Doom popularised the FPS, Marathon advanced it - a Marathon (1994) analysis

[@MILDMONSTER1234]

Marathon is proof bungie was always obsessed with lore

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

And then some. Pathways into Darkness had stuff to dig through as well.

[@CyrusL]

@@HeyBlondieGamerall of bungies games are connected to marathon

[@coolmcdudely4814]

Love marathon, although havent played much for this reason. Its a book with a game between the chapters due to the limitations of the early fps. By halo they were allowed more visual story telling.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

@coolmcdudely4814 Reading walls of exposition and lore is an acquired taste unless you grew up with it or love reading in general. I’ll always stand by the statement that Marathon is worth the effort, but to each their own.

[@coolmcdudely4814]

@@HeyBlondieGamer oh trust i like that too. One of my favorite games is dishonored due to all the hidden books and exposition absolutely everywhere. I just cant get into the combination of doom like gameplay and text dump because you can't explore for the lore the same or as intensely, feels less gratifying. Less like im exploring a world, more like im finding a bunch of walls telling me things.

[@sdsfilmsaz]

Finally, a review from someone who actually played Marathon back when it was released. That has always been my issue with other KZbin reviews is that they are not looking at the game for the great advancements that it had for the time it came out. Instead, they are comparing it in hindsight, or after the fact. Marathon really had so many great gameplay innovations over Doom.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I knew it was ahead of it’s time back then, but I didn’t fully appreciate the depth of innovation until I did this analysis. Truly a pioneer in the FPS genre, and it’s shocking how long it took for many of these design concepts to become standard.

[@spaceghostmiid]

as someone who just found marathon, i’ve found it much easier to get used to than doom, it has aged much better as far as i’m concerned.

[@Keirnoth]

@@spaceghostmiidYep, and it has a lot to do with the huge amount of history that came after Marathon. Your familiarity with Halo and Destiny allows Marathon easier to take in. Universes may not (or may BE) the same, but Marathon compared to Doom is a much better looking game.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I think part of that longevity and familiarity is the different approach to gunplay. Weapon reloading, shield recharges, and pattern buffers create a more considered approach, not only to the long game but to moment-to-moment play. This complexity translates better to modern design and is a format which many players are now used to. This tension keeps players on toes, and the narrative is the hook to keep players searching for the next terminal.

[@EnclavegovtofficialUSA]

The shotgun is one of the best in a video game

[@datguyuno98]

I absolutely need a part 2 of this and an eventual 3rd on the other two games because this is exactly the level of dissection I've been searching all over KZbin for. Phenomenally done

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers! Part 2 is planned for this year, assuming I can squeeze everything in. Part 3 is likely next year as these tend to be large projects.

[@hammergon587]

This has been the best video I've ever seen on Marathon. No one else has analyzed this game to such an extent in a youtube video format. I do sincerely hope for a video on Marathon 2 some time in the future. Thank you for all the work and effort you've put into this.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thanks so much! 😁 Marathon 2 and Infinity will definitely follow, although they’re a little way down the track. This was a big project and I need a rest between Marathons 😉

[@xlinnaeus]

I agree!

[@logangagnepain7154]

If you want more Marathon content, though not to the same degree as this vid, try MandaloreGaming's vid on Marathon 2 and Infinite. Its not to the same degree as this vid, but it does those two games justice.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

@logangagnepain7154 Mandy’s vids are uniformly excellent.

[@fuzzyillogic]

I first played Marathon on an old Mac in a mate's computer room way back in 1997! 😄 unfortunately I didn't have much time to grasp the narrative, and my playing style was horrifically unsophisticated, but I loved the level editor! Great video essay. When you've finished all these you should apply for a PhD via prior publication :)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

You and your mate have discerning taste 😁 The level editor was amazing. I still have the sketches of the levels I designed back then. Good times. Thank you for dropping a thoughtful comment, my friend, it means more than words can express. 🙏

[@stevegiles4549]

The physics editor was great fun

[@Gislileet]

Your videos are always super quality. This one is not exception

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, that’s greatly appreciated! 🤘

[@HelloKolla]

The fact that this video is still at 1K after a month hurts my soul, and I'm not even a Marathon fan!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Marathon isn’t trending right now, so I get why it hasn’t picked up. The algorithm is also flaky, and you’re not allowed to post your own stuff in the gaming sub-reddit’s. I do what I can to advertise through social media, Discord etc, but sometimes it’s just pot luck. I appreciate you checking out the video though! 🙏❤️

[@MidnightMedium]

​@@HeyBlondieGamer hopefully that new Marathon game gives this some traction eventually

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thanks dude, fingers crossed.

[@thegoodwin]

47:34 - omg, the choice of faces for the 3 AI. 😂. Durandal looks funny even with the lips being scrunched together like that.

[@jeffpalaganas7404]

Its been like a decade and a half since i played these for the first time please summarize the other 2 games. Your summary brought back so many memories of why I loved these gems.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The other 2 will happen, but there are a few videos to work through between now and then.

