In a showcase filled with fun but forgettable reveals, Bungie’sMarathonrevival has managed to take the spotlight and hold it for an entire week, which in the video game industry isn’t all that easy to do. One of the big new AAA projects leadingPlayStation’s next phase of live-service multiplayer titles,Marathonseemingly takes Bungie’s old, pre-HaloSci-Fi universe and gives it a modern-day multiplayer spin, and in typical Bungie fashion, its trailer is a truly impressive one.
Though it doesn’t show any actual gameplay, or even really paint a clear picture of what the game’s about,Marathon’s announcement trailerdid exactly what it needed to do, and that’s get people talking. Opening with weird and wonderful Sci-Fi imagery,Marathon’s debut trailer is short and mysterious, and it may have already revealed the game’s greatest strength: its visuals.
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Marathon’s Art Style Could Be Its Greatest Selling Point
Bungie has been in the gaming industry a lot longer than many fans might realize, with its first game releasing in 1990. Over the last three decades, it’s only continued to evolve and grow more talented. Bungie hasn’t built just one fully-fledged Sci-Fi universe before, but three, withMarathon,Halo, andDestinyall taking place in their own respective, expansive space settings. And for each of these Sci-Fi universes, Bungie has gone above and beyond to ensure that they feel distinct and authentic, which includes a great deal of effort on the part of Bungie’s concept art and visuals team.
Over the past 30 years, Bungie’s artists have created some of the most intricate Sci-Fi designs in gaming, and maybe even entertainment in general. ThoughMarathon,Halo, andDestinyall share some now-iconic imagery, each universe is filled with its own unique character, vehicle, and environmental models.Mararthon’s Durandal AI looks completely different toHalo’s Cortanawhich looks completely different toDestiny’s Guardian, but all three designs are incredibly iconic and well-realized, and that’s just scratching the surface of what Bungie’s artists have done.
Put simply, Bungie knows how to make a Sci-Fi universe look good and unique, and it looks like it’s doing it all over again with its upcomingMarathonrevival. While there’s sure to be some crossover withthe originalMarathonseriesin terms of Sci-Fi aesthetics, it seems as though this version ofMarathonis going for a completely new look overall, and it’s one that’s turning a lot of heads already.
The biggest reason whyMarathon’s recent announcement trailer stood out as much as it did, aside from the name attached, is its breathtaking art style. Though the trailer was short, and each frame went by at a frantic pace,Marathon’s unique visual style is impossible to ignore. Stark colors and contrasts provide the perfect backdrop for clearly-defined character models, and some classic Bungie Sci-Fi imagery like a half-destroyed moon placed perfectly in front of a planet’s silhouette madeMarathon’s reveal immediately stand out from the crowd during the PlayStation Showcase.
It seems as though Bungie is taking more risks than ever when it comes to its art style, and if the finished product looks anything like the trailer, then that gamble will almost certainly pay off. And whileMarathon’s gameplay is sure to have Bungie’s usual seal of quality, it’s the game’s art style that could end up being its greatest strength, especially in an extraction-shooter market that’s only going to keep getting more crowded over the next few years.
Marathonis currently in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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