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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.

Noah and his Blade
All Articles

Forms of Life: Reading Xenoblade Chronicles 3 through Wittgenstein

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

By Aaron Suduiko, 2 years ago January 16, 2023
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Before the Law and Before Gaming: Kafka, Players, and Avatars

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

By Aaron Suduiko, 3 years ago October 31, 2022
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Explore the Storytelling of Final Fantasy VII at PAX West 2022!

This Labor Day weekend, join the analysts of With a Terrible Fate for a live and streamed study of Final Fantasy VII at PAX West!

By Aaron Suduiko, 3 years ago August 29, 2022
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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, 3 years 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, 4 years 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, 4 years 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, 4 years 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, 4 years 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, 4 years 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, 4 years ago June 11, 2021

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