In this week’s gaming round-up, we get insights from a former PlayStation legend, while also highlighting a slew of news on retiring VTubers and leaks.
The big picture
Bungie has shown off a new gameplay of its upcoming extraction multiplayer shooter title Marathon, a Player-versus-Player-versus-Environment-focused remake of a trilogy of single-player shooters.
The game’s art style looks slick, and its gunplay and controls feel top-notch and akin to past Bungie titles like the Destiny duology and the Halo trilogy.
However, that may not be enough to stand out in a crowded shooter market, from similar titles like Escape From Tarkov to PvP-focused games like Marvel Rivals, or even battle royale giants like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile.
Let’s also not forget that today’s Bungie is not the same studio that made the best Destiny expansions or the Halo titles up to Halo: Reach.
Bungie has until its release date of Sept 23 to make Marathon as enticing as possible — and even post-launch, the road ahead will be tough to rise above the competition.
Short beats
Larian Studios has released its final update for the acclaimed computer RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3. The patch features 12 new subclasses, Photo Mode, and more quality-of-life upgrades.
Famous “Let’s Play” VTuber Gawr Gura is set to graduate on May 1 due to conflicts with her current management.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake is set to launch the week of April 21; screenshots were leaked on Virtuos’ homepage before it was made private.
EA has announced a new Star Wars turn-based strategy game called Star Wars: Zero Company.
Action-adventure open-world sci-fi game Prototype might be making a comeback.
Op-Eds
We interviewed Shuhei Yoshida, ex-PlayStation production and games industry veteran. He shared insights on PlayStation consoles and portables, indie games and Malaysian developers, and also discussed the most influential games of the past decade.
Since it’s Easter weekend, we also explore the best resurrections in gaming.
Games out this week
Bionic Bay is an action platformer where a scientist uses a teleportation instrument to escape an ancient biomechanical world filled with imaginative tech, deadly traps, and hidden secrets. Built for speedrunning.
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a 2.5D search action title set in a dark fantasy world. Players battle monsters across a 40+ hour story, master six unique classes, craft hundreds of items, and explore a sprawling world.
Rusty Rabbit is a metroidvania starring a bunny in a mecha suit. Stamp, a rabbit with an old soul, pilots his mech “Junkster” through the icy ruins of a frozen world in this side-scrolling action-adventure.
Lunar: Remastered Collection brings back two classic late-90s JRPGs — Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar: Eternal Blue.
Recommended viewing
To celebrate the upcoming launch of 2D fighting game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves next week, SNK has teamed up with anime director Masami Obari for a special Fatal Fury music video.
As mentioned above, VTuber Gawr Gura is graduating on May 1. Here’s a highlight reel reminding us why she became one of the most popular names in the scene.
