Pathways Into Darkness Review

[@MandaloreGaming]

Pathways into Darkness FREE - simplici7y.com/items/aleph-one-pathways-into-darkness THE LIST - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_K3ziSxT9zcUUGCddS4sF1uNJTWHSbOwB1CQX2Rx4Uo Big thanks to @tat2kid714 (Dakota Lee) for the thumbnail art. Guess we'll see where the paths go from here.

[@si2foo]

I still Wish and hope you will play Star Wolves. It was a Iconic game of my childhood.

[@jimmyjohnson501]

Touhou on the spreadsheet let's gooooo

[@DankSpoony]

Anonymous Agony FREE. More Haze. #Hazesweep

[@Nerak516]

Please add Thea the awakening to the list! It’s good. Astonishingly close to being a hidden gem.

[@kaidorade1317]

A new Mandalore video? Heck yes!

[@GianniMatragrano]

Don't listen to the Truth Deniers, people. "I've got a bone to pick with you!" is totally real audio from this game. HATERS are trying to spread MISINFORMATION about this iconic piece of gaming history. Don't let them revise Gaming history!!!!!!

[@therasslintheatre2960]

Does Mandy also pays you in dog food like Civvie does ?

[@jamesmortimer4016]

And mystery of the droods IS the outro of mystery of the druids

[@nekromorg]

I 100% trust you on this, Gianni. I know you wouldn't lie to us.

[@fz7788]

Please do va PLEASSSEEE

[@dvdmuckle]

It wasn't until this comment that I had to seek out a playthrough of this game to confirm you are in fact the skeletons. You deceitful devil, you... It sounded so natural!

[@yaroslavivanov9787]

The fact that W'rkncacnter himself ported the game is exciting and terrafying.

[@kyon813]

What timeline does that make this? 6? 7? Is Durandal dead again?

[@yaroslavivanov9787]

@@kyon813 perhaps we are the hero in this timeline.

[@notinspectorgadget]

@@yaroslavivanov9787 god i hope not

[@TheNapster153]

I lost my shit when I saw that. The Dreaming One has learned to lucid dream, and he is taking over our entertaiment!

[@NotALotOfColonial_SpaghettiToG]

it's like if the gravemind ported MCC to windows

[@JoKad17]

I believe the dude who ported this game is actually a dwemer fortress in Vvardenfel.

[@Jakepearl13]

The fortress gained sapience

[@krayos13]

Ah yes, my favorite modder. Nchuleft

[@giordanogarduno9207]

Its the dude you send to sleep with a nuke. He got bored so he did the best thing he could and he ported the story of how he got to sleep five minutes more (5 minutes in eldritch time equals &&#&@_-€:&26*;?#9#1008-€;*)✓™¥π÷=$¶}°π¶∆¶¶%[%✓™®®✓%}¶)✓

[@jetex1911]

I was always partial to Korana's housing mods, especially exploring Solstheim Castle.

[@jasonfenton8250]

It's actually the name of a reality warping alien... thing in Marathon: Infinity.

[@Zues120]

Returning here after marathon infinity has been... Look if you are starting here. Just know. You arent actually prepared in any way that matters

[@MandaloreGaming]

The worst part is that it's not over yet.

[@MrTbomb52]

@@MandaloreGaming 👀

[@lionocyborg6030]

@@MandaloreGaming yes. There’s also Marathon Eternal & how it was based on Halo’s alpha, Halo itself, Marathon Redux and the rest of the mods, Oni and later Halo games and how they all (Bungie days at least) tie into Marathon, despite being its own thing now.

[@blightybog7207]

@@MandaloreGaming WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! IS MY SANITY NOT SHREDDED ENOUGH ALREADY? I'M ALREADY SEEING RECLAIMER GLYPHS IN MY SLEEP YOU WONDEROUS MADMAN WHAT MORE CAN YOU DO?! though more seriously I'm pretty happy with more. i like my brain being liquified by inter-universal translation.

[@WrightOnTarget]

@@blightybog7207 oh yeah, it's absolutely the most enjoyable form of brain damage, falling down this hole

[@michelvanbriemen3459]

50 skeletons crying out "I've got a bone to pick with you" may be my favourite part of Halo

[@user-eo4ln2fp8q]

I'm sorry , the bones are lies

[@theotv5522]

@@user-eo4ln2fp8qshhh let them cope

[@timothymclean]

I hope someone mods "I've got a bone to pick with you" into other Bungue games. It's such an iconic line.

[@Durp_EXE]

is this a Plutonia reference?

[@summonfish]

“The object that killed the dinosaurs is still alive” is such a cool and ominous sentence

[@jedgrahek1426]

I had no idea Chrono Trigger ripped off an American Mac shooter for its villain : D

[@DSFARGEG00]

Funnily enough, Stephen King used this idea in his novel 'It,' too. Where Pennywise's arrival on Earth caused a mass extinction event.

[@kellerharris2593]

What a fuckin lore dump, holy shit

[@toprope_]

Old games may sometimes look the same but the devs had some crazy ideas.

[@WTFisTingispingis]

"...fuck."

[@GuessWho7197]

Alright, I am now totally here for the Bungie connected universe. I want to know just how connected their games are and how deep this rabbit hole goes.

[@steve7745]

Ik during the early development stages, Halo was considered to be tied to the Marathon universe in some way, but they decided to drop it as the story went on. There's some batshit insane connections though if you look into things like the original Cortana Letters or the parallels between the logic of AI in both universes and the concept of rampancy being a key story element. I still believe somewhere that the connection actually exists and wasnt fully dropped, even if it's never been fully discovered or fleshed out yet

[@csabaweisz8791]

@@steve7745 the cortana name itself is a huge reference, that being the Curtana, the sword of Tristan in the chivalric legend. Durendal is the sword of Roland, another legendary chivalric figure

[@kainthewarlock]

If you look deep enough, one of the most wtf thing is that it seems like (from what I gathered) Cortana is the Darkness from Destiny.

[@steve7745]

@@csabaweisz8791 yesss! I just love the depth of Bungie's lore and world building, thanks for reminding me of those specifics!

