Classic Marathon 2

About

Classic Marathon 2 is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Aleph One Developers and was released on July 12, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

Fresh from your triumph on the colony ship Marathon, you are seized by the rogue AI Durandal to do his bidding in a distant part of the galaxy. Within the ruins of an ancient civilization, you must seek the remnants of a lost clan and uncover their long-buried secrets. Battle opponents ancient and terrible, with sophisticated weapons and devious strategies, all the while struggling to escape the a…

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91%

Audience ScoreBased on 287 reviews

story28 positive mentions

music11 negative mentions

Significant improvements over the first game in graphics, combat, and storytelling, with a deeper and more engaging lore.
Introduction of dual-wield shotguns and varied enemy designs that enrich combat and make it satisfying and challenging.
Level design is more varied, expansive, and less maze-like compared to the original, with memorable environments and a strong sci-fi atmosphere.

Level design can still be confusing and frustrating, with large, open areas requiring backtracking and unclear objectives; some levels have punishing enemy spawns.
Swimming and water physics mechanics are awkward and poorly implemented, often leading to frustrating underwater combat with limited weapon options.
The game lacks an in-game music soundtrack outside the main menu theme, which negatively affects atmosphere and player immersion; many recommend fan-made music mods.

story
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
52%
5%
The story in this game is widely praised for its rich, immersive, and complex sci-fi narrative delivered primarily through in-game computer terminals, offering deep lore and engaging world-building. While some find its cryptic, non-linear presentation challenging, many appreciate its mature storytelling, well-crafted pacing, and integration with gameplay, making it a standout among 90s first-person shooters. Overall, it is considered one of the best story-driven retro FPS games, combining action with a compelling, ambitious plot.
- “As one of the best retro games I have ever played, and maybe one of the best story-driven games I have ever played, I am incredibly happy to have this classic in my Steam library.”
- “There's just such a mature and deep understanding of the medium and the tools at their disposal at play here in the service of an incredibly heady and ambitious story; your experience feels like reading an excellent classic science fiction novel. Very few games can claim to be as well written and paced as this.”
- “For all of that, the depth of the game narrative and sheer malicious joy of Durandal's dry sarcasm in the various dialogues and fluff texts make this a far deeper experience than even some modern FPSs, let alone its contemporaries which, at best, had end-of-episode text scrolls to let you know what, if any, story there was.”
- “The story isn't as interesting but there is more of an action focus giving more opportunities for fun fights.”
- “It has the better combat, thanks to the more open level design and addition of a great new gun, but is lacking in the atmosphere and winding story.”
- “But the story is pieced through terminals, and unless you're extensively hitting all of those, you're probably going to miss it.”
music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
70%
17%
The game notably lacks an official in-game soundtrack, featuring only the main menu theme and ambient sounds, which many find diminishes its atmosphere and immersion. However, a variety of well-regarded fan-made music mods, especially the "Feel the Noise" soundtrack by Talashar available on the Steam Workshop, are highly recommended to enhance the experience and recapture the spirit of the original game's music.
- “I highly recommend via Steam Workshop you get the Talashar soundtrack (do this for Marathon Infinity as well) because the default game doesn't have a score outside of the catchy menu theme.”
- “This fan made score really adds to the immersion just like the soundtrack for Marathon 1.”
- “To solve this, one can install a fan made soundtrack from Steam Workshop called "Feel the Noise," made by Talashar, which is a pack of songs that fit nicely with the game's vibe!”
- “The only con for me is the lack of music.”
- “The music score is absent, so you're limited to listening to enemy sounds and machines humming.”
- “Considering how big of a role the music played in Marathon 1, its absence is quite strange and results in a generally worse atmosphere.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
76%
12%
The graphics show a significant improvement over the first game, offering enhanced visual effects and a distinct art style that many find immersive and fitting for the atmosphere. While some consider the visuals somewhat dated or mediocre by modern standards and note occasional glitches or pitch-black areas, others appreciate the option to use updated graphics packs and overall commend the game's aesthetic appeal. Tweaking settings like framerate and HUD customization is recommended to optimize the graphical experience.
- “The improved graphics enhance the already stunning visuals, while the enhanced controls make the gameplay feel smoother and more responsive.”
