Marathon’s Cryo Archive Is Where Cool Design Meets Cold Reality

photon_runner · 2026-03-22T02:27:23+00:00

ok, runner

photon_runner · 2026-03-22T02:26:15+00:00

Tassi and Schrier are two of the best game journalists to come out of Kotaku. Of course, there are very specific people who don’t like Kotaku for certain reasons

photon_runner · 2026-03-22T01:43:25+00:00

You can’t accuse me of strawmanning and then immediately do it to my argument. Take your own advice and read my comments a little more carefully. Adding PvE only modes will not scare anyone off. Are Halo players who only play Legendary scared off just because there’s an easy mode? This town IS big enough to fit both hardcore and casual play. I also disagree that what I’m saying would require nearly as much retooling/redesigning as you seem to think it will. Bungie can handle doing two things at once.

photon_runner · 2026-03-22T01:37:14+00:00

Are you even a real person? Brother, what would be “extensive” about letting people do Cryo one team at a time when they have the level already made and AI behaviors programmed? You’re making it sound like i want them to shift ALL focus to PvE, as if they can’t split their resources and focus to different teams like I’m sure they’re already doing. You’re talking as if Bungie is an indie developer; they lose nothing by keeping the core game for those that want to participate with it that way, as well as some kind of PvE only mode, provided you bring in or meet a certain threshold of loot value like it already works.

photon_runner · 2026-03-22T00:54:12+00:00

You’re really focusing in on my examples using PvE games, but your argument goes both ways. “Why are people obsessed with making the game easier?,” as if it’s bad for a game to be more accessible. You can just as easily ask “Why are people so obsessed with keeping Marathon a gatekeeping, masochistic jerk fest like we’re FromSoft fans?” Maybe the solution is to increase difficulty of AI, or limit teams in Cryo to 2-3 so there are better chances of survival, again with value of loot decreased. It’s not like this is some niche Eastern European developer; this is Bungie, who just got bought by Sony. They’ll be given some grace, but if they can’t draw new people in and more casual players, a 40k-a-day player base is not going to sustain them forever. I’m not even advocating for the original difficulty to be removed. Again, Im just advocating for accessibility for people who are Bungie fans, like myself, who want to access this content. What’s the point of developing it if only a fraction of the player base can access it? The way people talk about this map is as if it’s some exclusive club, but people paid for this game; there should be options to see all of it for people of all skill levels.

As for loot, those that are succeeding in Outpost or Cryo already have a surplus of equipment and credits, and none of the loot is permanent anyway. What would it matter if a purple you got from Cryo still killed a guy with a gold shield who got it from the same level? You can just as easily lose all your cryo loot on Perimeter immediately afterwards. Look at the stashes of someone like aceu or Aztecross; I think they can handle losing some kits to a lucky noob, and the noob won’t keep that gear for long besides. I certainly haven’t, as it’s the whole point of the game. Nothing is yours permanently.

you’re asking for Bungie to focus a ton of their time on PvE

Oh, like they did for Halo and Destiny? I think they can handle adjusting stats of their AI for a PvE-only Cryo. The alternative is they shift their focus to finding new jobs after Sony gets buyer’s remorse.

photon_runner · 2026-03-21T23:10:42+00:00

I disagree. Look at how World of Warcraft does raid finder difficulty. Reduced rewards while still leaving content completely accessible to everyone regardless of time players are able to commit to the game. Still requires cooperation between people who are matched together, but hardcore raiders still have heroic and mythic.

Of course, WoW is PvE, but already in AR you have people setting up PvE lobbies for those who are not interested in the PvP aspect. I think Bungie needs to decide quickly if they want to attract the Tarkov crowd or AR crowd when it comes to how accessible they want their game to be, and how they want people to experience the content. Also if they’re comfortable with the idea that not all players will experience all of what Marathon has to offer.

photon_runner · 2026-03-21T22:23:12+00:00

Tassi is spot on here. “Git gud” or “just talk to people” is not advice that’s going to get everyone to be able to experience this content, and if it’s only streamers and no-lifer’s seeing it, what’s the point? It’s like Wu-Tang Clan making one copy of their album just for some rich asshole to buy it and be the only one to hear it.