[@86pp73]

@@kainthewarlock Huh? Please elaborate?

[@SylverHummingbird]

Alien translations: 1:32 8 Days 1:35 It’s pronounced Ryu in Japanese 1:36 This is a prequel to marathon 1:52 W’rkncacnter 1:59 Infinity Awaits

[@teecee1827]

Nice details, thank you for deciphering wingdings

[@WingMaster562]

Hadouken

[@MrTheta-lc8zy]

“Infinity awaits” I mean at least cover Marathon 2 first.

[@baransevim3969]

@@MrTheta-lc8zy He might cover them both in one video since they’re pretty similar

[@franz83]

As soon as I saw the 'alien language' I started scrolling to find this comment ;)

[@lord-of-roses6647]

So the Player Character in Pathways is implied to be Marathon Guy. MG is implied to a hero that always appears when needed the most, taking the form of several historical figures, and maybe even Master Chief and the Guardian from Destiny. I think Marathon Guy is a meta reference to the player.

[@radhinkabagaskara5595]

Obviously. Even the déjà vu narrative is the game asking you "How many shooters that starts with you alone with a gun, that you've played recently?"

[@libertyprime7559]

HE IS CALLED MJOLNERD

[@joshuaowens2418]

There's an exotic helmet in D2 called Eye of Another World where the lore tab talks to you directly

[@InternetHydra]

The Infinity review awaits you...

[@loxi9]

The race's name is Yrro (Hero). They werent being very subtle with that at all. Very good story telling though.

[@shaefurlong1907]

Going back to this video and the Marathon 1 review feels like returning to earth after receiving some sort of revelation. God knows what the Marathon Infinity review is gonna reveal

[@MandaloreGaming]

It's all a circle, as Bungie intended.

[@TheBlazzer12]

So, how's it feel now?

[@shaefurlong1907]

@@TheBlazzer12 I either understand this perfectly or less than before and I can't tell which

[@spookmeyer970]

@@MandaloreGaming its sort of like poetry, it rhymes.

[@RubyRoks]

The EYE video plunged Mandalore into his cycles of guilt and the Bungie series has plunged us into ours

[@AquarialTV]

The reveal that this is a Marathon prequel and the uncompressed "It's quiet" at the end were major plot twists

[@Jakepearl13]

That imperium sound is enough to strike fear into anyone who’s been watching for a while

[@domagojgalekovic8507]

And Destiny is basically reverse Pathways into Darkness with Marathon and Halo sprinkled in. Truth is, Bungie made the same game ( story wise) a dozen or so times. The more you look into the insanely deep lore of their IPs the more sense it makes.

[@pennyisdreadful]

i think he removed the it's quiet btw which bothers the shit out of me

[@AquarialTV]

@@pennyisdreadful wtf I think you're right, rare mandy L

[@PageKasai]

I still love the flair text of Destiny's Bungie 30th content Its the M79 from this game, wrapped in cloth, and it simply reads "When the dead talk, you should listen." Now I know why! Thanks Mandalore!

[@victorbressler7156]

also the Cedar and ash skin for witherhoard is a ref to the cedar box

[@Radio4Ever]

The M79 is also called Pardon Our Dust which is a reference to the floor in Pathways named Please Excuse Our Dust.

[@blumpus8150]

Because they've got a bone to pick with you?

[@dumb445]

@@Radio4Ever it's something they've referenced in Destiny since the first game. "Pardon our dust" was the message you'd receive during big updates, maintenance shutdowns, etc

[@Mythraen]

@@Radio4Ever It's hard to argue that's a reference to this game, when it's actually a reference to a real-world notice. This game was also referencing real-world notices, so you could claim that Bungie is referencing this game referencing real life? Doesn't seem to fit, for me.

[@notaguy4289]

The pyramid being built by aliens and nazi Germany somehow knowing more about it than the locals really makes the game sound like a history channel show

[@mypud4068]

Pyramid *

[@notaguy4289]

@@mypud4068 Oh sorry, thank you

[@mypud4068]

@@notaguy4289 lol I was just messing with ya

[@thehoodedteddy1335]

Remember when history channel was actually educational and about real history?

[@lvsoad22]

Unironcially a lot of Mayan pyramids were rediscovered by Spanish first becaus the natives were just like “yeah we never looked there”

[@LocSec]

"John Wilkes Booth Marowak" is officially one of the few words strung together I never thought I would ever hear.

[@nikopaseman7147]

I laughed so hard at that, I was wheezing and crying. Unexpected, accurate, and hilarious

[@Alanisawesome]

The blue symbols that show up when the alien is dancing is the font "Wingdings." This is what it says: 8 Days It's pronounced Ryu in Japanese This is a prequel to marathon W'rkncacnter Infinity Awaits

[@jigglypuff3311]

Beautiful

[@aubreyjarvis4759]

W'rkncacnter my beloved

[@theatagamer90]

Why do you speak Wingdings?

[@Alanisawesome]

@@theatagamer90 I don't. I just translated it.

[@McWelly]

"I've got a bone to pick with you" is the new "It's quiet"

[@LehySnek]

In case you're wondering, they don't actually say that. That's just Mandy screwing with you.

[@ganii1804]

@@LehySnek i cant believe it. its the only thing that sold me on this game

[@HouseLyrander]

What's "It's quiet" from again? EDIT: Nevermind, it's Fire Warrior

[@yacabo111]

It's quite

[@talesofgore9424]

Where did you learn to fly?

[@joelbuchalter9959]

"Bill Clinton sends a Spec-Ops team to Kill God" has got to be one of the best quotes from this channel

[@geemcspankinson]

Bill Clinton would never do this to us

[@isaacrubin9606]

Feels less Persona and more SMT, though.

[@Cypherwraith001]

This is up there with "To fight mecha-Hitler, you have to pass through the BeeGees Pool Party".

[@FizzieWebb]

@@isaacrubin9606 SMT: Strange Journey is sort of the closest to that sentence we're going to get.