[@InternetHydra]

I played the first game a month ago and I agree that Colony Ship is way less annoying then that last bit of the last level... the previous one you get warped back to btw is named "Try Again", they knew what they were doing. Pretty sure I spent more time wandering Sunbathing too. Also, the area right after finishing Colony Ship intros the exploding Bobs. I easily imagine some people figuring all that out, then getting blown up ten seconds into the next level, and having to do it all over again. I gotta praise reviewers like you and Mandalore for clarifying how the low gravity is part of traversal because that probably saves new players the most pain.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Hah, yeah they knew what they were doing alright. Some levels won’t feature a save buffer for some time so it pays to be cautious. I’m pretty sure those exploding BOBs got me the first time 😂 G4 Sunbathing’s corridors look similar, I’m pretty sure I wandered that level for hours my first time through. I can see a lot of players losing their bearings and asphyxiating many MANY times. Cheers for that. The physics are a core element of gameplay, but it’s the little time-saving tricks that are the most appreciated. Sometimes a simple grenade hop saves a lot of frustration.

[@DrazenX195]

Damn. What a well done video. Marathon was such a cool series. Didn't play it until the Halo 2-3 days with Aleph One but fell in love with them.

[@vardenok7217]

Marathon will always be the king of games for me. Complex, Beautiful, and above all Unforgiving.

[@Scruffy72]

I just started playing Marathon a few weeks ago. So far I'm half way through Infinity. I cant believe i waited this long to play them. Incredible series no doubt, you can really feel Marathon's influence on Halo.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The last 2 games in particular. Bungie were creatively firing up with the series which went from strength to strength with each game. The complexity of Infinity’s map’s compared to M1 is night and day. I’m glad that you’re enjoying them 🤘

[@actuallynotsteve]

There was nothing like Marathon back in the day. I remember coming home from grade school and seeing the shrinkwrapped copy of Marathon 2: Durandal in a closet. My Mom was like "if you finish this homework assignment, I'll let you open it." I grinded homework more than I ever did for the rest of my life. Marathon is brilliant, and I hope the reborn vision lives up to the name.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

As much as I love M2 and MI, I miss the dark ambience of M1. It’s unique among the trilogy for presenting a darker more tense environment to traverse.

[@Deathmoths]

My favorite Aussie! 2 hours 30, my favorite video length!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Awww yeah! Cheers, mate 👍

[@Dram1984]

Your two long form videos are of two of my three favorite childhood games. I eagerly await number 3. :p

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

What’s your third? Perhaps we can hit that magic number 😉

[@Dram1984]

@@HeyBlondieGamer that would ruin the fun! I love your content btw, I hope the algorithm lets you blow up soon.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The game is on 😂 Cheers, that’s greatly appreciated.

[@River_StGrey]

So, I'd listened to this multiple times while working, and kept having this feeling like I was missing something. Now that I'm actively listening and working through it consciously, I'm really blown away by the vast and multi-faceted scope of your analysis. So, of course I was missing something, because there's a lot to miss. Really impressed by how poetic and emotionally thoughtful your writing is when dealing with, frankly, agonizing subjects like AI, theory of mind, self-determination, power, and history. Gonna keep going over the video, but just wanted to spam a little bit of praise.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

You know what's funny? I thought the same thing while I was running QA on it before upload. I started to get really paranoid that I'd made huge mistakes in scripting and editing. It wasn't until I watched it with full attention that I was satisfied with the work again. I don't know whether that's a good thing or not, I guess viewers will make it known. I saw post-release that some of the prose needed tightening, but this is the curse of all writers - no-one is ever happy with the 'final product', and there is no critic harsher than the Self. Thank you, my friend, and thank you for our discussions! They were enlightening beyond measure and helped open my perspective on these (frankly daunting) subjects. Marathon deserved the full scope of a deep dive. I hope I've done it justice.

[@johnrmc70]

Man this was so thorough and such a wonderful trip down memory lane. Especially showing the packaging! I had completely forgotten about that (along with quite a bit more). What stuck with me most (I realized after watching this video) was the depth of story, the exploration, and the headache of grenade hopping.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Truly an incredible accomplishment when you consider that shooters were still in their infancy. I find it even more impressive how hard and quickly Bungie were able to pivot after the lackluster Macworld preview.

[@gallow_]

My god, you're insanely underrated dude, glad I stumbled across this gem of a channel

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, that’s very kind 🙏

[@GatkeTheLesser]

Man, I hope you find great success. Your quality in commentary and simply putting together footage is top notch. Since finding your channel I enjoy putting on your lengthy videos and relaxing until I fall asleep. The Unreal video my introduction and I've watched it a couple of times now. Best video on the original Unreal on KZbin hands down. I just wanted to say thanks.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thanks so much! Encouragement like this makes the effort worth it. Thanks for taking the time to drop a comment. 😄

[@brofister9682]

I never see anyone mention how bungie loves to allude to joseph cambell's "the hero's journey" and carl jungs concept of self realization thats intrinsic to it to a lesser extent, specially marathon durandal and infinity, really good video, im subbing

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I want to include more of those references in the M2 and MI videos.

