Is Marathon Just a Fancy Hero Shooter?

by

Summary

  • Marathon is not a hero shooter, but a PvPvE extraction shooter with customizable Runners and gear choices.
  • Runners in Marathon can be altered based on gear choices, offering unique gameplay experiences.
  • The game falls on a spectrum between player agency and predetermined abilities, with unique upgrades and gear options.

Enthusiasts of Bungie are thrilled as the studio unveiled more details about the game Marathon, its setting, and how past games influenced it, along with footage from content creators showcasing gameplay. Lately, a sneak peek into Marathon‘s gameplay was shown, accompanied by an interview with developers discussing the different Runners, elements, and future plans. However, this revelation has left many gamers wondering about the game’s identity as an extraction shooter. Some are concerned that due to its premium price and only three maps at launch, Marathon might struggle in the extraction shooter market since it appears to offer limited content for a somewhat high cost.

A common query that’s been popping up quite frequently online is whether Marathon could be categorized as a hero shooter, given its extensive roster of predefined characters and their unique abilities. However, pinpointing a definitive answer to this question isn’t straightforward because the characteristics of Marathon’s Runners, their roles within the game, and the diverse actions each character can perform contribute to a more complex classification.

Why Marathon is Not a Hero Shooter

In simpler terms, “Marathon” is an action-packed game where players engage in player versus player versus environment (PvPvE) extraction shooting. This means that during each match, players must bring some items with them, which they could potentially lose if they die since death results in losing all carried items. Notably, this applies to not just inventory items but also shields, grenades, and weapons themselves.

What sets “Marathon” apart is the presence of four distinct characters, six in the final version, each with their unique appearances and abilities that might give it a hero shooter feel. However, unlike traditional hero shooters, “Marathon” allows for customization through buildcrafting and the choice of gear for each character, or Runner.

In essence, while traditional hero shooters limit customization to cosmetic changes only, characters in Marathon offer more flexibility. Players can customize their appearance like other games, but the Runners in Marathon aren’t fully predefined. The equipment you choose for a match affects the character’s abilities significantly. Therefore, though not a conventional hero shooter, Marathon has its unique position on the spectrum.

Why Marathon Has Hero Shooter Elements

If we imagine a continuum that stretches from games where players have complete control over their character’s actions, with only pre-set elements influencing the action’s direction, to those where everything about a character is predefined by developers without any input from the player, then Marathon can be positioned somewhere in the middle. In the case of Destiny 2, character building plays a significant role, and if Marathon manages to replicate this feature, the specific abilities, traits, and appearances of a Runner might not significantly impact gameplay.

During the interview following the gameplay unveiling of Marathon, an example was given to illustrate the upgrades. These upgrades allow a double-jump to become a triple-jump, offering players the ability to accomplish tasks that were previously impossible. With multiple item slots, Runners, and account-wide advancement that unlocks additional enhancements, players can significantly transform their characters into something entirely new when they also outfit them with unique equipment. Weapons are crucial in this game, as a character like Locus, who is more combat-focused, can still be played effectively from a distance, which would not be possible in a traditional hero shooter.

Read More

2025-04-14 23:25