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Marathon: Durandal Xbox 360
Metascore
62 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
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  1. TeamXbox
    79
    Where the action of Doom's XBLA debut sucked me back in, I didn't have quite the same attraction to Marathon: Durandal, especially considering the stomach-churning byproducts of its "new and improved" look. It's a good, smart shooter, but I don't think it's aged as well given its more deliberate pace.
  2. IGN
    74
    I think it's quite a bit better than DOOM in almost all aspects. But it's impossible to ignore the fact that everyone who has played Marathon has gotten nauseous. I've never seen this happen with a game before, but obviously anything that leaves people feeling worse than when they booted it up, can't get a very enthusiastic thumbs up.
  3. GameDaily
    70
    First and foremost, it has just as much charm as id's classic Doom, with hilariously bad pre-rendered enemies, a fresh feeling of exploration and multiplayer options galore, both off-line and through Xbox Live. The second is a rapid frame rate that induces motion sickness.
  4. PALGN
    70
    If you can get past the potential motion sickness, you've got a simple but lengthy and engrossing adventure with Marathon: Durandal.
  5. GameSpot
    65
    The spiritual predecessor to Halo is an interesting glimpse to the dawn of the shooter age, but the gameplay feels dated at this point.
  6. Console Gameworld
    65
    While Marathon: Durandal has its feet planted firmly in classic gaming history, the gameplay just doesn't work by today's standards.
  7. Eurogamer
    60
    Despite being ahead of "Doom 2" in many respects, it's simply nowhere near as fun to play. Saddled with clunky combat, it's impossible to come to this with fresh eyes and appreciate what the fuss was about.
  8. Boomtown
    60
    The Marathon fan base out there who played the game over 10 years ago will most likely be the only ones to get any real enjoyment out of this one.
  9. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    60
    An interesting curio for Halo fans, but expensive. [Oct 2007, p.96]
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  10. Official Xbox Magazine
    55
    Marathon is certainly interesting for aspiring game designers and historians who want to observe Bungie's roots. But as a $10 offering in 2007, it just doesn't hold up very well. [Sept 2007, p.74]
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  11. X360 Magazine UK
    50
    Its use will result in two separate emotions - boredom and a desire to play something else. [Issue#25, p.118]
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  12. Worth Playing
    48
    A Marathon title on XBLA could have been a fantastic way for Halo fans to see their favorite developer's roots, but thanks to bad controls and an illness-inducing interface, the game struggles to even serve as a window into the past.
  13. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    40
    A blast from the past that should have stayed unblasted. Play the free version if you must. [Nov 2007, p.94]
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User Reviews

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User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 2 out of 8
  1. SMScorx89
    9
    As part of Bungie's first successful series, this port of Marathon 2: Durandal lives up to the original with some new features including 8-player co-op! Don't worry, the motion sickness has been fixed since a patch was released in 2008. Anyways, the game offers a lot features that Halo players might recognize, like Kill the Man with the Ball is Oddball. The only complaint is that there isn't a lot of people online, but most of the achievements can be earned by yourself or with friends. For the "World Domination" achievement, you need to have an online match with a person who already has the achievement. Luckily, there is a leadership board section called "The Seventh Column" which shows all the people who have it. Hopefully, you will find somebody who will help you. The Single Player can be challenging and you might get lost, but after several playthroughs, you'll get the hang of it. The game is also a great way to play with your friends if you want to kickback and play some multiplayer or play co-op. The game is only 800 Microsoft Points, but worth the buy. However, the cost for the Map Packs are 400 MSP each, raising the total to 1600. There is a Marathon nameplate on bungie.net for Halo: Reach for those who have recently played or have the game, as well.… Full Review »
  2. DONTBUYTHISGAME
    1
    I LOVE Marathon, but DON'T BUY THIS!!! The entire trilogy is freeware (yes, it's legal!) that you can download for PC. The graphics aren't as good, but it plays much better. I know you have a PC if you're reading this. Please take my advice and don't get ripped off.… Full Review »
  3. MrToastman
    9
    Amazing for its time! This shooter was the first to build and use the ability to look up and down, map geomatery that is stackable (DOOM couldn't have rooms above rooms in its SDK) dual wielding, weapon magazines and reloading, RADAR, Enterable liquids, Secondary fire, AI Squads, Network Co-OP, Voice over network play and more that I just can't remember because it is too much! It is also the Granddaddy of the Halo storyline concepts and in my opinion a better story. It still holds up well for those who are willing to think a little and solve some serious mazelike worlds. Of course those who were only exposed to DOOM have a severely high change of disliking this game due to its difficult nature. IT OWNS!… Full Review »
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