Podcast
With a Terrible Fate Podcast Episode 16: Scarlet Nexus
This week on the podcast: analysis and discussion of Bandai Namco's "brain punk" JRPG, Scarlet Nexus.
Kingdom Hearts
With a Terrible Fate Podcast Episode 3: Kingdom Hearts
We interview Anh-Thu Nguyen on Kingdom Hearts as a digital Disneyland and discuss Dan Hughes' latest article on the nature of Xemnas in KH2.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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How Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Whispers Changed Fate—and Storytelling
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.
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
“If You Change Your Mind”: Shapeshifters of EarthBound
Only EarthBound could marry the mechanics of dungeon-crawling with the themes of epic poetry.
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How Fictional Stories Become True: Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
A puzzle about how much of Where the Water Taste Like Wine is true reveals an unexpected lesson about the value of folk tales.
General Video Game Theory
The Drawing Board: Why “Immersion” is a Dirty Word in Gaming Discourse
Terms like "immersion" might seem like a great way to have productive conversations about video games—but they're actually holding us back.
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Does Knights of the Old Republic Belong in the Video Game Canon?
Knights of the Old Republic established Star Wars as more than a film franchise. How has it impacted gaming over the years?