Marathon’s Final Level Is Locked Behind Its Most Annoying Mission

For nearly two weeks, fans have worked to solve an ARG in Bungie’s extraction shooter Marathon. The puzzle appears aimed at unlocking the game’s next level, Cryo Archive, but players must meet two requirements first, one of which involves completing what many call Marathon’s most annoying faction contract.

The ARG began with activated terminals on Marathon’s maps and expanded to a website, a Discord server, clues and vague videos. Over the weekend, players pushed the puzzle far enough to reveal details about Cryo Archive, an endgame level set on the actual Marathon ship first featured in the original ’90s trilogy of games.

To enter Cryo Archive, players need to reach rank 25 and have “established connections” with all factions, which appears to require finishing the Sekiguchi introduction quest.

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