Marathon: The First Steps of Bungie
Marathon is a first-person shooter video game developed and published by Bungie, and released in December 1994 for the Apple Macintosh. The game takes place several centuries into the future in outer space and sets the player as a security officer attempting to stop an alien invasion aboard a colony ship named the Marathon.
In 2000, Bungie was bought by Microsoft, financially fueling the Halo franchise. The concepts of an AI working with an armed player character continued from the roots laid out in the Marathon series. In 2005, Bungie released the assets for the game trilogy as freeware. An Aleph One-based port of Marathon for Apple's iPhone and iPad was released for free (with in-game purchases) on the iTunes App Store in July 2011. On May 24th 2023, Bungie released a teaser trailer for a reboot of Marathon, set in 2850 and described as a sci-fi PvP extraction shooter. It will be released for the Playstation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC.
Marathon is considered to be one of the most influential first-person shooters of all time. It was praised for its innovative gameplay, challenging puzzles, and rich story. The game's success helped to establish Bungie as a leading developer of first-person shooters, and its legacy can be seen in the Halo franchise.
Here are some of the key features of Marathon:
- Innovative gameplay: Marathon was one of the first first-person shooters to feature a complex story, challenging puzzles, and a variety of weapons and enemies.
- Rich story: Marathon's story is set in the 29th century and follows the player as a security officer aboard the colony ship Marathon. The player must stop an alien invasion that threatens the ship and its crew.
- Challenging puzzles: Marathon's puzzles are challenging and require the player to use their wits to solve them.
- Variety of weapons and enemies: Marathon features a variety of weapons and enemies, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Marathon is a classic first-person shooter that is still worth playing today. It is a challenging and rewarding game that will keep you entertained for hours on end. If you are a fan of first-person shooters, then you should definitely check out Marathon.
Here are some of the things that made Marathon stand out from other first-person shooters of its time:
- Its rich story: Marathon was one of the first first-person shooters to feature a complex and engaging story. The game's story was told through a combination of in-game text, audio logs, and cutscenes. This made the game feel more immersive and engaging than other first-person shooters of the time.
- Its challenging puzzles: Marathon's puzzles were challenging and required the player to use their wits to solve them. This made the game more than just a mindless shooter, and it added a layer of depth and complexity to the experience.
- Its variety of weapons and enemies: Marathon featured a variety of weapons and enemies, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. This made the game more strategic and required the player to adapt their playstyle to different situations.
Marathon was a groundbreaking first-person shooter that helped to shape the genre. It is a classic game that is still worth playing today. If you are a fan of first-person shooters, then you should definitely check out Marathon.