Cyberdemon (Doom 3)

"Witness what will be unleashed on Earth!"

- Betruger

The Cyberdemon, also referred to as "Hell's mightiest warrior" by the Soul Cube, is found guarding the Primary Excavation Site's massive Hell Hole portal as the fourth and final boss of Doom 3. It is the most powerful monster in the game, like its original counterpart, attacking by firing a salvo of three consecutive rockets from its arm-mounted rocket launcher. It stands roughly 20 feet tall, more than 3 times as tall as a human soldier.

The Doom 3 Cyberdemon has several tactical differences from its classic counterpart. If approached at close range, it can stomp on the player with its massive legs, killing him instantly. It is also completely impervious to all forms of conventional firepower. The Soul Cube initially states that it is the only way to defeat the Cyberdemon, and this proves true in combat. Four shots from the ancient artifact are required to kill the Cyberdemon. Fortunately, there are plenty of imps and maggots emerging from the Hell Hole which can be killed to recharge the Soul Cube.

Visual differences in this new incarnation of the monster as compared to its classic counterpart can be observed in the picture to the right. Though it is not shown in the picture, the Doom 3 Cyberdemon has a long tail extending from the machinery on its back, and both its legs are mechanical rather than only one. Another noticeable difference is that the rocket launcher is now located on the beast's right arm instead of the left.

The Cyberdemon did not make an appearance in the expansion packs Resurrection of Evil or The Lost Mission, so the one destroyed at the end of Doom 3 may have been the only one in the game's continuity.

The Cyberdemon is the only monster from the original games to be a boss in Doom 3. While a concept for the Spiderdemon was modeled by id Software, it was never completed.

Strategy
The basic strategy for taking down the Cyberdemon is to always be on the move. Never stay in one place for any reason or the Cyberdemon will nail you with its rockets. Your stamina does not decrease near the Hell Hole, so take advantage of this and use sprint constantly. The Cyberdemon's rockets are fast and have unlimited range, but they are fortunately not as powerful as those of its classic counterpart. The rocky spires around the Hell Hole prevent the Cyberdemon from getting a clear shot at you and should be exploited as cover, but be careful not to stray too close to the ledges as the rocket blasts can make you fall to your death in the Hell Hole. Also, do not think about going anywhere near the Cyberdemon; it will crush you instantly.

Throughout the battle, you will be constantly attacked by imps and maggots, which will either teleport in or come crawling out of the Hell Hole. You want to kill these monsters as quickly as possible in order to recharge the Soul Cube. Use the rocket launcher or the BFG 9000 to one-shot these demonic lackeys. Ammo should not be a concern, as this is the final battle of the game. Do not waste time picking up any health units on the ground, since the Soul Cube will heal you. Always stay on your feet and keep out of the Cyberdemon's line of sight until the Cube is ready.

Once your Cube is powered up, turn around and face the Cyberdemon itself. As soon as the Cube has been launched, get out of the Cyberdemon's sight and start running again. Be sure your targeting reticule is focused on the Cyberdemon before launching the Cube. If an imp or maggot is nearby, the Cube could target it instead of the Cyberdemon, wasting your shot.

After taking four hits from the Soul Cube, the Cyberdemon will die. In a gruesome cinematic, the Soul Cube dismembers the demon by first cutting off its leg, and then flying into its body while extending its various blades, cutting a channel through its entire corpse. After this, the Cube apparently sacrifices itself to seal the Hell Hole, and you win the game. Congratulations.

Trivia

 * Although the Cyberdemon is referred to as "Hell's mightiest warrior" by the Soul Cube, technically the Maledict is the game's strongest opponent as it has more health points. It is, however, vulnerable to conventional weapons. Also, the Maledict may not have yet existed have when the Soul Cube spoke the above statement, so it may not have been in error at the time.
 * Likewise, both the Invulnerability Hunter and the Berserk Hunter have more health points than the Cyberdemon; however, they are also vulnerable to conventional weapons.
 * The Cyberdemon's cybernetic eyes are similar to the Commando's eyes.
 * The Soul Cube's amputation of the leg opposite of the Cyberdemon's rocket launcher might be a reference to the original Cyberdemon's prosthetic limb, though since the monster dies immediately afterward, this seems inconsequential.