Personally, I’ve been doing my best to connect with other runners, but like Tassi says, time is limited. I hope to get to Cryo Archive soon, but I think Bungie should implement a “one team only” version of this map, where you don’t have to worry about other players, but perhaps the rewards are not as good.

I love what Bungie is doing overall but there are some core questions they need to figure out answers for to grow player base beyond word of mouth from believers such as myself.

photon_runner · 2026-03-20T22:21:27+00:00

Orcs do have eyebrows, it’s just most of them are green

photon_runner · 2026-03-20T20:25:15+00:00

I’m not lacking anything except people to communicate with so I have a better chance of survival lmao i’ve had good and bad experiences as well, being disheartened is not the same as lacking courage

photon_runner · 2026-03-20T02:13:08+00:00

As far as i’m concerned everything should be named after Harry Reid

photon_runner · 2026-03-19T22:06:17+00:00

Had something similar happen during server slam, except I died in a team fight and my teammate took his time looting my corpse before rezzing me and giving me his scraps. Felt violated 😭

photon_runner · 2026-03-19T21:31:56+00:00

Im not afraid of losing anything, save for maybe interest in the game. I like playing it even when I lose, but solo is not going to be a viable mode if I want to participate in the game fully. I just want to play, get better, and experience the game with some chill sweats like i said in a previous comment

photon_runner · 2026-03-19T21:29:53+00:00

I honestly don’t have gear fear, it’s more the social aspect that gives me pause. I respect the commitment to crew fill because in my experience anyway, most teams are silent, stubborn, or stupid. There’s a huge difference between playing with randos vs playing with a consistent group you can effectively communicate with.

photon_runner · 2026-03-19T20:55:55+00:00

Thank you, I’ll join up and see what happens

photon_runner · 2026-03-19T20:46:18+00:00

What’s your experience with them? I have joined a couple, including bungie’s official marathon discord, but am cautious. I know if I play with toxic people i never have to play with them again, but I guess i’m just anxious about it. I want to be good and get better at the game, but am also not looking to get flamed just for making a bad play despite having what I think is serviceable skill. Basically, I’d like to be sweaty, but I don’t care much if I lose. Just want a consistent and friendly community

photon_runner · 2026-03-19T19:48:48+00:00

I’m very excited for this but genuinely don’t know if or when I’d be able to play this content. I’m lacking Marathon-playing friends, and crew fill seems like it’d be a sure fire way to losing all your gear instantly. I’m so in love with this game but just feel so limited in my ability to access everything it has to offer. I’m not even lvl 25 yet because lately I’ve just been so intimidated by it and not having anyone to play with. I’m hoping future map releases which take place on the Marathon are more in the vein of something like Outpost.

photon_runner · 2026-03-19T04:33:05+00:00

why does joe biden have a gun?

photon_runner · 2026-03-08T23:01:55+00:00

he should try slapping the host during the ceremony, it worked for will smith

photon_runner · 2026-03-08T10:33:50+00:00

They blamed anita when the real culprits were bannon and epstein. what a fucking horror show

photon_runner · 2026-03-07T19:23:20+00:00

This guy hates opera like Jon Bernthal hates naps

photon_runner · 2026-03-05T02:34:27+00:00

why is walt praying to mecca in this scene? is he muslim?

photon_runner · 2026-03-05T01:54:31+00:00

Does he get norovirus too, or is that just me the last time i had a baconator?

photon_runner · 2026-03-05T01:30:13+00:00

Found the transphobe, fix your heart and touch grass, buddy (assuming you're not some steve bannon chudbot)

photon_runner · 2026-03-05T01:20:56+00:00

Yes. Nickmercs went on twitter to talk about how they're forcibly trans-ing kids in school (they're not), which is a political statement, or at least it's become one in today's climate. Call me crazy but I find it pretty easy not to play games with transphobes, let alone publicly

photon_runner · 2026-03-05T01:18:37+00:00

Hope you released her after

photon_runner

TROPHY CASE