Balance Issues: Knife, Double-Barrel Shotgun (WSTR CS), and Gameplay Direction
I would like to provide feedback regarding the current weapon balance and overall gameplay experience.
The game is designed as a shooter, but in its current state, most encounters are reduced to players rushing each other and trying to eliminate opponents as quickly as possible at close range. Players constantly try to close the distance and kill with the knife in just 2–3 hits, even against a purple shield. In such situations, there is almost no counterplay and no chance to react.
This creates a very low-skill and frustrating meta where positioning, aiming, and shooting become irrelevant. Instead of thoughtful gunplay, players simply rush forward and spam attacks.
The double-barrel shotgun has a similar issue. It allows players to ignore positioning and tactics, as they can quickly close the gap and deal massive damage with just 2–3 shots, instantly sending opponents back to the lobby.
As a result, there is little reason to improve shooting skills when the most effective strategy is to rush enemies and deal burst damage at close range. This makes the game feel more like a medieval fight than a shooter.
Additionally, the dome Bubble shield also feels too strong and should be rebalanced.
I already have around 120 hours in the game, so I can make informed conclusions about the current state of balance.
Overall, many other weapons feel ineffective compared to these dominant strategies, which reduces gameplay variety and lowers the overall skill ceiling.
I suggest rebalancing the knife, the double-barrel shotgun, and the dome shield, as well as improving the viability of other weapons to restore a more skill-based and diverse gameplay experience.
P.S. I couldn’t find any place in Discord or elsewhere to leave official feedback, so I’m posting it here.
Comments
Hi there,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas for Marathon.
While we appreciate your feedback, the best place to share it is on the Marathon Discord rather than our Help Forums. If you haven't already done so, please share your feedback and suggestions there.
There are two different channels in the Marathon Discord dedicated to feedback:
If you are unable to see them, make sure that you select Channels & Roles > All Channels.
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