Reviewed on PS5
Now that the big “Server Slam” for Bungie’s new extraction shooter Marathon has come to a close, I’d like to take a little bit of time to discuss my first impressions of the game. This is not going to be a full blown review as the game doesn’t release until later next week (March 5), but I will talk about how I would rate the game and if I think it is worth spending your hard earned money for. So, let’s run right into it!
Art Style/Graphics
The thing that piqued my interest with Marathon when I first saw the trailer was its art style. There has always been something about that arcade-like look of games that intrigues me to at least give them a shot. However, that futuristic, color popping style on the maps made the game feel a little too bright for my taste. I am definitely not the first person to say this, but the game almost had a Nintendo’s Splatoon feel to it in terms of the maps and overall color. That’s not to say that the environment of Marathon isn’t cool, I just think that I prefer a little bit more of a toned down feel to an extraction shooter like this; you almost get distracted by everything that’s going on onscreen because the colors are so in your face.
Combat and Movement
While playing this game, I wouldn’t say that you’d have to tell me that Bungie made it. The gunplay absolutely felt like I was playing Destiny. Killing the UESC robots felt like taking down mobs on Venus, and taking out other Runners had a similar feel to playing the Trials. I will say that many of the guns felt the same, and I couldn’t tell you what the best one to use it, but shooting them sure was satisfying.
Now, I will say that for a game that calls you a “Runner,” and one that was advertised as a fast paced game, the movement feels a little slow. Marathon makes up for that with relatively smaller maps, but I did find myself wishing that I was faster. The sliding is absolutely useless and dashing takes up way too much stamina to consider it a viable option.
What Sets it Apart
The main comparison that I am seeing online is people comparing Marathon to the widely successful ARC Raiders. Which, in all fairness, is perfectly a legitimate comparison. Both games are labeled extraction shooters and are absolutely fighting for your time and money. The mindset that allowed me to enjoy this game a bit more than I was, was understanding that just because this is an extraction shooter, it is very different from ARC Raiders, and that’s okay.
For starters, although Marathon is a PvPvE game, it clearly emphasizes PvP. The way that I thought of this game was it was basically an extraction version of [insert any online FPS game]. Marathon is not about building community and working together to defeat some big robot, it’s about getting all the loot you can and exfilling. Understanding that I wasn’t in the game to make friends, allowed me to see Marathon in a different light, and I started to enjoy it.
Because this game is PvP focused, the ability to revive downed teammates, even after they’ve already died, is huge. There is nothing worse in ARC Raiders than when a squad takes one of your teammates out and you’re forced to play the rest of the round one man down. It is even worse being that man down and having to sit with yourself knowing that you just lost your Bobcat IV and have to watch as your friend finds a blueprint that you’ve been desperately looking for weeks for (I’m not mad, you’re mad!).
Furthermore, speaking on PvP, Marathon is obviously a game that is meant to be played with a full team. I had an infinite amount of more fun when playing with a random squad than I ever did playing solo matches. The reason is simple, Marathon is a shoot first, ask questions later, type of game. I’m not running around saying “Don’t shoot” or “Friendly,” it’s on sight in Marathon, and you better be ready, because the time to kill is quick in this one. Having a team with you for that, allows your rounds to last longer, as it’s much easier to fight a team than be all alone fighting 3 different people all trying to complete the same mission.
Another key difference are the Shells (the characters that you play as). There are seven different playable characters, all with different abilities to help you as you make your way through a round. For example, one is based on agility, another is meant to be the team medic, and third is a support. This allows for more diversity when playing the game as when you’re playing as a team, you can try to craft one that will best suit exactly what your goal is.
On top of that, I really liked the faction system that Marathon included. There are 6 factions that your runner can work for, all with different missions and rewards for gaining cred with them. I also appreciated that you get credit for helping someone else do a faction mission, even if you don’t have any allegiance with that faction. This helps build lore into the game, as well as give players something to play for. This has always been one of my bigger complaints with ARC Raiders is that there really isn’t much end game unless you do an expedition. But, is starting over the game really an end game?
The final notable thing that sets Marathon apart is its customization options. Each shell has numerous skins, each weapon has different color variants, and emblems, and tags. It’s a game where you can really style everything to your liking. Now, I can see this being a point of contention as you know that this is going to be microtransaction heavy, but my stance has never changed with microtransactions: as long as they don’t give any competitive edge over other players, I really don’t find a problem with them. With a game as bright and colorful as Marathon, you already know there are going to be some sick skins in the future!
Final Thoughts
Overall, Marathon is definitely a fun game, especially if you’re looking for a game to sweat over. That small map, close combat, loot and leave loop is definitely something that I can see people wanting to come back to. However, that $40 price point is one that makes me believe that Marathon won’t be as successful as Bungie wants it to be. I do think that it will have a passionate core group of players that keep it alive, but I don’t see it being the massive hit that ARC Raiders is. Which leads me to the message that I want everyone reading this to understand: Marathon is not ARC Raiders, despite being extraction shooters, they are on two completely different sides of the extraction spectrum. One is bright and PvP centered, while the other is gloomy and meant to build community. That isn’t a knock on either title, I think that both games have something unique to offer players of different varieties of playstyles. It just so happens that one came out before the other and really knocked it out of the park. So, Marathon is by no means a bad game, it’s just not one that is going to take the world by storm, and that’s perfectly okay.