I have something to admit to you all. I'm not very good at Marathon. I like when the guns go pew pew, I like the weird sci-fi vibes, but the second I run into another person I'll be lucky if I make it out with all of my limbs intact. As a result, I had resigned myself to never experiencing Cryo Archive, the game's super duper hardcore map exclusive to both crews and those with the prerequisite skills and loot. But! I bring good news for those of you who stink at shooters like me: Marathon's first proper (experimental) PvE mode utilises Cryo Archive as its point of operation, and you can even play it by your lonesome.

As shared in a Steam blog post, the season 2 mid-season updates kicks off July 21st, and with it comes said PvE mode, Vault Breaker. In this new mode, you can either run it solo, in duos, or full crews, where you take on "a progressively challenging series of vaults." The intention here is that you get stronger over multiple matches, with "progression that’s unique to Vault Breaker."

You need to use a special sponsored kit in order to queue up, but the bigger thing here is that anything you pick up in this mode will be left behind when you exfil, except for Vault Data. This is apparently a new currency you can pick up in the vaults, and if you manage to exfil with some, you can spend it to upgrade your Vault Breaker sponsored kits, as well as get some gear for other modes. "This let’s you experience Cryo Archive without flooding the economy with low-risk, high-power Cryo loot," the blog explains.

The other big thing with the mid-season update is that the Cradle Evolution System is being introduced. Once you've maxed out your cradle, you can essentially prestige it to return everything to zero, netting yourself a single additional maximum energy point. You'll also get some cosmetics, including Runner shell styles, but these will also be available later in the season, so you're essentially just unlocking them early.

Aside from the promise of some quality of life changes and the addition of player profile stats, the last notable detail is that season 3 will be kicking off September 22nd. This will apparently revamp Perimeter, which includes adding in "major new areas, encounters, and gameplay." As was the case with season 2, you'll also find a new Runner shell, weapons, equipment, and "surprises."

I'm personally quite happy about Vault Breaker. It seems like a genuinely engaging map, I just knew I'd never be good enough to give it a go normally, and I'm quite hesitant when it comes to playing with strangers. I do once again wonder if this is enough to convince those with a penchant for PvE to pick the game up, but time will tell.