Bungie continues its efforts to refine the balance in its multiplayer shooter, Marathon.
The latest release, Update 1.0.0.4 for Marathon, brings a comprehensive set of improvements. This patch features a rework of the item economy, rebalances both enemies and weapons, and resolves a number of existing technical issues. In addition, players can now engage with new contracts, and several in-game zones have undergone modifications.
Specific enhancements include an increased presence of medical cabinets and ammo boxes within the “Perimeter” zone. Developers have also generously boosted the starting ammunition supplied in the free sponsor kits from MIDA, CyberAcme, and Arachne.
Conversely, the frequency at which UESC grenadiers drop EMP grenades has been slightly decreased, adjusting tactical resource availability.
To make combat more manageable, enemies from the UESC faction now possess slightly reduced health pools, and bosses will be encountered with diminished shield capacities. According to Bungie, these adjustments are designed to lessen resource consumption during engagements, ensuring that battles remain challenging without becoming overly punishing.
The Rook Shell has also received attention with fixes for critical bugs, such as backpacks disappearing upon evacuation and inaccuracies in map position display. Furthermore, the CyberAcme reputation awarded for successful evacuations with the Rook Shell has been increased, now matching the bonus previously reserved for solo players.