Marathon Reviews
Marathon is a bold, punishing shooter that asks for patience before it gives much back. Bungie’s superb gunplay, distinctive retro futuristic setting, and rewarding faction system create a thrilling loop, even when a run falls apart. A frustrating UI and misjudged monetisation may test that patience, but something compelling awaits on the other side.
Marathon delivers a level of tension hardly seen in shooters, as everything feels polished and ready for consumption, but make no mistake, this is a hard sell for anyone outside the extraction shooter crowd as there's a lot of friction and time-gated content that could be a problem for some players.
Finally, there is an extraction shooter that not only competitively inclined gamers can enjoy, but narrative-loving players as well. There is a crossover here that takes an immense amount of polish, quality, and consistency to pull off.
Unlike other recently released live-service games, Marathon is a title with a solid foundation, built on a satisfying combat system and a distinctive and striking audiovisual presentation. This creates an immersive atmosphere and a tense gameplay loop that can be addictive for those who overcome its initial hurdles. However, its niche appeal is marred by design choices that hinder the user experience. The excessively steep learning curve, coupled with a confusing user interface that makes inventory management difficult, creates an unnecessary obstacle for players who aren't extremely dedicated or who are new to this type of FPS. The game fulfills its vision of being a high-level challenge, but its lack of accessibility and certain archaic monetization and interface design choices limit its appeal. Fortunately, these issues can be addressed with one or more updates.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Marathon is simply fantastic, there’s no other way to describe it. Bungie really knocked it out of the ballpark with this game, and I can’t wait to see what they continue to do with it.
For those not put off by the more hardcore nature of what Bungie delivered, I highly recommend you give Marathon a try. You might just become as hooked as I did.
Marathon is proof that Bungie still understands what makes an FPS special. Delivering singular technical mastery, the studio brings identity, cohesion, and, above all, a gameplay loop that hooks you in an almost inescapable way. Between its striking aesthetics, refined gunplay, and a progression system that turns even defeat into advancement, the game builds an experience that goes beyond the extraction genre and establishes itself as one of the most engaging in the current multiplayer landscape.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Marathon is an ambitious yet controversial attempt by Bungie to put its own spin on extraction shooters.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Marathon PS5 Review: Does Bungie's new sci-fi shooter live up to expectations, or does it offer a surprise that will take players by surprise?
Review in Turkish | Read full review
In conclusion, Marathon is a brutal and captivating experience, capable of delivering moments of intense tension and enormous satisfaction, as well as an excellent retro-futuristic aesthetic. Bungie has once again proven itself to be one of the "golden spearheads" of the shooting game industry, crafting a game package that immediately projects itself to the Olympus of the industry. However, it doesn't fully achieve this goal due to some imperfections, including digital "bureaucracy" and difficult and confusing menus.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Marathon is a game of extreme highs but also rock-bottom lows, playing with your emotions like a fiddle. When the game gets going, its mix of masterful gunplay and well-designed maps will hook you from start to finish, spiking dopamine levels to muster the courage for another run. At times, it can also be brutal, where losing everything becomes a normal occurrence. It's not a game for everyone, even less so for a title in the extraction shooter genre. That said, as someone who has been enthralled by the worlds and titles Bungie has built in Destiny, it is sad to know that many will not stick with Marathon, or even try it out, due to negative word-of-mouth.
Marathon is a high-stakes sci-fi PvPvE. From the tense, loot-driven loops on Tau Ceti IV to the unforgiving, labyrinthine decks of Cryo Archive, the game keeps you constantly on edge while rewarding careful planning, teamwork and skilful play. Every run feels unique, whether you’re pushing through security, racing over crews to vaults, or trying to make it out alive with your rare loot.
Marathon has the potential to be... in fact, it IS a perfect game, but only for a very small segment of the player base; for a ‘normal’ player, who plays Extraction alongside other games and genres, the barrier to entry is extremely high and shows no sign of lowering as you progress. If you have the patience to spend 10 hours just figuring out how to play, Marathon is absolutely the perfect game for you; if, on the other hand, you want to have fun without cursing the heavens, Helldivers II and ARC Raiders are definitely more your cup of tea.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The core experience is strong, with some of the best shooting mechanics and most striking art directions in gaming. However, the delay of endgame content, a structure that overwhelmingly favors team play, and a gameplay loop that feels punishing to those who cannot commit, hold it back. Marathon is a game with incredible potential, but it feels like it is still finding its footing.
Marathon feels like a solid game that was built more for PvP than PvPvE. Despite trying to promote a semblance of teamwork with the proximity chat, you’re just more likely to get killed than get help killing that difficult bot. It also has a deep storyline and lore that I would love to explore, but am having a hard time following along between bouts of dying. If you’re into highly competitive FPS games and are looking for something to scratch that extraction itch, this may be for you. Marathon is deserving of the Thumb Culture Silver Thumb!
Marathon is a carefully crafted extraction shooter: Bungie uses all its artistic and technical expertise to deliver an intense, brutal, and challenging experience, with a frantic and highly competitive gameplay supported by a unique artistic direction. Its uncompromising difficulty and punishing endgame might not be for everyone, but it remains a fascinating and rewarding journey for anyone willing to brave the harsh world of Tau Ceti IV.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Marathon has a solid foundation that cracks in places due to its identity crisis. Its tense extraction gameplay and high-octane moments are often punctuated by streaks of pure frustration thanks to its low TTK. That same TTK can also dampen its otherwise excellent build crafting, because what’s the point when a gunfight is over in the blink of an eye either way? On the other hand, Bungies signature high quality shooter pedigree is a fantastic fit for the extraction genre. Moving around the excellently crafted and colorful compounds of an abandoned Tau Ceti colony feels fantastic. The gunfights, when they last long enough to enjoy them are incredibly exhilarating.
Marathon's experience is very hardcore and not beginner-friendly. Smooth weapon handling and responsive shooting mechanics make the game feel alive, but punishing deaths, overly stylized visuals, and a cluttered UI make it harder to learn at first. Performance is not entirely great, and worlds can feel hollow, even being filled with tons of AI enemies to fight all the time. However, map puzzles and key rooms are great, as they provide both PvP and a grind to farm these high-tier resources. If hero-style extraction PvP doesn't bother you, Marathon offers various combos and can be your new FPS shooter to try out.
Aesthetically stunning, yet stylishly ruthless extraction shooter struggles with entertainment.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Bungie’s Marathon reboot successfully transforms a sci-fi classic into a tense, visually stunning extraction shooter. While a steep learning curve and punishing seasonal resets may alienate some, the satisfying gunplay, unique Runner Shell abilities, and addictive loop of high-stake runs make it a rewarding experience for those who brave the dangers of Tau Ceti IV.