Marathon | Review Megathread

Game Information

Game Title: Marathon

Platforms:

• Xbox Series X/S (Mar 5, 2026)
• PlayStation 5 (Mar 5, 2026)
• PC (Mar 5, 2026)

Trailers:

• Rook Cinematic | Marathon
• Marathon – Rook Cinematic Trailer | PS5 & PC Games
• Launch Gameplay Trailer | Marathon

Developer: Bungie

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic – 78 average – 66% recommended – 42 reviews

Critic Reviews

Atomix – Sebastian Quiroz – Spanish – 85 / 100

Marathon is a difficult game to recommend. It's undeniable that Bungie has done a great job with this title, but it's not an experience for everyone.

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But Why Tho? – Matt Sowinski – 8 / 10

Marathon (2026) has me locked in, sitting in my brain until my next run. The barrier to entry is high, but it’s rewarding, with each death being a lesson learned.

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CGMagazine – Zubi Khan – 8.5 / 10

Marathon is an addictive extraction shooter featuring the same masterful gunplay that has made Bungie legendary, making it a must-play for fans of the genre and even those adverse to it.

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Cerealkillerz – Gabriel Bogdan – German – 7.3 / 10

Marathon is a strange experiment that, with its very distinct art style and strong focus on PvP, won’t necessarily appeal to every fan of the studio. The overall gameplay loop delivers everything you would expect from the genre, but unfortunately not much more aside from well-designed AI enemies. If you’ve had enough of Arc Raiders, you might take a cautious look at this title, hoping for more content in the coming seasons. For the rest of the player base, however, it’s unfortunately not quite enough at the moment.

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Chicas Gamers – Daniel López – Spanish – 7.9 / 10

Marathon redefines the genre with its style and gunplay, but its chaotic interface and utter lack of forgiving nature for newcomers make it a gem reserved for the most patient players. A masterful offering from Bungie that borders on perfection, provided you're prepared to battle both the menus and the other players.

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Cinelinx – Dustin Spino – 4 / 5

Bungie delivers another thrilling FPS experience in Marathon, complete with their signature gunplay and player mechanics. The game's polish is immediately apparent; everything from the cutscenes to the menu designs feels next level and highly memorable. However, the game struggles with player retention—the "hook." A major concern is how players will remain engaged after a progress reset and how many consecutive losses they can tolerate before giving up.

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Completexbox – Jordan Campbell – 85%

Once the gameplay loop of Marathon clicks with you, it is a fantastically polished experience with exceptional gunplay. Sure, there is a big learning curve, and a lot doesn’t make sense at first. What I enjoyed about the fact that your hand isn’t held here whatsoever is that you’re left to learn it all alone or with friends. Whilst the gameplay does have some Destiny similarities, it isn’t a direct clone and stands on its own feet. Aesthetically, it’ll please most, while others dislike how it’s presented. Diving into runs, ticking off challenges, unlocking rewards, and gathering currency for unwanted loot is an addictive, rinse-and-repeat loop. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s a promising start to a solid shooter with well-grounded foundations.

Playing with your mates is obviously the way to go here. But you can go lone soldier as a rook, or see out runs with randoms. The atmosphere of constant tension, chaotic gunfights and exploring the small but detailed worlds on offer is an enjoyable feat. My only concern is how long the fun lasts before it becomes stale, but after 30 hours, I’m still plugging away and enjoying it. Fingers crossed, Bungie will support this one for the long haul, but this will only be with Sony’s blessing.

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Console Creatures – 7 / 10

If you give Marathon your time, it will reward your patience. I really believe that. I also think the time commitment is a big reason this game won’t be for everyone. And maybe it doesn’t have to be. After all, a game for everyone is a game for no one.

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DayOne – Győző Baki – 7 / 10

Marathon is a hugely inconsistent game. Some marvelous vistas and stylistic choices, yet the world feels void of interesting events and feels small, with only a few small, static and repetitive maps. Some great shooting is accompanied by a crazy low TTK that encourages playing as passively as possible.

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Digitale Anime – Sami Belhamra – Arabic – 7.5 / 10

"A Legendary Name Returns with a New Vision"
Marathon reinvents itself as an Extraction Shooter game built on tension, risk, and skill, with a solid mechanic driven by a sophisticated shooting system and a clear variety of gameplay styles. However, the experience suffers from interface and map design issues, as well as a complexity that may deter new players. The game isn't for everyone, but it offers a deep and rewarding experience for those seeking a genuine challenge. Its future depends heavily on developer support and improvements to its technical and design aspects.

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DualShockers – Shane Limbaugh – 8.5 / 10

The biggest issue the game will face is appealing to the less hardcore players and getting them to stick around, but with Bungie continuing to iterate on the game, things will likely work out just fine for this unbelievably fun extraction shooter.

