by At PlayStation Showcase 2023, Bungie revealed its announcement trailer for Marathon, with neon colors and futuristic looks that brought a little sparkle to our dimly lit rooms.
Marathon hasn’t seen an addition to its franchise for over twenty-six (!) years, falling into obscurity after the release of Marathon Infinity in 1996. With this new entry adopting the original game’s name, gamers on social media are curious to know if Marathon is it a reboot, sequel, or possibly even a remake.
Is Marathon a reboot, sequel or remake?
While his trailer left more questions than answers, general manager Scott Taylor and game director Christopher Barrett revealed more information about Bungie’s exciting new project in an interview with PlayStation Blog.
When asked about Marathon’s connection to the 1994 title, Barret explained: “[Marathon is] it is not a direct sequence to the originals, but something that certainly belongs to the same universe and that feels like a Bungie game. Finding these opportunities to conform with the universe’s lore while building something different and new has been one of the best parts of developing this game so far.“
Barret stated that Marathon will be easily accessible for new players, but will provide “references and deep cuts [Marathon fans] will recognize.” This puts the Marathon in the soft reset category, similar to Santa Monica’s God of War.
Unlike previous Marathon titles, which featured a single player campaign, Marathon will focus entirely on player versus player combat. Bungie’s vision is to tell Marathon’s narrative primarily through a “player-based narrative”.
Related: New Destiny 2 The Final Shape Showcase announced: date, rumors and more
“We’re building a world full of persistent, evolving zones where players create their own journey with each run they take,” explains Barrett when discussing Marathon’s identity as a Bungie game.
“This could mean an unforgettable firefight against another crew competing for the same loot, or a last-second extraction while surrounded on all sides.”
While the absence of a single-player campaign may be disappointing to some, especially with its recent surge in popularity, I have high hopes for Bungie’s revival of the franchise. It’s clear that the development team is passionate about creating their first major project since the introduction of Destiny in 2014.
With nearly a decade of storytelling told in an ever-evolving world, our hope is that Marathon will learn from Destiny’s setbacks and embrace its successes. The fan reception to Cayde-6’s return in the latest Final Shape trailer is exactly what we’d love to see in Marathon in the future.
Alongside Bungie’s two big reveals, PlayStation Showcase 2023 has also been revealed Project QSony’s latest handheld capable of streaming PlayStation 5 games at 1080p, 60 frames per second. Ask them to call me when they release another PlayStation Vita.
– This article was last updated on May 24, 2023
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