Avatars | With A Terrible Fate

The Outset Island Effect

The Wind Waker's music shows us how a century-old literary phenomenon blends the lived experiences of player and avatar into something more.

By Lauren Spohn, 2 weeks ago September 8, 2020

The ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake has turned the storytelling formula of challenging fate on its head—and all it took was a Whisper.

By Aaron Suduiko, 5 months ago May 7, 2020

Only EarthBound could marry the mechanics of dungeon-crawling with the themes of epic poetry.

By Max Gorynski, 1 year ago August 29, 2019

A puzzle about how much of Where the Water Taste Like Wine is true reveals an unexpected lesson about the value of folk tales.

By Adam Bierstedt, 2 years ago October 8, 2018

Terms like "immersion" might seem like a great way to have productive conversations about video games—but they're actually holding us back.

By Aaron Suduiko, 2 years ago October 4, 2018

Knights of the Old Republic established Star Wars as more than a film franchise. How has it impacted gaming over the years?

By CJ Thomas, 2 years ago August 31, 2018

In a decade that gave us a library of games about orphans, EarthBound reminded us how important fathers are to their sons.

By Max Gorynski, 2 years ago May 22, 2018

God of War took classic Greek mythology and established a brutal lore all its own. Does it belong in the pantheon of great storytelling?

By Dan Hughes, 2 years ago May 6, 2018

Some of the most heavily criticized elements of Fire Emblem: Awakening contribute to its narrative in surprising ways.

By Adam Bierstedt, 2 years ago April 17, 2018

Behind all the ire towards Sonic Forces is a lesson in the costs and benefits of character creation.

By Skylar Cohen, 3 years ago March 21, 2018