Favorite iterations of demons?

[Sar]

A lot of Doom demons appear in multiple games of the series, sometimes with drastically different designs, both visually and gameplay-wise. What's your favorite versions? This is a fun, chill thread which I'm definitely not paid to create!

Zombie

Only appear in D2016 and DE and I like 2016 version more, the one with hole in their heads. DE zombies are just a tad too goofy.

Former human/Possessed Soldier

DE version, but not by far. Dishonorable mention goes to Doom 2016 design for being incredibly generic.

Former sergeant/Shotgunner

Oh, how I hate Doom Eternal shotgunners. You look the wrong way and boom, most of your health is gone. At least you can turn them into bombs with your Plasma Rifle. Best version of this monster by far!

Chaingunner/Riot Soldier

I like the gimmick of Riot Soliders in Doom Eternal - they have a completely impenetrable shield (and a helmet to match) that only protects them from the front. But they can't hold a candle to the blood-soaked menace that is the original Doom 2 Chaingunner, definitely the best version of this monster.

Possessed Engineer/Cueball

I'm just including them for the sake of completeness. Doom 2016 version is a (slowly) walking exploding barrel. Eternal's version is completely passive, but can be used for some funny set-ups, so I'll go with that.

Imp

I never liked classic Imps - too brown. My favorite version is actually Doom 3 imps, I think they look cool with multiple eyes, crawling around like spiders. Too bad they only crawl around in cutscenes and during scripted sequences.

Lost Soul

Again I have to go with Doom 3 design, but that particular design only worked for Doom 3. The original ones are also great for being simple and very annoying. Eternal and 2016 versions barely exist.

Pinky/Demon

They look pretty much the same in 2016 and Eternal, but Eternal version is pinker, so I'll go with that. Doom 3 has the creepiest version, however, so honorable mention to that. But I don't think it's as fun to fight as the DE version.

Spectre

I guess I'll go with Classic since DE/2016 versions lack the armor gimmick and I always thought the invisibility effect in the original games was fascinating. I like how they were much less noticeable in darker areas, encouraging map makers to place them there. They felt more impactful as well.

Arachnotron

Classic version used to scare me as a kid, so I just have to choose it. A huge brain on metal hoofed legs, armed with a plasma gun. What a great design.

Cacodemon

Original is the best and the cutest, but Eternal is a great recreation of it. Eternal Caco is also a true menace and very fun to fight due to that.

Pain Elemental

The Classic one is just goofy. Eternal version is a great mix of goofy and intimidating. I don't like D64 version very much, at least not visually.

Hell Knight

Doom 2016 version borrows excellent Doom 3 visuals, but gives this eyeless freak a new purpose - a tough melee enemy that jumps around and tries to pummel you to dust instead of stopping to fire an easily avoidable projectile. I really don't like that they added back eyes in Eternal. I think they wanted to make them more expressive for Glory Kill animations, but that just made them look less unique. Honorable mention: Gladiator boss in DE is basically a beefed up Classic Hell Knight.

Baron

Seemingly no one likes Fireborne Barons from Doom Eternal, except for me. I just love the idea that underneath their skin runs not blood, but pure hellfire, and you expose it by shooting off chunks of their flesh. It's so cool, and so are their flaming blades. One of my favorite designs in Eternal.

Cyberdemon/Tyrant

They're very similar, but also way too different in gameplay to compare. Cybers in Classic are massive missile turrets capable of obliterating Doomguy in 1-2 shots and eating up either a ton of conventional ammo or requiring very precise BFG usage to defeat. In a way, that, and the way they're used by mappers to help player initiate infighting, makes them much more unique that Eternal's version, which is fun to fight but isn't that different from every other demon. So, while I like Eternal's Tyrants a lot, I think I might give this one to Classic Cybbies. Also, those orange pipes on a Tyrant instead of exposed guts, not too fond of those.

If I have to mention Doom 2016 version, I gotta say that it was fun to fight but the design wasn't the best. Wasn't the worst either.

Mancubus

Visually, I think Doom 3 version is the most impressive. Big, grotesque mound of pale flesh, tentacled mouth, they look truly intimidating, nothing comical about them. Too bad they barely exist in the game since they're huge and most of the game takes place in narrow corridors. Second place would be Eternal's version. Look good, close enough to Classic, and very fun to fight.

Cybermancubus

Everyone made fun of 2016 Cyber-manc wearing VR Goggles, but I actually like that design a lot. 2016 Cyber-mancs have a goofy helmet. They're way more fun to fight, however.

Arch-Vile

Doom 2 version is just the best. Pale, thin, creepy, great sounds, great gimmicks. One of my favorite Doom enemies.

