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The Final ‘Marathon’ Closed Alpha Review: How Did It Go?
In a surprise to no one, the closed alpha for Marathon has ended with a disappointing reception. Despite being a huge release from Bungie, the developer behind Halo and Destiny, it seems that many players were left underwhelmed by what they experienced.
Firstly, let’s talk about the gameplay itself. While some aspects of the game were enjoyable, the overall package felt like it was trying to split the difference between multiple genres, but ultimately failing to excel in any one area. It tried to make extraction shooters more accessible to casual players, which resulted in a watered-down experience that may have turned off hardcore fans.
The reception from both hardcore and casual gamers was overwhelmingly negative. Players who were initially excited about the game quickly lost interest after getting their hands on it. In fact, Twitch viewership dropped dramatically within a week of its release, with some reports suggesting as few as 1-6K viewers compared to the initial 140K.
But what’s even more concerning is that this negative sentiment was not limited to one group of players. The reaction from social media was decidedly mixed, with many gamers expressing frustration and disappointment at the lack of polish and refinement in the game.
It seems that Bungie has missed the mark on this occasion. By trying to appeal to a broader audience, they may have alienated their core fanbase. As someone who’s been following the development of Marathon closely, I must admit that I’m not surprised by these results. In fact, I’ve long been saying that Marathon should be delayed in order to give the developers more time to refine and improve the game.
In light of this, I’m left wondering if it’s worth paying $40 for the game at launch. As someone who loves sci-fi novels like my Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy, I can see why many players might be hesitant to shell out that kind of cash for a subpar experience.
It seems that Bungie has some serious work to do before they can release Marathon with confidence.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/05/03/the-final-marathon-closed-alpha-review-how-did-it-go/
