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Featured

All Articles

Tales of Symphonia: “Tell Us About Your Homeland”

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

By Aaron Suduiko, 1 week ago March 17, 2023
Noah and his Blade
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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 months 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, 5 months ago October 31, 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, 12 months ago April 14, 2022
Dark Souls

The Gwyn Moment

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.

By Dan Hughes, 12 months 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, 1 year ago November 8, 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, 2 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, 2 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, 2 years ago July 7, 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, 2 years ago February 4, 2021

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