[@brofister9682]

@@HeyBlondieGamer it is even more prevalent on myth

[@iseeu-fp9po]

I just watched what I will describe as something like a Masters degree assignment on the computer game I played when I was 10 years old and that has been in my mind ever since as one of the deepest, if not the deepest game experience I've had to date, even if I didn't understand the lore beyond surface-level. Thank you for this huge effort. It was interesting in so many ways and kept me captivated throughout.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙏

[@slowpnir]

24:00 Energy pistol does a lot of additional damage to S'pht, cyborgs (including player) and mechanical units.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It does in Durandal and Infinity, but not in 1. I thought I remembered this too from back in the day, but it doesn’t apply to 1. It does do increased damage overall though.

[@ShiceSquad]

This is the first time I've ever seen somebody cover ALL the bases of this expansive setting and unique game mechanics.

[@payne540]

I played Marathon upon it’s initial release. But our Mac had about a 9” diagonal color screen, and it only came with 1mb of RAM. 2mb was required to run Marathon, so we upgraded to 3mb. I don’t know what processor speed we had, but those 3 megs of RAM only let the fame run at around 5 fps.😂 Pathways Into Darkness played a lot better, so I played it a lot more.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Oof, yeah. I think we gloss over just how poor the performance of old school games were.

[@brandbacktattoo]

what a killer video! Your perspective on marathon is such a welcome and endlessly interesting one, words fail to describe how astounded this vid has left me whimsically kicking my feet waiting for the M2 analysis

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you so much! 🙏 This was a big project. I’ll gather my strength for M2 😅

[@randallradke1279]

Thank you for making an amazing video about an amazing game. Dont know if youll find this but I was born in 1999, grew up playing marathon 2 in the basement where my parents kept the old computers that would never break, so I got to play on the original game software. In my teens, my interest grew in marathon as it was no longer a scary and difficult game, and I could understand the story somewhat. My parents bought me the hardware version of Marathon Infinity for our old computer around 2018, and I played another marathon game for the first time. Now, in 2024, I discover aleph one, and get to fill all the voids in my head about the marathon lores spread across all 3 games.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thanks so much for the comment! 🙏 M1 was an atmospheric, scary game for the time. Sounds like you got the premium experience which is second to none. It’s fantastic that Aleph One has kept Marathon alive over the years, but nothing will ever beat those old memories of being hunted through the decks of the Marathon by an overwhelming Pfhor invasion.

[@frogcake7142]

Another Top Tier review. Still watching. well done Blondie! My favourite line so far: "Experts at delivering high speed defecation"

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, Froggy!

[@MarquisDeSang]

Wow there is a Linux version. Dude your video are way too cool and well made for KZbin, we don't deserve you. Thank you so much, you make my life... more tolerable.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That feedback is beyond humbling, thank you 🙏 ❤️ I’m so happy that my feelings and impressions resonate with viewers. It’s always a nervous journey when writing a script and wondering if your takes are the mark and whether people will get them.

[@benruniko]

I played a Marathon shareware demo when it came out, and have played it on and off ever since, and I STILL didn’t know running changed punch damage lol. Marathon also gave me my first jumpscare with that first compiler in the first level. What an experience that was to my little eight year old brain! Eat the path.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I know the compiler you’re thinking of, it scared the S’pht outta me too.

[@benruniko]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Haaaahahahahaa 😂

[@powerfistband3865]

This game made me realize how much more I prioritize vibe over gameplay. The tension on board the Marathon is so thick and it's dripping with atmosphere. I love episodes of Star Trek where the crew finds another Starfleet vessel and it's crew are all dead or missing and Marathon gives me those vibes as well as System Shock 2. Something about how the Marathon's journey took centuries only for it to be attacked in 7 years and the colony destroyed in the sequel (If I remember correctly) is just so dark and bleak. I love it

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I’m with you, there. There’s a sinister edge to the empty darkened hallways. The mystery layered across the journey is delightful to unravel. It elicited The Expanse vibes on multiple occasions which I adore.

[@EdRopple]

This video is a lot of fun. I really like running across small channels doing cool stuff. Would love to see a (hopefully shorter!) video on 2 + Infinity.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, I had fun making it! 2+I are certainly on the cards, though not in the immediate future. I can’t imagine them being as long as this video, but this video was never intended to be longer than 45-ish minutes 😅

[@DrewSwenson]

I didn't know about Marathon until I played Halo on PC back in 2007. I found out the trilogy was released for free and ended up using Aleph One. I played a bit of each but did not get very far overall. Writing this early as I look forward to seeing more details.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That seems to be when many discovered it too. Bungie have a colored history of sprinkling references to past titles in their games. I hope you enjoy the video!

[@SamUtley-pb9um]

I wasn't expecting a Wayne static reference in a marathon review

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

There should be one in every video 🤘

[@braaam212]

It's criminal how under viewed this is

[@maube8007]

Marathon on the ol' PowerMac running MacOS 7.5 Frog blast the vent core, baby!!!!

