Bungie’s new extraction shooter, Marathon, is already getting people talking for more than its tense runs and high-stakes firefights. Players are zeroing in on something longtime fans instantly recognize: a steady stream of weapon references that feel like a love letter to Halo: Combat Evolved and the later Halo games Bungie built before moving on.
It’s an easy connection to make. Bungie was the studio behind Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) and continued shaping the series through Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo: Reach, before ultimately separating from Microsoft and later pivoting to Destiny. Now, with Marathon launching on 5 March 2026, fans are noticing that Bungie hasn’t left its Halo legacy behind at all. Instead, it’s woven into Marathon’s arsenal through designs, naming, and—most importantly—how these guns actually feel in your hands.
One of the most direct nods is the CE Tactical Sidearm. The name alone is an unmistakable wink at Combat Evolved, and the weapon’s shape brings back memories of the classic Halo Magnum thanks to its similar grip and snub-nosed barrel. While it looks like the old-school powerhouse, players say it behaves more like sidearms from later Halo entries—still accurate, still satisfying, but not quite the all-dominating hand cannon that defined early Halo multiplayer. In Marathon’s faster, more lethal extraction shooter rhythm, it’s more of a reliable backup that shines when you quick-swap from your primary weapon.
For players chasing that iconic Magnum punch, Marathon reportedly delivers it in a different package with the Magnum MC. It doesn’t mirror the classic Magnum’s silhouette, but it captures the same spirit through raw stopping power. The recoil is described as aggressive, kicking upward hard, and it can even one-shot UESC NPCs, giving it that high-impact, high-commitment feel Halo veterans remember.
Energy-weapon fans have also found a clear parallel in the V11 Punch, which functions much like Halo’s Plasma Pistol. It comes with a rapid-fire primary mode and a charged secondary shot, echoing the old Plasma Pistol’s signature combat loop. The similarities go beyond firing modes, too. In Halo, a charged Plasma Pistol blast could melt shields instantly; in Marathon, the V11 Punch uses Volt Battery rounds designed to steadily shred shields down. Players also point out the familiar overcharge sensation and the comparable recoil kick when releasing a charged shot, adding to the nostalgia.
Then there’s the BR33 Volley Rifle, which Halo fans have been calling a near-perfect tribute to Halo 2’s Battle Rifle. As a semi-automatic precision rifle firing a three-round burst, it mirrors the Battle Rifle’s timing and rhythm closely enough that many players say it’s a “dead ringer” in real combat scenarios. Like the Halo 2 classic, it keeps recoil under control, making it strong in mid-range duels where consistent bursts matter more than spray-and-pray. Some players report you can push it even closer to that Halo feel by using the Lockout Muzzle Brake mod, which improves stability and hip-fire accuracy to match what veterans remember from the Battle Rifle’s heyday.
Taken together, Marathon’s weapon references aren’t just surface-level Easter eggs. They show up in the mechanics, recoil patterns, shield-breaking roles, and the burst-fire cadence that made Halo’s sandbox so iconic. For fans, it’s a rewarding extra layer to discover, and for Bungie, it’s a smart way to bring a familiar DNA into a new extraction shooter without turning Marathon into a copy of anything that came before.
As players keep digging through Marathon’s growing catalog of guns, expect even more Halo-inspired comparisons to pop up—because right now, spotting these tributes has become part of the fun.
