Review: Marathon - Bungie's best gunplay, but it could be better!

Bungie is known in the industry for delivering Halo and Destiny, two franchises with very well-constructed universes and gameplay capable of captivating players for years. But now, another world has emerged: Marathon. Under the PlayStation Studios label, the game takes us to Tau Ceti IV, a universe where survival has become a weapon, but not everyone values ​​it.

What’s the meaning of “not everyone values ​​it”? Unlike the aforementioned franchises, the developer is now betting on an extraction shooter. In it, you’re a Runner, and every time you fail to fight against the UESC troops, the military force of the planet Tau Ceti, you can be resurrected by "super-advanced bioprinters" capable of downloading your mind from a server.

That's right, you choose your hull and guide yourself with your knowledge. A very different reality, but very well explained. This loop of extracting, losing loot, returning to your hub, and landing on Tau Ceti again is perfect. All of this blends together perfectly with gunplay that can be considered one of the studio's best to date. Sounds incredible, doesn't it? But the game does have its flaws.

To understand the universe of Marathon, it's necessary to go back many centuries before the start of the matches. Tau Ceti IV was the first human colony outside the solar system. The planet was colonized by UESC when the UESC Marathon spacecraft arrived in the Tau Ceti system in the year 2767.

The colony was named New Cascadia and quickly became an ambitious project for humanity. With biomes similar to Earth's, the planet seemed ideal for human expansion. At its peak, about 24,000 people lived there. But this promising future began to prove not so interesting (and safe) a few decades later.

In 2794, Tau Ceti IV suffered a devastating attack from the alien race known as Pfhor. The confrontation began when a reconnaissance ship detected a human presence on the planet. The attack wasn’t just a conventional invasion: the very system that sustained the colony began to collapse.

Part of this disaster is linked to the artificial intelligence Durandal, which had already shown signs of unstable behavior. During the attack, human forces attempted to resist using extremely advanced cybernetic soldiers. These combatants managed to contain part of the initial invasion, but the damage was already done. The Marathon ship itself suffered attacks in space, and its wreckage ended up falling on the planet.

Even after this catastrophic event, the colony apparently managed to survive for some time. Records indicate that Tau Ceti IV was rebuilt and returned to operation, albeit in a weakened state. This reconstruction period, however, also ended mysteriously. Few answers, right? Perhaps it's a strategy to keep us interested in digging through the files and audio scattered throughout the game world. It's been working.

Around 2804, all contact with the colony was lost. Catastrophes and the disappearance of humanity. Is it over? Not at all. Decades later, new records point to even stranger events. Cycles of hope begin and end. How’s the colony doing? Do we have the technology to truly see how everything is shaping up there?

In 2812, a biological or chemical attack struck the remaining human population on Tau Ceti IV. Another incident occurred in 2827, when an inexplicable event caused humans to simply explode without apparent cause. These successive catastrophes transformed the planet into an abandoned place, full of forgotten technology and ruins of a vanished civilization.

The result of all this was the same: Tau Ceti IV went into decline. By the end of the 29th century, the planet was considered practically dead. Even so, UESC decided to return to the location with new military forces. Just in case there's something there, right? And there was.

The official mission was never fully clarified, but everything indicates that the objective was to recover lost technology and investigate the events that led to the colony's collapse. This is where the Runners come in.

In the year 2893, Tau Ceti IV is no longer a human colony. The planet has become a dangerous exploration field, controlled by military drones and automated systems of the UESC. It’s in this environment that the Runners operate.

These mercenaries are sent to the planet to explore abandoned facilities, collect resources, and confront any threat that appears in their path. The difference compared to ordinary soldiers lies in the technology that sustains these combatants. And curiously, this is where one of the gameplay mechanics that justifies their return to the planet comes from.

Their minds can be digitally stored and transferred to new biological shells whenever necessary. This technology allows these explorers to return to action even after dying in combat.

This mechanic isn't just a narrative detail. It also explains the game's gameplay loop itself. Each incursion on Tau Ceti IV can end in success or failure. If the player dies during the mission, the Runner simply returns in a new body, ready to try again.

This constant cycle reinforces the idea that Runners are disposable tools in a much larger mission. The planet holds secrets that haven't yet been fully revealed, and each new incursion can bring clues about the fate of the colony, the humans, the technologies—yes, there's a lot lost, but the game seems to have something Destiny-like in store to be released little by little.

If the story creates the context, the gameplay is what truly sustains Marathon. And in that aspect, the game delivers exactly what you'd expect from a studio like Bungie, responsible for franchises like Halo and Destiny. The gunplay is simply exceptional, one of the best in the genre in terms of satisfaction when hitting a target. That's not an exaggeration, okay?