[@WingMaster562]

Persona, SMT, Serious Sam, Zero Hour (2012), Code Geass, FMA, Xenogear, Patapon and Ran Online.

[@ShjadeNexayre]

Just one note on writing/design choices: I find it an amazing choice to introduce a supernatural element of talking to the dead to fill the role audio logs/journal pages usually do in more modern games. What's more believable: that someone randomly placed contextually-relevant audio logs all over the place for some random person to listen to, or talking to corpses that make sense being where you find them? One is more realistic in terms of being able to actually *do* it, but the other provides a more sensible context for why that information is where it is.

[@Noperare]

it is even worse when it is all pages of the same book. Who the f*ck tear a book page by page, then spread those pages around in a way that just happens to be the player path?

[@StrikeWarlock]

Arcanum did this too, with great effect

[@timothymclean]

To be fair, supernatural corpse logs are _very_ genre-dependent. Anything too grounded and it just doesn't work. You need a fantasy game to pull that off, or at least _Curse of the Obra Dinn's_ level of magical realism.

[@ChimeraMK]

@@Noperare Probably an angry ex if it's a personal journal. Which in turn raises more questions.

[@valiant7057]

It’s also cool how the corpses lie to you sometimes

[@josgretf2800]

I can't tell you how heart broken I am to find out the skeletons don't actually say "i've got a bone to pick with you" in the actual game. My reality is crumbling around me

[@gord3588]

It all keeps tumbling down

[@kimbleangus7321]

tumbling down

[@mememan9061]

@@kimbleangus7321 tumbling down

[@sen3.14fi]

It all returns to nothing

[@DarkHunter047]

I just keep letting me down

[@conlanmyers9759]

Just realized that the monsters at 3:29 are the Myrkridia from Soulblighter. Their animations are even Identical

[@joeyberg5765]

No NO

[@notinspectorgadget]

*THEY JUST DON'T STOP!!!*

[@daanstrik4293]

WHAT?!

[@SakuraKurosaki10]

I didn't need this cursed knowledge.

[@TheSacredBlade]

They look very similar

[@Entropic_Alloy]

Soldiers getting sent by the government to kill an ancient god in a dungeon crawlers seems more like Strange Journey than Persona.

[@matraser3201]

Now i want mandalore to review strange journey

[@DieJG]

If i ever play this game i Will put the músic from that game.

[@destroyerofworlds9860]

Yeah, I had that exact same thought too

[@Entropic_Alloy]

Persona 1 and 2 don't really have any of the things I mentioned except for an eldritch god, moreso in 2 than 1.

[@FlintLostsoul]

The phrase 'Shock and Ball Torture' will live in my head forever now. Thanks.

[@ianr7014]

“John Wilkes Booth Marrowhak” is definitely a close second lmao

[@liczkos]

And the Marv scream right afterwards, gotta love it to live it

[@Jakepearl13]

SECTION ONE,BALL STRETCHER-

[@endig4501]

I swear I've heard that before on another mandy video.

[@casualbear6295]

@@endig4501 It shows up in the system shock 1 review IIRC.

[@Crelixal]

That dancing alien meme will always be hilarious, I don’t care how many times I see it or under what circumstances.

[@Slaanash]

I love weird old experimental games like this! I don't think Mandalore mentioned it, but there's actually an epilogue in the hint book, though some amount of it is dubiously canonical. "Shortly after Sergeant Eddings's return, a research team was sent to investigate the area, outside the small radiation zone, to determine any possible affects the Pyramid had on its surroundings. The investigators found a tribe of Native Americans, the Tlecoatcha, that lived near the Pyramid, perhaps for centuries. The tribe, unknown to the world at large, was recognized by several of the researchers. In addition, a large portion of the tribe members had been educated in the larger cities of Mexico, or in the United States. Meanwhile, Sergeant Eddings, in front of several members of the military's top brass, as well as a large number of the military's scientists, demonstrated what he termed his "Ice Crystal." Eddings had frozen several objects solid, when the crystal suddenly shattered, almost into fine powder. Eddings is recorded as smiling, saying "Show's over. That's the last of the crystals." and walking away. He also described several bizarre creatures. A few of these descriptions were soon confirmed, when nearly half the Tlecoatchan tribe told of seeing Eddings's "Headlesses," "Zombies," and "Ghouls." There were no significant differences in any of the accounts, including the Sergeant's. In addition, many of the Tlecoatcha gave detailed scientific descriptions, which were also consistent. A short time later after his "demonstration," Sergeant Eddings disappeared for a few days. He claimed, and still maintains, that he went on vacation. It is suspected that he somehow smuggled the other crystals, and perhaps other artifacts, out of the Pyramid, and used these few days to hide or destroy them. Sergeant Eddings has denied this repeatedly. " From Hamish Sinclair's pid.bungie.org/theepilogue.html

[@DimaJeydar]

A hero that “hid or destroyed” ancient artifacts? What the hell?! It’s not a Myth connection, right? Oh god, Mandalore was right - it’s all a brain poison…

[@jackmesrel4933]

@@DimaJeydar AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@kellerharris2593]

I just realized This game has you playing as an amnesiac soldier who uses magic and guns and talks to ghosts and is on a mission to stop a godlike being in the heart of a strange pyramid Is this the original Destiny?

[@harbinger7115]

The original and the second one, this game is the whole plot of Vow of The Disciple, literally lol, weird swamp, undead creatures, pyramid, and something very very old who needs to be nuked.

[@roguepsykerhaaker4813]

you have no idea

[@Renewablefrog1224]

Just a funny little ball traveling around...

[@samba1367]

​@@Renewablefrog1224 it finally traveled haha

[@JoshSweetvale]

Yes

[@01What10]

I'm so glad you showcased this game. I played this back in the nineties on my friend's old Mac. That was when I was like 12 or something. I am 38 now and have been looking for a version of this game that will play on Windows all this time. Thank you for hooking us up with the Aleph One port - You granted a very old, nearly forgotten wish. Finally, after all these years I got my windows copy. Good things sometimes do come to those who wait.

