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Marathon

Marathon is revival of Bungie’s dormant 30-year-old franchise. With excellent gunplay, stylish graphics and a thrilling gameplay loop Marathon is a welcome return. This despite confusing UI, frustrating runs and questions about its future.
Marathon Game Cover
84%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:story, monetization
70% User Score Based on 63 reviews
Critic Score 77%Based on 16 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCXbox Game PassPlaystation 5CloudXbox Cloud GamingXboxWindowsPlayStation
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Marathon Game Cover

About Marathon

Marathon is a multiplayer shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Bungie and was released on March 6, 2026. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

A PvP-focused extraction shooter set on the mysterious planet of Tau Ceti IV, Marathon will see players inhabit the bodies of Runners, cybernetic mercenaries who have been designed to survive the planet’s harsh environments, exploring the lost colony that once inhabited Tau Ceti’s surface. Players will engage solo or in crews of three, searching for mysterious alien artifacts, as well as for valua…

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Reviews

70%Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews
gameplay7 positive mentions
monetization3 negative mentions
  • Exceptional gunplay with satisfying, punchy combat and well-balanced PvP that keeps players highly engaged.
  • Rich and immersive world design, atmosphere, and lore that create a mysterious and rewarding narrative experience.
  • Unique and challenging extraction shooter gameplay loop that rewards skill, progression, and strategic play, especially with friends.
  • Confusing and clunky user interface and inventory management detract from game flow and can cause frustration under pressure.
  • Steep learning curve and punishing seasonal resets make onboarding difficult for new or casual players.
  • Limited player base causing long queue times and some matchmaking issues, reducing overall accessibility and fun for solo or late joiners.

  • gameplay

    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    32% positive mentions, 54% neutral mentions, 14% negative mentions

    The gameplay is praised for its world-class gunplay, immersive and rewarding extraction shooter loop, and a strong blend of stealth, PvPvE, and atmosphere that sets it apart from other games. While initially challenging, it becomes engaging with practice, offering a unique, competitive experience with deep mechanics and streamlined pacing. However, some users note issues with UI, loot management, repetition, and monetization that may hinder long-term appeal.

    • “The visuals, audio and gameplay design all work in perfect harmony to immerse you in this brutal and unforgiving world.”
    • “Marathon has a wealth of deep and intricate gameplay systems that require you to pay attention, slow down, and put in the effort to learn and improve.”
    • “Its top-level gunplay and extremely rewarding gameplay loop that centers on strong gameplay experiences over better loot, paired with an atmosphere and world design that does an incredible job of weaving narrative into a multiplayer PVPVE setting, make it a must-play for first-person shooter fans and anyone feeling tired of the current live service landscape.”
    • “The UI and loot management are still messy, and the game asks for a lot of patience to even feel comfortable. Repetition in the gameplay loop starts creeping in, and it’s unclear what will keep broader audiences hooked long-term.”
    • “Monetization is bad with a weak rewards pass, duplicate items, and storefront pricing/cosmetics that don’t justify themselves.”
    • “Storytelling is exposition-light and feels like extra work to uncover the lore.”

  • graphics

    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    57% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The graphics are widely praised for their bold, unique, and immersive art style that perfectly complements the game's brutal world and lore. Visuals and audio work seamlessly together, creating a captivating atmosphere with stylish, high-quality environments. Overall, the game's aesthetic is fresh, engaging, and greatly enhances the gameplay experience.

    • “The visuals, audio and gameplay design all work in perfect harmony to immerse you in this brutal and unforgiving world.”
    • “Environments, immersion, visuals, and audio are all top notch.”
    • “The art style Bungie has crafted is bold and unique, and exactly what it needs to be.”

  • story

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions

    The story of the game is praised for its deep lore and strong universe-building, continuing Bungie's tradition of compelling storytelling. However, some find the narrative exposition light and requiring extra effort to fully uncover, which may hinder long-term engagement for broader audiences.

    • “Destiny has an incredible story and lore.”
    • “Incredible sound, music, and design with a deep story to unearth through lore formatted in a similar manner to the original games.”
    • “With universe building experience like Halo and Destiny under their belts, they bring storytelling to extraction shooter gameplay like no other studio has.”
    • “Storytelling is exposition-light and feels like extra work to uncover the lore.”
    • “Repetition in the gameplay loop starts creeping in and it’s unclear what will keep broader audiences hooked long-term.”
    • “The UI and loot management are still messy and the game asks for a lot of patience to even feel comfortable.”

  • atmosphere

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    60% positive mentions, 20% neutral mentions, 20% negative mentions

    The atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive world design and seamless narrative integration, creating a tense and evocative multiplayer experience. It complements the top-tier gameplay and sound design, delivering a classic Bungie feel that resonates well with fans. While some find the interface and complex inner systems add to the mysterious ambiance, these aspects can also cause occasional frustration.

