Marathon's new endgame map has finally been unlocked, but it's only open on weekends

Marathon’s Cryo Archives map offers the most intense PvPvE experience the shooter has to offer so far, provided you can get in.

After weeks of trial, error, and a ton of in-game mileage, Marathon's super sleuths have finally cracked the ARG puzzle for Cryo Archives, unlocking the FPS game's first endgame map. From the launch trailer subsequently shared by Bungie, Cryo Archives looks to blend tightly-crafted corridors with plenty of verticality and open sections, so I'm already expecting absolute chaos. Before you'll even be allowed to step foot inside the Cryo Archives when it arrives later today, however, you'll have to pass the barrier for entry.

As revealed by Bungie in a new post, Cryo Archive is located on the UESC Marathon's first deck. Here, you'll find "a labyrinth of cryopods, medical bays, and storage wings where colonists once eased into and out of deep sleep on their journey across the stars." There's a bit of a loop to how the map plays, and you'll need to get it down to a fine art if you want to exfil with all the high-tier loot it has to offer.

In Cryo Archive, you'll be moving between "six interconnected wings with a central hub," working back and forth in search of vaults containing all sorts of goodies, including gold weapons, plus a "dark secret" or two. Throw in UESC security, other runners, some "raid-style puzzle solving," and "layered mechanics wrapped around brutal extraction stakes," and I can see Cryo Archive being the most intense Marathon experience yet. I'm gassed.

Unfortunately, for me, I won't be able to enter the archive just yet. You see, to get in, you'll need to be a minimum level of 25, have all six Marathon factions unlocked, and you'll have to stump up a minimum loadout value of 5,000 credits. So, basically, get your hours and money up, or get outta here. Savage, but understandable, considering what lies within. At the end of the map launch trailer, we get a sneaky peek at a S'pht compiler, and it looks like it'll absolutely tear you a new one. Bungie says the map is intended for trios, so don't take that recommendation lightly.

If you do meet the criteria, you'll be able to snag a one-time Cryo Archive Sponsored Kit from the Armory, granting enough blue-tier gear to get you through your first crack at it. If you've found any Vault Keys while exploring the other Marathon maps, I'd urge you to spend a bit of time getting used to Cryo Archive first before risking them. Seeing as the map's only available on weekends, the clear expectation is that you spend the week farming keys, before going hard when the archive reopens its doors. Archive keys are going to become the most important consumable, by the sounds of things, so make sure you scoop them up as you go, be it from a container or corpse.