[@MandaloreGaming]

I'm really glad to read things like this. Just make sure to check out the included port readme thoroughly since even some of the control labels in the main menu aren't quite right. Still pretty amazing someone took all the time to port it over so well at all.

[@burge117]

That's awesome man. Hope you have a blast :)

[@bennettcarlson3974]

Thats really nice man, I hope you havea fun time.

[@ohmygoditisspider7953]

You remind me of trying to reconnect with my cousin over a DOS game called Diggers, which I only recently found

[@DepressedDiego]

same thing happened with me and Empire Earth. have fun man!

[@sinsir9114]

I transcribed the Wingdings text so you don't have to: 1:31 8 Days 1:33 It's pronounced Ryu in Japanese 1:36 This is a prequel to marathon 1:52 W'rkncacnter 2:00 Infinity Awaits

[@ilucasz]

Oh god oh fuck... Oh fuck oh god...

[@weeb_dweeb]

@@ilucasz what?

[@ilucasz]

@@weeb_dweeb He will review Marathon 2 and Infinity.

[@DragonWinter36]

IT'S ALMOST BEEN 8 DAYS!

[@ilucasz]

Wait, I was watching the review again and noticed that Mandy probably was implying that the W'rkncacnter was the god in the pyramid. But it's impossible since that being was trapped in Lh'owon for milions of years before Infinity.

[@leetorry]

"Ive got a bone to pick with you" - Eldritch Skeleton Demon

[@TheManFromCanada]

Earlier Aleph One releases of Marathon 1 had you start off in the same room as the Demon from this game and then enter the Marathon...I finally understand what it was this whole time.

[@jashloseher578]

I miss that.

[@joshuapettus6973]

Yes, that was a fan made port of M1 to the Marathon 2 engine called M1A1 (Do note that if you are on simplici7y and downloading old mods and think that you are downloading for marathon itself). A few years ago the alephone source code was changed to allow using the actual marathon 1 data files with actual m1 physics. This has made for a more authentic experience and has been the official release ever since. Honestly it was a real technical achievement done by the alephone team and very understated.

[@Goat-on-a-Stick]

I love deep dives into obscure retro titles, and your special effects really add to it

[@drago939393]

@bssni touir Primordial aliens, if you will.

[@xeldon]

"the tides" are likely the same as marathon's "waves"; as mentioned in one of the more odd terminals in the first marathon not to mention oryx from destiny quoting "the waves" from that terminal too and the "you are Destiny" from marathon infinity's end screen there's a lot to be found for those who want to look for these things in bungie's games

[@DuelaDent52]

There’s an old Grimoire card from the first game that pretty much quotes “I am hero” passage verbatim.

[@kellerharris2593]

Not to mention that this game's pitch has a strange pyramid appearing that warps reality

[@FlyingNinjaish]

@IntrepidTit Probably not, except for the MIDA Mult-Tool and MIDA Mini-Tool implying that interdimensional detritus from Marathon can end up in Destiny somehow.

[@suetyhercules7717]

@IntrepidTit If it's all connected I'd be amazed. It's probably just the fact that Bungie found a badass thematic element for scifi and are using it in everything noe

[@xeldon]

@IntrepidTit read the Gheritt White terminal from the first Marathon really funky stuff

[@Duskets]

“Wait, it’s all Marathon?” “Always has been.”

[@crouchinglibcrab9527]

"A John Wilkes Booth Marowak" is a 2 layer reference in the video and if I bring it out of the video, it's going to be practically inscrutable. This is peak level writing

[@niallreid7664]

Could you explain that please? I'm afraid that went over my head.

[@crouchinglibcrab9527]

@@niallreid7664 John Wilkes Booth is the actor who assassinated Lincoln, the US president. Marowak is a Pokémon that is known for throwing bones as an attack.

[@niallreid7664]

@@crouchinglibcrab9527 Ah. I feel embarrassed for not recognising the name. Thank you.

[@Summersong2262]

There's actually a very coherent reason why the Marathon terminal text is written the way it is; it's a callback to the ORIGINAL storyline of Pathways into Darkness. Originally, you were from a little mountain village in, I want to say Denmark? And everyone in the village was immortal, and had powers. And this was because they drank the magical water from a magic spring deep within the mountain. And once a generation, a youth was sent into the mountain cave network to drew a new supply of ambrosia for the villiage. But something had gone wrong, the year you went in. I don't recall the specifics but there was magic and monsters involved. And the Elder God that wiped out the dinosaurs is a sort of herald for the concept of the W’rkncacnter entity from Marathon, I think. That's as much as I remember, something I learned during my slightly deranged 'learn everything about Marathon days'.

[@Beans300]

I’ve definitely went through a “learn everything about marathon” time as well, and yes, by the end I was slightly deranged as well 😂

[@Ciretako]

That's very akin to part of the plot of Jorge Luis Borges' story *The Immortal*, which also touches on the sorts of themes of hyperstition (and of "an eternal hero") that you see explored throughout Marathon.

[@javkiller]

@@Ciretako It's crazy how much of Borges' writing ended up in games that seem to seed the FPS genre. Valve's first two games were based on his writing as well.

[@Ciretako]

@@javkiller Absolutely. I'm glad to see someone else picking up on that. I'm used to getting funny looks when I tell Half-Life fans about how "The Aleph" is the name of a Borges story.

[@javkiller]

@@Ciretako then again both are games written by smart, well learned authors and it's not uncommon for people like that to count Borges as a strong influence. It's certainly too much of a coincidence though.

[@Vooman]

2:41 it is astounding; I have never seen the image this visual gag is referencing, I never want to see the image this visual gag is referencing, and yet the appearance of a gold ring on a finger horrifies me all the same.

[@m__y-t-s]

It's just an old friend.

[@trampoline11x]

I... dont quiet catch the reference either, not yet. But the Subtitle for the sound effect reads " 'Prometheus' siren "

[@Z1_M4N]

@@trampoline11x I'm fairly sure it's goatse, an internet classic

[@Draco-9158]

I came back to this after his Ring review. Something tells me that was foreshadowing

[@WrightOnTarget]

@@Z1_M4N a more terrifying ring than any that Sadako shows you.

