Marathon 2(Mac/PC)

Before Bungie software created the smash hit casual/hardcore cross-demographic First-Person Shooters "Halo" and its sequel to be released several years later "Halo 2", they created perhaps their first smash hit series in the "Marathon" games. Released in 1995, Marathon 2 ups the ante by improving upon the graphics, environments and gameplay of the original while retaining the same interesting Sci-Fi plotlines.

The plot of Marathon 2 revolves around a computer AI personality known as "Durandel" and its attempt to subvert and ultimately eliminate the "Pfhor" race, an imperialistic and sadistic alien race who have colonized and drained countless planets and pose an imminent threat to both the human and the "Spht" race. Being a "mere" highly advanced computer AI program, Durandel must have a physical associate to do much of his dirty work - you take the role of that associate, a cybernetically enhanced human with a shielded suit who is able interface with just about any computer system out there. Durandel uses its computer systems to digitize you and transport you to your next destination, when you have completed the particular mission objectives (which don't stray far from genre norms, most involve finding a control switch(s) for any number of different systems). As the plot is revealed, you travel to various locations from desolate planets to occupied spaceships in your attempts to stop the dominance of the Phfor. The plot is fairly complex, certainly more involving than the typical "find the boss monster and kill him" common at the time of its release. A large part of the appeal of the marathon games is the involving plot that sucks you in and keeps you addicted as you continue to advance the plot.

Gameplay in Marathon 2 has a somewhat different feel than other FPSs of the time, without straying too far from certain conventions of the genre. About 1/2 of the screen is used for the HUD(Heads Up Display), which displays your health and oxygen levels, weapon and ammuniton information, and radar. The radar, in particular, adds a dimension of suspense to the game as you watch the red enemy indicators surround you. Early in the game, the objective is usually to simply find the next computer terminal so Durandel can beam you to the next area, but soon he has you disabling water systems, inserting control chips, unlocking doors etc., solving simple puzzles along the way. The gameplay in Marathon 2 is somewhat slower paced than the non-stop running and gunning of the Doom games, due in part to the relatively skimpy supply of ammo; as you explore the various maps, Durandel will beam ammunition to you at certain points, but a modest supply of ammo requires a thorough search of each area. Enemies rarely appear in groups approaching the numbers found in the Doom games, but the individual enemies are somewhat more difficult and powerful, and a limited ammo supply means you must make every shot count. The final few missions provide you with plenty of ammuniton, but the first half of the game requires more discretion and tactical forethought(we're not talking AI in the range of Halo, or even Goldeneye, but it is still wise to take the path of least resistance).

Enemies range from the weak green-armored Phfor warriors, security drones and annoying native creatures to the powerful floating Phfor gunships. Some of your adversaries, such as the hulking Hunters are weak to a certain weapon (Fusion Pistol in this case); this knowledge can often mean the difference between life and death in a tense firefight. Unlike other FPSs of the time, it is not always possible to sneak up on enemies, as they will sometimes beam in when you enter a certain area, adding to the tension. The weapon selection in this game is not as diverse as other games of the genre, but rather goes for a quality over quantity approach. You start out the game with a single .44 pistol and your fists, but soon acquire more powerful armaments, from the close combat assault rifle, to the double barrelled shotgun, fusion pistol, napalm thrower and rocket launcher. Some of the weapons have a secondary fire, in the case of the .44 pistol and shotgun, the secondary fire is the use of an additional pistol and shotgun (when found) for double the carnage (and double the reload time). The weapons are well drawn, and the sound effects and kickback really gives a powerful feel to them. Most of the lower level enemies can be taken down with not too many .44 rounds, and your fists are actually a semi-viable offensive weapon should you run out of ammo - which is a good thing, because your oxygen-hungry weapons won't work underwater, so you will have to duke it out during your occasional diving trips. Occasionally, BOBs(Born-on-Boards), humans born and raised on human starships will transport down in groups to assist you, creating a handy diversion at certain times.

The maps in Marathon 2 are generally very well designed, and offer just the right amount of challenge while very rarely creating excessive frustration. In addition to the flora and fauna of the various locales, you will have to contend with the usual environmental hazards, such as doors that can crush you, lava and acid, falls from a mountain high, and oxygen deprivation. The care that went into the map design is obvious, with unique textures and a few alternative paths here and there. While the simple puzzles involved in gameplay rarely stress the gray matter much, the increasingly complex maps require that you consult the in-game map (default:TAB) to get your bearings. The relative abscence of monsters and more complex maps create the feeling that you are playing an "adventure FPS" at times, but the somewhat protracted combat is more realistic and adds to the tension and atmosphere. Environments range from barren planets to the otherworldly interiors of alien starships, easing some of the "tunnel vision" of many games in the genre.

The control scheme is typical for the time, you move using the arrow keys, fire with CTRL and ALT(secondary) and interact with objects in the world with the space bar. While I have heard that this game was made to be played with the keyboard, I found myself much more comfortable using the standard WASD + mouse scheme that is standard for modern FPSs. As this is a game that was made in a time when mouse aiming was not yet the standard, aiming with the mouse is a little jumpy, but you adjust to it with time.

In the modern gaming landscape of high polygon counts, lighting effects and the like, the graphics in Marathon 2 may appear ancient, but they hold up fairly well, and compared favorably to Doom when the game was released. The textures, in particular, are very sharp and detailed, and there is a minimum of texture repetition throughout the environments. The enemies and weapons are detailed and fluid, and have that hand drawn look to them, and unlike in Doom, where you would notice the simplicity of the sprites as soon as the enemies were in your face, enemies retain their detail, even while crushing your face in. The lighting effects are about on par with Doom - at the time, dynamic lighting of any kind was a pretty cool feature. The creatures animate fluidly, but the framerate seems stuck around 30fps, fluid enough but seems a little slow, this was likely done on purpose to create a more thoughtful pace for the game. Sound design is very good, there is no in-game music, but the weapons, creature, and environmental effects are all well done; you hear the water lapping the shore, the wind whipping at you, and shell casings landing on the ground. Weapons sound weighty and realistic, adding to the atmosphere. Overall, Marathon 2 is nice looking (and sounding game), that holds up fairly well today, even better than Doom. The engine itself is somewhat better than Doom, but not nearly as advanced as the Build engine utilized by Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, and other games to be released in the following 2 years.

Marathon 2 is a game I recommend any FPS or action fan try. Even if you are not typically a fan of FPSs, I think you will find much to enjoy in the game's story and rich atmosphere. Maps are well designed, the graphics and sound design are nice, the gameplay is fun, the story is great, and the game is actually quite lengthy for a shooter. Plus, since Bungie Studios has released the data files for Marathon 2, the original, and the sequel "Marathon Infinity", you can play the whole trilogy for nothing, and enjoy enhanced graphics with the Marathon Windows port program "AlephOne". I recommend you visit The Trilogy Release and download this, and the rest of the trilogy.