Marathon continues to be tested behind closed doors, with hundreds of players (reportedly up to 900) taking part in crucial feedback loops to allow Bungie to finesse the seemingly already failed extraction shooter. In a recent report, fresh details emerged from said tests, with participants feeding back some of the most recent changes to Marathon.
Among the new details sits information about proximity chat, changes to key combat mechanics, and a deep dive into some new map elements.
Marathon Has That Feature Extraction Fans Love
In an exclusive report published by The Game Post, it was claimed that those enjoying the Marathon playtest have been trialling proximity chat in the game. This has long been considered a staple for extraction shooters, popularized by titles like Escape from Tarkov.
Beyond that, it was mentioned that the time-to-kill has been improved and is ‘noticeably faster’ compared to the popular alpha that dropped earlier this year. Bungie has tried to balance healing and damage mechanics to make certain items less OP.
TGP also reported from sources close to the tests that how character models handle death has been amended considerably, and that bodies will no longer vanish into a puff of smoke when eliminated.
These changes are in addition to a new challenges menu called the Codex, and a series of unlockable titles that are cosmetic naming conventions players can use to customize their profile. Next up is reportedly a shooting range that players can use to test their weapons.
Many still feel that Bungie won’t bounce back from the art plagiarism accusations, nor will there be enough interest in Marathon to make enough of a mark on a crowded extraction shooter genre.
Are you looking forward to Marathon? Let me know on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Borderlands 4 is being slated in reviews
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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