So what can Marathon improve on to turn the tide?
Marathon’s player count is dwindling - that much is clear. So what can turn the tide?
Personally, I really like Marathon’s world. I think the character designs, setting, and lore are all very well done. At the same time, though, there are plenty of things that just don’t work.
My main gripe with the game is the low TTK. It heavily encourages either gearing yourself up with the best possible equipment, just to survive half a second longer when someone gets the drop on you, or camping like a rat so you can be the one to shoot first and gain a massive advantage.
By comparison, I think Arc Raiders handles TTK much better. Even when someone spots you first, good positioning and weapon use can still give you a chance to win the fight.
Beyond that, I think the UI is a major problem. The main menu is far too confusing, especially for new players - although by now muscle memory lets me click through it without thinking. I’m even less fond of some of the in-game UI choices, such as not being able to immediately tell what implants or equipment you’ve just found. In my opinion, it makes no sense that a player has to stop in the middle of a match, hover over an implant, and read its description just to figure out what it is. An icon should make it immediately clear which implant you’ve picked up.
My third gripe with the game would be the community, but I’ll leave that aside for now.
So what do you think Marathon could improve to make the game better, or at least stop it from haemorrhaging players on a weekly basis?
Edit: As some people pointed out, certain improvements or additions to the game would probably cost a lot of extra money, and Sony might never sign off on them. So, think of this more as a thought exercise where budget isn’t an issue.