Each weapon has a very clear identity. The weight of the shots, the recoil, the visual and sound impact—everything contributes to creating an extremely satisfying feeling during combat.

And this quality isn't just in the basic weapons. The attachment system allows for profound modification of each piece of equipment's behavior. Some attachments improve accuracy, others increase damage or alter the rate of fire. Such variety creates a high level of customization.

Furthermore, the game separates different types of ammunition for each weapon, which adds a strategic layer during incursions. Managing resources becomes essential, especially when the player decides to explore more dangerous areas of the map.

This combination of well-built weapons and customization systems reinforces the game's main strength. Marathon may have structural flaws, but its combat base is extremely solid. As is its progression, which is linked to Factions and other character systems.

During progression, Runners can work for different organizations. Each faction offers specific advantages that directly impact how the player approaches matches. Some increase the amount of credits obtained in missions. Others offer physical improvements for the character, such as increased resistance or energy recovery.

This structure encourages players to choose different playstyles. Those who prefer to explore the map more calmly can invest in economic rewards. More aggressive players can focus on combat-oriented benefits. Over time, completing contracts increases reputation with each faction, unlocking new rewards.

This system creates a sense of progression that goes beyond simply collecting equipment. With all this explanation, it's clear that Marathon's core structure revolves around a relatively simple loop.

Before each match, the player assembles their loadout in the main hub. There, it's possible to select weapons, equipment, and upgrades. After that, the Runner descends to Tau Ceti IV to begin the incursion. During the mission, the objective is to explore the map, collect resources, and complete contracts before escaping alive.

But it's not that simple. It only seems that way. There's one thing that can make you tense every time you enter a facility: the constant presence of other players and UESC forces.

Any mistake can result in the total loss of collected items. This risk mechanic is what makes extraction shooters so intense. Every decision within the match matters. Continuing to explore can generate greater rewards, but it also increases the risk of losing everything.

While facing our own kind brings a bit of versatility, don't underestimate the power of Marathon's AI! UESC soldiers demonstrate extremely advanced behavior for a first-person shooter. They intelligently use cover, pressure strategic positions, and respond quickly to the player's actions.

In many cases, facing these AI-controlled enemies can be more difficult than fighting other players. This feature adds an unexpected (and very enjoyable) layer of tension. Furthermore, the game's sound design helps to heighten the intensity of the confrontations. The soundtrack dynamically kicks in during critical moments, increasing the sense of danger.

When a fight begins and the music gradually builds, the experience takes on an almost cinematic atmosphere. These moments represent the best that Marathon has to offer. Unfortunately, not everything is perfect.

One of the most obvious problems lies in the map design. Although Tau Ceti IV features visually interesting environments, many of these spaces seem empty for much of the game.

The player frequently traverses long areas without encountering relevant events or side activities.

This reduces the sense of urgency during exploration. In games of this genre, the environment needs to constantly encourage strategic decisions. When there aren't enough stimuli, the game can become slow. This limitation contrasts with recent experiences like Helldivers 2, which uses emergent events to keep the player constantly occupied.

In Marathon, this sense of dynamism still seems incomplete. But another navigation problem can impact your experience even more, only it's in the menus:

Another weak point appears in the interface systems. The menus were clearly designed with a mouse and keyboard in mind. On consoles, navigation relies on a cursor controlled by the analog stick, which makes the experience slow and unintuitive. Organizing equipment or navigating the inventory becomes a tedious process.

Furthermore, the initial onboarding fails to explain several important game mechanics. New players may take a considerable amount of time to understand basic interaction systems, mission objectives, or how factions work. In a genre that already has a certain natural complexity, this lack of guidance may alienate part of the audience.

Marathon is a game that clearly demonstrates Bungie's talent for creating exceptional combat mechanics. The gunplay is some of the best the studio has ever produced, and the enemy AI adds an impressive layer of interest, and the immersion with the sound design while walking through the facilities is simply absurd.

The game can be quite toxic to the player, to be honest. It irritates you, makes you want to ask for a refund, annoys you, but the good moments are too good and worth it.

Even though the map is empty in some situations—which Bungie has even been working on ways to keep everything "fresh"—the thirst to beat the cycles is great. It's addictive. It makes you want to replay it. And the community is very cool, by the way!

Is it possible to recommend it? Yes. But be aware that it's a paid game with weak onboarding, meaning you'll have to put in some effort to truly immerse yourself in the experience. This is especially true with the more elaborate maps, like the Cryo Archives. It's a game as a service, so many things will change over time.