With Marathon, I'm playing two very different games and I love them both

I’ve been singing Marathon’s praises since I first played it at Bungie last April. I wrote a preview for Polygon. I participated in playtests last year. I started a podcast about it. I like the game. But I also have a few regular players that I’m constantly teaming up with, so I don’t have to worry about finding people to play with very often – a luxury, I know. Knowing this about myself, I didn’t really think much about Rook when he was first announced. 

For those not in the know, Rook is a “scav” character. Unlike the rest of Marathon, you don’t go into a match with your backpack full of shit, ready to win or lose it all. Instead, you spawn in with a backpack, low-level shields, a pistol, a bag, and a few meds. The only thing you risk is your time, and the potential for reward is endless.

The trick is, Rooks are always solo, and they only ever load into Trios lobbies. Sure, you have an ability that helps you blend in with the UESC robots… but you’re always alone in a match where everyone else has two friends with them. I initially wondered why would you ever play alone as Rook when you have a solid trio to play with? 

Because Marathon is really damn good, that’s why.