Marathon Reviews
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.
Marathon (2026) has me locked in, sitting in my brain until my next run. The barrier to entry is high, but it’s rewarding, with each death being a lesson learned.
Marathon had the potential to be a good extraction shooter thanks to its world and level design, but with an unreadable interface, sometimes frustrating gameplay, and especially crashes caused by the anti-cheat, the experience quickly becomes tedious. The game clearly needs major fixes before returning to it.
Review in French | Read full review
Marathon is a strange experiment that, with its very distinct art style and strong focus on PvP, won’t necessarily appeal to every fan of the studio. The overall gameplay loop delivers everything you would expect from the genre, but unfortunately not much more aside from well-designed AI enemies. If you’ve had enough of Arc Raiders, you might take a cautious look at this title, hoping for more content in the coming seasons. For the rest of the player base, however, it’s unfortunately not quite enough at the moment.
Review in German | Read full review
Marathon is a masterclass in mechanical precision and atmospheric world-building, proving once again that Bungie remains the gold standard for first-person combat. While a cluttered interface and steep learning curve create early friction, the sheer tension of its extraction loops and the lethality of its AI provide a refreshing, high-stakes evolution for the genre. It’s a bold, stylish, and unforgiving return to form that rewards tactical patience as much as raw twitch reflexes.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Marathon shows a lot of promise for a shooting game. Its unique look, fun gunplay and high-stakes gaming loop make it very appealing. If people keep supporting and getting involved with Bungie's ambitious reboot, it could become one of the genre's most important games.
Marathon is competently built around a genre it chose not to challenge. It is a game that will reward patient players who bond with its loop and forgive its rougher edges. But for anyone spending forty dollars and expecting that investment to translate into a full experience, Marathon’s storefront is waiting to tell you otherwise.
Marathon redefines the genre with its style and gunplay, but its chaotic interface and utter lack of forgiving nature for newcomers make it a gem reserved for the most patient players. A masterful offering from Bungie that borders on perfection, provided you're prepared to battle both the menus and the other players.
Review in Spanish | Read full review