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?
A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound
How EarthBound Brought Fatherhood to Gaming
In a decade that gave us a library of games about orphans, EarthBound reminded us how important fathers are to their sons.
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Does God of War Belong in the Video Game Canon?
God of War took classic Greek mythology and established a brutal lore all its own. Does it belong in the pantheon of great storytelling?
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How Fire Emblem: Awakening’s Mechanics Resolve Its Biggest Plot Hole
Some of the most heavily criticized elements of Fire Emblem: Awakening contribute to its narrative in surprising ways.
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Birth of a Hero: The Problem of Custom Characters in Sonic Forces
Behind all the ire towards Sonic Forces is a lesson in the costs and benefits of character creation.
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The Real Architect of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is Plato
One of the world's oldest thinkers gives us a surprising view into one of the world's newest forms of storytelling.
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Critical Review: Okami’s Lessons on Religion, Video Games, and Storytelling
Understanding the religious background of Okami gives us a new way of understanding what it means to experience a video-game story.