[@River_StGrey]

AHHHHHH! Pissed I didn't get a bell notification for this! Hyped as fuck though too!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

YT are constantly changing stuff on the back end which removes a bunch of my notifications too. It’s really annoying. I hope the wait was worth it 😅

[@River_StGrey]

@@HeyBlondieGamer it was! I have a lot of thoughts so I'm gonna watch it again and probably spam comments as I progress. Great fucking work though man! Absolutely illustrative of the time and care that went into it.

[@Delfiinit]

Thank you for the absolutely best Marathon deep dive video on the internet. See you starside.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers! Take us up!

[@NewExile]

Glad to see you dedicating some time to the weapon balance of the fist and its role in shifting difficulties. The only thing missing here is a run through the first few rooms on Total Carnage to demonstrate how critical this skill is. On any other difficulty you can get through the opening rooms with just the pistol, but on Total Carnage a single starting enemy takes 7 bullets, which will empty out your ammo stocks in about 20 seconds - if you survive that long. TC teaches you to run first, trick them into hitting each other second and only shoot as a THIRD option. It's a whole different way of playing, at least until you get the MA-75.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

In retrospect I do regret not running some TC footage. The controls have a slight input lag which was doing my head in though, I don’t know if I could have tolerated a TC run like that 😖 I could have spent an entire chapter on the difference that difficulty makes on the player’s approach to the game but I think I nailed the point well enough. Cheers for dropping a comment, I love seeing other Marathon fans here 🤘

[@coolmcdudely4814]

A badass space marine mowing down aliens to the sickest midi blues piano solo that ever existed. Bungie have always been mad.

[@iivin4233]

I wonder how aliens would feel about the game.

[@coolmcdudely4814]

@@iivin4233 who cares? They're probably illegal anyway.

[@NoLimit24]

Incredible video about one of my favourite games of all time. Thank you for making this!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!

[@Sodezan]

This is a great video! I tried to make sense about the time table, and after looking at a few sources/terminal entries I do not know which dates to use, I am assuming terminal dates are ship time and log dates are earth time. If we kill the author and say the Marathon completed it's journey around 2794 and the 3 launch dates in the game are stated as, 2209 or 2321 or 2479. 2209 launch: 128 years ship time, 97% speed of light, 585 earth years. 2321 launch: 16 years ship time, 99%speed of light, 473 earth years. 2479 launch: Time travel. As Blondie eludes to this terminal entry makes it all moot: WARNING: CORE OS (AF44+2DEB) MOD DATE LATER THAN CURRENT DATE/TIME It appears that no dates in the game can be trusted(perhaps excluding the times between 2787-2794 as they are in system) as one or all of the AI's are tampering with them. If we want to be boring and unkill the author, Leela scrambled the dates and details to confuse the invaders about the past. And bungie released a "true timeline" in '95. If you want to review that madness that is 90ies exploration of Marathon, check out marathon.bungie.org(fansite) linked in descrption Time dialation calculations done with www.omnicalculator.com/physics/time-dilation

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

The anomalies in the data are almost impossible to write off as an accident when you consider how carefully the lore was constructed. I think it’s fantastic that we’re still discussing this decades later!

[@jashloseher578]

I came here to watch this, and to give Marathon a very well deserved bump in the algorithm.

[@WH-hx8dq]

I played Marathon not long after release (for a year or so it and a mac subsim called Uboat were all I played) but this video convinced me to go back to it for the first time in like 15 years. Nice work. I'd watch a Myth one if you have any interest in that too.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers 🍻 Myth would be interesting deep dive, I might add that to the list.

[@kursedkat9589]

1:59:47 There's actually an answer now, kind of, for what the type 7 life forms are, The're the guardians from Destiny 2, or at least the power fantasy game that Bungie really wants to create maybe not currently yet, but once final shape comes out, lore wise we will be gods, there's a lot of evidence I have to back that up and many content creators have made videos about the comparisons between all the games. Bungie has been telling the same story since the beginning. Also, fantastic video

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Interesting. I haven’t kept abreast of Destiny or Bungie’s extended narrative in their later releases, but it sounds as though they’re heading in the right direction for continuation. Thanks! 😁

[@NebLleb]

Marathon was Bungie's first masterpiece and it holds up as well as any other classic FPS from the 1990s: The enemy variety is solid, weapons fun to use, but the story, atmosphere, music and level design are the highlights by far. When it turned out that the reboot was an In-Name-Only Extraction Shooter which will be multiplayer only and have no singleplayer mode, I was beyond miffed. And then Bungie began to struggle in the wake of its announcement and faced scrutiny from its owners and Destiny players, and I felt so happy that karma was working its magic. Some things are best left alone, to be honest.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I’m happy to leave Marathon where it is. I’d trust individual modders or a passionate indie studio over modern Bungie. Their business model and direction isn’t conducive to an earnest continuation of the Marathon legacy.

[@brunofrank3798]

dude, top shelf content! cannot wait for the next one!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! 🙏😁

[@LeviathanSteamworks]

I'm so happy this video exists. Not only cause I like seeing more people talking about the original Marathon trilogy again but because, I, too, was around when Marathon released. Hell, I played the original Demo on a CD called, I think, Games Workshop, which was just a bunch of demo games. I still have memories of the original changes between the demo and full release. And to see an in depth video about the game from someone else who was around before all the lore masters and had the first time experience in 1994... feels good to another old fart like me.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Oh man, that demo had some major differences and fueled the mystery around the setting. There was no music in the demo if I recall correctly, and the atmosphere was more intense because of it. M2 and MI sometime in the near future.

