‘Marathon’ game hands-on: Bungie shooter goes back to the future

When it comes to first-person shooters, Bungie — from Halo all the way to Destiny — has long been in a class of its own. Now the studio is returning to an older game — Marathon, originally released in 1994.

Having played the 2026 version of Marathon for 6 hours, my first impressions are positive. The gunplay is impressive, the art direction is enticing.

The game’s slower pacing may not be for everyone — but personally, I’m hungry for more.

What is ‘Marathon’ about?

Marathon takes place on the planet Tau Ceti IV, where human colonists upload their consciousnesses to disposable cybernetic bodies, turning them into “Runners.” The Runners’ job is to go out into Tau Ceti IV, scrounging up resources, artifacts, and data to bring back to their factions.