TheRetroArcade
Veteran
Posts: 1,965
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
I'm finally embracing what Marathon is actually going for.
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This week: Finished the original Mass Effect for the first time ever, and wished I liked it more.
I have to grapple with the fact that, when it comes to extraction shooters, I've developed Arc Raiders tunnel vision.
In 24 hours with the Marathon server slam, I keep catching myself expecting Bungie to do things the same way as Embark, because who wouldn't want to imitate the game that's officially taken the genre mainstream? I want Arc Raiders' overgenerous free loadouts, I want its easy-to-avoid drone enemies, I want its friendly lobbies.
Approaching Marathon with that mindset was a recipe for a rough first day: a lot of squad wipes, unforced errors against UESC bots, and confusion around its buildcrafting that's descended from MMO-lites like Destiny. I kept getting frustrated by Marathon's time-to-kill, which is wicked fast if you've just come off of 100 hours of Arc Raiders. With most guns, you need less than a magazine to down players from full health.
That pissed me off at first. I had this scandalized reaction that Marathon shouldn't be the sort of game where the squad that spots the other squad first can open the fight with a free kill and push that advantage. But now that I've played some matches with friends on mic and deployed basic communication and tactics, I see the vision. We're taking encounters slower, jogging more often than we're sprinting, and getting the jump on squads who were less careful. I'm coming to grips with the type of FPS Marathon is actually aspiring to be: a tight-knit, approachable, but very much lethal PvP shooter, and I like it.
I'm having way more fun now that I know Marathon is actually more of a Hunt: Showdown than an Arc Raiders. Kills come quickly and sound is critical. In Hunt (my first extraction shooter, that I have over 650 hours in), PvP is the reason to be there. Boss fights can be challenging and mobs are interesting obstacles, but everyone acknowledges they're just table setting for intense, often drawn-out shootouts between players. Solo play is an option, but the environment is so dangerous that you're essentially signing up for hard mode.
I think this also describes Marathon. It's a team-based shooter with team-based abilities. Marathon gets easier the more squadmates you add, while I'd argue Arc Raiders gets harder.
TTK is central ...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
This week: Finished the original Mass Effect for the first time ever, and wished I liked it more.
I have to grapple with the fact that, when it comes to extraction shooters, I've developed Arc Raiders tunnel vision.
In 24 hours with the Marathon server slam, I keep catching myself expecting Bungie to do things the same way as Embark, because who wouldn't want to imitate the game that's officially taken the genre mainstream? I want Arc Raiders' overgenerous free loadouts, I want its easy-to-avoid drone enemies, I want its friendly lobbies.
Approaching Marathon with that mindset was a recipe for a rough first day: a lot of squad wipes, unforced errors against UESC bots, and confusion around its buildcrafting that's descended from MMO-lites like Destiny. I kept getting frustrated by Marathon's time-to-kill, which is wicked fast if you've just come off of 100 hours of Arc Raiders. With most guns, you need less than a magazine to down players from full health.
That pissed me off at first. I had this scandalized reaction that Marathon shouldn't be the sort of game where the squad that spots the other squad first can open the fight with a free kill and push that advantage. But now that I've played some matches with friends on mic and deployed basic communication and tactics, I see the vision. We're taking encounters slower, jogging more often than we're sprinting, and getting the jump on squads who were less careful. I'm coming to grips with the type of FPS Marathon is actually aspiring to be: a tight-knit, approachable, but very much lethal PvP shooter, and I like it.
I'm having way more fun now that I know Marathon is actually more of a Hunt: Showdown than an Arc Raiders. Kills come quickly and sound is critical. In Hunt (my first extraction shooter, that I have over 650 hours in), PvP is the reason to be there. Boss fights can be challenging and mobs are interesting obstacles, but everyone acknowledges they're just table setting for intense, often drawn-out shootouts between players. Solo play is an option, but the environment is so dangerous that you're essentially signing up for hard mode.
I think this also describes Marathon. It's a team-based shooter with team-based abilities. Marathon gets easier the more squadmates you add, while I'd argue Arc Raiders gets harder.
TTK is central ...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?