[@LeviathanSteamworks]

@@HeyBlondieGamer I definitely don't have any memories of music in the demo, but I DO remember feeling blown away that there was music in the game. Terminals were changed slightly, text for sure, objects are placed or removed, and I think 1 or 2 secrets were just taken out entirely or added. Sometimes I still expect to see a barrel where there isn't one. I can not wait for those M2 and MI videos! Cause this whole breakdown was fantastic~

[@Draliseth]

I was 6 years old when Marathon came out. I have fond memories of watching my dad play it. Always happy to see another video essay about it. P.S. I finally got around to playing it myself when I was in high school. I finished 1 and 2 but got stuck pretty early in Infinity.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Infinity was a tough cookie but damn it had some incredible environments. Bungie pushed the limits of the engine and it shows in every detail and flourish.

[@donotwantchannel]

Amazing deep dive. I thought Mandalore's was great when I first watched it, and it is, but this, I want to give you 7 of 5 stars. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go play Aleph One, hope to see more from you soon!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you so much! Mandy’s videos are fantastic, I’m happy that he shed light on what has been an obscure series up to now. I’ll cover Durandal and Infinite after some other projects in the works.

[@donotwantchannel]

That's great to hear man, I'm looking forward to it! I'll be watching!

[@SR-388]

Probably my favourite marathon video mate, well made and it got me through work today I'd be keen to see more highly detailed videos on myth, halo or oni. Course you don't have to but I'd enjoy em all the same, especially m2 and infinity vids. Hope your years been a good one

[@Brainwashed101]

"Lucky that the security officer never had to face a battleroid" Multiplayer: Am I a joke to you?

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

😂

[@gendor5199]

such a deep video, i wonder if the rest will be made too!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Yes! I want to do Durandal this year but we’ll see how time goes.

[@xlinnaeus]

Hey dude! I just finished watching this today. The 2023 teaser absolutely captivated me. I played Halo in high school, then Destiny 2 was the reason I bought a PC. I'd never heard of Marathon until the announcement in May - I started playing the original game last week and I have been *obsessed* with it's narrative. Really really appreciate this video! Deserves so many more views and I'm glad to see others are equally as interested in Marathon as I am!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It makes me so happy that new players are picking it up and enjoying themselves! The depth of the narrative rarely reveals itself on a first, second, or even third pass. The more you ruminate, the more possibilities seem to open up. Jason and Greg showed incredible restraint with the storytelling, I wish other games would do the same. I'm glad that you're enjoying Marathon and - moreover - that you opted in on the ground floor. Marathon is a vastly different experience from M:Durandal and M:Infinity. And thanks for the comment and for the well-wishes, they're very much appreciated! ❤🙏

[@xlinnaeus]

Just had the most coincidental experience at a barber getting a haircut and someone else who was waiting before me started talking to me about Marathon! This game really sticks with people

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It was a special time in gaming history. Only people immersed in it at the time would truly understand.

[@lappodude]

This game was the first game i experienced grenade jump. it was few years b4 quake came out with rocet jump.

[@andpcandpc3520]

found you, coz of the unreal 1 video, staying coz of your good content :) You sir, deserve way more subscribers.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you kindly for the support 🙏

[@ninja3212]

To me, FAT MAN was more of Durandal's theme. It perfectly suits him jaunting and taunting and gleeing at all the carnage you're causing (in his own words, "What fun it is to watch you work!"). Thus the song sort of represented Durandal's presence or influence in the Marathon.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That’s a fair interpretation.

[@MagmaAdminCourtneysHusband]

Fantastic analysis, probably the best video about Marathon I've watched. I've heard people mention Marathon a couple times, especially when the topic of retro fps games came up, and it has always had my interest. Then recently the new Marathon announcement brought the series back into my mind, and it made me want to give the original trilogy a shot. I'm not a big Halo fan, or too keen on extraction shooters, but I do like boomer shooters, so that was enough for me. I was blown away by how innovative the game for its era, and while it's most certainly not perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with the original. I especially liked how you delved into the game's lore, since I missed most of the secret terminals early on and only realized it when I started to look at a wiki. As a Quake/DOOM fan, the chilling alien ambience of the OST was a nice departure from the high intensity metal I'm so used to hearing. I've still yet to play Durandal and Infinity, but I'm looking forward to seeing what both have to offer! It's definitely an experience that will stick with me, and I sure hope that this series will get more recognition with the new game on the horizon. Hell, maybe if it does well, we could get a singleplayer reboot ala DOOM 2016. One can dream.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! 🙏 I’m glad that people are giving the original games a shot. Durandal and Infinity have a different tone, but I think you’ll find the gunplay more satisfying. The impressive lore is still present, if you decide to track it down. Time will tell with the new Marathon game. We’re not going to get the same experience with an extraction shooter, a sign of the times and popular trends, unfortunately.

