The Nextlander Podcast 240: It's-a Mediocre!
Mar 12, 2026
Deep spoiler-y talk about Resident Evil Requiem’s stealth sections, combat choices, and New Game+ goals. First impressions of Bungie’s Marathon and its loot, pacing, and extraction tension. Heated takes on WWE 2K26’s monetization and edition confusion. Indie praise for Esoteric Ebb. News chatter on Microsoft’s Project Helix, Valve hardware timing, Sony’s dynamic pricing tests, and funding troubles for Nagoshi Studio.
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Marathon's Loot Clarity Is A Key Strength
- Marathon (Bungie) is an extraction shooter that emphasizes tight, satisfying gunplay and a stylized, readable loot UI.
- Hosts compare it to Arc Raiders but praise Marathon's clearer loot classification and auto-sell valuable mechanic.
One Hit From Death Extraction Story
- Brad describes a tense solo Marathon run where he extracted with one health after surviving player encounters, highlighting the genre's thrill.
- He emphasizes the emotional payoff of clutch extractions with valuable loot intact.
Project Helix Reframes Console Competition
- Microsoft confirmed Project Helix: their next-gen console will be positioned to play Xbox and PC games, signaling a console–PC hybrid direction.
- Hosts note this reframes competitors to include Valve/Steam rather than just PlayStation or Nintendo.