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All Articles

Explore all of With a Terrible Fate’s articles analyzing the stories of video games, as well as the philosophy of video-game storytelling.

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How Elden Ring Turns Its Player into an Outer God

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.

By Aaron Suduiko, 1 month ago April 14, 2022
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Scarlet Nexus: The Pathos of Karen Travers

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.

By Aaron Suduiko, 7 months ago November 8, 2021
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“How Gaming Will Change Humanity as We Know It”: A Reply

A point-by-point rebuttal of Tyler Cowen's article criticizing the ability of video games to have cultural value within a literary canon.

By Aaron Suduiko, 9 months ago September 10, 2021
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Critical Review: The Path to Necron as Elenchus in Final Fantasy IX

Where some JRPGs represent philosophical views, Final Fantasy IX tricks its player into actually doing philosophy without even realizing it.

By Aaron Suduiko, 9 months ago September 5, 2021
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Game as Mind: A Psychoanalytic Explanation of Returnal

What's the difference between a psychological story and a story about psychology?

By Aaron Suduiko, 10 months ago July 19, 2021
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound

Why EarthBound’s Flavor Text Tastes So Good

The flavor text of EarthBound tells a story you may have missed.

By Max Gorynski, 11 months ago July 7, 2021
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Final Fantasy VII Remake is the Template for “Grown-Up” JRPGs

Final Fantasy VII Remake's storytelling makes JRPGs more accessible to adults—along with a new postgame model, "The Chadley Interpretation."

By Aaron Suduiko, 12 months ago June 11, 2021
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Understanding Xemnas in Kingdom Hearts II

Analyzing one of Xemnas' most puzzling lines in Kingdom Hearts II opens the path to understanding his character and the nature of Nobodies.

By Dan Hughes, 1 year ago May 11, 2021
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Why Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Church is so Memorable (and How to Analyze It)

The Sector 5 Church isn't just the most incongruous building in Midgar: it also plays a quietly pivotal role in Final Fantasy VII Remake.

By Adam Bierstedt, 1 year ago February 24, 2021
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The Missing Soulmate in Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Ni No Kuni quietly tricks its adult player into curing both herself and the White Witch of cynicism.

By Aaron Suduiko, 1 year ago February 4, 2021

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