ARC Raiders sets a high bar for extraction shooters, Bungie's Marathon has serious competition

The titles ARC Raiders and Marathon offer two vastly different takes on the same genre, and so far, their reception has been notably different. Marathon's Closed Alpha revealed a sci-fi-heavy setting with impressive FPS mechanics and hero-shooter tropes. Meanwhile, ARC Raiders delivers a post-apocalyptic world, where the threats are many and lethal. Both games are PvPvE, but that's not where the similarities end.

On the surface, they both appear the same — a world overrun by machines that are trying to kill you, where resources are scarce and therefore, vital. Yet, ARC Raiders has received a more positive reception than Marathon. This is perhaps because the philosophies of both games appear distinct, and somehow, Embark Studios just hit the nail on the head.

Note: Some parts of this article are subjective and represent the writer's opinions.

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ARC Raiders does what Marathon only attempts: Standing out

Let us first acknowledge that both games are still in development. This means the final version may be somewhat different from what has been seen in the technical tests so far. However, ARC Raiders' worldbuilding excels at immersing the player into the gameplay.

The game delivers on a grounded and believable post-apocalyptic Earth, where the mysterious Arc Machines have wreaked havoc, pushing humanity into underground cities.

ARC Raiders gameplay footage (Image via Embark Studios)

The game comes with a dynamic weather system and an environment that shifts and changes periodically. Overall, ARC Raiders looks fantastic because it sells itself well, ensuring that players truly see the ravaged world through the eyes of its survivors, that is, the Raiders.

On the flip side of this spectrum is Bungie's Marathon. The world built here shows us the now-abandoned human colony in the world of Tau Ceti IV. Those who still live here try to scavenge the world by hiring cybernetic mercenaries called Runners. These humans have given up their bodies for mechanical enhancements so they can do what others won't and fight for resources.

Marathon gameplay footage (Image via Bungie)

The theme and the world-building in Marathon are unique in many ways. It almost resembles something straight out of Love, Death & Robots, even though it is a competitive FPS extraction shooter. This is where the cocktail of novel ideas gets almost too sour to feel good in the morning.

The maps in Marathon, though sizeable, promote intense PvP fights, with AI enemies posing a serious and yet somewhat passive threat. The largest map, Dire Marsh, features vast closed and open spaces, where you can get into firefights with other players easily.

This is opposite to the maps in ARC Raiders, which easily give off the illusion of an open-world campaign-focused game. The Embark Studios title provides massive maps with tall buildings and flat arid ground to cover. The Arc Machines can be triggered by alarms or trips inside buildings, making them a more active threat. Who will you fight? The players? The machines? Both?

Arc Machines (Image via Embark Studios)

Or perhaps you can take on the machines alongside your opponents by communicating through the proximity chat, which is something Bungie's Marathon does not have.

The point here is, Marathon has a unique environment that pits players against one another, relying on hero-shooter-like abilities and skill. Meanwhile, ARC Raiders provides an obscurely familiar environment that begs for cautious exploration. Both games attempt the same thing with their themes, but only one makes it appealing to the regular gaming community.

Marathon UESC enemies (Image via Bungie)

Furthermore, the AI enemies in Marathon are mostly humanoid robots, while those in Arc Machines come in all shapes and sizes, including but not limited to massive arachnids, drones, and spherical monsters. There is a sense of variation in these enemies, while the UESC robots all look almost identical.

However, to give credit where it's due, in terms of gameplay and progression, both games offer generously. Both titles feature smooth and engaging mechanics, winning requires skill and aim, and the concepts work well for their respective themes. In terms of progression, both games offer comparable rewards. The more you loot, the better your weapons/skills.

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ARC Raiders has so far connected better with fans because of a richer world, brilliant music, rewarding player interactions, and fulfilling gameplay mechanics. All of this makes it better than Bungie's upcoming game so far.

It's impossible to count Marathon out right now; however, it certainly has competition in the genre.