Marathon Phoenix deserves highest praise. The map making, more than anything else, really stands out. The opponents utilize the innovative architecture to attack in ways that Marathon does not usually support. They frequently sally forth from a small side door or slip through a high window. Enemy ranged troops like to lurk on the ledges. The weapons are not terribly exciting but they'll bring the foe down.

The story has improved substantially from earlier versions. That being said, it still suffers from some significant gaps. A human/renegade alliance after the Count of Tuscany level would make perfect sense and it would make great gameplay to spearhead an assault of biosynthetic troops. Naturally, this agreement might fall apart after a few levels. Alternatively, we might ally with the Renegades on Red Eye Express. Also, the terminals speak often of the inexhaustible numbers of the Pfhor legions - as if even thinking of defeating them were nothing more than wishful folly. M2, of course, suggests that the rebellion of the S'pht would tear the heart out of the alien empire.

The Renegades would not have had any reason to give up the interior of the Atreides. (Tantive IV) The human presence on Intervals is unbelievably tragic. They would know better.

Phoenix does not use the ticks, yetis or drones. The first two would align perfectly with the background and fit into empty levels like False Dichotomy and Swan Song. The absence of the drones is a little sad.

Still these are aesthetic considerations, not pertaining to gameplay. (Just let us fight with the Renegades for a few levels before we know who they really are.) Overall, Marathon Phoenix is the best scenario that has come out for years.