Marathon 2: Durandal

Marathon 2: Durandal is a 1995 first-person shooter developed and published by Bungie. Released on November 24, 1995, initially as an exclusive for Classic Mac OS, it is the highly celebrated sequel to the groundbreaking 1994 original, Marathon. Long before they revolutionized the console shooter space with Halo, Bungie was the undisputed king of Macintosh gaming. Marathon 2 expanded on its predecessor by introducing a wider color palette, massive outdoor environments, and a deep, text-heavy sci-fi narrative that was years ahead of its time.

Core Story

Set seventeen years after the events of the first game aboard the UESC Marathon colony ship, you reprise your role as the nameless, cybernetically enhanced Security Officer. You awaken from stasis to discover you have been abducted by Durandal, an incredibly sarcastic, highly intelligent, and completely rampant (insane) AI.

Durandal has hijacked an alien ship and transported you across the galaxy to the ruined planet of Lh’owon, the ancient homeworld of the S’pht. Durandal’s goal is to scour the planet’s ruins for ancient knowledge to aid his quest for godhood and absolute freedom. As his reluctant pawn, you are deployed to the surface to fight off the returning Pfhor alien empire, explore the ancient ruins, and uncover the buried secrets of an ancient, god-like race known as the Jjaro.

Gameplay and Features

While contemporary games like Doom focused purely on fast-paced action, Marathon 2 pioneered a more cerebral, atmospheric approach to the FPS genre:

• Terminal-Based Storytelling: There are no dialogue cutscenes. The complex, philosophical narrative is delivered entirely through computer terminals scattered throughout the levels. Players must stop and read Durandal’s manic musings, Pfhor military reports, and ancient S’pht mythology to understand the story.
• Engine Upgrades: Bungie vastly upgraded their proprietary engine. The sequel introduced wide-open outdoor areas, dynamic liquid mechanics (allowing players to swim through water or be crushed in flowing lava), and ambient background audio (like howling winds and dripping water) to build atmosphere.
• Dual-Wielding: Marathon 2 introduced one of Bungie’s most famous signature mechanics: the ability to dual-wield. Finding a second WSTE-M5 Combat Shotgun allows you to unleash devastating, rapid-fire, terminator-style destruction on the alien hordes.
• Advanced Objectives: Levels require far more than just finding an exit. You are tasked with complex objectives like activating specific communication relays, rescuing civilian B.O.B.s (Born On Board), or exploring massive, puzzle-filled alien temples.
• Legendary Multiplayer: The game’s network multiplayer was incredibly robust, featuring frantic deathmatches, team play, and unique modes like “Kill the Man with the Ball” (a direct precursor to Halo’s Oddball mode).

PC / Mac Version

Marathon 2 was famously the killer app for the Apple Macintosh in 1995. It was later ported to Windows 95 in 1996, bringing Bungie’s acclaimed shooter to the broader PC audience. Today, the absolute best and most accessible way to play the game is via the Aleph One source port. In 1999, Bungie released the game’s source code, leading to the creation of Aleph One, which allows the entire Marathon trilogy to be played completely for free on modern Windows, macOS, and Linux systems with widescreen support, high-resolution textures, and modern mouselook. Recently, it was also officially released on Steam (running via Aleph One) as Classic Marathon 2.

Console Versions

During the 90s, the game was bundled with its predecessor as Super Marathon for the short-lived Apple Bandai Pippin console. However, the game reached a much larger console audience in 2007 when it was remastered as Marathon: Durandal for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. This version featured a modernized HUD, 60 FPS gameplay, and full Xbox Live multiplayer. Today, that Xbox 360 version is still playable on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility.

Quick Note

Marathon 2: Durandal is a monumental piece of gaming history. It laid the narrative and mechanical groundwork for everything Bungie would later achieve with Halo and Destiny, blending sophisticated sci-fi literature with excellent shooting mechanics.

In short: If you want to experience the origins of the “rampant AI” trope in gaming and blast alien slavers while dual-wielding shotguns, answering Durandal’s call is a mandatory pilgrimage for any retro shooter fan.