Marathon is wonderfully detailed and punishingly fun — its “one more run” nature creates a constant pull, and a drive for shiny loot. It’s also Bungie, so my expectations were set before I even booted it up. I went in willing to believe, and I’ve come out the other side. Here’s our quick review.
QD’s Speedrun Review:
Marathon is a first-person extraction shooter — get in, loot, survive and get out. Simple concept, other games have done it and done it well. But for Marathon, Bungie has gone all in on the world and its themes.
The UI alone sold me — every menu, every interaction feels clean and intentional. It’s more like clocking into a futuristic job with virtual inventory management (my least favourite part of this game tbh).
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I’m not a complete stranger to the genre, spending a little bit of time with Escape from Tarkov back in the Covid days (apologies for the reminder). But boy oh boy, Marathon has me begging for mercy.
Solo runs are punishing — and not for casual gamers. I’ve yet to come across any other solo player who showed me any kindness. I mean, fair enough. But with a group of well-mannered gamers, this game’s heart shines the brightest.
Things I love about Marathon:
- Beautiful and immersive world.
- Gunplay feels good and special abilities are a blast.
- Teaming up with mates is the best way to play.
- The price point ($59.95).
Things I don’t love about Marathon:
- Dying.
- The amount of time you need to wait before joining another game.
- Inventory management.
- And dying.
Overall, it’s a solid addition to the Bungie catalogue and I see it going from strength to strength in the years ahead. I’ll look forward to teaming up with some friends, stepping into my shell of a body, looting up and losing it all again soon.
Is Marathon worth your time?
Simply put, yes. If the genre works for you, there’s hours of painful fun ahead. If you’re not into online shooters give this one a miss.
Marathon is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. It retails for AUD $59.95.
Access to Marathon was supplied to Quest Daily by PlayStation.
