Marathon

Marathon is Bungie's landmark science-fiction first-person shooter, combining fast combat with exploration, terminals and a surprisingly deep narrative. Set aboard the colony ship Marathon, the player becomes involved in a conflict involving hostile aliens, artificial intelligences and a mystery that becomes increasingly complicated as the story progresses. Levels encourage exploration rather than simply sending you from one shooting gallery to another, while terminals provide story information, messages and occasional reasons to question what is really happening. Its dark atmosphere and intelligent storytelling helped distinguish it from many contemporary shooters. Marathon is an important piece of PC gaming history, and it remains fascinating for anyone interested in the roots of narrative-driven science-fiction shooters.