Arkane’s Dishonored fully embraced the concept of presenting players with perpendicular paths, allowing them to pursue either a pacifist playthrough, resulting in a 'good' ending, or a bloodthirsty playthrough, leading to a 'bad' ending for the story. This dual approach may limit gameplay as players may miss out on mechanics and features exclusive to the other path, but it also presents an interesting challenge for players to navigate the game according to their preferred playstyle.

In contrast, Deathloop did not incorporate this binary morality system, and there is no indication that Marvel's Blade will feature it either. However, considering Blade's unique half-human, half-vampire nature, it would be surprising if Arkane had not at least explored the possibility of integrating a binary morality system that reflects vampiric instincts and offers Eric Brooks different combat approaches, distinct from his traditional vampire-slaying arsenal of revolver, katana, stakes, and other tools.

Arkane’s Penchant for Good/Bad Paths Could Make Marvel’s Blade Invigorating

Arkane Could Leverage Blade’s Willingness to Retain His Humanity

Blade, a hero with a complex nature, is not simply defined as good or evil. The Daywalker's morally ambiguous character makes him more compelling, and his mature, graphic vampire-slaying adventures depart from the typical Marvel narrative.

As Marvel's Blade unfolds in a vampire-occupied Paris, it will be intriguing to see how Blade navigates his enemies using his unique tools. The game may not incorporate branching paths for diverse playstyles if it aims to portray Blade with a fixed character development. However, while a single path depicting Blade as a defender of Paris through traditional vampire-slaying may be the game's primary approach, it would be fascinating to witness Arkane's interpretation of a Blade empowered by supernatural abilities.

Arkane Might Tempt Blade’s Vampiric Hunger with Monstrous Abilities

The extent of Arkane's influence on the Marvel universe remains to be seen, but envisioning Blade assuming a monstrous, supernatural form with unlockable abilities adds an intriguing alternate path to Marvel's Blade. While Blade's heroic journey may not align with a pacifist playthrough, his embrace of vampiric abilities could represent the bloodthirsty path, possibly leading to a darker ending, contrasting with a scenario in which Blade cleanses Paris or leaves a positive impact on the dystopian city.

Blade's atypical nature as a vampire presents an opportunity to explore gameplay variations between day and night, potentially offering profound gameplay choices akin to those in Dishonored. Even if the game veers away from Arkane's storytelling traditions, Marvel's Blade already stands out as one of Marvel's most distinctive games.