Doom Eternal delivers the same brutal, intense gameplay as the 2016 game, but with a few new tools that add an extra element of strategy. However, according to id Software’s Hugo Martin, a female Doom Slayer was also considered for Doom Eternal.
Since the franchise began, the Doom Slayer has always been male. Known for his buff, intimidating appearance, and the now-iconic Praetor Suit, it is hard to imagine the character being any different. After all, with the Slayer commonly referred to as “Doomguy” by fans, his gender is well-established — though this has not stopped Martin from considering the possibility of a female version of the space marine.
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Martin discussed the possibility in a recent Twitch stream, with the game director playing through Doom Eternal live for the game’s fans. During the playthrough, he mentioned that he has put “a lot of thought” into the idea, adding that he would not want this potential character to feel like a simple reskin of Doomguy. Aside from the female character likely having different lore, Martin touches on how he would want her to have an entirely different fighting style to make her stand out.
Comparing the original slayer to a Ferrari, Martin asks the audience what a female slayer would be. He confirms that, while the fighting style would remain focused on aggressive play, it would also be “a different kind of aggression.” How id Software would pull this off is certainly interesting to think about, though making the female Slayer more agile and refined could be a great way to differentiate the two. Aside from mentioning that she would make use of different but equally gory Glory Kills, Martin gives a major hint at the inspiration for such a character.
After the Ferrari comparison, Doom Eternal’s director poses the hypothetical question of “what would a Medieval Slayer be?” With Martin previously hinting that the female character could boast a fresh set of weaponry to make her standout, the suggestion that she could be more of a Medieval-style Slayer is an interesting one. Possibly leaning into the melee-focused combat seen when wielding Doom Eternal’s Crucible Sword, this suggestion could hint at the use of tools like axes and blades. While it remains to be seen if fans ever see this Medieval, female Slayer in action, the fact that it has been considered is a good sign.
If players ever fill the role of a “Doomgirl,” it is nice to know that she would be her own character as opposed to just looking a bit different. While nothing is confirmed and Martin’s comments should not be taken as an announcement of such a character, at least those that love making art of the Doom Slayer and Isabelle have been given some fresh ideas.
Doom Eternal is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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Source: Twitch