I like Arc Raiders, but Marathon made me fall in love with extraction shooters

I, like many other Destiny players, looked at Marathon during its reveal and didn't know what to make of it. The vibes? Immaculate. The sound design? Distinctly sci-fi, as expected from the Halo and Destiny creators. But an extraction shooter, and one that is a soft reboot of a classic Mac series? An odd blend, in all honesty, and one that really shouldn't work. However, despite all of the concerns, Marathon is one of the best FPS games I've been pouring my time into. If Arc Raiders made me enjoy the genre of extraction games, Marathon made me fall in love with it.

From the first time you land on Tau Ceti IV, there's a tense, unwelcoming atmosphere. A violent rain crashes across the area, you're damaged beyond repair, and the only hope for your survival is to make it to shelter. Marathon's opening sets the stage for how dangerous this alien world is, but this is just the start of your worries. Not only does the UESC roam the area, giving you an artificial enemy to fight, but other Runners are keen on exfiltrating the planet with valuables - and they're willing to kill for more.

Despite the stress and anxiety of losing your hard-earned gear, Marathon absolutely nails the vibes. The visuals pop with neon greens, bright blues, and the dread of a tunnel only lit up by red hazard lights. Somehow, Bungie manages to capture a cyberpunk-style aesthetic, balancing the vibrant colors with the horror of darkness, and on an OLED monitor, the experience is distinct and memorable.

I've not really been sucked into the story, to be honest - it's an issue I feel that both Arc Raiders and Marathon suffer from. Sure, there are elements of a narrative thread through quests you complete for various factions, but unless you're someone who's into minor plot points attached to simple questlines, then you'll probably feel a little let down, too. However, the story isn't why I've fallen in love with Marathon - it's the world, and of course, the gunplay.

Considering how brilliant Destiny 2's guns feel to shoot (virtually, of course), Marathon's gunplay was the least of my concerns. Fortunately, it feels even better than I expected, each bullet or blast landing with a satisfying amount of damage, whether that's to an enemy Runner or a UESC grunt. Each Shell's set of abilities you can use feels useful, and while they're circumstantial, it's great to have distinct classes, whether you're going in solo or with a crew.

It helps that Marathon's first-person perspective allows you to immerse yourself in each run, but the limited view also makes you feel isolated and uncomfortable. A few well-placed shots from behind you could put an end to your run and see you lose some great gear, all in just a moment, and that fear drives you. It keeps things intense, and while I imagine that's daunting for some players, to me, that's a major factor for what puts Marathon above Arc Raiders for me. I enjoy the latter, trust me, but it's sitting on my Steam shelf right now.

If you're looking to put Arc Raiders to the side, or perhaps you're hoping to see what Bungie has been cooking up recently, you can grab Marathon for just $34.39 / £30.09 at Fanatical. That's cheaper than Steam, and you're still getting a Steam key, so you may as well get a discount on your purchase if you're going to buy anyway.

Hopefully, I'll see you on my next trip down to Tau Ceti IV. If you steal any of my purple gear, I will not be happy with you. That is all.