[@Keirnoth]

Have you ever played the Total Conversion mod for Marathon 1 called Trojan? I was a beta tester for that, back when I was just - what, 12? 13? Those folks were awesome. They created a soundtrack almost as good as Bungie's own and made tweaks and changes to the engine that made the game feel like a "Marathon 1.5". I appreciate this long documentary on this series. A lot of people picked Marathon up after that Bungie announcement for the *gag* PvP Games-as-a-Service-so-pay-forever "extraction shooter" but you made this before that announcement simply out of sheer respect for this game. I hope more people point links to you if they need an in depth overview of why this game has such a cult following among us Marathon fans and why we still argue with each other about the lore to this day.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

No, I never played Trojan but I’m intrigued now. I think I saw that it’s compatible with Aleph One so I’ll download it and have a look. Cheers for the suggestion! I was about 2/3 through production of this video when Bungie announced their Marathon-themed extraction shooter. Such a monumental waste of the IP, but Bungie are a different company now so it’s hardly surprising. I wonder how many of the current staff have played the iconic Marathon trilogy (either then or now) and truly appreciate the ground it quietly broke many years before the gaming industry would catch up. This video was a love letter. I’ve never felt like Marathon got it’s due. If the video gets a handful more people to appreciate the original trilogy then I consider this humble awkward attempt at illumination a success.

[@WynnofThule]

Fat Man feels like the kind of track that was made with a more DOOM-like tone in mind, but it was too fire to scrap so they kept it It's in the right place as far as I'm concerned, once you start getting comfortable with the game & world. You've got a clear mission and path to completing it in front of you. You're in the zone.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It’d feel more at home in Rise of the Triad I reckon. It never sat right within the context of the setting and theme of Marathon, especially when measured against the other tracks. To each their own though, it’s a subjective topic.

[@BradleyGalbraith]

Another great retrospective. Keep it up Blondie :)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you, my friend 👍

[@MiG-21bisFishbedL]

42:53 fucking THANK you. Colony Ship isn't any where near as bad as its made out to be. It's a pretty simple puzzle. Those last levels are an endurance run to test to see if your battleroid nuts are big enough.

[@pistool1]

Superb content & execution! Watched every single video on the channel :-)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, that’s greatly appreciated!

[@keyofdoornarutorscat]

Such an impressive video, I hope many more see it

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you 🙏

[@thesaturdaynightcomfyexpre4471]

It's nice to see these games get the recognition they deserve, even though it's nearly 30 years after they came out. Always drove me crazy back in the day when the channels discussing "old school" fps always brought up Heretic as really being the first fps to have a story of sorts. I was "that guy" in the comments writing up an essay as about Bungies game series from the same era, and it's advancements in the genre. But I agree, a lot of the channels covering these games seem to have only played these games long after release. M1 and Bloodbath at red falls were the first video games I played as a kid, not the most child friendly/age appropriate games for a kid to play, but I loved them and Marathon has been my favorite game series since then. I still remember picking getting Marathon 2 from Circuit City with my dad back in the 90s. No longer have that cool box though, at least I still have the original CD-ROM and manual though. Truly a wonder trilogy games!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I wish I had kept the original boxes, they stand out in any collection. I still have the manuals so that’s something at least. I also miss using Forge on the Mac. I sunk so many hours into designing levels and goofing around with physics, they were great times. Other tools just aren’t the same.

[@Bilskirnir3124]

Great video. Hopefully you get to do the other three games. And maybe even Pathways into Darkness.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! The trilogy will be covered, not sure about Pathways but I’ll certainly consider it.

[@diegocastaneda3829]

Could not not subscribe. Great work, you're a very capable communicator!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you! 🙏

[@XxAkiXx42]

genuinely fantastic analysis, i've been working on my own in-depth analysis (although as a new comer) of this series. it's one hell of ride.... would love to see your thoughts on 2 and infinty!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Hey, cheers, glad you enjoyed it! I’d love to hear your thoughts as a newcomer, drop a link to your video when it’s ready. I plan on covering Durandal later this year and possibly Infinity next year.

[@Aleph3575]

7:45 Well considering that level is home to the longest and most cryptic terminal in the series, I would say this music being completely out of place works shockingly well lol.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Fair 👍

[@NewExile]

Okay time to put on my WELL ACKSHUALLY hat... To memory robotic enemies, while immune to flame, were weak to fusion pistol shots. The fusion pistol was also capable of ignoring the damage reduction on Hunters and

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

You know, I thought I recalled that too, but fusion vulnerability didn’t appear until M2. It also comes with the awesome visual of armour/cyborg detonation which you don’t see with the hunters in M1. Any increase in damage from the fusion pistol is purely numbers in M1, not from a programmed weakness.

[@generalkrang7138]

Excellent work. You're videos just keep getting better. Keep it up :)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you!

[@Slayersremix]

Truly a labor of love. You’ve obviously seen the announcement?!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I have. My comment in the video still stands 😅

[@onigvd77]

just want to say thanks for the most thorough insight into one of the best games ever made :)

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers, that’s greatly appreciated! 🙏

[@dextersbeard3472]

I played these games all the time in the 90s. We had two Marathon games loaded on our home computer. It must have been 1997 when i first played it. It was inpressive but kind of erie.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I recall the dark atmosphere being pretty tense for the time. There were more than a few jump scares when I turned around and was face to face with a fighter.