Spider Mastermind

Love the 2016 version, both the looks and the variety of attacks. The original one is a bit of a joke - a boss with hitscan attack sounds scary, and can be scary, but if you have the BFG you can one-shot it pretty easily. The one thing I'd give to Classic Spider-mommy is that it can be used as a beefy regular enemy - 2016 version is a heavily scripted boss fight - but it's a good one!

Revenant

Those poor guys got nerfed so hard in every single one of their iterations after Doom 2, that I almost forgot to include them. Classic version is still the best, though I think giving them jetpacks was a fun decision. Honorable mention goes to Doom 3, they look good in that game with translucent skin. Too bad you can destroy them and all of their rockets with the Plasma Rifle.

[Grampire]

Classic Archvile is Nightmare Fuel, so I'll go with that version for that demon.

[SuperFly]

DOOM:Eternal has the best designs across the board. There's no question, there.
DOOM2016 was afraid to go the fully monty, it seemed -- with the generic possessed class being a particular eyesore for me.
I don't even think they have an Arch-Vile? I believe they split it into a Harvester/Summoner.

[Sar]

I suspect a lot of Doom 2016 designs came from the "Call of Doom" iteration, which was deliberately very gritty/sci-fi.

Then again, Prowler demon is 100% a Call of Doom design and he fits pretty well, at least after a recolor.

Summoner is actually my favorite Doom 2016 design. Added some much needed chaos to fights, plus it just looks hot. And yeah, it pretty much replaces Archie in 2016's Campaign.

[harbinger]

In general, I prefer Doom Eternal's versions of all demons. They are more realistic and more complex.

I didn't really like much the original Doom 1 and 2 (which I haven't yet finished), except for the weapons and demons, which were very diverse, but one thing I liked about these Dooms was the Baron of Hell's scream, which makes him quite scary. Doom Eternal could have made the Baron of Hell a little bit scarier.

Another demon I really liked from Doom 2016 was the female version of the archvile. I wish it also appeared in Doom Eternal, maybe sometimes as a couple with the archvile.

I don't agree with your comment on the archvile and arachnotron. I prefer Doom Eternal versions. I agree that the cacodemon from the original Doom is really a nice cute demon. I really love the imps from Doom Eternal and Doom 2016. The way they move is so cool and funny.

[Sar]

Originally posted by func approx:

Another demon I really liked from Doom 2016 was the female version of the archvile. I wish it also appeared in Doom Eternal, maybe somtimes as a couple with the archvile.

It kinda does appear in the DLCs, but its function is completely different.

[harbinger]

If you mean the spirits, I don't think are the same demon. Like you said, they have different behavious. I've never thought they were the same demon anyway, but https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Summoner suggests it might be an evolution of the summoner

[harbinger]

Yes, there's no archvile in Doom 2016.

The first time I met the archvile in Doom Eternal (which was also the first time I met it in any Doom game), I immediately fell in love with it. It's definitely one of my favourite demons.

[HunterSouls]

Originally posted by Sar:

I suspect a lot of Doom 2016 designs came from the "Call of Doom" iteration, which was deliberately very gritty/sci-fi.

I could call Doom eternal "Sonic Doom Raider". LUL

Originally posted by func approx:

In general, I prefer Doom Eternal's versions of all demons. They are more realistic and more complex.

I didn't really like much the original Doom 1 and 2 (which I haven't yet finished), except for the weapons and demons, which were very diverse, but one thing I liked about these Dooms was the Baron of Hell's scream, which makes him quite scary. Doom Eternal could have made the Baron of Hell a little bit scarier.

Play then doom 1 and 2 with mods (brutal doom) awith metalic ost they did from original music dooms.

I believe the doom 3 did a better job on revenants, IMPS,archviles,hell knights walking heavy, and of course my favorite cyberdemon from doom 3(they deserve a remake).
Doom 2016 zombies,spiders
Doom eternal : tyrant,hell knights and icon of sin (doom 2 just fight the head)
Doom 64: I love the Cacodemons andPain Elemental more scary not a stupid flying cookie fart skulls around.
I liked too the Mother Demon also known as the Rectabus.
PS. Fun fact in Doom (2016), there's this seriously freaky setup in that main room with all those tanks full of demons. And then, if you poke around behind Dr. Olivia Pierce's office (I think is that call it), you stumble upon this whole other level of weirdness. You find the Soul Cube, and this hologram showing the Doom Slayer's tomb and his suit. Right there in the tank closest to the Soul Cube, you spot what looks like a fetus version of the Mother Demon.

[Joker]

Spirit and summoner are different demons, but the model for the spirit is a reused asset. It's the summoner model with a recolor and a few tweaks.

[Ace]

Cyberdemon/Tyrant from both classic & eternal & classic arch-vile for me the map hunted was intense on UV.

[Sar]

Hunted is such a classic.