Marathon Review

If you’re after an honest review that isn’t going to talk crap about Steam player counts and suchlike, you’ve come to the right place. Whilst this is an Xbox-centric website and Xbox is my favourite place to play video games, I actually like to see games do well. With Halo creators Bungie now Sony property, some may feel bitter about them parting ways with Xbox. That said, though, they are a talented team that always brings pristine polish to all the games they create. Marathon is now available on Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 5 and PC and features cross-platform play across all platforms. After moving on from the Destiny universe, how does this first-person extraction shooter fare? Keep reading to hear my overall thoughts.

High Stakes Gameplay With Risk & Reward

Extraction shooters seem to be at the forefront of gaming recently. With Arc Raiders dominating the gaming space for months and still doing very well, is there room for another in the genre? The more the merrier, I say and hats off to Bungie for delving into a new IP. I say new, Marathon is a series of games from the mid-1990s, none of which I had the pleasure of playing.

At its core, though, this new experience is an extraction shooter with a mixture of AI enemies and real-life online squads. Dropping you into hostile environments to scavenge for loot, complete challenges and try to hold onto your inventory as you come across other teams. The goal ultimately is to escape unscathed, but if you die, you lose everything in that run completely. Gunplay is sublime, with great fluidity and movement, with each class’s abilities aiding each other in the heat of battle.

Completing objectives, extracting with resources, and turning loot into coins will drive you deep into progressing your loadouts, skill trees and characters. If you managed to get your hands on the Server Slam, that was only a small slice of what is on offer during the full title. There is no campaign here, but the story and narrative are woven through during cutscenes when completing the objectives for different factions. Each run is progress, whether you live or die, you’ll keep levelling to unlock more. But the joy is in finding those rare drops and getting out of there or locking heads with another squad. Slay them off and steal all their gear with your head held high.

A Neon‑Drenched Sci‑Fi World That Looks Stunning

Marathon is a visually striking game and looks stunning on a high-end 4K TV. Whilst there are only a few worlds to play on to start with, the design quality is excellent. With a wide palette of vibrant neon colours coating buildings, weaponry and even character cosmetics, it all just looks very pretty. With crisp 4K presentation on Xbox Series X with HDR lighting effects, it complements the great work done with the art design. Buildings have vents, tunnels and plenty of areas to scour for loot. The attention to detail throughout each zone is outstanding. I just wish there was a bit more.

The UI and inventory screens clearly could do with a bit of work. But once you invest time in the game, you just get used to them. Cosmetics throughout the game are much better than you’d expect, and some of the character skins have some beautiful, unique designs. Cosmetics can be unlocked through ticking off challenges throughout the game, in the battle pass or in the store if you really want to stand out from the crowd. Some of the skins look fresh out of a Cyberpunk world, with some fancy touches like visor effects.

Tense Precision Audio Design That Will Have You On Edge

I feel like Bungie is at the top of the table when it comes to audio design throughout their games. As someone who uses a high-end gaming headset, I can tell you that the eerie sci-fi atmosphere sounds brilliant. Footsteps are a real bugbear of mine in first-person shooter titles if they aren’t done right, yes, I’m looking at you, Battlefield 6. Thankfully, in Marathon, they are audible from near or far, and they add real tension to gunfights.

One example is when my two random teammates died, I ran to hide in a vent. On the edge of my seat, I could hear them running around looking for me, getting louder as they drew closer. Weaponry is punchy, and you can feel and hear the feedback as it thunders into the AI robots, eventually splitting them apart. I’d say the sound design is likely one of the game’s strongest points, with immersion that is nailed by Bungie yet again.

Final Thoughts

Once the gameplay loop of Marathon clicks with you, it is a fantastically polished experience with exceptional gunplay. Sure, there is a big learning curve, and a lot doesn’t make sense at first. What I enjoyed about the fact that your hand isn’t held here whatsoever is that you’re left to learn it all alone or with friends. Whilst the gameplay does have some Destiny similarities, it isn’t a direct clone and stands on its own feet. Aesthetically, it’ll please most, while others dislike how it’s presented. Diving into runs, ticking off challenges, unlocking rewards, and gathering currency for unwanted loot is an addictive, rinse-and-repeat loop. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s a promising start to a solid shooter with well-grounded foundations.

Playing with your mates is obviously the way to go here. But you can go lone soldier as a rook, or see out runs with randoms. The atmosphere of constant tension, chaotic gunfights and exploring the small but detailed worlds on offer is an enjoyable feat. My only concern is how long the fun lasts before it becomes stale, but after 30 hours, I’m still plugging away and enjoying it. Fingers crossed, Bungie will support this one for the long haul, but this will only be with Sony’s blessing.