Marathon, the new PvPvE extraction shooter from Halo and Destiny developer Bungie, is the first game to truly rival last year's juggernaut ARC Raiders in its genre. But make no mistake — that doesn't mean the two games play out similarly. In fact, in many ways, they're actually very different.
While both games feature the same overall structure — drop into a map, loot, contend with the risk of both PvE and PvP, and extract with your collected valuables — ARC Raiders is considered far more casual, with systems that encourage teaming up with other players. Marathon, on the other hand, has attracted a PvP-focused crowd, and its short time-to-kill (TTK) greatly rewards aggressive players that hunt down other Runners (especially on the new Outpost map).
Pair that with the game's deadly AI-controlled UESC enemies that not only pose a serious threat, but also funnel players together with the sounds of gunfire, and you've got a surprisingly difficult game. It's not overly punishing, as free sponsored kits make it easy to jump back into the action even if you lose your gear, but it's definitely skewed in the "hardcore" direction.
Indeed, Marathon is so challenging that Shroud, one of the biggest FPS streamers on Twitch and a former Counter-Strike pro player, was shocked by its difficulty. He said as much in a recent stream, and even went as far as to say that ARC Raiders is like "Hello Kitty Adventures" in comparison.
"It's crazy. I can't believe they made a game this hard, I can't," he said, chuckling. "Like, you play [ARC Raiders], and it's like you're playing Hello Kitty Adventures. Like, what the f***? They made this so hard."
Shroud is shocked at how hard Marathon is pic.twitter.com/VniQS69y7FMarch 6, 2026
Given that Bungie's last title was Destiny 2 — a shooter that, outside of specific endgame activities like Nightfalls, six-man Raids, and Trials of Osiris PvP, is generally only moderately difficult — the surprise at Marathon's intensity is completely understandable. I feel it, too...and I find myself actually digging it, which isn't what I was expecting.
You see, I'm typically not much of a PvP fan outside of a few specific games (namely, Battlefield 6 right now), especially when they're extremely competitive and sweaty. But there's something about Marathon that just clicks with me, regardless. I was caught off-guard by how much fun I had playing with friends during the pre-launch Server Slam, and I've had a blast so far with the full release, too.
For me, it's a combination of the game's slower, more methodical movement, the snappy feel of its gunplay, the lethality of firefights, and the speed at which you can get into another run if you get taken out.
The abilities each shell can use do have a sizable impact, but ultimately, positioning is key, and that's always been my strong suit over raw mechanical skill in shooters. The fast TTK in its engagements means you can outplay your opponents handily with a well-timed flank or by holding the right angle even if they've got better gear, and even when you die and lose everything, it's easy to throw together a basic kit and go again.
Ultimately, it rewards smart and creative playmaking greatly, and manages to keep the stakes high without punishing you too harshly when you fail. That's a hard balance to strike, but Bungie has struck it well with Marathon — well enough that it's got its hooks in someone who barely plays PvP games at all.
🗨️ Are you enjoying Marathon?
Now that Marathon is finally out, let me know: are you playing the game and having a good time with it? If not, are you considering picking it up soon, or are you just not interested? How do you feel about the game's high difficulty? I'm curious to hear from you!
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