In this episode of the Level With Me podcast, the hosts dive into their experiences with the newly released game Marathon, Bungie’s latest extraction shooter. They discuss the game’s unique visual style, which has received mixed reactions, and praise its strong gunplay mechanics that borrow heavily from Destiny’s successful formula. However, they also highlight some issues such as the fast time-to-kill (TTK) which can make firefights feel abrupt and reduce the impact of class abilities. The presence of challenging AI enemies adds difficulty, but the sparse player encounters and a somewhat clunky user interface, especially regarding inventory and weapon mod management, were noted as areas needing improvement.
The conversation then shifts to Resident Evil 4 Remake, which both hosts find impressive for its pacing, atmosphere, and character performances. They appreciate the contrast between the horror-focused gameplay as Grace and the more action-oriented sequences as Leon, praising the game’s ability to balance tension and relief effectively. The high-quality graphics, realistic character animations, and voice acting, particularly for Grace, contribute to an immersive and terrifying experience. Some minor drawbacks mentioned include a narrow field of view and the intense adrenaline-inducing horror elements, which might not appeal to all players.
The hosts also touch on the recent shutdown of Sony’s Bluepoint studio, known for its high-quality remakes. They discuss the controversy surrounding Sony’s decision to pivot Bluepoint towards multiplayer live-service projects instead of remakes, which reportedly led to the studio’s closure despite their proposals for a Bloodborne remake. This situation reflects broader industry trends where major publishers are pushing for live-service games to capture ongoing revenue, often at the expense of beloved single-player experiences. The challenges of successfully creating live-service games are acknowledged, with comparisons to other titles like Arc Raiders and the difficulties in replicating accidental successes like Fortnite.
Hardware and industry news are also covered, including the impact of soaring RAM prices on Valve’s plans for Steam Machines. The hosts explain how the quadrupling of memory costs has made it financially unfeasible to produce affordable Steam Machines, potentially delaying or canceling the initiative despite the success of the Steam Deck. They discuss the wider semiconductor supply issues driven by data center demand and how this affects the gaming hardware market, including console availability. This situation underscores the complex interplay between gaming demand and broader technological supply chains.
Finally, the episode wraps up with discussions on upcoming games like Crimson Desert, which impresses with its vast, detailed open world, and ongoing updates in Star Citizen, including impending crafting features and the highly anticipated Squadron 42 campaign. The hosts also briefly mention their continued enjoyment of Battlefield and share personal thoughts on supporting friends and the value of encouragement. The podcast closes with an invitation to listeners to join their Patreon community for live streams and additional content, emphasizing the importance of connection and support within the gaming community.