[@EnclavegovtofficialUSA]

I literally just found about marathon a week ago from a steam release of aleph 1. Now it's the only thing I see on this site

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That’s YT with its trends. I made this video a while ago to (hopefully) draw more interest in Marathon. If a Steam release generates buzz, I won’t complain.

[@EnclavegovtofficialUSA]

@@HeyBlondieGamer haha, well, i enjoyed the video, thanks for responding to me a whole year after you posted it.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I like responding to/reading all comments. It takes a little longer these days because my longplay channel gets more comments than it used to (so the backlog is longer), but I want to respond to everyone for as long as it’s possible.

[@DeathWithinTenSteps]

I loved this. Great video on my absolute favorite game of all time. Will there be vids on marathon 2: durandal and marathon infinity as well?

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers! Durandal and Infinity: you betcha, though they will some time off as I have other games to cover first.

[@DeathWithinTenSteps]

@@HeyBlondieGamer That is great to hear! Thank you I loved this video.

[@Ashamedofmypast]

Ah finally someone done it right. Marathon is a classic

[@winstonsmith3703]

1:21:20 through destiny's mida mini tool we learn Strauss was part of mida

[@darkwinter7395]

I played the first Marathon on a Mac II with a Radius Rocket 25mhz 68040 accelerator card in it... it just barely worked. By the time Marathon 2: Durandal came out, we had gotten a Power Mac 8100, and the now PowerPC native game engine worked MUCH better. I still have my Marathon Infinity box on my bookshelf. Yeah.... I'm old. 😐

[@logangagnepain7154]

Maybe you mention this later, but with the events of Durandal and the Security Officer in Infinity, some people think that the Gherrit White terminal is actually describing the Officer more than Durandal with his ascendancy, and that the Officer truly becomes the type 7 individual as you described. Im certain that you know this. That being said, i understand that it likely wasnt planned out by Marathon 1 that Officer was gonna become a cyborg god, but i will quote "death of the writer". Doesnt matter what a writer wrote so long as the interpretation is backed up within the context of the text. You be the judge

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

In retrospect it could certainly be viewed that way with obvious validity. This analysis was a view of Marathon as it existed at the time so - as you point out - neither JJ/GK or the fans could have known that it might be an allegory for future events. That said, the events of Infinity reshape the Gherrit White narrative with further clarity and potential. Something I’d love to explore in the M2 and MI videos.

[@OmegaF77]

You can still save-scum in the Marathon games. I did that a ton by backtracking to the save point (if there is any).

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

You can reload from unfavorable conditions, that’s true, but what you described sounds more like smart play.

[@payne540]

Absolutely epic video! Thanks for all of your work on this one, Hey Blondie

[@PaganPilot]

What do we know about Duality? I know this is about Infinity, but maybe hanger 96 is the place that 10 battleroids were smuggled/kept in stasis aboard the Marathon?

[@stevenguitink5947]

Hard sci-fi has always been a tough nut for me to crack. I like sci-fi but so often it seems like the writers of the genre are more obsessed with shoving theory into my face over telling a compelling story. Guess its why I veer towards soft sci-fi and the punk genres instead. Although I will say Marathon seems to have a genuinely interesting story...if it didn't seem like from what I've seen, the sequels went bugfuck insane.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

There’s an underlying thread to the seemingly disparate terminals which is fun to piece together. It’s one of those stories open enough to invite personal interpretation while having enough grounded elements to base these interpretations on. A masterful balance, whether it was intentional or not. Obviously there’s a bit a science fantasy going on here (some would argue ‘speculative’), but it scratches a nice itch for the scientifically curious. Hah, I can’t wait to dive into M2/MI. If I drop out of contact, my brain has probably ruptured.

[@fieryblender7174]

I think Pathways into Darkness had quick look and ironically also made by Bungie

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I believe you’re correct! Glad to see that they retained it for Marathon, though it would have been a better fit for PiD’s angular maps.

[@Mi3kka]

Excellent video

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you 🙏

[@generalkrang7138]

You might like the retro Doom engine fps Strife. It's very interesting and forward thinking

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Strife and Chasm: The Rift have been points of interest for a while, particularly because I never played them back in the day. It’d be a good test of my ability to appreciate their innovation despite first playing them in current year.

[@jeanking4686]

"I played Marathon from release" Damn bro's a fossil

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I’ve been called worse 😋

[@actuallynotsteve]

Marathon was so much better than Doom. I played and made maps for both, as a kid - Marathon had the craziest story, and Marathon Infinity was lightyears ahead of any game at the time. I'm still not sure I fully understand that story. Bungie released their official Dev tools with Infinity, and I didn't bother because I had used Pfhorte? Phforte? for years, and already had made maps with it.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I sank so many hours into Forge. Inifinity’s plot was lost on me back then too. Can’t wait to revisit it soon for another video.

