Bungie has revealed the all-new and experimental PvE mode coming soon to Marathon, the struggling extraction shooter that released in March and has been suffering in the traction stakes ever since. There were hopes that a PvE gameplay loop might reinvigorate the title or attract those wary of PvP, but given what has been revealed, that might not be the case.
In July, the mid-season update for Marathon arrives, and it is set to introduce Vault Breaker, the game’s new PvE mode. However, it’s not exactly an extraction shooter mode, as the items you find when exploring Vault Breaker are left behind, eradicating one of the fundamental elements of what an extraction shooter is.
Marathon’s Vault Breaker Mode Sounds Interesting
Marathon is getting a PvE mode; that much was confirmed weeks ago by Bungie, but now, a new announcement has painted a picture of what that mode will look like.
It’s called Vault Breaker, and it invites players to explore Cryo Archive, the ‘endgame map’ that was released on March 20th. It’s the game’s toughest environment, and with Vault Breaker, it takes on an entirely new facet.
Players will launch into a raid on Vault Breaker, embarking on a journey to Cryo Archive once having secured a special Sponsored Kit. They can play as a crew, duo, or solo player, and when they land in Cryo Archive, they’ll face a progressively challenging series of vaults.
As the raid unravels, players will become stronger, taking their newfound knowledge and power into other raids unique to the Vault Breaker circuit. There’s a grand vault resting at the end of the loop, with a ‘mysterious entity’ within, which many have assumed is the Compiler.
Now, this is where Vault Breaker takes a non-extraction-focused turn. When you extract from a Vault Breaker run, you won’t be able to take any gear or items you’ve found during the run. You can pull out Vault Data, but that’s it. It’s an all-new currency that’s found within the vaults in Cryo Archive, and it can be exchanged for upgrades to your new Vault Breaker Sponsored Kits.
In Bungie’s words, this allows players to experience all the fun (perhaps) of Cryo Archive ‘without flooding the economy with low-risk, high-power Cryo loot.’
Do you think you’ll be playing Marathon’s new PvE mode? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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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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