Marathon is the latest IP from the creators of Halo and Destiny. Bungie joins the extraction shooter genre with this FPS, PvPvE style addition set in a failed human colony of the future. It is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox X|S.
Shells Will Crack in Marathon
Destiny 2 is one of my top games on Steam, Though I haven’t been playing for a few expansions now. But my familiarity with worlds by Bungie have me looking forward to what Marathon has to offer. Especially since that whole artwork ordeal was settled. Now that it is here, how is it? Take a look at my thoughts in the review below.
Gameplay
Marathon is a first-person extraction shooter set in a futuristic timeline beyond humanity’s attempt to colonize the planet of Tau Ceti IV. As a runner, your consciousness inhabits a synthetic shell that allows you to traverse the planet’s surface while completing contracts for different factional groups with a vested interest in the tech and info left behind. Fight against the UESC forces guarding the sites and watch out for other runners also looking gain credits of their own. Death is only temporary.
Runs can be solo or with a crew of up to three players total. The general objective in Marathon seems to vary depending on what contract you currently have. Contracts are given out by the different factions. They vary from objectives such as looting certain containers or items to downing specific enemies or other runners. Some contracts are also multipart that each need to be completed in one round.
Advancing your factions in Marathon seems to be the best path of progression. Advancement in reputation leads to the ability to pick up passive bonuses. It also provides additional items to buy from. Some of these passives require loot to upgrade though, which I am finding to be a challenge.
Live, Die, Repeat
The most stream-lined mechanic of the game from my experience is the time from ending a run to starting a new one. Spamming spacebar (on PC) is all you need, since a free kit is automatically set as your default loadout (at least it was prior to writing this). I die a lot in Marathon, so I didn’t mind this at all. However, the actual time searching for a run gets a bit old. Especially because I don’t want to watch that moth video any more than I have to…
So yes, loss of your shell is an expectation rather than an exception. Despite this fact, it is extremely frustrating at times. To the point that it is making Marathon less enjoyable for a non-competitive, solo player like myself. Especially when you’re trying to complete the introduction quests to the different factions and you die halfway through over and again. Regardless if I use a free kit or come in totally decked out, my encounters with other runners often go poorly. Maybe I’m just getting to old for this stuff, but even on the map with the lowest threat level there are some very difficult encounters.
Shells and Customizations
Marathon currently has six different runner Shells, or what you could consider to be classes of a sort. Each has their own unique abilities that compliment a different playstyle. Finding a combination of weapons, mods, and implants to enhance your build is paramount. I originally was playing with the Thief Shell but have since settled on the Recon. There is also an odd shell called a Rook with some unique circumstances.
Shells are customizable via different skin unlocks. These unlocks come from both completing objectives from the codex as well as specials like the deluxe edition of Marthon and seasonal premium rewards pass. Weapon skins are also unlocked in the same way and do not get lost if you die with one equipped in a run.
Graphics & Audio
The first time I heard Marathon come around it was for a public playtest. But then there was some heat about some artwork being used as the palette without being credited to the original artist. That has since been resolved, with the game holding onto the bright, cybernetic punk aesthetic. On PC at 2k resolution it is looking great. My only complaint is that the menus seem to really clash with how brightly things contrast with one another. It makes it hard to focus on what I’m trying to read on different items at times.
The audio track in Marathon is decent, with a number of audio clues readily present. Footsteps are really hard to read though in some of the multi-level areas. It’s hard to pin down where exactly the enemy is and if it is moving like a bot or a runner. The music overlay adds to the cybernetic aesthetic in my opinion as well.
Longevity
It has been pretty rough as a new player in Marathon. I don’t feel the game really gives you enough of an introduction before it plops you down right into the crosshairs. However, the more I play the game the better I am understanding the maps, mechanics, and most importantly what to look for to loot. The end game map is where the most dedicated runners will end up spending their time. For a casual player like myself, it will take me long enough just to rank up my factions and passive bonuses.
Final Thoughts
Marathon feels like a solid game that was built more for PvP than PvPvE. Despite trying to promote a semblance of teamwork with the proximity chat, you’re just more likely to get killed than get help killing that difficult bot. It also has a deep storyline and lore that I would love to explore, but am having a hard time following along between bouts of dying. If you’re into highly competitive FPS games and are looking for something to scratch that extraction itch, this may be for you.
Marathon is deserving of the Thumb Culture Silver Thumb!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoy this review, check out my other reviews here.
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