[@actuallynotsteve]

@@HeyBlondieGamer Same, but used a 3rd party editor. I remember being SO excited that they were releasing their actual dev tools within the Infinity box, but finding them so foreign I just kept using the unofficial ones and never learned Forge. I had Pfhorte for maps and another thing that allows you to change physics and weapon behavior. My brother and I had this arena map we made that was just a huge stadium, and you could basically Baptiste moon boot jump. The only weapon was the little shotty but we replaced the pellets with rockets, so it fired a blast of rockets with a huge spread. Sunk a countless number of hours in there dueling. That Marathon's story just by itself could and should be classic sci fi says it all. If it hadn't been marooned on Macs, it'd be one of the most influential games of all time. I'm going to replay them. Your video and emailing back and forth with Jason Jones as an 11 year old with questions about the engine is making me nostalgic.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Anvil was crazy! I loved the physics and weapon stuff you could do. I think I modified the AR so that primary shot grenades. That was fun to tear through levels with. Forge had a learning curve but it was friendly once you got used to it. The guide in the Infinity manual barely scratched the surface though. You got responses from Jason Jones??!! I’d love to know what info he imparted.

[@Stefan-br2cf]

I mean you make absolutly great Videos. But now: i Love you Man😋

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Thank you 🙏 We aren’t done with the trilogy, but I need a shield recharge before tackling M2. 😂

[@stevegiles4549]

I played Marathon on it's release and I can't ever remember it having a soundtrack.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

If I remember correctly, I think it may have been off by default.

[@stevegiles4549]

That would explain it. Never felt it needed one though. Great content by the way. You have a new sub

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I agree. The tone felt much darker without it, lots of theatre of the mind at play. I did a number of playthroughs before realizing that there was a soundtrack 😂 Thank you for the sub 🙏

[@iseeu-fp9po]

Oddball question here, but why did it matter if you roasted an enforcer with the flamethrower and destroyed it's gun? (18:22).

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

It matters less on easy difficulties, but on the harder ones ammo is used very quickly. It’s almost non-existent on the Pfhor ship. An enforcer dropping a powerful gun with a large clip of ammo is a godsend.

[@grapevinegrave]

What do you think about the upcoming Marathon reboot? I am both disappointed and unsurprised by the gameplay direction, but at least there will be more Marathon lore. Fantastic video btw.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers! I’m disappointed but not surprised. The game could/should have been branded something else though, because Marathon is known for its deep story and lore. I doubt very much that a PvP extraction shooter will be able to capture even a glimmer of that promise.

[@herrpez]

It's a tough call to make, at the end of the day. New lore, sure, but... who writes it? And will the writers be able to reconnect with whatever gave us the original lore? Will it even matter? It's a conundrum that rears its head in the WoW scene especially. On the one hand, you have third party servers with content written by fans of the original era, who are trying to recapture and build upon the lore of the three strategy games and the first iteration of the MMO. This with the explicit goal of remaining true to what the franchise was at the time. Meanwhile, on the other hand, Blizzard is working on the current version of the game, with the current place in the grander story. It's their property, but the original writers are long gone. Who is doing it right? Is anybody?

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

That’s an interesting point, but it’s also the reason why a new Marathon game could never realistically hit the same beats. Jason isn’t involved that deeply anymore, and Greg Kirkpatrick has long since moved on. I haven’t played the Destiny franchise but I hear good things about the story and narrative. My commentary on the new game is less about the competence of the writers and more about the vehicle of choice. Perhaps they’ll pleasantly surprise us. I sincerely hope they do.

[@herrpez]

@@HeyBlondieGamer It is a peculiarity of these long running franchises. Or, in this particular case, an old and revived franchise (depending on how you look at it 😉). As for the new game... there is a lot that can be done within the setting. The question arises though: Why this setting? The cynic in me defaults to assuming they just want to generate hype through older fans and cash in to whatever extent they can. It would be a very pleasant surprise to see Marathon "used properly" though.

[@emoneytrain]

Never knew about berserk mode!

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Taking advantage of beserk is almost a necessity in higher difficulties.

[@adi6293]

Notification squad 😜😁😁

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Appreciate you, fam! 🙏❤️

[@iivin4233]

Spartan candidates are chosen at 7 I believe.

[@marcelomcid]

mandalore did a great job telling this story - did you see his work?

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I have, yes. Mandalore is an eternal source of inspiration!

[@SR-wm1kr]

here before this blows up

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Here’s hoping 🤞

[@nobody_gtk]

quality waaaay too good for KZbin. I never watch long form stuff like this but you kept me hooked all the way through. you definitely need to do vids on the other 2 Marathon games.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Cheers! 🤘 I’ll definitely cover the other 2 sometime soon.

[@aaronkoch77]

Marathon is Doom for thinking people.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Doom, but Marathon was so far ahead of its time, especially in retrospect, that it’s staggering.

[@viewtifuljoe4412]

?_? So you never played DooM then? Marathon is boring as Hell.

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

I find Marathon much more fun to play.

[@thesummerofmark]

This is a good video length. Brb 3 days

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

Slow down, Usain Bolt! Pace yourself.