Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 423 sampled Steam reviews (221 positive / 202 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Combat26% mention it
- Story & writing24% mention it
- Visuals & art21% mention it
- Multiplayer & servers19% mention it
- Progression & loot14% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Multiplayer & servers28% mention it
- Combat22% mention it
- Story & writing21% mention it
- Progression & loot18% mention it
- Visuals & art15% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
12%
58 reviews
5-15h
42%
53 reviews
15-40h
57%
60 reviews
40-100h
58%
77 reviews
100h+
65%
175 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 81 | 200 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 77% | 72 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 58 | 726 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 64% | 63 | 1279 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jul 21, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 1279 total reviews in window · weighted 154.6 up / 77.4 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (150)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 85
“Marathon is the adrenaline shot the extraction shooter genre desperately needed. It successfully combines the immaculate, responsive gunplay Bungie is famous for with a deeply rewarding, loot-driven progression system that minimizes frustrating downtime. While solo players may find themselves struggling against coordinated trios, and the initial learning curve is undeniably brutal, the sheer thrill of surviving an ambush, securing a massive haul, and extracting by the skin of your teeth is unmatched. Whether you are a hardened Tarkov veteran or a Destiny refugee looking for your next obsession, Marathon is an absolute must-play.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Marathon delivers a solid Competitive Extraction Shooter experience, highlighted by a captivating art direction and an unmatched Sound design, It features polished shooting mechanics, interactive environments, and thrilling PvP encounters that border on perfection, alongside diverse quests and an excellent progression system. On the contrary, the game falters in storytelling, relying heavily on text menus instead of interactive presentation. The PvE enemies lack variety, making their combat almost entirely devoid of strategic depth. Furthermore, it suffers from a highly frustrating user experience due to a cluttered, complex, and unappealing UI, weak and boring customization, constant server issues, and a bad matchmaking system.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Bungie is reviving one of its most iconic IPs in the form of a unique extraction shooter that, while its future remains uncertain, surprises in many ways. Marathon is a game that makes a bold statement, both visually and in its interpretation of what an extraction shooter should be. It’s taking a big risk in a genre that isn’t exactly massive to begin with, and within that genre, it’s striving to carve out a niche for itself.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Right now, Marathon's offerings are a little thin.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“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.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“For those not put off by the more hardcore nature of what Bungie delivered, I highly recommend you give Marathon a try. You might just become as hooked as I did.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Bungie's first-person shooter Marathon (2026) is a worthy new entry in a franchise that goes back to 1994. Top-tier aesthetics keep your eyes glued to the screen.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“It’s not perfect. It needs better onboarding, more maps, and a smoother way for new players to find their footing. But the foundation is solid, and there’s a clear sense that this is a game built to grow over time. More importantly, it’s one of the few extraction shooters that’s managed to hold my attention. I keep thinking about my last run, what I could have done differently, and what I want to try next.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Marathon is an ambitious experiment that successfully brings a historic brand back into the spotlight through a well-executed artistic vision and gameplay that, while somewhat rigid, reaffirms Bungie’s talent for crafting excellent FPS mechanics. However, the sense that this is a product not yet fully polished, marred by terrible interface design, prevents it from reaching the pinnacle of extraction shooters.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“At the moment, Marathon seems to appeal primarily to a hardcore audience, players who view many of its frustrations as features rather than flaws. However, it’s a very different experience from what Bungie has accustomed us to. Those who enjoyed Halo or Destiny may struggle to find the same kind of fun here, at least in the game’s current state. There is potential, no doubt. If it continues to be supported and evolves over time, Marathon may yet become a more solid and appealing proposition. But, for now, it’s a difficult recommendation to make.”
read full review ↗ - 84
“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.”
read full review ↗ - 82
“Those who manage to get past Marathon’s most challenging phase will discover a memorable, tense, and addictive extraction shooter brimming with ideas that push the genre in new directions.”
read full review ↗
TheBigBois
Eternal Games
La Orden del Pixel
Gadgets 360
GRYOnline.pl
Seasoned Gaming
Mashable
ani-game.com
STWGames Italia
EvelonGames…and 138 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Marathon Update 1.1.5.5Aug 25, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.5.4Aug 18, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.5.3Aug 11, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.5.2Aug 4, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.5.1Jul 28, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.5Jul 21, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Mid-Season 2 Update PreviewJul 16, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Marathon Update 1.1.0.5Jul 9, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.0.4Jul 7, 2026
- Marathon Dev Team Update: Key DatesJun 23, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.0.3Jun 23, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.1.0.2Jun 16, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Marathon Update 1.1.0.1Jun 9, 2026
- Season 2 is Now LiveJun 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Marathon Update 1.1.0Jun 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Season 2 Combat Tuning PreviewMay 29, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Welcome to Season 2May 27, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Marathon Update 1.0.9.1May 26, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.0.9May 19, 2026
- Marathon Game Security UpdateMay 7, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.0.6.3May 5, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.0.6.2Apr 28, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.0.6.1Apr 21, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.0.6Apr 14, 2026
- Introducing C.A.R.R.I. - CyberAcme’s New ProtocolApr 14, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Dev Update on Experimental Duo QueueApr 7, 2026
- Cheater Update from Marathon's Dev TeamApr 7, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.0.5.3Apr 7, 2026
- Dev Update on Biotoxic DisinjectorApr 4, 2026
- "BALANCE SHAKE UP!" A note from Marathon's Game Director, Joe ZieglerApr 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Duos Update: A Candle Lit Dinner on OutpostMar 31, 2026
- Marathon Update 1.0.5.2Mar 31, 2026
- Marathon Community Comms: Where To Find UsMar 26, 2026significant · resets scoring window
…and 10 earlier patch announcements.