Bungie, the esteemed creator of theHaloseries, is working on its first non-Destinyproject in over a decade, and it’s calledMarathon. Although initial impressions of it may suggest otherwise,Marathonis not a new intellectual property. Rather, it is a reboot of a classic Bungie franchise that was created in the early days of the company. The originalMarathongames were released exclusively for the Apple Mac, and they were all first-person sci-fi shooters, somewhat reminiscent ofHalo. TheMarathonseries is incredibly basic by modern standards, but it was rather revolutionary for its time.
The first installment intheMarathonfranchise, which came out in 1994, was one of the very first FPS titles that prioritized storytelling over mindless run-and-gun gameplay.Marathondidn’t feature any cutscenes, but it did have a lot of terminal logs scattered throughout its environments, many of which contained extensive lore about the setting of the game. The series' narrative was incredibly intricate and complex; so much so, in fact, that there were entire fan-made websites dedicated to unraveling it. Bungie’s upcomingMarathonrebootmay not have much in common with these classic games, from either a story or gameplay perspective, but it is disappointing that the game won’t have a single-player campaign like its predecessors did.
Unlike Its Predecessors, the Marathon Reboot is Not Going to Have a Single-Player Campaign
Marathon is a Multiplayer-Only Extraction Shooter Without a Lot of Narrative Content
Despite being based on a franchise that is perhaps best known for its story, Bungie’s newMarathongame isa multiplayer-only live service extraction shooter. It has more in common with, say,Escape from Tarkov, than it does with any of Bungie’s retro FPS titles. While Bungie has confirmed thatMarathonwill have a story, most of the game’s narrative will be told through seasonal story beats and not via any sort of single-player content, somewhat likeDestiny.
Aside from MMOs likeFinal Fantasy 14, most multiplayer-only live service video games struggle to tell cohesive stories. As such, it’s not surprising that the narrative inBungie’s upcomingMarathonrebootis not going to play a big role in the overall title. That said, the fact that the game does not come with story-driven content of any kind feels like a missed opportunity, especially since a newly released trailer for the game shows how much potential its futuristic setting - the alien planet Tau Ceti IV - has when it comes to storytelling.
Marathon’s Cinematic Short Shows How Much Potential a Story-Driven Campaign of the Game Would’ve Had
Right at the end ofthe recentMarathonreveal livestream, Bungie showcased an eight-minute cinematic short that gave players a glimpse into theMarathonuniverse. The short, which was directed by Spanish animator Alberto Mielgo (best known for his work onLove Death + RobotsandSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), has an incredibly distinct art style that takes inspiration from the newMarathonaesthetic. It follows two runners, Glitch and Void, who fight against each other as they try to scavenge loot and survive in a desolate alien wasteland. Each time they die, the runners find themselves inside new artificial bodies, and they have to go through a special procedure to remind them of their human selves.
Although it may be marketing material for a video game, Mielgo’s short manages to tell a very interesting story and cover a lot of complex themes in just a matter of minutes. It not only serves as an effective way of depictingMarathon’s extraction shooter gameplay loopin film form, but it also stands on its own two feet as a high-quality short movie. It’s unfortunate, then, that the actual game that this short is based on is going to have very little cinematic content like this. Due to its lack of a campaign, Bungie’sMarathonreboot will probably not have a lot of cutscenes, and even if it does, it’s unlikely they’ll be at the same level of quality as this short.
Marathon
WHERE TO PLAY
From the creators of Halo and Destiny…Scavenge the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV in Bungie’s team-based FPS extraction shooter. Choose your Runner and work together in crews of three as you battle rival teams and hostile security forces for weapons and upgrades. Survive and your loot is yours to keep for future runs on Tau Ceti—or if you’re brave enough, a journey to the derelict Marathon ship that hangs above.Become a Runner:Choose from a roster of cybernetic mercenaries with unique abilities. Customize your playstyle with the weapons, implants, and equipment you collect on your runs. Every match is a chance to experiment, buildcraft, and come back stronger.Welcome to Tau Ceti IV:What once was a thriving colony is now a battleground for rival factions competing for power and fortune, hiring Runners to track down weapons, valuables, and the edge they need to win.Fun and competitive at all skill levels:Bungie’s best-in-class first person gunplay makes playing at every skill level satisfying. With multiple maps to choose from, you can sharpen your skills in starter areas, then challenge yourself in high-stakes zones and Ranked mode in season one.