[@MichaelB-jw5po]

I absolutely love the 1930's pulpy adventure feel of this game, but it seems like it might have a few too many old-school quirks for me.

[@bobdrooples]

Weird Tales Magazine

[@tomtheconqerur]

I still am impressed by bungie's level of storytelling this far back in their history.

[@singularityraptor4022]

Props to the three dudes who started it all

[@CoolSmoovie]

Technology has nothing to do with creativity

[@notinspectorgadget]

What I find interesting is the fact that I don't think anyone currently involved at bungie were there for the Pathways/Marathon/Myth Era, and yet all of these references, connections, and callbacks are handled in a way that feels orchestrated. It's got a real "Ship of Theseus" quality to it.

[@doctoradventure413]

Spoilers: Not knowing this was a bungie game and hearing that it’s a marathon prequel was a bigger plot twist then I was expecting

[@shaqman813]

I know, right?

[@ArthurHLI]

RIGHT? That some M Night Shyamalan level shit!

[@AleK0451]

it says bungie on the box though

[@dev32]

Now I wish Destiny and Marathon to be canon

[@thewisewolf768]

I audibly gasped lol

[@QuintessentialWalrus]

I never knew the story of Pathways into Darkness until now -- I'd only heard the name -- but this sounds like a game that desperately needs a remake. A horror shooter with this same premise could be something really special in the modern age.

[@flat-seventh]

Nightdive remake officially backed by Bungie would be insane

[@ilucasz]

A Immersive Sim remake of Pathways Into Darkness would be fantastic. And a Marathon remake too!

[@MagpieDynamics]

I just imagined a remake of this in the System Shock 1 engine, all those mechanics and systems recontextualized in a more supernatural setting instead of sci-fi, I want it.

[@ilucasz]

@@MagpieDynamics Which System Shock 1? The original or the remake?

[@MagpieDynamics]

@@ilucasz I was thinking the original.

[@jbr1255]

Mandy's videos are like stories from my Dad. Funny, long winded and enrapturing. Riddled with false information to either see if I'm paying attention or just to fuck with me, leading to no real useful information to me directly. And once he's gone I'm never sure whether or not he'll come back.

[@bryce9025]

I've never seen a more succinct, accurate, and appealing way to describe his works. Yeah, this is how I'm pitching his stuff to my buddies

[@wilwright5365]

I can’t overstate how much I appreciated how the “I’ve got a bone to pick with you” enemy callout was presented without comment. It was funnier than any joke could have been. EDIT: What's actually funnier is that I thought it was real.

[@ince55ant]

it really wass a "nuff said" moment

[@RayX12]

Sadly, those enemies don't really say that. Mandy's messing with you.

[@wilwright5365]

@@RayX12 Oh dang. Well consider myself messed with. Is it bad that it kind of fits the weirdo 90's dungeon crawler to the point where I bought the joke?

[@RayX12]

@@wilwright5365 it does fit quite well. I'd totally have bought it if I hadn't already played the game.

[@Tech-Kaplan-Kali]

I didn't realise until i saw Gianni's comment under this video.

[@TsunamiWombat]

holy shit, the plot is actually a good set up, and the mechanics are super ambitious for a game of it's time.

[@talesofgore9424]

I like the monster designs too. for 1993 they're great.

[@TitanDarwin]

That plot actually sounds like it'd make a good pen and paper campaign.

[@adenowirus]

@@TitanDarwin Probably for something like Delta Green. With some modifications like moving the action few centuries back and replacing Germans with Spaniards it could also fit Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

[@babagoogie6231]

Fun fact, the crystals also give you confidence at work, home, social situations, etc.

[@jumahn]

You sound like a good bud

[@babagoogie6231]

@@jumahn you could say I’ve participated in a circle or two

[@StrikeWarlock]

@@jumahn so the crystal is made of Adderall?

[@zombieoutbreakprod]

They also glow but only when you're doing stuff with your pal :)

[@Dapstart]

We should charge crystals sometime

[@MorteTheSkull]

Fun fact, the Headless enemy sound is taken from a sample of an albatross, a large sea bird. I've read stories about people freaking out when they take trips to the beach and hear and albatross for the first time because they've only ever heard that distinctive cry in this game, lol.

[@brettgillespie7089]

I knew it sounded familiar!

[@mellow_mallow]

Thought it sounded birdlike!! Never seen an albatross myself. Good to know

[@Tigran2142]

Now I REALLY want an Oni review. It's a really fun Bungie game and deserves to be talked more about!

[@Razgriz_01]

Yeah. When people think of Bungie they think of either Halo or Destiny. Nobody remembers ONI, Marathon, or Myth. Hell, Halo was originally gonna be a sci-fi version of Myth during its development before it became a third-person shooter, then an FPS at the end. ONI was in development at the same time as Halo. Would be cool if Mandalore talked about ONI. Its also the closest thing we'll get to a proper Ghost in the Shell game.

[@DankSpoony]

Lore: Dead God's dream... Living amalgamations of imagined life, born as edritch horrors... Said Eldritch horrors: "I've got a BONE to pick with you!"

[@hansmatheson5976]

Hey, Im sure there’s at least a few dudes in the immense pantheon of Cosmic Eldritch horrors that have a sense of humor.

[@lev4trix]

@@hansmatheson5976 and they've got BONES to pick

[@janbittner1465]

Hey, it's a good thing it dreams about skeletons throwing bones and not skeletons with a gun.

[@BigPuddin]

Oh lordy

[@DragonWinter36]

@@lev4trix with YOU!!!

[@Hallgrenoid]

Holy shit this is such a throwback. I barely even touched this game back on our old family Mac because it scared the everliving crap out of widdle 6 year old me, but even still I got super excited seeing this in my notifications.

[@DragonfireVEVO]

vibe.