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Echo Boomer – David Fialho – Portuguese – No Recommendation

It can be hard to contain expectations at the idea of a new Marathon, once again from the studio that created it. But much like its classes, Marathon is a mere shell of its potential, with content that only satisfies those who resist its true nature as an extraction game.

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Entertainment Geekly – Luis Alvaro – 2 / 5

Marathon is competently built around a genre it chose not to challenge. It is a game that will reward patient players who bond with its loop and forgive its rougher edges. But for anyone spending forty dollars and expecting that investment to translate into a full experience, Marathon’s storefront is waiting to tell you otherwise.

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Eurogamer.pt – Adolfo Soares – Portuguese – 3 / 5

Not even Destiny's brilliant gunplay can save Marathon from its own mess. Bungie's new shooter drowns in too much visual noise, rudimentary menus and boredom. An extraction shooter that doesn't innovate and becomes tiresome long before it becomes fun. If you're hardcore in this genre, Marathon can be seen in a much more optimistic light.

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EvelonGames – Joel Isern Rodríguez – Kaym – Spanish – 8.4 / 10

Marathon is a masterclass in mechanical precision and atmospheric world-building, proving once again that Bungie remains the gold standard for first-person combat. While a cluttered interface and steep learning curve create early friction, the sheer tension of its extraction loops and the lethality of its AI provide a refreshing, high-stakes evolution for the genre. It’s a bold, stylish, and unforgiving return to form that rewards tactical patience as much as raw twitch reflexes.

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Everyeye.it – Italian – 8 / 10

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Evilgamerz – Daan Nijboer – Dutch – 7.5 / 10

Marathon has a rock-solid core. The gunplay is top-notch and addictive, weapons feel unique, PvP is tough but exciting because of it, and the AI ​​is a real threat rather than filler. Visually and technically, it is also one of the most impressive extraction shooters at the moment. But the package is not yet complete. The UI is frustrating, content is too meager with just three maps, and the endgame is also very limited by being made available only on weekends. The store is too expensive while the cosmetics offer little, and the contract system feels artificially slowed down by the limitation of one active mission, even though matches are long enough to complete multiple objectives. At its core, Bungie has a surprisingly strong extraction shooter with Marathon, but it will still have to work hard to hold players' attention for an extended period.

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GAMES.CH – Fabrice Henz – German – 82%

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GRYOnline.pl – Dariusz Matusiak – Polish – 7 / 10

At the start of its journey, Marathon is a game whose bold artistic style sometimes overshadows its best features: excellent shooting and a satisfying progression model. It is an interesting alternative in the extraction shooter genre for well-coordinated teams of three who are not afraid of brutal combat and grind. Unfortunately, the flashy, confusing interface and lack of a useful introduction to the gameplay may be enough to put some players off.

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GamePro – Tobias Veltin – German – Unscored

It was a long road to get there, though, and I can totally understand if that puts many shooter fans off. I hope enough people give the game a chance and overcome the initial hurdles – for me, it was definitely worth it, and I won't be putting Marathon down anytime soon.

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Gamer Guides – Lexi Luddy – 79 / 100

The foundational elements of Marathon are extremely solid and fun. However, while the gameplay, art design, music, and lore are all great in a vacuum, they combine inside a genre that doesn’t always allow the game’s best elements to shine. Right now, Marathon is very good. It could be great, though.

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GamesCreed – Mahi Araf – 3.7 / 5

Marathon isn’t for everyone, and it shouldn’t be. Its first impression is harsh, but its long-term experience is rich, rewarding, and full of moments that will make you want to come back again and again. Once you learn its systems, understand its maps, and invest in its progression, you’ll see why it’s one of the more compelling extraction shooters released in years.

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GamingBolt – Ravi Sinha – 8 / 10

Even within its own genre, Marathon is niche – bristling with outlandish color combinations and likely to reject those looking for something more relaxed. Stick with it, however, and the stellar gunplay, intriguing characters, fun mechanics, and tense scenarios will draw you in.

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INFINITY AREA – Florian Prache – French – 5 / 10

Marathon had the potential to be a good extraction shooter thanks to its world and level design, but with an unreadable interface, sometimes frustrating gameplay, and especially crashes caused by the anti-cheat, the experience quickly becomes tedious. The game clearly needs major fixes before returning to it.

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Multiplayer.it – Italian – 8 / 10

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Nexus Hub – Andrew Logue – 7 / 10

Marathon has undeniably stylish shooting and potential to grow – it just needs to do so quickly. For now, a notable lack of variety and limited emergent chaos hold it down from competing in an increasingly crowded market.

