
Each and every enemy with Doom Eternal has a role, mechanic and weakness. It projects a much more diverse gameplay experience, differing to the expected ‘shoot it till it dies’ approach. Each weapon fits into the ebb and flow of Eternal’s core principles. Target the weak spots, use frost bombs and frag to crowd control, switch weapons to fit the situation, prioritize a kill order. Of course, mastering the process requires time, patience and appreciation. Traits often lost in the blood rush of steamrolling through enemies. That’s where Marauder comes in.
A roadblock, a wall, a firm hand extending out halting you dead in your tracks. Or, if you’re used to tricky enemy design, an ego check. It’s a new lesson to learn. All of the enemies so far have had a weak point that can be acted upon directly. Sniping cannons from the back of enemies, popping grenades into mouths, filling tails full of bullets. But Marauder turns things around, suddenly it’s the Doom Slayer who is the prey.
Get too close, it’ll shotgun you in the face, pushing you back in the process. Get too far and there’s a nasty ranged projectile to dodge. Firing at its shield does nothing but waste resources and spawn a flaming dog to chase you. No glaring weakness, apart from one. Offence is the best defence, as already established throughout the game, and this is no different. Upon swinging its large axe when in midrange, The Marauder’s eye flashes green, allowing the Doom Slayer to damage and stagger it. Repeat the process a few times and it’s all over. It really is that simple.
So how come we find ourselves seeing articles dedicated to proclaiming The Marauder to be a problem, something that doesn’t fit into the game? A cynical view would be that people are just mad it’s a hard fight, a more open minded approach would be to simply point out why such statements are false.
We’ve already established that Doom Eternal sets up core principles that remain throughout the entire game. Exploit weak spots, crowd control, maintain kill-order, harvest resources, adapt. To proclaim The Marauder does not fit into this loop is simply wrong. Each encounter requires the player to use everything they’ve learnt before, and this case is no different.
There’s an argument to be made that people simply do not like to be derailed or checked. A blindly aggressive approach will not be enough to defeat The Marauder. It’s more of a pop quiz, like a teacher picking you out to see if you’ve been listening at the back. Of course, it’s no push over, if it was it would be just another enemy. Another demon to fill up the roster. There’s no ‘breaking’ of the gameplay loop, nor is there anything not fitting within the content of the game. The Marauder is a challenge that tests you, never letting you to get complacent, and that’s the magic of it all.
Even after hours upon hours, suit upgrades and mods aplenty, The Marauder is a test. A test we should appreciate, not decry. Instead of trying to bury The Marauder for humbling us, we should celebrate it as a genuine element that keeps a game fresh. So fresh you could salt it and sell it to the public as meat.
Amro slayer
October 22, 2020 at 2:00 pm
Helped me kill marauder .