- “For me, the biggest differences are that I never ran out of ammo, the graphics are better, there are shotguns and dual-wielding shotguns, the combat is better, some weapons are better for different types of enemies, and the level design is better.”
- “The game itself has solid graphics, sound, music and mechanics for its time.”
- “Visually, this has some fairly mediocre/dated looking graphics that will understandably be a turn off for a lot of gamers, and it's a big contributor to the failure of the game to attract gamers despite having no up-front cost.”
- “Personally having never owned a Mac I'm not really nostalgic for it, but it's quite good nevertheless, even though, I must say, I always thought the art style was on the ugly side.”
- “The graphics are just passable for me.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
55%
9%
The gameplay is fast-paced, challenging, and true to its 90s FPS roots, blending run-and-gun action with immersive storytelling and strategic elements. While level design receives mixed feedback—being sometimes frustrating and heavily reliant on swimming mechanics—the overall gameplay is praised for its smooth controls, rewarding combat, and faithful improvements over the original. Quality-of-life tweaks are recommended to ease some dated mechanics, but the experience remains unique and engaging.
- “The gameplay is significantly faster: you actually feel like you’re allowed to rush through rooms instead of dragging Santa’s sleigh.”
- “While the terminal-based storytelling remains, it is not only more expansive but well integrated into the gameplay.”
- “Marathon and Marathon 2 Durandal both have extremely simple exteriors as a simple Doom run-and-gun shooter with the eventual terminal break, but it's how these gameplay elements are put together and weaved to create context that truly elevates this to one of the most unique and unforgettable experiences I've had in a long time.”
- “Gameplay and level design are what you'd expect from a 90s FPS, aka garbage.”
- “There is also a heavy reliance on water and swimming mechanics which do not suit the game well.”
- “I was kind of frustrated and annoyed by a lot of the gameplay design by the time I hit the final solo level, which isn't a good sign for the game.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The game's atmosphere receives mixed feedback, with some praising its immersive art style, sound design, and detailed environments, while others find it less moody and tense compared to the original. The absence or reduction of key musical elements from the first game is noted as diminishing the overall atmosphere. Despite technical improvements and strong visuals, many feel the game lacks the darker, creepier ambiance that defined its predecessor.
- “The game's art style, sound design, and meticulously crafted environments create a truly immersive atmosphere, transporting you to the alien world of Tau Ceti.”
- “The atmosphere of the game was fire and the game looks so beautiful.”
- “Considering how big of a role the music played in Marathon 1, its absence is quite strange and results in a generally worse atmosphere.”
- “Durandal does not have the same moody and tense atmosphere that the first game nails.”
- “It has the better combat, thanks to the more open level design and addition of a great new gun, but is lacking in the atmosphere and winding story.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with some characters like Durandal becoming funnier as the story progresses. Enemies, such as "bobs," are noted for their amusing design, contributing to the game's intentionally comedic moments. Overall, it offers a lighthearted tone within its first-person shooter gameplay.
- “Durandal isn't as funny as in Marathon 1, but he improves after the first half.”
- “The enemies had pretty cool designs, and I thought the bobs were very funny.”
- “It is a first-person shooter with a plot and intentional funny moments.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in Classic Marathon 2 can become repetitive and tedious during extended play sessions, although the game remains enjoyable in short bursts. Some levels, like the water stages, may add to the monotony, but overall, the gameplay offers enough variety to mitigate excessive grinding.
- “Classic Marathon 2 overall is a fun game to play, yet sometimes repetitive. It gets boring and tedious if played for a long time, but it is good as a FPS game to play in short bursts.”
- “Each game is required to have grinding, but it’s not as tedious.”
- “The levels are more expansive but I found them more tedious due to the water levels.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game generally runs stable with decent graphics, though occasional visual glitches can disrupt the experience. Overall, its stability is satisfactory but could benefit from polishing.

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Classic Marathon 2 is a shooter game with science fiction theme.

Classic Marathon 2 is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

Classic Marathon 2 was released on July 12, 2024.

Classic Marathon 2 was developed by Aleph One Developers.

Classic Marathon 2 has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked Classic Marathon 2 for its story but disliked it for its music.

Classic Marathon 2 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Classic Marathon Infinity, Quake, System Shock, Unreal Gold, Halo: The Master Chief Collection and others.

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