Comparison

Area 52 Escape vs Classic Marathon

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Area 52 Escape

Experience a retro first-person shooter inspired by classic FPS games. Battle aliens with a variety of weapons and power-ups in a humorous, fast-paced adventure. Explore new levels and content through free updates.

Highlights
  • Retro first-person shooter gameplay
  • Fast-paced action
  • Multiple alien enemies
  • Arsenal of weapons
  • Unique power-ups
  • Chapter-based levels with secret areas
  • Free updates with new content
Features
Read full description

Retro first person shooter! This app is based on the original Wolf3D code by the godfather of FPS John Carmack (id). If you long for a game that brings that retro feel, this is it. Originally published in 2009 which was derived from the game that started the FPS genre Wolfentein 3D. This was based on a pet project to bring it to the iphone. Our team had lovingly created all new art, animations, levels, weapons, sounds while painstakingly keeping with the original style and capabilities. If you're looking for a game that brings the classic retro feel, this is it! Backstory: Area 52 is a humorous first person shooter (FPS) in a classic retro graphic style and feel that runs FAST and SMOOTH. You are a janitor at a super secret government research facility and something has gone very wrong! Aliens are running rampant throughout the facility - can you stop them before it's too late? Make BJ proud and kick some alien butt! Start off with just your Mop and save the world! Area 52 Game features: -Fast paced first person action! -Intuitive and fluid controls so you can focus on the FUN! -Multiple alien enemies each with their own personalities! -An arsenal of weapons to find including your trusty janitor mop! -Unique experimental and alien artifact power-ups! Chapter 1 - A ten (10) level adventure into Area 52! - 8 Challenging primary levels to kick alien butt! - 1 Super Secret Level to seek out for the ultimate rewards! - 1 Big Boss Level to put you to the test with an Alien Boss! - More bosses, weapons, and aliens released in free updates - Future chapters will include new levels and other additional content Join the GameMonger community at www.GameMonger.com - Discuss and contribute ideas to future updates - Enter contests to win a place in our games and gaming history! Check out more games at www.GameMonger.com

About

Classic Marathon

Relive a classic first-person shooter experience with this enhanced port. Explore 27 levels, battle alien forces, and engage in various multiplayer modes. Features include high frame rate support, HD sprites, and cross-platform multiplayer.

Highlights
  • 27 levels across six chapters
  • Multiplayer with up to 8 players
  • Exploration, puzzles, and extermination missions
  • Console-quality gameplay
  • 7 unique weapons
  • Cross-platform multiplayer support
Read full description

Classic Marathon® is the first in the original epic trilogy of first person shooter games that defined the genre. Experience the pulse-pounding action as you defend the Marathon from the alien Pfhor. Play with your friends and enemies in Every Man for Himself, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, Cooperative, or Kill the Man With the Ball. ENHANCEMENTS • High frame rate support • Updated HD Sprite set • 3D positional sound with HRTF • Texture parallax mapping • Multiplayer cross-play with Linux, Mac, PC, and Steam FEATURES • 27 levels divided into six chapters. • LAN-based multiplayer with up to 8 players. • Missions include exploration, puzzles and extermination. • Console-quality gameplay. • MFi controller support. • 3D Touch and haptic feedback. • Dynamic reticle and High-resolution textures. • 7 unique weapons including: .45 Magnum Mega Class pistol M.75 Assault Rifle/Grenade Launcher Zeus Class Fusion Pistol TOZT-7 flamethrower ... and the devastating SPNKR-X17 rocket launcher ===== "Being naked in space stinks. Lucky for you, Mr. Security officer, you are dressed in active military uniform, complete with a Cyberheadª helmet. Your Cyberhead device is your interface to your surrounding environment." ===== STORY • Defend the UESC Marathon colony ship against the aggressive Pfhor • Play the role of the cyborg security officer • Witness the rampancy of Durandal, the ship-board A.I. • Uncover the surprising secrets of the Pfhor and the UESC Marathon ===== "Carnage is as easy as point and shoot. Different weapons are characterized with different dynamics. It is unwise, for example, to use the rocket launcher in close combat." ===== Visit us at http://www.marathon-ios.com Follow us on twitter http://www.twitter.com/blezek Source code for this app is also licensed under the GNU General Public License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html). See http://www.marathon-ios.com for details. ===== "Move fast, seize the initiative, wield superior firepower, dive into the melee, anticipate enemy movements, slaughter the defenseless, endure." ===== BUNGIE™, MARATHON® and the Bungie and Marathon logos are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Bungie, Inc., used with permission.

Screenshots

Area 52 Escape4 screens
Classic Marathon3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Classic Marathon at 4.5 against Area 52 Escape's 4.0. Classic Marathon also leads on ratings volume (630 vs 32) and review sentiment (76% vs 67%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Area 52 Escape sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Classic Marathon sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Classic Marathon holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Classic Marathon has 630 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Area 52 Escape's written reviews are positive against 76% of Classic Marathon's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Area 52 Escape ships an update monthly, Classic Marathon every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Area 52 Escape versus Classic Marathon: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArea 52 EscapeClassic Marathon
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (32 ratings)4.5 (630 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews76.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings32630 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB125 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperGameMonger LLCDome-C Studio LLC

Customer experience

Area 52 Escape

All ratings30 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative20.8%

Classic Marathon

All ratings612 ratings
Positive87.1%
Neutral4.2%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews282 reviews
Positive76.2%
Neutral6.7%
Negative17.0%

Bugs and requests

Area 52 Escape

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Classic Marathon

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Saves not working properly
  • Weapons becoming black boxes
  • Screen tinting issues
  • Crashes on newer devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add multiplayer support
  • Implement more control customization options
  • Port the entire Marathon trilogy
  • Provide support for custom maps and mods

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Area 52 Escape

One-time1
  • RemoveAds$1.99
10 purchases

Classic Marathon

One-time10
  • HD Mode$0.99
  • Master Chief Mode$0.99
  • Enhanced Reticules$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Just a tip$0.99
  • Not the smallest tip$1.99
  • A good tip$2.99
  • A pretty good tip$4.99
  • An excellent tip$7.99
  • The best possible tip$12.99
  • Better than the best tip$20.99

Questions

Is Area 52 Escape free?
Area 52 Escape is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Classic Marathon free?
Classic Marathon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Area 52 Escape or Classic Marathon?
Classic Marathon is rated higher. Area 52 Escape averages 4.0 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Classic Marathon averages 4.5 from 630 ratings.
Do Area 52 Escape or Classic Marathon have ads?
Neither Area 52 Escape nor Classic Marathon shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Area 52 Escape or Classic Marathon?
Area 52 Escape ships an update monthly, and Classic Marathon every 2 months. Most recently, Area 52 Escape was updated on October 23, 2026 and Classic Marathon on October 22, 2026.

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