Marathon Has the Gameplay, But the UI Needs Serious Work

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The success of any good extraction shooter depends on how clearly it presents information to the player. When danger could be around any corner and taking time to gather loot makes you vulnerable, players need to quickly understand what’s happening around them. Sadly, that’s where the new extraction shooter, Marathon, seems to be struggling.

Playing the Marathon Server Slam has shown that the game’s core gameplay is really satisfying – gunfights feel powerful, and movement feels solid. However, the user interface is holding it back. It’s hard to quickly identify loot, and icons aren’t clear about what they do. Players have to spend a lot of time hovering over items to figure them out, which disrupts the fast pace of the game and makes learning feel like a chore instead of an enjoyable process.

It takes time to get used to how things work, and at first, the interface can be confusing. If it’s not improved before release, this could really hurt the game’s chances of success, particularly when compared to games like Arc Raiders, which has a much clearer and easier-to-understand design.

Loot Readability Is Marathon’s Biggest Immediate Problem

Players quickly notice it’s hard to find important items in the game. Crucial gear, containers, and pickups often blend in with the surroundings, making it unclear what can be collected. This can disrupt the flow of gameplay, turning quick, strategic decisions into frustrating pauses and slowing down the action.

Over time, you’ll start noticing small details in the game, but learning them feels frustrating rather than helpful. Arc Raiders, on the other hand, makes rewards clear right away, letting you quickly understand what’s valuable and how to use it. Marathon, however, makes you constantly doubt your choices, which can make even well-designed and exciting fights feel less intense.

As someone who loves extraction shooters, one thing that really worries me is how hard it can be for new players to get into a game. First impressions are huge, and if you’re fumbling around trying to figure out what loot is good or where to go, it’s super frustrating. It kills that exciting feeling of finding cool stuff. Even if you eventually figure things out, that initial bad taste can stick with you. The game itself is solid, but if you can’t quickly understand what’s around you, it can ruin those first few matches – the ones where the game really needs to grab you and keep you hooked.

Item Icons Lack At-a-Glance Clarity, Forcing Unnecessary Friction

The item screen suffers from the same problem: icons aren’t clear about what they do. Many look alike, using similar shapes, dull colors, and vague symbols. This makes it hard to tell the difference between things like weapon upgrades, health items, and crafting components, forcing players to pause and check each one. This extra mental effort distracts from the fast-paced action and makes it harder to focus on strategy.

Players might eventually learn what all the icons mean, but it feels like a trick to get around a poorly designed interface, rather than a truly intuitive system. Considering this game already requires players to keep track of their location, enemies, and teammates, forcing them to also figure out what items are just adds to the difficulty. Unlike that, Arc Raiders has an inventory system that immediately shows you what everything is, letting players concentrate on playing the game instead of trying to understand the user interface.

As a long-time fan, I’m really excited about Marathon, but I’m also a little worried. Bungie has had some ups and downs with its community lately, so expectations are super high, and people are understandably cautious. Honestly, the game’s interface feels clunky compared to something like Arc Raiders. The gameplay itself is pretty gripping, and the tension is great, but the UI really needs work before launch. If they don’t fix it, I’m afraid that one weak point could end up being all anyone talks about, and that would be a shame because the core game has so much potential.

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2026-02-27 01:44