Marathon

amazing game

i like the gunplay

Absolutely love the idea of extraction shooters but haven’t loved any that I’ve tried… until Marathon. This game sands off a lot of the rough edges you get with other games in the genre while still providing enough friction to keep you engaged. The world building is incredibly well done with a fantastic art style that feels very unique and well thought out. Text and VO codex entries that you unlock provide you with glimpses into the world and are very engaging, especially if you’re interested in the lore from the previous games in the franchise. The audio design is unparalleled. I urge you to play solo and take your time sneaking through any given map, the sounds you hear in the dark and abandoned nooks and crannies of the maps can be downright haunting and add to the sense that you WANT to figure out what happened on Tau Ceti years before you showed up. All of the runner shells (preset characters you can play as) have unique play styles that are fun in their own ways and allow you to play in a way that works best for you. I was initially turned off by what seemed to be another hero shooter, but the personalities and designs of the shells are vague/nuanced enough that they never feel forced/cringe. The gunplay/combat both PvE and PvP feels like the bungie you’ve known and loved for decades. Equal parts Halo and Destiny, some guns feel like an analogue to guns you loved to use in either of the other respective franchises in the best way. If you’re a fan of either you’ll feel right at home. I’ve primarily played the game solo and have had a blast. The little bit of crew fill that I’ve done can be hit and miss, like any PvP game with random teammates, but if you’ve got a friend or two to play with the game can be exhilarating as you’re trying to gear up, solve environmental puzzles, and so on. Hoping for a more dedicated duos mode down the line (as of July 2026 one map allows for duos at a time, rotating on a daily basis, which can lead to a very stale night as you run the same map over and over and over. Rotating the Duos map on an hourly basis seems like it should be doable and would totally alleviate this problem). More PvE content/solo support would be incredible as well. As of right now (July 2026) the end game map only supports full teams of 3, either with friends or randoms, and is INCREDIBLY meta focused. Updates have been pushed out to try and change the meta in ways that help diversify the gear you can bring in but it’s definitely a tough map that REALLY intensifies the PvP aspect of the game. The PvE mode, Vault Breaker, added during the mid point of season 2 (July 2026) has been an absolute boon and I cannot wait to see what else they have in store for PvE come season 3. Working alone or with friends to cut your run time down and accomplish as much as you can in the 30 minute time limit is insanely fun and feels so rewarding when you hit that flow state and a run starts coming together. I think this game could have a really promising future as a team based PvE rougelike that also has a fantastic PvP component. The main thing it lacks right now is multi-map support and build diversity. But it’s an experimental mode at the moment so, understandably barebones. The game can be tough, as any PvP game can be, but losing everything in a run never feels as bad as it has for me in other games like Arc Raiders or Tarkov. There’s always a free loadout you can use, or cheap gear you can purchase (not for real money). Your next big win is always just around the corner if you’re willing to take your time and play smart. I cannot recommend Marathon enough. It’s a special game that has received copious amounts of hate for the sake of hating something. There’s clearly a passion for it at Bungie, as updates are frequent, and they’re not hesitant to try out new modes (like the limited time PvE experience), to see what works and what doesn’t.