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The Slayer will now find themselves in the Belly of the Beast in the 18th chapter ofDoom: The Dark Ages. While this chapter is much more battle-heavy, there are still a handful of secrets to encounter. And hey, since these secrets are sandwiched between some of the more challenging encounters in the game, you probably want to get them the first time around.
This guide will show you the way to each and every secret hidden in the guts of this stage. Since it issucha combat-focused chapter, we will also give you suggestions on how to overcome some of the tougher encounters you’ll face off against in this stage.
Demonic Essence
The first thing of note that will happen in this chapter is that you’ll face amassivesquad of demons. This will be one of the most difficult encounters you’ll have faced up to this point in the game. My recommendation to you is that youtravel along the left wall,killing each demon you encounter as you circle the arena. If you get too close to the right side,you will end up having to deal with the toxic puddlesthe Mancubus fires all around you, which is a real pain. If you follow this path, you will kill demons in this order…
Once you’ve cleared out the first batch of demons, you’ll be attacked by a few Cacodemon Hybrids, and then by a Cosmic Baron and an Acolyte.Killing the Acolyte will provide you with a well-earned Demonic Essence.
The Treasure Chest In The First Arena
Once you’ve cleared the first area, face your back to the entrance. On yourwest side of the arena, you’ll find a breakable wall. Once you Shield Charge through it, you will be able to find the first treasure chest.
The Life Sigil In The First Area
If you were to head straight ahead from this room’s entrance, you’d end up a littleto the right of the glowing blue gears. Up above, there is an opening. You should be able to make out a green corpse up there. Toss your shield into it, shield jump up, and you will be able to follow a trail of gold to a Life Sigil.
The Hidden Gold In The Room With The Blocks
Once you enter the room that has three Shield Chargeable blocks,Shield Charge the one closest to the entrance. This will release a hidden Lost Soul demon and a Nightmare Imp Stalker. It will also open up a hidden room with gold inside.Now, slam into the block that is across from the entrance. This will release a bunch of Plasma Shield Soldiers and a Cosmic Baron. Once you kill them, collect the piles of gold inside the room.
If you are curious, the block in the middle will release a ton of Shield Soldiers and a Whiplash demon. However, you won’t get any gold or anything for your troubles.
Reaching The Ruby Up Above
Look up, and you should see both a green corpse and blue glowing gears. Plant your shield in the gears first, which will cause the platform to move recess into the wall, then toss your shield into the corpse so that you can shield jump up to the level above you. Now, climb the nearby wall, andturn around. You should see a worm-like tunnelacross from you. Jump across the gap and into the tunnel.
When you’ve cleared out the arena, you’ll find that Tentacles will start popping up out of the ground. Parry them to get some health.
The Treasure Chest Above The Second Organ
Once you have cleared out the room with the Agadonn Hunter and Revenant,destroy the second organ, then, look to your right. There is another green corpse you’re able to shield hop up to. Do so and you’ll find a treasure chest hidden up here.
The Big Encounter Before The Third Organ
You need to clear this encounter to get the collectibles in this area, if you are only concerned with getting those collectibles, jump to the next section.
Once you enter the area with the third organ, you are going to need to fight through a four-phase encounter where you will open up areas as you clear out squadrons of demons.
The first phase will pit you against Stone Imps, Shield Soldiers, Arachnotrons, Mancubuses, and a Cyberdemon. The best thing to do is toclear out the first Mancubus and the Stone Imps, then bee-line it across the stage to get to the Cyberdemon. Now you won’t have to worry about the Cyberdemon hitting you with those spikes. With him gone, carefully take out the remaining Mancubuses and Arachnotrons. They mainly stay in their own areas, so you won’t need to worry about getting swarmed.
The second phase will face you off against Imp Stalkers, Mancubuses, Arachnotrons, and a Cosmic Baron. You’ll have a lot of room to work, so I found thatthinning out the horde with missiles and then swooping in to finish the remaining demons off up closewas highly effective.
This final phase is, by far, the most difficult. You will find yourself locked into a space with a ton of empowered fodder demons and Soldiers. There a so many of them that it is easy for them to overwhelm you, and they do a ton of damage in their enhanced form. What I found worked best was tosprint along the left side, avoiding the fodder as I went, jump up the left area where the toxic river is spilling over, and then hook around to the Mancubus Demon Leader and pump it full of Super Shotgun rounds.
Once you kill the Mancubus, aVagary Demon, and a Revenant will appear. Head back into the wider area, heal up by collecting recovery items, or using upgraded weapons to get some health, and then attack them from afar with grenades and missiles. Then, finish them off up close with more rounds from your Super Shotgun.You could also just use your B.F.C.
The Codex In The River Of Acid
Once you’ve killed the Vagary Demon and Revenant, you’ll be able to work your way backward through this area to get all the treasures. The Codex is sitting in the area where you fought the Vagary demon. The Codex ishovering above the Acid River. Jump in and grab it.
The Life Sigil In The Area With The Third Organ
From the third organ, follow the left wall until you find an entrance into a chamber. Enter the chamber and look up. You should see some glowing blue gears, throw your shield into them to stop the nearby tunnel’s chewing action. Run through the tunnel, follow the massive trail of gold, climb a wall, and you will be facing a Life Sigil.
Completing The Swallowed Whole Challenge And Getting The Komodo Toy
Keep following that wall on your left, and you will eventually find your way to a door with glowing gears, bury your shield in them and prepare yourself for a tough combat challenge. You will need to fight…
Once you clear all four phases,you will complete the Swallowed Whole challengeand be able to grab the Komodo toy.
As for tips on how to complete this encounter, stay in the middle for the Mancubus, their ranged attack is very predictable and easy to encounter. Then, in the next phase, get up close and personal with the Hell Knight and attempt to take them out as quickly as possible.I used the Chaingun and Mace here. Once you have taken them out, the Whiplash demon is a lot easier to handle.
I think the Revenant demon pair is the toughest part of this encounter. So, I used my B.F.C to take them out.For the Cyberdemon, just be in the center,as you will want to be close enough to trigger their melee attacks. From there, parry their attacks while hitting them with shots from your favorite powerful weapon (the Super Shotgun would work well).
In between each round, Soldier Demons will pop up. You can use them to farm for health or ammo (what you use to do that will depend on which weapons you have upgraded).