[@DragonfireVEVO]

@Joely7 MkII dude, the day Mandalore uploaded the Marathon 1 video I watched a summary of the Marathon games, I felt that shift of reality hard when I was done with them and got it recommended

[@thesimer2]

If we really want to get deep into the Bungie lore, in Destiny, pyramids play a big role in the narrative since they are part of the Darkness's army. The most recent raid had players go into a pyramid and kill an ancient alien god as the final boss. What's interesting is inside the pyramid, there's a bunch of artifacts that look likes its been collective from multiple civilizations.

[@Flippyisawesome13]

That's basically what Rhulk, the raid boss, does. Along with experiments on worms. Rhulk in lore destroyed his own home planet and became a Disciple of The Witness. So Rhulk basically went around the universe weeding out the weak civilizations and species until The Witness had him babysit Savathûn.

[@richardhunter3441]

Let's be honest here, every mission in destiny is going into some area to kill a God. The games design is as stale as its boring, uninspired writing

[@UOHCUNY]

@@richardhunter3441 you don't even play destiny

[@dirpyturtle69]

@@richardhunter3441 I don’t think you’ve played destiny

[@BryansBones]

@@richardhunter3441 you definitely haven't played destiny

[@NotOnLand]

These videos link together in such insane ways. Rewatching this after Marathon 2, the port guy's name is so goddamn relevant and it's played off as gibberish. Amazing writing my dude. Edit: At the end he _starts to repeat himself._ Mandy, wtf are you doing just reviewing games on KZbin???

[@WordoftheElderGods]

Also the aliens name is the same as the alien computer from Marathon 2

[@thebluesuit8239]

I’m full of unyielding anguish at learning that the skeletons don’t actually “I’ve got a bone to pick with you!” I don’t know what to do. My reality is falling apart.

[@topsecret2232]

I feel like im being dragged deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole of early bungie game lore.

[@bobbyhill1110]

I welcome it completely 😃

[@sharodnowshadabdullah3598]

The connections are still here, in Destiny. The ambition of it all still blows my mind.

[@pennyisdreadful]

Just general bungie game lore really

[@niallreid7664]

@@sharodnowshadabdullah3598 I thought those were just Easter eggs. Did they confirm it's Canon?

[@adenowirus]

Just wait for Saddam's head.

[@johnnyohm4579]

This ARG type connectedness between some of your recent reviews is amazing and I want more

[@Jeoku]

Pathways Into Darkness was the first game that made Bungie some money and got them going. Technically it was not their first game, but this was the first game that got them on the board and earned them some fans. If it wasn't for PID then that most likely there would be no Marathon and no Halo. It is fun to experience the humble beginnings.

[@Drax69420]

Makes sense why Bungie has secretly referenced the game so much. Without it, they wouldn't be such a legendary dev team.

[@sammosaurusrex]

"W'rkncacnter - phew, hope I don't have to say that again" You cheeky

[@risdio51]

I think the funniest part of this game is Bill Clinton not even questioning the legitimacy of an alien interrupting a pentagon meeting.

[@TheJaga]

one thing that mandy didn't mention in the video the "master of all tides" god thing fits PERFECTLY with the current antagonist in destiny, The Witness, since its "powers of darkness" are often called "The Deep" and that some "Drown in it" and also it commands different pyramid ships AND in witch queen, there's even structures very similar to the pyramid in PID with the whole Aztec aesthetic. there are so many links on bungie games leading to destiny that almost feel like they planned all of this... or that they are just reusing ideas and being creative, which is also nice

[@ilucasz]

Not only that, but when Oryx summons the entity that he names The Darkness, he says that is the "waves and the battles", which is also referenced in Marathon.

[@SpecterVonBaren]

Bungie is the answer to the question: What if HP Lovecraft was a video game company?

[@TheWintersoldier45]

Being a longtime Destiny player, this and the Marathon video really opened my eyes up to all the references littered throughout Destiny

[@StrikeWarlock]

Now you're brain is infected with the Tau visions Beware any circle

[@kellerharris2593]

We're finally going to find out what happened when Oryx communed with the Deep and it's only going to be because Mandy went on a Marathon deep-dive

[@DaussPlays]

What a fantastic premise, I love it. Bungie truly are (or at least were) the masters of making you question reality in what at first appears to be a pretty simple game.

[@Luckydave123]

Bungie still tells great Storys.. the lore of destiny alone is the best i read in a while, and its fucking massive. And their whole Deal with the darkness and the pyramids in destiny is also great. Some of the best enviomental designs and sfx in gaming.

[@jaywingate187]

Destiny 2 has genuine mechanical problems but the last 2 and 1/2 years of story? Honestly no complaints...destiny narrative has actually gotten very good

[@PoolNoodleGundam]

Coming back to this one after having binged the marathon episodes has revealed so much

[@sethappleton7628]

* Spoilers * "Command! Command! Come in ! We never left the marathon review! I REPEAT! WE NEVER LEFT THE MARATHON REVIEW!!!"

[@jtlego1]

*THE RIDE NEVER ENDS*

[@notinspectorgadget]

@@jtlego1 *No, NO! NOT THE BONE ZONE!!*

[@CoratMcRed]

@@notinspectorgadget"You hear a sudden "I GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU" from somewhere in the dark"

[@QuartzRoolz]

the marathon plot twist actually made my head spin and I hate it. the fact that bungie has been at this for years... it scares me a little.

[@domagojgalekovic8507]

@@Feroce One of the biggest meta ideas in these games is a world inside of a world inside of a world. There's always a character trying to escape the world they are in to achieve a higher state of being. Durandal tried it, Two villains in Destiny tried it etc. Etc. In nearly every game there's mention of higher states controlling the main character, gee i wonder what that could be. They're really trying hard with all this meta bullshit.

[@PositivelyPlaying]

The spirit of the J.O Crystal Man flashing before my eyes during the talk about the energy meter being refilled by mysterious means caught me off guard and I wasn't sure if I was going insane or not. Good show

[@BossEvasion]

I like that the aliens don’t try to provide the humans with a proper weapon, it just like: “Yeah, your nukes are good enough, you’ve reached the god-killer tech tier for a while.”

