Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Marathon Trilogy Box Set delivers a compelling and enduring first-person shooter experience that laid the groundwork for modern FPS mechanics. Across Marathon, Marathon 2: Durandal, and Marathon Infinity, players navigate labyrinthine environments, manage limited resources, and engage in fast-paced combat against hostile aliens and rogue AIs. The trilogy’s tight weapon balance, atmospheric level design, and emergent enemy behaviors create a gameplay loop that remains surprisingly engaging even decades after its original release.

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One of the standout features of this deluxe package is the inclusion of Forge and Anvil—two powerful editors that allow players to craft custom maps and define shapes, sounds, and physics. These tools extend the longevity of the trilogy, enabling fans to design new challenges or recreate favorite levels from scratch. For newcomers, the editors provide a gateway to understanding the principles of game design; for veterans, they offer near-limitless opportunities to expand the Marathon universe.

In addition to the three main titles, the box set includes Pathways into Darkness, an early Bungie adventure that blends FPS action with exploration and puzzle-solving elements. Its slower pace and emphasis on environmental storytelling contrast nicely with the high-octane Marathon entries. To round out the gameplay offerings, the set features the Abuse demo and a Myth: The Fallen Lords slideshow preview—tasty appetizers that showcase Bungie’s evolving design philosophy.

Graphics

While the Marathon Trilogy’s graphics may feel dated by modern standards, they retain a distinctive charm rooted in pixel art and early 3D rendering. The original engine runs comfortably on contemporary hardware via emulation or source ports, preserving the sharpness of sprites and the crispness of textured floors and ceilings. The black-box package even includes high-resolution scanned manuals, ensuring the authentic look and feel of 1990’s-era packaging.

Marathon 2 and Infinity introduce incremental graphical improvements, including parallax-scrolling backgrounds, dynamic lighting effects, and more detailed textures. These visual enhancements heighten immersion, particularly during tense firefights in dimly lit corridors. Despite the limitations of the technology at the time, Bungie’s artists and level designers maximize every pixel to convey atmosphere, from flickering computer terminals to the menacing glow of Pfhor energy weapons.

The supplementary materials on the second CD—user-made maps, films, and utilities—often push the engine to its limits, showcasing creative uses of existing assets and custom textures. Meanwhile, the slide show preview of Myth: The Fallen Lords hints at the graphical evolution Bungie was ushering in, providing players with an early glimpse at more advanced character models and detailed environments.

Story

At the core of Marathon’s appeal lies its intricate narrative, which unfolds through network terminal logs, AI dialogues, and environmental cues. Players begin on the UESC Marathon, a human colony ship besieged by the alien Pfhor, and soon find themselves enmeshed in a multi-layered saga involving rogue AIs like Durandal and the enigmatic forces beyond. Each title in the trilogy deepens the lore, revealing hidden agendas, ancient artifacts, and existential questions about free will and creation.

The inclusion of The Marathon Scrapbook elevates the story experience to a collector’s delight. This beautifully printed booklet chronicles Bungie’s journey from their Gnop! days through Marathon Infinity, interweaving concept art, developer anecdotes, and rare promotional materials. It enriches the backstory, offering fans new perspectives on character motivations, design decisions, and the genesis of iconic gameplay moments.

Additional narrative depth comes from Pathways into Darkness, where players explore subterranean tombs and decipher runic scripts to thwart an ancient evil. The blend of text logs and environmental puzzles in Pathways complements Marathon’s terminal-based storytelling, demonstrating Bungie’s early mastery of world-building. Even the user-generated campaigns included on the second disc sometimes introduce their own lore, expanding the trilogy’s universe in unexpected directions.

Overall Experience

The Marathon Trilogy Box Set stands as a definitive compilation for both longtime fans and curious newcomers. The elegant black box, adorned with collectible stickers and printed manuals, evokes a sense of nostalgia that few modern releases can match. Opening the package feels like unearthing a piece of gaming history—complete with two CDs brimming with content and a tangible connection to Bungie’s early days.

Beyond the primary games, the second CD’s treasure trove of user-made maps, short films, and utilities adds immense replay value. Meanwhile, having all thirteen issues of Marathon Magazine at your fingertips offers a trip down memory lane, showcasing fan art, developer interviews, and community discussions that once defined the Marathon community. This archival component makes the box set more than just software; it’s a living museum exhibit.

In terms of accessibility, the box set’s components play smoothly on modern macOS and Windows systems via open-source ports like Marathon Infinity and Aleph One. The straightforward installation process and clear instructions in the printed manuals ensure that even those unfamiliar with early-’90s gaming can dive right in. All told, the Marathon Trilogy Box Set offers an unparalleled blend of gameplay variety, narrative richness, and collectible charm—an essential acquisition for anyone interested in the roots of the FPS genre.

Retro Replay Score

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