[h1] Somewhere in the Heavens... [/h1]
[h2] TLDR version: [/h2]
Despite its problematic media presence and concerning diagnostics, Marathon delivers a truly fresh take on an otherwise “set-in-stone” niche genre. An extraction shooter that holds your hand in the rough beginning stages but doesn't rob the player of the brutal yet satisfying grind that is the road to notorious riches and extravagant escapades. All this is served within an incredibly interesting world with lore that has been carefully handcrafted since the 90s and gunplay that carries the signature Bungie seal of quality. Not without its issues, of course, bugs tend to linger more than they should. However, this game tends to be, more often than not, a polished experience worth pouring hours into mastering its intricate yet approachable mechanics.
[h2] Diving deeper: [/h2]
[h3] The Lore (spoiler free): [/h3]
Set 8 centuries into the future, in a world where humanity is facing extinction; the game tells the story of our desperate attempt to persevere. The human colony of Mars sends an interstellar colony ship named “The Marathon” to the nearest star system to ours, Tau Ceti aiming to colonize it and offering the people back home hope for the future. However, the ship never communicated back, the people seemingly vanished and with it, our chances for survival dwindle as our biggest “Noah’s Ark” has gone dark.
The world now depends on Runners, synthetic shells that harbor consciousness slaves. They are sent to Tau Ceti to investigate what went wrong, gather evidence, and perform damage control. Our soul belongs in a corporate database, void of a body, forced to live and die on repeat until we pay off our debts to the people responsible for sending The Marathon across the stars. The truth is, however, that our debt is bottomless; the corporation never cared about the people lost in the expedition, and the ship never magically disappeared or lost its course. Lies, corruption, greed and unrestricted ambition doomed The Marathon and therefore humanity. The game tells the story of our greatest achievement sentencing us to death for sins we’ve been conducting for ages. We are here to pull back the curtain and smell the ashes of a kingdom long lost to the futility of human nature.
[h3] The Gameplay: [/h3]
The game is played in trios, duos and solos, thus giving a lot of choices to people with different or no friend groups. There are 3 base maps at the moment and one endgame map experience that I'll analyze further on. All maps are carefully designed to foster dynamic gunfights of all kinds as well as many activities for the teams to tackle and eventually find each other. Each map has a distinct identity and mechanics that accompany it, so the three experiences you will have with them will be unique and magnetizing for different reasons.
The fighting is pure adrenaline and high stakes. The fast TTK (time-to-kill) promotes pre-planning and fast decision making within each altercation with enemy combatants. Fights feel engaging since fighting a kitted team doesn't mean that you are going to lose and by the same token, coming in kitted yourself doesn't ensure safety. You are, at all times, a few decisions away from glory or the lobby menu. Gunplay and the way it is interlaced with the shell abilities makes it so fun to learn and master your designated playstyle, in the plethora of weapons and characters to choose from.
Coupled with an in-depth upgrade system of your shell and the traders you perform barters with, the game provides a lot of content and goals to tackle throughout each season. Progression is dictated not by the game but by the player. Each person can choose their goal. You can try to be insanely rich, max out your character tree, climb the ranks in the competitive mode, see the story through to the end by finishing tasks, complete the end-game boss, or even try to do everything or nothing at all! In true extraction shooter fashion, you can do as you please. Within all of it, there are many cosmetics you can earn for free and keep forever by naturally playing the game and filling your codex.
For me, however, one of its best additions is undoubtedly the endgame map Cryo Archive. Open only a few days a week, this map is where everyone bearing wealth comes to seek notoriety, even crazier riches, top tier PvP, or even answers... Set entirely within the abandoned husk of the actual Marathon ship, this experience is without a doubt a masterpiece of multiplayer map design and a triumph for Bungie. A space so large, so Daedalic and drenched in mystery, will be enough to inspire awe to whoever dares to enter it for the first time! It serves as an organic way to lose gear and repeat the cycle of loot accumulation without waiting for wipes. Your stacked gear becomes a price of entry for something new rather than a tool to bully less fortunate players. Within Cryo also lies the Compiler, the one and only boss of this game. Defeating him will take the coordinated effort of a team who has done it all in the world of Marathon. A satisfaction that for me personally is unrivaled by all gaming accolades I've experienced.
It is important though to highlight that this game is far, and I mean really far from perfect. There are annoying bugs that take way too long to be looked after, server issues that delay or break matchmaking sometimes, and poor connection issues that cause things like rubberbanding. At the same time balancing sometimes feels dodgy, as the twists and turns to the meta of PvP and the economy feel questionable at times. I do applaud however, the dedication to redefine and place the game in the “perfect” spot even though the way there does feel rather bumpy. Last but certainly not least, event support and new content additions are slow and confusing. There is a lot of ground to cover on the topic of game maintenance, and sadly this is what makes or breaks a game like this. Certainly, Marathon needs to be extra careful on this regard since sales performances and player retention seem to be a burning issue.
[h3] The Art Direction and Sound Design: [/h3]
One thing that everybody can agree on is that this game is intensely visually distinct. From its color pallet all the way to character and map design, Marathon aims to be memorable. Wanting to stand out, however, doesn't win everyone over. Bungie knew this and committed to the bit all the way. Everything you lay your eyes on ends up stimulating you in different ways, making you think about why everything feels so foreign yet so familiar. The empty hallways, the painted walls, and the decaying colony establishments tell horror stories. You are always stepping into a freeze frame of something that went terribly wrong but you can't explain how.
Coupling that with the incredible two album original soundtrack, you are presented with a visual and auditory feast that stays with you long after you close the application. The ambient sound design also boasts significant depth both in the department of gameplay as well as atmospheric background "noise".
[h2] The Verdict: [/h2]
As you can tell, I love Marathon despite its flaws. I also believe in the vision that Bungie forged and showcased these past few months. I really don't know if this game will survive the next coming years, I can only hope that the developers, (whoever is left at least) can put out there the image of this game they had in their minds when they first conceived the idea of this project many years ago. The reason I gravitated to this title is because it is a passion project. Bungie didn't just want to get this out there; they needed to! Spectacular pieces of art that are fun to engage with can only come from this kind of place, a special place, the artists' heart and soul. Somewhere in the Heavens, they are waiting... As for who? I hope we find out.
[b] See you starside! [/b]
