Marathon – Ultimate Beginner’s Tips And Tricks Guide

Marathon is a PvPvE survival extraction FPS where you have to scavenge the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV as a bio cybernetic Runner. This game is not that different from your normal extraction shooters, so if you are a huge fan of this genre, you will probably have an idea of what is going on from the start.

However, as this is a new game, there can be many confusions, which I will try to clear in this guide. Here, I will provide beginners with a tips and tricks guide to make their experience better in Marathon.

For more information regarding the game, head over to its Steam page.

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Go With The Sponsored Kits Early On

Frankly speaking, the inventory system in this game is quite complicated, especially early on. As you progress, you will see how many things there are, and it gets confusing which ones to select. So, making your inventory can be a hassle when you are not aware of most of the things in the game.

So I think for a beginner, the best way to start the game is to ignore this whole system. Instead, a beginner should go with the sponsored kits. The sponsored kits in this game are actually quite good, as they contain pretty decent items, especially the paid ones.

There is going to be a free sponsored kit, which you can use to easily handle the first few sections. Do note that such kits may only be viable for a single round, so make sure to buy them again. Regarding the paid ones, the one that costs 4,000 credits is actually pretty decent.

You get credits as you play the game, so do give it a try when you have enough. The items and guns you get in these sponsored kits far exceed the value of what you are paying. So this is, in my opinion, a steal.

Destroyer Is The Best Runner For Beginners

Marathon features seven runners, and each one is unique in its own playstyle. However, for beginners, I recommend going with the Destroyer. Each character has different prime and tactical abilities along with different traits. So the best way to figure out what the best runner is for you is to check everyone out in battle.

However, if you are unsure of which one to choose, then the best one for you is going to be Destroyer. It is a beginner-friendly runner mainly because of its tactical ability. The most use of this shield I have seen is when one teammate is down, and the other is reviving. You can actually guard them if they are in the open.

The other use of the shield can be when you are leaving the battlefield using the exfil. While I do recommend playing this character for the first few hours, if you like any other, feel free to choose that one. Just do not use Rook early on, as you will not be able to complete contracts.

This runner is very useful when you want to learn maps, as it has an ability that makes the bots ignore you.

Play With Your Friends

While this may seem like one of the simplest tips in Marathon, it is actually super important. FPS games are more fun to play with friends. Such games are all about having fun, and playing with friends can help you achieve that.

Solo runs may seem boring, but if you want to familiarize yourself with the map and learn more about the game, then using the Assassin or the Rook Runner can help you do that. That said, I highly recommend playing this game with your friends, as extraction shooters especially are better when played with someone.

You can also play with randoms, as every encounter I have had with random players has been pretty good so far.

Have At Least One Triage Runner In Your Team

One of the most effective tips I can give you in Marathon is that if you are playing in a team, I highly recommend having at least one Triage Runner. That is because this runner can heal your teammates, and that is extremely helpful. Not only can this runner heal your teammates from the drones, but it can also revive them from a distance.

So if your teammate is behind cover but approaching them is risky, Triage can revive them with no worries from a distance. Having one Triage in a team, in my opinion, is a must, especially early on, as you may not have enough meds. If you are playing with randoms, then I recommend being the Triage yourself.

That is because the team composition is usually messed up when playing with randoms. So in that case, you should take the role of the medic.

Never Ignore Faction Contracts

As you are playing the game, you should focus on the contracts given by the different factions. This should actually be your priority, as factions are really important in this game. You should never start a match without selecting a contract, as completing them allows you to level up with different factions.

Now, leveling up with different factions is important because it lets you unlock better weapons, gear, and consumables. However, that is not all, as you level up, you can also unlock more vault spaces and additional passives.

There are also some things you can do, such as successful exfils, that can increase the reputation of your factions. That said, this will not be very effective on its own. So if you want to progress faster, completing the contracts is the way to go.

Do Not Search For Ammo And Heals In Named Places

You can find healing items and ammo in the named places, but most of the time, you will find other types of loot that you may need. However, the major complaint of many players, including mine, is that there is far too little ammo and healing items in such popular places.

So to get more ammo and meds, I recommend exploring the places that are not popular or that are located around the edges of the map. You can run out of ammo very quickly as you are not only fighting players but also many bots.

So the best way is to complete the early objectives and then explore the map edges to get some more useful loot.

Sound Is The King In FPS

This is one of those tips in Marathon that may seem too simple. However, many players, especially beginners, do not focus on sound too much. Speakers will not cut it. Use headphones and listen carefully. Even though I am not a big fan of Marathon’s art style, the sound design is great.

You can clearly tell where the enemy is coming from when you listen carefully, as the footsteps are quite loud. However, certain runners like Assassin may throw you off your game. Again, do not rely on speakers. Use headphones, and when the enemy is near, stop moving and listen to their footsteps.

Even if you are not completely sure where the enemy is coming from, rely on your instincts and push forward. This is how you will learn, so do not worry and keep your teammates close.

Use Your Knife More

You may already know that running around with your knife is better for movement. Other than that, using your knife early on is actually very helpful. You can defeat low-tier UESC enemies with just two strikes. So, using your knife more on such enemies is better than wasting ammo with your gun.

Looting Unstable Materials Is A Must

If you want to upgrade your faction trees quickly, early on, then I recommend looting unstable materials as much as possible. For reference, I am talking about materials like Unstable Biomass. Whenever you see a material where the first word is Unstable, pick it up.

Not only can these materials help you upgrade your faction trees quickly, but they can also be exchanged for ammo and meds. With that, my beginner’s tips and tricks guide on Marathon comes to an end.

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