Summary
Doomis considered by many to be the most iconic FPS and one of the most iconic game franchises. Many of the hallmarks of the series have become synonymous with FPS games and gaming as a whole. There are good reasons for this, as the franchise has gone from strength to strength over four decades.The Doomslayer is a legendary charactersupported by an equally legendary arsenal.
However, a hero is only as good as their rogues' gallery. Luckily for the Doomslayer, theDoomfranchise features some great bosses, giving the hero plenty of worthy adversaries to go toe to toe with. Here are the best bosses in the series.
The Marauder is an outlier on this list as he is not a full boss. He doesn’t get a health bar, but does get an introductory cutscene. And then the fight begins, and fans immediately realize that this is no normal enemy.
The Marauder puts all the skills the players have learned up until this point inDoom Eternalto the test. It is a difficult fight that requireslightning-quick reflexes and patience.Not to mention his design, which is extremely cool. Therefore, the Marauder deserves an honorable mention.
Doom: The Dark Ageshas a lot of expectations to live up to as it is following up on two great entries into the modernDoomseries. Any apprehension fans may feel about the game will quickly be put to rest when they fight the Komodo Champion.
This boss fight showcases thefull potential ofThe Dark Ages’combat.The Komodo Champion’s mix of reptilian and demonic design feels fresh for the series as it tests the players' skill by launching multiple projectiles to dodge and closing the distance with melee attacks that can be parried.
9Khan Maykr
A Devilishly Difficult Encounter
The difficulty level inDoom Eternalhas been a contentious point among fans since its release, and no boss fight in the base game encapsulates that as well as the leader of the Maykrs and the ruler of Urdak.
Despite some fans accusing id Software of artificially inflatingthe difficulty of the encounter, there is no denying the iconic lore and presentation of the Khan Maykr. Even the difficulty feels justified as she is the penultimate boss ofEternal, a notoriously difficult game, and there is no denying the rush of satisfaction on finally beating her.
8Hell Guards
Triple The Trouble
The Hell Guards are three bosses wrapped up in two phases of one boss fight inDoom (2016). Players must first defeat a single Hell Guard before beingconfronted by two immediately after.The only reprieve in the second phase is that the two new Guards don’t have a shield, unlike the first one.
The Hell Guards are faster and more aggressive than other enemies, with the in-game description labeling them as “the most ferocious demons yet found”. This forces players to adapt their playstyle and adds variety to the game.
7The Old One
Mech Vs Kaiju
The mech introduced inDoom: The Dark Agesis put to great use. Riding around in the giant machine and punching giant demons feels extremely satisfying. The mech gameplay is at its most satisfying in the boss fight against The Old One as the mech and the kaiju duke it out.
This fight against the Cthulu-inspired boss feels extremely epic. It is a challenging encounter preceded by an epic build-up and followed by an equally epic ending. Being in the shoes of the Doomslayer has never felt more powerful.
6Davoth
Slaying The Dark Lord
Davoth is the final boss ofDoom Eternal’s The Ancient GodsDLC and the overarching main antagonist of the series as a whole. Expectations were high following the decades-long set-up, and with expectations that high, it is impossible to satisfy everyone.
However, Davoth still presents an epic and challenging encounter. He takes the visage of the Doomslayer and drops some major plot revelations throughout the fight. While the combat matches the mechanics of the Marauder encounter, the difficulty is raised significantly here, making it befitting of the final encounter against the series' main antagonist.
The Spider Mastermind is among the oldest and longest-running bosses in the franchise. First appearing as the final boss of the originalDoomin 1993, this demon has made many subsequent appearances, serving as the final boss yet again in the 2016 reboot, and is even linked to the creation of the Arachnotrons, a high-level enemy.
With a legacy as enduring as the Spider Mastermind’s, it is impossible to mentionDoombosses without this demon coming up in the conversation. Moreover, the Spider Mastermind’s design is brilliant and instantly recognizable.
4The Gladiator
As Epic As It Sounds
The Gladiatoris found in the coliseum in Sentinel Prime. He is a hell knight clad in impressive armor and carrying a shield that holds the soul of his master, and a mace that allows him to attack both at close quarters and at a distance.
This boss has one of the most tragic and simultaneously cool backstories of any boss in the series. His appearance as an armored hell knight carrying a terrifying shield adds to his majesty. The fight is tough too, with his mix of ranged mace attacks and shield-based defense presenting quite a challenge.
Icon of Sin is an ancient titan. It appears throughout the series, making its first appearance in 1994’sDoom 2. It simply served as a gatekeeper in the second and third games, albeit a tough one. It wasn’t untilDoom Eternalthat players saw this titan in motion.
Icon of Sin fights arenotorious for their overwhelming difficulty.They serve more as a level-wide puzzle than a standard boss fight. Add to that the fact that the Icon never shows up alone, and it becomes the hardest boss in the franchise.
2Ahzrak
An Excellent Antagonist For Doom: The Dark Ages
Ahzrak is the main antagonist of the newDoom: The Dark Ages. He is a prince of hell who convinces the Elder Council to give him dominion over hell’s forces in the battle against the Doomslayer. With the Witch by his side, Ahzrak is a formidable enemy.
Ahzrak has already established his place in the pantheon ofDoombosses despite being a new addition. He is a driving force for the story ofThe Dark Ages, and pushes the Doomslayer to his limitswith multiphase boss fights.Getting to battle and finally defeating him for all that he does during the story feels extremely satisfying.