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NoobFeed – Azfar Rayan – 68 / 100

Marathon shows a lot of promise for a shooting game. Its unique look, fun gunplay and high-stakes gaming loop make it very appealing. If people keep supporting and getting involved with Bungie's ambitious reboot, it could become one of the genre's most important games.

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PCMGAMES – Francisco Torres – Spanish – Recommended

Marathon is recommended because it’s a challenging and rewarding shooter, where the gunplay, frame customization, and teamwork stand out as its greatest strengths. Despite its flaws, it offers a solid experience. It’s a game with enough potential to establish itself as a benchmark within the extraction shooter genre.

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PPE.pl – Polish – 7 / 10

The project clearly lacks content, and the entry threshold for solo players borders on absurdity. At the moment, it's a half-baked product that simply loses out to the rival ARC Raiders in a direct competition for our free time. The developers still have a long way to go, and they need to implement significant updates to transform this promising foundation into a fully-fledged, functioning hit

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PSX Brasil – Bruno Henrique Vinhadel – Portuguese – 85 / 100

Marathon is special within its own universe and shows how Bungie continues to deliver high-quality first-person shooters over decades. It still needs slight refinements and more content over time to remain consistently interesting, but its release is a huge success.

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PlayStation Universe – Tommy Holloway – 9 / 10

Marathon is further proof of Bungie's pedigree and ability to create enthralling, engaging, and addictive shooters. While Marathon is brutally challenging and unforgiving, especially for the solo or casual player, it begs to be experienced.

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Push Square – Aaron Bayne – 9 / 10

Marathon doesn't have that instant fun factor and casual appeal that an extraction shooter like ARC Raiders does. And for a lot of people, that likely means it isn't the game for them. But Marathon is a game that gives more to you the more you give to it. With impeccable Bungie gunplay, a gorgeous world and artstyle, and a gameplay loop much denser than its competition, we think Marathon is something special. The more we play, the more we love it.

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ReGame It – Taha Omar – Arabic – 7.5 / 10

Once again, Bungie reinforces its reputation among FPS fans. Marathon offers a fresh take on the extraction genre with precise gunplay, varied shells, and a faction system that ties into both story and progression. While it may feel overwhelming at first, it becomes intuitive after a few runs. However, the user interface remains the main drawback, especially in extraction mode, where it feels cluttered and needs smoother design and navigation.

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Restart.run – Jesse Vitelli – 4.5 / 5

[Marathon has] brought a multiplayer shooter back into the rotation for my friend group. A central game for us to rally around, to share memes, tips and tricks, and just discuss theories and where it could go next. The possibilities in Tau Ceti IV feel endless if Bungie is given the runway to continue building out this universe.

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SECTOR.sk – Peter Dragula – Slovak – 7 / 10

Marathon is an interesting project from Bungie that has some merit, but so far it doesn't feel like it's living up to its full potential. It's held back by limited content, a cluttered layout, poor navigation, and repetitive gameplay. That said, the game has a solid foundation in its shooting mechanics, movement, and the need for tactical decision-making during extractions.

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Screen Rant – Chris Carter – 7 / 10

The extraction shooter genre is hard to get right.

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TechRaptor – Tyler Chancey – 8.5 / 10

Marathon is a great-looking and extremely rewarding competitive extraction shooter let down by an inadequate prologue and poor monetization.

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The Games Machine – Alessandro Alosi – Italian – 8 / 10

Marathon takes the Extraction Game philosophy and molds it into the Bungie style. It's not perfect-the UI is awful, and the missions lose their edge over time-but the gameplay loop is fun, and the shooter foundation is solid. And what a style, guys!

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Uagna – Andrea Peroni – Italian – 7.5 / 10

Bungie's latest game, Marathon, marks the return of a historic franchise in a whole new way, transforming it into an extraction shooter. The result is better than we expected, after the initial cold sensations (and initial hours of general confusion): the shooting is excellent, the atmosphere and art direction are striking, even if getting into this world is not at all easy. Unfortunately, two major questions remain: the content is currently limited, and above all… how long will it really last?

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VGC – Diego Arguello – 4 / 5

Despite the tumultuous landscape of live-service games around it, Marathon firmly carves its own place in the extraction shooter genre with an unmatched presentation and breakneck rhythm.

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Xbox Achievements – Richard Walker – 75%

Your introduction to Marathon gives little indication of the punishing journey that lays ahead of you, venturing into hostile otherworldly environmen…

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Xbox Tavern – Jamie Collyer – 8 / 10

While there’s no denying Marathon is an aggressive PvPvE extraction shooter, it is also a remarkably moreish one. The core loop of exploration, looting and fighting feels great as we’d hope from FPS veterans Bungie, and while the UI could use some touch ups in both inputs and clarity, that one more game feeling is present and correct enough that I can see myself sticking with this for some time to come. With constant updates and additions promised, I think the future is bright for Marathon indeed.

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