Somehow, we’re only two weeks into April. A lot has happened! I’m introducing a new feature called Triple Threat, where I pick and discuss three topics. For the premiere, here are my thoughts on Marathon, Blue Prince, and the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal.
No Zombies? How diverse. I am working on a Shattered Veil video review, which will be out when it’s ready. Cya.
It Feels Like Running a Marathon
It’s no secret that Bungie has needed a win since losing 17% of its workforce in August 2024. Destiny 2 may not have died that day, but the goodwill earned after the launch of The Final Shape expansion certainly did. Creatives at the studio have rallied since the bloodbath, promising fans that Destiny 2 will continue as usual. I’m not convinced that scrapping annual expansions in favour of smaller content drops is a positive sign, but time will tell.
This isn’t about Destiny, though. A team at Bungie has been working for five or so years to reinvent its classic series, Marathon, under a modern lens to diversify its gaming output and attract a different type of player. I can’t say how successful the initiative will be, but Marathon has the makings of an enjoyable shooter, with a few caveats.
Marathon is a PvPvE hero-based shooter where teams of up to three drop into a map, plunder, kill, and complete objectives before attempting to extract their haul of items, materials and weaponry. It’s not a novel concept, but it comes alive with Bungie’s first-person shooter mastery. I’m not big on extraction shooters, but I can already see myself tinkering with builds and strategising my next run after losing everything.
Marathon demands your attention with its unique “graphic realism” art style. The trailers are full of visceral imagery; block colours increase visibility on the battlefield while the glitchy UI oozes cool. It’s a breath of fresh air in a genre that’s chock-full of mil-sim snoozefests. If you aren’t sold on it, the cinematic introduction to Marathon, directed by Oscar-winner Alberto Mielgo, fully realises the concept of graphic realism. It is an exceptional piece of art.
The eight-minute cinematic is a visual masterclass, yet I can’t help but wonder if we just experienced the pinnacle of Marathon’s storytelling in a pre-release trailer. The game is an extraction shooter through and through. Any Bungie twists on the formula weren’t present at the reveal, and I don’t think much can be done to improve storytelling in a game where you loot-kill-extract. Instead of expecting new cinematics directed by Mielgo, I assume we’ll be extracting documents and unlocking a few in-engine cutscenes if we’re lucky.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m ruling out Marathon having a successful ongoing story. I only wish there was more meat on the bone. I rarely raided in Destiny 2, yet I still got wrapped up in the Light and Darkness saga. Removing player identity for Marathon is disappointing, however. I’m unsure how invested I’ll get in my character if they look the same as countless other runners. Nothing in the reveal suggests in-depth cosmetic customisation; outside of the cinematic, we know little about how much character each runner will have.
To be clear, Marathon has piqued my interest, and I look forward to trying it out! But realistically, I doubt it’ll be something I keep going back to, nor will it reach the lofty heights of Destiny 2 in its prime. Many are predicting (some even bizarrely hoping) that the game’s fate is to become “the next Concord,” but I’d push back on that.
There’s no question a premium—but not full—price is a tough sell for an extraction shooter, but Bungie’s reputation precedes itself. It has best-in-class FPS gunplay and years of experience balancing and updating PvE and PvP modes. Even if Marathon’s launch offers a slim picking of content, its foundations will be strong enough that many players stick with it. Marathon will find its community and grow; its destiny will be down to how reasonable the expectations of higher-ups are. How big a “win’ does Marathon need to be? We all know what happens to a greedy player in an extraction shooter.
Inheritance Tax Simulator
Prepare to hear about Blue Prince everywhere from now until the end of time: this game is special. I’ve been interested in it since the last Playstation State of Play, but I didn’t think it would be this good. The rave reviews are justified, and with the game available on Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus services, there’s no excuse not to give it a bash. I’ve become obsessed since launch and am currently on Day 50-something.
