The Runners’ goals revolve around salvaging (and extracting) resources from the planet. Interestingly, the United Earth Space Council, which played a major part in the original trilogy, is also present. Players will encounter Runners from the faction, and dealing with them is up to their “discretion.”

However, the biggest surprise is the reveal of ONI, the mandatory support AI that accompanies players and helps transfer and reboot their consciousness into a new shell. The name, of course, references Bungie’s 2001 third-person action title, and given its cyberpunk nature, you have to wonder if the universe ties into Marathon or if it’s just a neat Easter egg.

The Marathon alpha is available until May 4th, and the full game will launch on September 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2

Before Electronic Arts, live service, and tie-ins with every new film, there was LucasArts’ Star Wars: Battlefront 2. Published in 2005, it featured first, and third-person perspectives with four multiplayer modes and 24 maps. Of course, along with a campaign of 18 missions, there was Galactic Conquest, where players led their fleet through the galaxy and conquered or protected planets.

Upon encountering an enemy on a planet, it would shift to combat, resulting in massive battles. With the addition of Heroes, new modes like Hero Assault, and more content than its predecessor, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 is still a strong benchmark for Star Wars titles.