With A Terrible Fate

Tales of Hearts R's fairy tale is an activity that bonds all real and fictional entities of the Tales of Series with one source of value.

By exploring Majora’s Mask through the lens of ego state therapy, we learn how Link overcomes trauma and outgrows the moniker of "Hero of Time."

In Tales of Phantasia almost 30 years ago, Chester Burklight taught us why the most important character in a story is the one shut out of it.

Tales of Destiny and Tales of Vesperia tell two halves of one sword-themed lesson: how to act freely by empowering the stories of others.

The esoteric mystery of Tales of the Abyss gives us the gift of a mystical experience in the simple act of playing a video game.

Only through the lens of a philosopher at war with himself can we understand a game at war with itself.

Kafka's "Before the Law" offers a new lens for meditating on the relationships between avatars, bosses, developers, and players in gaming.

The Outer Gods of Elden Ring aren't just extra lore: they're also the cipher to understanding the player's place in the Lands Between.

Have you ever played a game where a single moment changes your feelings about it from hate to love? A meditation on the first Dark Souls.

In Karen Travers, Scarlet Nexus tells the tragic story of how a character can become a villain by being cut off from the player's agency.

Tales of Hearts R's fairy tale is an activity that bonds all real and fictional entities of the Tales of Series with one source of value.

By exploring Majora’s Mask through the lens of ego state therapy, we learn how Link overcomes trauma and outgrows the moniker of "Hero of Time."

From Pyramid Head to Ganondorf to Sister Friede, unlock new ways to love and hate bosses in With a Terrible Fate's lecture at PAX East!

In Tales of Phantasia almost 30 years ago, Chester Burklight taught us why the most important character in a story is the one shut out of it.

Tales of Destiny and Tales of Vesperia tell two halves of one sword-themed lesson: how to act freely by empowering the stories of others.

A case study of Regal Bryant casts Kratos Aurion in a new light and shows how Tales of Symphonia's relationship system informs its story.

With a Terrible Fate invites you to a PAX West 2023 panel on Pokémon, JRPGs, and what we do when we talk about video game stories!

The esoteric mystery of Tales of the Abyss gives us the gift of a mystical experience in the simple act of playing a video game.

Tune into With a Terrible Fate's Twitch channel on April 20th at 7p ET for a live conversation with Sean McGarry, creator of Hero's Purpose!

A case study of how the storytelling of a linear game can open its world.

Get situated & psyched to crack Echoes of Wisdom with a wide-ranging philosophical retrospective analyzing Zelda across the series.

What can the PS5 Pro teach us about the rich, myriad relationships between evolutions in console development and innovation in storytelling?

Could storytellers like Miyazaki push players' motivations beyond crafting timelines—all the way to crafting theories of value?

What's the best way to marry "big questions" of morality and player involvement in games with our actual passion for those games?

Listen to a deep dissection of Inscryption, a celebration of motherhood in gaming, and a meditation on the rituals of single-player gaming!

An episode packed with surprise philosophical distinctions in Lies of P and charitable reconsideration of our most hated childhood games!

Discussing Lies of P as a "soulslike" fairy tale, the narrative evolution of the Final Fantasy series, and the permeability of fourth walls!

A PAX East 2024 postmortem, a defense of "black sheep" like Dark Souls II, and the platinum trophy struggle in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

This week on With a Terrible Fate's podcast: a spoiler-rich look at Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, with the promise of more analysis to come!

How can a closer look at the storytelling mechanics of video games empower us to better know and relate to characters good and evil?