Blue Prince falls into the “just play it, don’t look into it” genre. There’s so much I want to say, but I won’t. After playing for a few hours, you’ll know whether the game’s for you or not. If you enjoy games packed to the brim with secrets, I cannot recommend it enough. That feeling of satisfaction when you “solve” something is unbeatable, and I’ve experienced it a dozen times thus far.
It gives me the same feeling that Lorelei and the Laser Eyes did, but the rogue-like elements make it much more approachable and stickier than Lorelei. Every day brings a new revelation; there’s always another thread to chase. It throws a curveball whenever you think you’ve found a way to game its systems, yet it also keeps coming up with new ways to empower you, like its collection of permanent upgrades.
These games often live or die by how they wrap up. Lorelei lost me a little at the end because there was no way I’d have solved the final puzzle without assistance, but if Blue Prince sticks the landing, I can see it earning a spot on my all-time great list. So far, I’ve felt challenged without being stuck, which is the sweet zone for these games.
Working out that [REDACTED]? Incredible stuff.
Price It Up Like Nintendo
It’s been a wild few weeks for Nintendo. There has been information (and misinformation) overload, with good news followed by bad news, followed by good news, followed by bad news. It’s almost dizzying! Cutting to the chase, the Nintendo Switch 2 is precisely what I hoped a Switch successor would be. It’s a newer, faster, and more powerful Switch with some added bells and whistles, like mouse mode, that improve upon the original concept.
With Nintendo being Nintendo, it had to find a way to mess up the positive momentum. All sorts of weird and egregious business decisions surround the Switch 2, and you won’t see me defending them. Thankfully, I’ve been putting money aside for this thing for years, but it’ll hit a lot of people’s wallets. There’s also the fear that the rest of the industry will follow Nintendo’s example. Suddenly, $100 for the base version of Grand Theft Auto VI feels like an inevitability.
I burned myself out on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe so much that I wasn’t excited for a new Mario Kart. Then I saw the Mario Kart World trailer. Sheesh. That is what a next-gen Nintendo game looks like. Donkey Kong Bananza (great name) will also be an excellent showcase for Switch 2 with all the destructible environments. However, besides clarity on Switch 2 Editions like Metroid Prime 4 and a few DLC additions, the first-party line-up was surprisingly light.
Kirby Air Riders was a dud for me. I understand that if Masahiro Sakurai wants to make a game, he will, but to have a CGI trailer for another racing game in a Direct that was already short on new first-party titles… meh. You have to imagine another Direct will follow Switch 2’s launch in June to show off more first-party titles in the second half of 2025 and beyond.
I expected a heavy third-party presence at the Direct, and Nintendo delivered! With the Switch’s success, it’s no shock that third-party publishers are flocking to Switch 2. An opening salvo of Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman, Yakuza Zero Directors Cut, Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6, Delatrune 1-4, and Hogwarts Legacy is mind-blowing compared to the Switch 1’s third-party support at launch. With ports of Elden Ring and Final Fantasy 7 Remake further out, the ‘2’ in Switch 2 must stand for double-dipping!
The Duskbloods reveal was legitimately shocking. Nintendo collaborating with FromSoftware to create an exclusive game for the Switch 2 wasn’t on many bingo cards! I’m not a massive FromSoft fan. I adore Elden Ring for its freedom and exploration, but I’ve never been able to replicate that enjoyment when trying the Dark Souls games.
However, the Creator’s Vision blog with director Hidetaka Miyazaki excited me for the title. Despite The Duskbloods being a PvPvE game, there are plenty of opportunities to ignore the other players on the map. With only eight players in a match, it doesn’t sound like you’ll be forced into a squad or disadvantaged if you play solo.
Nintendo has undoubtedly made some strange decisions regarding Switch 2, decisions that are rightly receiving criticism. I’m just glad it nailed the hardware! After the dust settles and the pre-orders arrive, the Switch 2 console is all that matters.