Doom II timeline

Doom II timeline covers some of the differences between releases of Doom II (in relation to Doom I). In particular it contrasts the PC releases.

Background

Doom II's timeline is slightly different set of events compared to ending of Doom I (though it presumably takes place in the same universe as Doom 1). The main difference is that the hero of Doom II gets back to earth from UAC Mars Base via a drop ship (While the hero from Doom I made it back to earth from Phobos via Hell through a demonic transporter). The official Doom II strategy guide appears to follow a blend of the Doom II story/manual (rather than Doom I) events (though its less clear) see Doom II: The Story Continues.

Note: even some parts of Doom II Strategy guide (see Doom (lore)) ignores the manual story, and suggest its the same character from the original game, and 'following-up' from where Doom left off;

At the end of Doom, Our Hero, having returned to Earth, is left staring at a flaming city, evidence that the demon aggressors have arrived ahead of him.

Final Doom is a followup to Doom II/Master Levels (and more or less No Rest for the Living). One episode taking place directly after events of Doom II and the other a year (or few years later).

Technically speaking there is no indication on how much time passes between Doom 1 and Doom II. The official strategy guide may suggest some time has passed between them.

The Doom 64: The Story (Remaster)/Doom 64 Remaster timeline from Doom 64 (2020 remaster) may make a reference to this version of the backstory (see Doom 64: The Story (Remaster). Doom (2016)/Doom Eternal is a mix of variant Doom backstories (Doom I/II/Eternal) utilizing a multiverse backstory.

Notes

• The Marine of Doom II stopped invasion of UAC Mars Base before returning to Earth. Presumably during events that overlapped events of Doom 1.
  • Back at last. After days of hard fighting in space, you've returned home on well-earned leave. You're one of Earth's crack soldiers, hard-bitten, tough, and heavily-armed. When the alien invasion struck Mars, you were the first on the scene. By killing, killing, and killing, you won. You stopped the invasion, saved Mars base, and became a war hero. What they don't talk about so much is that you were the only survivor. But that's all behind you now. You've quit the military, and are heading home. Your drop pod lands with a crunch. You open 'er up and look out. Damn! The city ahead is on fire. What the devil is going on? You stagger forward, clutching at your sidearm. Packs of refugees are fleeing the flaming metropolis. A band of them shriek in terror. You squint. What's that? Someone is attacking the refugees. You rush up and blast away, killing the troublemaker. It looks like a human but something's wrong. His mouth is filled with half-chewed flesh, and he's all messed up, like a zombie from a bad horror movie. Hell, not again! You can feel it. It's all starting again, just like on Mars. First, people are taken over, turned into cannibal Things. Then the real horror starts, the deformed monstrosities from Outside. But now it's on Earth!
  • Situation Analysis: After days of fighting in space, you've returned to Earth only to find the situation is no better than it was on Mars. In fact, it's worse. The hell-spawned hordes are everywhere. Billions are dead. The few remaining survivors have planned to travel into space and save what's left of the human race. Unfortunately, the Earth's only transport has been taken over by flesh-eating mutants. You have to go back in action. Otherwise, humanity is history.
• Doom 64 Remaster story makes a reference to Doom II and the Mars base invasion.
  • In this follow up to DOOM II, you'll fight through demonic hordes, hunt down the Mother of Demons, and stop Hell's Invasion...
  • Years have passed since you stopped Hell’s invasion of Earth. Quarantined for humanity’s safety, the UAC research facilities on Mars were abandoned and forgotten...until now. A signal from a degraded satellite suggests a single entity remains, and it has the power to resurrect the demons. As the only surviving marine who fought Hell’s forces, you are sent on a lone crusade to hunt down the Mother of Demons and stop a renewed demonic invasion.
    • Note: In the original N64 title it was actually set on Phobos and made a reference to events of SNES Doom/Original Doom (first three DOOM episodes).
• Presumably if the Doom II manual backstory is true (as per Doom 64 Remaster references) then Marine of Doom II has to be a different Marine than that of the one in Original Doom/Ultimate Doom.
  • As noted the original Doom 64 (N64) was more of a sequel to Doom SNES/Original Doom PC (original release minus Thy Flesh Consumed) without the invasion of Earth. It was more of an alternate Doom II. It took places after Doom II but no Earth invasion had happened yet since he returned from Hell. The Remaster tied it into Doom II Mars Invasion backstory.
• Final Doom was released as a stand alone followup to Doom II (two episodestaking place during the earth's clean up months/years after Doom II).
• No Rest for the Living is a story added later by Doom II Xbox Arcade release as a followup to ending of Doom II (and ported to other consoles via various BFG edition releases).
• Legacy of Rust is newest official campaign after No Rest for Living taking place sometime later in the timeline.
• The events of Doom RPG (and mentioned in Doom II RPG) and Doom 3 somewhat reflect this Marine's backstory both games covering Mars base invasion.
• While ending of Inferno specifically states that ending of Inferno (and later Thy Flesh Consumed) is set on Earth (A hidden doorway opens and you enter. You've proven too tough for Hell to contain, and now Hell at last plays fair -- for you emerge from the door to see the green fields of Earth! Home at last. You wonder what's been happening on Earth while you were battling evil unleashed.) Is it possible that the writers of Doom II manual thought it was a terraformed Mars base? Due to the red martian-like skies in the ending cutscene? And thought it was a depiction of the Martian base invasion? Note: The pet Daisy storyline has its own plotholes. Like if Doom Guy was on Mars for several years why would his pet be back on Earth without him.
• The achievements/marketing for Doom II Enhanced Unity ports might place timing of Doom II back in 1994 at around the time of the game's release.