    • “Atmosphere, gameplay, sound design, and lore are all top-notch, classic Bungie.”
    • “Its top-level gunplay and extremely rewarding gameplay loop, centered on strong gameplay experiences over better loot, paired with an atmosphere and world design that weaves narrative into a multiplayer PvPvE setting, make it a must-play for first-person shooter fans.”
    • “World-class gunplay, incredible world design and atmosphere, tense and evocative stealth gameplay, chaotic and bombastic PvPvE gameplay, and an extraction shooter gameplay loop focused on better gameplay experiences rather than loot.”
    • “Sluggish menus that could use some cleaning up, its inner systems are needlessly obtuse, which adds to its mysterious atmosphere but also results in understandable frustration.”

  • humor

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor is subtle, clever, and adds a rewarding layer of fun to the game, complemented by amusing lore dumps and quirky details that enhance the overall entertaining experience.

    • “It is challenging, hilarious, rewarding, and wonderfully mysterious fun.”
    • “I like the visuals, the music, the audio component, the lore, the intensity, the speed, the subtle humor, and the drinkable cheeseburger.”
    • “The lore dump in the menus is hilariously vast.”

  • monetization

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The monetization is criticized for a weak rewards pass, overpriced or unjustified cosmetic items, and issues with duplicate items. Additionally, the game's repetitive gameplay and cluttered UI contribute to a less engaging experience, raising concerns about long-term player retention.

    • “Monetization is bad with a weak rewards pass, duplicate items, and storefront pricing/cosmetics that don’t justify themselves.”
    • “The UI and loot management are still messy, and the game asks for a lot of patience to even feel comfortable.”
    • “Repetition in the gameplay loop starts creeping in, and it’s unclear what will keep broader audiences hooked long-term.”

  • music

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The music is praised for its incredible sound and seamless integration with the game's design, enhancing the overall experience. It complements the deep story and lore, contributing to the game's intensity and atmosphere.

    • “Incredible sound, music, and design with a deep story to unearth through lore formatted in a similar manner to the original games.”
    • “I like the visuals, the music, the audio component, the lore, the intensity, the speed, the subtle humor, and the drinkable cheeseburger.”

  • grinding

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is described as tedious and frustrating, with players facing glitches that can cause loss of valuable gear and encountering uncooperative teammates, making progression through repetitive runs challenging.

    • “I was able to get a decent amount of green gear and a few blues in my vault, but 10 runs later of terrible teammates and weird glitches in the game that literally caused me to lose all my best gear twice, my vault is depleted and even completing contracts is proving tedious at best.”

  • stability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game suffers from stability issues, including glitches that can cause players to lose valuable gear, leading to a frustrating and tedious experience despite progress in obtaining items.

    • “I was able to get a decent amount of green gear and a few blues in my vault, but 10 runs later of terrible teammates and weird glitches in the game that literally caused me to lose all my best gear twice, my vault is depleted and even completing contracts is proving tedious at best.”
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Critic Reviews

77%Critics’ scoreBased on 16 critic reviews
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Play Times

354h Median play time
354h Average play time
354-354h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
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Videos

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Game News

Ex-Marathon lead says Path of Exile is "the most freeform" ARPG when it comes to buildcrafting

October 19 on gamesradar.com

Ex-Marathon director says Bungie had "a lot of disagreements" about what to do with the game

October 19 on gamesradar.com

'There were a lot of disagreements across the place': Former Marathon director Joe Ziegler on leading Bungie's extraction shooter, playing Path of Exile for 3,437 hours, and why he'll never uninstall Kingdom Hearts

October 18 on pcgamer.com

Bungie addresses player issues with Marathon, announces map and gameplay changes

October 9 on shacknews.com

Marathon Will Continue to Have Extraction as a “Major Part” Even After PvE Comes Out, Says Director

October 2 on gamingbolt.com

Bungie Says Marathon Flopped Because It Was Too Hard

September 25 on ign.com

As Marathon's player slump continues, Bungie announces plans to grow it "beyond extraction"

September 25 on eurogamer.net

Marathon devs lay out roadmap leading to 'connected PvE, PvP and PvEvP' in March 2027

September 24 on shacknews.com
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Marathon is a shooter game with science fiction theme. Common tags for Marathon include science, gaming and battle royale.

Marathon is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 354 hours playing Marathon.

Marathon was released on March 6, 2026.

Marathon was developed by Bungie.

Marathon has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked Marathon for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Marathon is a multiplayer game with local co-op support.

Similar games include Marathon, Skillshot City, Witchfire, ARC Raiders, Novarith and others.