So, I’ve been wandering the digital plains of the internet, and, surprise surprise, everyone’s buzzing about this game called Marathon. It’s Bungie’s upcoming brainchild, and just recently, the global populace got a sneak peek of some new gameplay footage. Gotta say, it looks pretty stellar from where I’m sitting. There’s a whiff of that classic Bungie charm that keeps dragging fans back into their universe. But, yeah, not everyone’s drinking the Kool-Aid just yet. Some folks are still on the fence, and I sorta get why. However, after mulling it over, I’m finding myself cautiously optimistic about Marathon. Weird, huh?
Now, let’s get all confessional. The trailer got me jazzed. I’ve had this love-hate thing with extraction shooters — like jumping on the Tarkov train way too late — just as the cheat-fests were peaking. Ugh, what timing. Somehow, “The Forever Winter” tempted me with its forever robot apocalypse scenery, but once the shiny wore off, I lost the will to scrounge anymore. It was like, nope, can’t keep doing this.
But then, outta nowhere, Marathon comes along, tickling my curiosity. Not exactly a Destiny superfan here — dabbled here and there, but never committed more than a month or so at a time. Props to Bungie from a distance though; there’s that touch of magic in their craft. Just to clarify, not the “let’s keep making games with less money” kind of magic some execs might think of. I’m talking about the creative genius from their artists and combat wizards.
Anyway, speaking of genius — the new Marathon visuals, wow. Bungie never disappoints. It’s not just the glitzy tech gimmicks. There’s a real, standout art direction here. No other game has quite this vibe right now; at least none that pack the same budgetary punch. You can’t half-bake it when you’re jumping genres and hoping to outshine the established cliques.
Look at, I mean, just look at the guns, the settings, those characters – it’s screaming “I’m new around here” with this funky future-meets-retro feel. Yes, it’s in some distant-space dystopia, but there’s all this brightness and vibrancy that makes it look… well, fresh. Unlike others who’ve tried similar paths and just end up with drab misery.
Bungie’s artists have rocked it before in Destiny, pushing creative boundaries. Remember seeing The Hive for the first time? Yeah, that sort of wide-eyed wonder. I’m getting those vibes here again, just from a quick glimpse.
And oh, the gameplay. It’s all about that fast-paced, co-op shooting action, crafted for the sci-fi universe with nifty abilities and weapon spins. The trailer wants everyone to know Bungie aims to spotlight top-tier first-person action. Overly complimentary? Maybe. But hey, Destiny’s PvP has been the gold standard for ages. Many players are all about the Crucible, while raids and narratives take the backseat.
What’s fascinating about Marathon is its potential to shake up the extraction shooter world. Right now, those games are all gun-heavy realism. Bungie’s got decades of sci-fi FPS knowledge to ensure Marathon isn’t just a fresh face but feels new too.
Still, there’s an elephant here, and that’s the price. The live service game scene’s seen better days, what with financial crunches and all. Multiplayer with zero solo play content? History hasn’t been kind to such ventures. I mean, look at Titanfall. It was top-notch but didn’t get its due.
But, there’s hope. Bungie’s been there, done that, rolling out captivating storylines through giant updates in Destiny 2. These aren’t just for story lovers; they bring new game modes on the regular, even when things get rough in-house. Despite all, if there’s any team that could nail a live service extraction shooter, it’s Bungie.
Marathon’s gonna have to prove itself, time and time again. Fingers crossed they’re already planning post-launch wonders. If they can live up to the promise, especially with Marathon looking so promising, I’m all in. Let’s see where this ride goes.
