Dark Souls

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

Listen to an extended discussion about Dan Hughes' analysis of "the Gwyn Moment," how Dark Souls changed his experience of video-game stories.

By Dan Hughes, 11 months ago April 18, 2022

Listen to an extended discussion about Aaron Suduiko's analysis of the player's role as an Outer God in Elden Ring.

By Aaron Suduiko, 11 months ago April 18, 2022

Join With a Terrible Fate at PAX East 2022 on Thursday, April 21st, for a panel exploring the storytelling of Elden Ring!

By Aaron Suduiko, 12 months ago April 14, 2022

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

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

This week on the podcast: analyzing Dark Souls and Silent Hill through the lens of a hypothetical mashup, plus PAX West 2021 reflections.

By Aaron Suduiko, 2 years ago September 12, 2021

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, 2 years ago September 10, 2021

In the first episode of WaTF's podcast, we introduce ourselves and the project and discuss Nier, Returnal, and "games as rent."

By Stefan Heinrich Simond, 2 years ago May 2, 2021

Get to know Caymus Ducharme, known for analyzing The Witness, NieR: Automata—and vehemently believing video-game stories can surpass Hamlet.

By Aaron Suduiko, 2 years ago January 24, 2021