What has become of Bungie’s extraction shooter? This is the question fans are asking when it comes to Marathon. One thing we can tell you is that the developers are still working hard, and the new alpha test shows that there has been progress.
Why is there so little news about Marathon? Bungie’s extraction shooter has had a tough time, as there has been much criticism since the last beta:
- Marathon feels generic and boring.
- The battles are not memorable.
- The surrounding terrain is gray and desolate.
- The loot and mission system feels insignificant.
- The class system does not fit the extraction genre.
Additionally, Bungie allegedly used various designs from an artist without their consent and decorated containers and buildings with them. Therefore, Bungie withdrew and postponed its release indefinitely.
There has been a long silence between the developers and their fans, but now the studio has released a new closed alpha test.
This was playable under NDA by selected players. Many ignored the confidentiality obligation and expressed their opinions on the new version of Marathon. To the surprise of many, it seems to be better than it was a few months ago.
Better, but there are still problems
How good is the new alpha test? Paul Tassi, a veteran in the Destiny community and editor at Forbes, has been able to collect many opinions about the closed alpha (Source: forbes.com). Selected players reached out to him on social networks despite the NDA to share how things are going with the shooter. The following can currently be heard:
- Bungie had an identity crisis with Marathon because it wanted to be far too casual for the genre. However, this has now changed. The TTK (Time to Kill) has now been drastically reduced. This means you kill and die much faster.
- The AI robots (UESC NPCs) presented no danger. They often acted mindlessly and were not truly accurate. That has also changed. They are now deadlier and pose a threat aside from enemy players. Those who are not careful risk wasting a lot of ammunition and healing on them.
- The graphic style, once gray and dreary, is now much better and polished.
Overall, according to the changes, Bungie appears to be moving away from a broader audience and rather venturing into the hardcore realm. According to Tassi, Bungie may have overdone it in some areas, but there is certainly time to adjust the issues through feedback.
Is there also negative criticism? Yes, there is. The class system with fixed talents does not fit into the genre. While some skills dominate (smoke grenades and stealth), others fall by the wayside. The community still hopes for the ability to create more custom loadouts, but unfortunately, the system is already firmly integrated.
The quest system also creates real bloodbaths, as many of them are granted to players simultaneously. Everyone rushes to the same locations or items, which then leads to huge shootouts.
Last but not least, genre newcomers have a problem due to the high difficulty of getting into the shooter. Fights are too sweaty, whether against real or AI opponents. However, based on the feedback, it is evident that Bungie has a goal and is not afraid to take risks.
It remains to be seen whether these efforts will appeal to a broader audience. ARC: Raiders managed to attract many players into the niche extraction genre; perhaps Marathon can do the same in an open beta test. However, until that time, fans will have to be patient. At least ARC: Raiders is starting soon. You can find all the release information here.