[@AndreLuis-gw5ox]

He literally says that the aliens inform that the nukes will burry the god deeper and make him sleep for longer, and that the aliens will tske 2 years to arrive and actually dispose of the god. Were you paying attention to the video?

[@Jsay18]

Alien Frens are still Fren Shaped.

[@K3end0]

@@AndreLuis-gw5ox boss is saying that he's confused about how the aliens didn't like give humans some blueprints or give them an explaination as to how to make alien weaponry

[@ПервоеИмяПоследнееИмя-у3з]

I mean, we're talking alien tech here, it may be extremely complicated or earth may lack resources to produce it, and the humans have limited time to produce and use it. Also, giving away blueprints for a god-killing devices to random races of space barbarians does sound like not the most wise of decisions.

[@Al-rh3tn]

@@AndreLuis-gw5ox Bit hostile there

[@bruinwinters7085]

Watching this again after all the Marathon Reviews really hits different. I keep smiling at the small nods and gestures to the future of the franchise.

[@olivercharles2930]

Eww that pfp zoophiliac moment.

[@estefencosta1835]

It warms my fucking heart that Marathon is getting shine. Loved that game as a kid, continued loving it after I grew up. Criminally underrated series and a masterpiece of a story. Those and Myth are probably overlooked so much because Bungie was originally a mac only company and windows absolutely dominated the market. Most people growing up then had probably never even heard of Bungie until Halo came out.

[@ParxDerJaeger]

Rewatching after the Maraton announcement, not even 2 minutes in and the dread sets in.

[@ctographerm3285]

"Soldier is sent to kill a an eldritch God, succeeds, and is then preserved in case he needs to fuck shit up in the far future" does sound like a pretty good Shin Megami Tensei Plot.

[@thatonejoey1847]

That sounds like an actual smt plot, just add the part where we murder our friends and team mates for wither power, for ideological purity or because you are a fence sitter

[@quagzlor]

Sounds more like Doom tbh

[@ctographerm3285]

@@quagzlor True! But it's lacking the very essential "Local man is too angry to die" part.

[@Furymgs3]

Isn't it pretty much Half-Life, though?

[@TychoHoward]

I mean, replace "is preserved in case he needs to fuck shit up in the far future" with "lives on the Moon because Mankind cannot handle him literally becoming an Ubermensch just to kick demons' asses" and you get one of the endings of Strange Journey Redux

[@ocm6382]

Hey Mandalore, I wanted to say that I love your uploads - you always do a fantastic job covering everything, and you add just the right amount of humor to make it entertaining. I hope you keep covering games for a long time

[@TheJaranuJanic]

Now that Marathon 2 vid is out, I now get the joke about hoping to not say the creator of the port's name. Damnit Mandalore, I love your content so much! You're writing is fucking top-teir

[@timhorton8085]

The foreshadowing in this video is wonderful. Coming back to this after watching the infinity video makes it even better.

[@wesleybcrowen]

I am so glad to report that this game is available on Steam as part of Marathon Infinity's workshop now and is perfectly playable on Steam Deck with gamepad and trackpads.

[@dm9910]

For a game that's older than I am, the art style is really nice. If you told me it was made in 2022 by an indie dev as a love letter to the DOS era I would've believed you.

[@gonnsolo8506]

"The Box that magically prints you ammo", the Cedar Box, that item got a skin themed after it on Destiny 2, it's got the Witherhoard, a weapon that will reload itself when stowed.

[@4T3hM4kr0n]

stowed*

[@gonnsolo8506]

@@4T3hM4kr0n Thanks, English isn't my first language

[@jonathanbrowning4]

@@gonnsolo8506 You've got a good diction however. Good job.

[@gonnsolo8506]

@@jonathanbrowning4 THANKS DUDE :)

[@jonathanbrowning4]

@@gonnsolo8506 Np man, you earned it.

[@lippalappa3189]

I used to play this game in my 3rd grade class. The teacher definitely banned it, but those where great times. Thanks for this dive in to my childhood.

[@StrikeWarlock]

What does it feel like to be smarter than your own teacher in 3rd grade?

[@billedefoudre]

This kind of digging is just blowing my mind. And to find the hidden clues about the shared lore between those games and all, daaaaamn, such a blast! And yeah, one can definitely see how uuultra ambitious and "right" this game was, even if the delivery just... did its best at the time. Thanks for... being you, I guess, MandaloreGaming.

[@themachineeatsitself]

That last crack at Retail at the end was too real. I was never disrespectful to retail workers, but now I understand their vacant stares and dead spirits, and this even with just a comparatively cushy retail job with a somewhat selective audience. Mandatory retail service sounds like my kind of satirical dystopian science fiction story.

[@Self-replicating_whatnot]

This port actually looks dope. I wonder how many other old games are out there right now that recieved a similar kind of facelift and usability update?

[@TippyHippy]

Sometimes I play with my willy and the white stuff comes out

[@ajishnu]

The Elder Scrolls II - Daggerfall comes to mind.

[@KopperNeoman]

X-Com UFO Defence and Terror from the Deep, Quest for Glory II and Worms Armageddon for four.

[@adenowirus]

This might have been fixed since, but I've once heard that the port might have incomplete dialogues since they couldn't decrypt the relevant game file and had to just write the conversations down.

[@singularityraptor4022]

Claw

[@BigNerdSam]

"Oh this is another Aleph One port. I don't know anything about them so I guess they do a lot of Mac games. Kinda wholesome." >One twist ending later "NEVERMIND THIS IS THE ABYSS AND I JUST SAW IT WINK AT ME"

[@StrikeWarlock]

You're in it now

[@lafayettefrancois178]

I watched the Marathon reviews first because I got intrigued by the announcement of the new("new"?) one Bungie is making, then watched this one. I've been playing Destiny 2 since the PC launch, but never been big into Bungie's older games. Feels like I've woken up in the back half of the third act of an opera, and have been informed that even though I missed a lot of backstory, everything happening now is a repeat of past events, and it's all essentially the same thing while also being intrinsically completely different, and when the current opera ends it's gonna start over again, and at the same time another of the same but different operas is gonna be happening on a stage on the ceiling.

