The new Marathon is such a disappointment

[The Dutch Ghost]

By chance I discovered a couple of days ago that a new Marathon game was planned. The Marathon games are of course the game series that helped Bungie establish itself as a studio before they made the Myth games and the Halo games. Quite some elements of Marathon made it into Halo.

I was always curious about the Marathon games as it had created a fan following that still exists to this day, and as it was a series with a lot of story it also appealed to me. Unfortunately the gameplay of the three games was from an era I had basically left behind, and when I finally tried out the series I realized it was not for me.

Hearing that there would be a new Marathon game, either a reboot or a sequel made me interested as I would welcome a sci fi FPS with a single player campaign. Sadly I quickly found out its a PvP/PvPvE type of game. There maybe some story elements but it is mostly there for the background.
I am not even sure if it is that necessary or if this game needs to be called Marathon.

 

[R.Graves]

man bungie is and has been dead for while. they dont make real games anymore just live service "games" designed to nickel and dime you to death. the only genre this makes sense for is the fighting genre tbh

 

[Norzan]

The last good game they made was what, Halo 3? That was 2007. Everything after has been mid at best. If you somehow get disappointed with Bungie in 2023, that's weird as shit.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

The last good game they made was what, Halo 3? That was 2007. Everything after has been mid at best. If you somehow get disappointed with Bungie in 2023, that's weird as shit.

Not really disappointed with them as I was never a big fan of the company to begin with, I just wanted to give them a chance with this one.

I never cared for the Destiny series even if I liked some of the concepts. Part of it I think is also how Bungie seems to treat the lore as being so deep and interesting, yet I feel it is more an effort at sounding deep than really being that good developed.

It also has a bit to do with there have been very few decent single player sci-fi FPS games these last years. I know there is the recent System Shock remake and I am glad that such projects are made, but it is remake of an old game.
True, a Marathon sequel or reboot would also be recycling an old IP rather than creating something new. Mostly though I want to see some new science fiction settings as the established ones have become uninteresting.

I have been talking with people online on Discord that we have not seen any Half Life 'clones' in ages.

 

[ironmask]

As someone who actually played all three marathon games I also found it to be incredibly disappointing. Not like I was expecting much at all since Bungie went down hill after destiny. Not only do I hate that this is a online multiplayer PvE game, but I also hate the new art style.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

As someone who actually played all three marathon games I also found it to be incredibly disappointing. Not like I was expecting much at all since Bungie went down hill after destiny. Not only do I hate that this is a online multiplayer PvE game, but I also hate the new art style.

Its a strange choice of style isn't it?
Would you happen to know what it is called?

 

[ironmask]

I don't really know what the style is called. I just know know it doesn't fit marathon.

 

[TheGM]

There maybe some story elements but it is mostly there for the background.

So like in the original then? I kid I kid.

 

[Morgan_]

Its a strange choice of style isn't it?
Would you happen to know what it is called?

They're calling it "graphic realism". I like it overall. Reminds me of Mirrors Edge, but with lots of textures and color instead of simplicity.

 

[william dempsey]

They're calling it "graphic realism". I like it overall. Reminds me of Mirrors Edge, but with lots of textures and color instead of simplicity.

Well that covers it bleep lol

 

[ironmask]

They're calling it "graphic realism". I like it overall. Reminds me of Mirrors Edge, but with lots of textures and color instead of simplicity.

It's not that I personally hate the art style. I actually think it looks nice. Its that I really don't think fits the world of marathon.

 

[Morgan_]

Makes sense. I'm not actually familiar with Marathon. Only old Bungie game I've played is Oni.

 

[TheGM]

I haven't seen the new stuff. Old stuff still looks good.

 

[JoacoN]

Its a strange choice of style isn't it?
Would you happen to know what it is called?

Looks like sci fi Mirrors Edge + Apex Legends to me

 

[ironmask]

https://www.destructoid.com/bungies-marathon-reboot-changes-leadership-pivots-to-hero-shooter/

Even more disappointing news. They decided to change marathon from an extraction shooter and turn it into another hero shooter. Why the hell did they make this a marathon game?

 

[tekhedd]

Well, nothing but bad news on this project, but then I suppose that's normal for a property with serious budget, to play things so safe that it fails. I've been enjoying a reread through this thread though.

I know there is the recent System Shock remake and I am glad that such projects are made, but it is remake of an old game.

Speaking of the SS Remake, I'm secretly hoping that all the "great ideas" they wanted to add to the remake will result in yet another Spiritual Successor that veers off into new-property-land. This pretty much always happens if you try to work on a SS game, anyway, right?

 

[Norzan]

Don't know what allergy most companies have towards basic single player, level based campagins for FPS games. Nowadays really only Doom focus on the single player campaign (Call of Duty focus far more on multiplayer), it seems every other FPS franchise is either a shitty open world game with tacked on RPG elements, a pointless extraction shooter or yet another hero shooter.

A basic level based single player campaign in a FPS is actually a breath of fresh air these days, not yet another hero shooter in a market oversaturated with hero shooters.

 

[ironmask]

https://www.ign.com/articles/destin...ult-changes-weve-ever-had-to-make-as-a-studio

Bungie just laid off over 200 staff workers. It is definitely not looking very good for the new marathon game with the sudden change in leadership, genre, and now this. Also the bungie CEO has reportedly been spending millions on cars before the layoffs.