[@VsevolodKhusid]

Somewhere on the ceiling… they are singing.

[@NovaBat92]

I remember playing a custom map in starcraft 1 called pathways into darkness. It had mission dialog, custom sounds, triggers, it was nuts. You could have up to 8 players if I remember right. You'd start as a civ in the first section avoiding traps and looking for terminals to give you lore and solve a puzzle to open a gate leading to a boss fight. You had to figure out how to activate defenses in this little arena to kill a renamed ultralisk chasing you down. After that, you were dropped in a new area where you could pick a 'weapon,' a rifle (ghost), machine gun (marine), shotgun (firebat), or a chainsaw (zealot) and continue on to the next mission. Don't remember what the goal was for this part, never really got past it, I just remember it being difficult. I remember it taking forever and a day to download so it was hard finding anyone to stick around for a game to start. It was definitely inspired by this and probably more so Marathon the more I think about it, it was pretty great.

[@isaacsalume6287]

I... actually remember that one. I can't for the life of me find a download of it but I was half convinced it was a fever dream childhood me had.

[@FeelingShred]

THAT deserves a video, holy shit

[@ApplePieAlive]

i love watching reviews about games from the pre Neolithic era

[@MelangeToastCrunch]

Man’s been on a Bungie streak and I am here for it

[@DrunkenCoward1]

Of course you're here for it. You can check out any time you want, but you can never leave.

[@MelangeToastCrunch]

@@DrunkenCoward1 It’s how they get ya my man. That, or leaving canned air and doritos on a glue trap. Works more often than not

[@TheShadesOfBlack]

You’re a master at storytelling. I get so invested in the plots of these games.

[@RustyDroid]

4:31 "John Wilkes Booth Marowak" jesus fucking christ, Mandalore, there's an amazing phrase

[@renegadeguy2340]

That premise actually sounds awesome

[@Icefist1]

Oh yes. I still cannot believe I found this channel via Overlord. Thank you Overlord.

[@leetorry]

I hope we get a new Overlord game.

[@Icefist1]

@@leetorry what an underrated game series. Flawed. But enjoyable.

[@kyosefgofa]

For me it was E.Y.E.

[@Icefist1]

@@kyosefgofa another classic video

[@DerultimativeOzzy]

Damn another Bungie Game. Love to see the coverage beyond just their Halo games. Gotta say they really have a knack for interesting world building and cool concepts. From this to Destiny, it really makes you want to see more.

[@DerultimativeOzzy]

@Big Floppa oh I absolutely love the Destiny universe. The sheer depth in which they build culture and history of the many alien factions alone is so fascinating.

[@DicFlair]

This has always been at the top of my list of games that could really use a modern remake. Conceptually its absolutly amazing and if a dev team could make something faithful to its spirit i think it would be something really special.

[@jorruskurren9408]

I am consistently enthralled by your near hypnotic radio voice Mando. Another great video for relistening during long shifts. Say hi to papa Sseth if you get a chance. Much love.

[@Word46]

"What is your Destiny?" MANDY YOU SNEAKY GREMLIN

[@solarwind3656]

Hey, here's a quick tip for those installing Aleph One: If it won't let you set it to 1080p, try going into the compatibility settings and overriding the High DPI Scaling!

[@Dave2713]

I literally listen to your videos to bring down my anxiety. Please don't ever stop posting 🙏

[@mechacowboy]

watching this again and seeing that the guy on the marathon terminal that mentions the monsters who founded the secret society is named clovis, the same name as the pre-collapse scientist who invented a whole lot of super-powerful technology utilizing paracausal power is driving me insane. it literally never stops.

[@1_1bman]

mandalore i hope you're one of those youtubers that reads every comment no matter how old the video is cuz i need you to understand what just happened to my brain. i put on the video and then paused it at around 1:20. came back after a few moments to unpause the video and kinda half-forgot what the video was about. i forgot the format of the video, and i started listening as if what you were describing was not the premise of the game, but instead was an actual historical anecdote to give context to the game. then you hit me with the dancing metal alien and it felt like my train of thought had just smashed through a brick wall erected on the tracks.

[@GastlyGibus]

I just noticed something after doing a second viewing of all the bungie/marathon games. ...In the art of the thumbnail, the symbol is there. In the soldier's clothing.

[@derekboogaard3378]

NOOO

[@RatTalisman]

So glad Mandalore knows of Capcom vs SNK 2's soundtrack. Hearing This is True Love Makin' in a Mandalore video blew my mind.

[@ParappatheRapper]

This is tuna with bacon.

[@MrShadowtruth]

11:56 ooooohhhh mandalore you cheeky waffle. "Who are you? What is your destiny?"

[@jamesrobsonza7752]

Mandalore: Glad I wont have to say W'rkncacnter again. Me: That man just lied. Great content as always Mandalore, lets see how deep we go down Bungies insane rabbit hole.

[@queengames8421]

5:29 ...Goddammit. The myth review. I just noticed. At least, I think that's the reference. Maybe I'm just imagining things at this point...

[@cormacackerman1055]

I’m so glad I’m not the only one to realize that

[@GT-dv8gh]

Holy crap! I actually played this on my parents' Mac back in the day. This was one of the only games we had. Lol Any plans do other classic Mac only games, like Escape Velocity, or its sequels?

[@reallylionbastard]

Escape velocity was the shit!

[@GT-dv8gh]

@@reallylionbastard Especially with the plug-in (mod) system! It's a shame that the scene never really took off for EV Nova though.

[@reallylionbastard]

@@GT-dv8gh i never really played that, preferred override and the original. I couldn't run that plugin, my mac didn't have the memory 🤣

[@jonkerrmusic]

I loved this, EV, and the Marathon trilogy - N O S T A L G I A

[@chrisball3778]

Me too. I think new Macs came with the demo pre-installed for a couple years. There was also a demo for a combination flight sim/ RTS game called Flying Nightmares where you had to liberate East Timor (several years before East Timor actually became an independent country). The Escape Velocity games were awesome.