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Tales of Symphonia: What Regal Bryant Taught Me
A case study of Regal Bryant casts Kratos Aurion in a new light and shows how Tales of Symphonia's relationship system informs its story.
Podcast
Pokémon Rose Episode 13: “A Tale of Two Rivals”
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire pushed the series' storytelling in a new direction by inviting its player to reconsider the meaning of rivalry.
Podcast
Pokémon Rose Episode 10: Change in the Hoenn Region
What happens to our relationships with our favorite childhood video-game series as we grow up and new games continue to be added to those series?
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Tales of the Abyss, Kabbalah, and Gaming as a Spiritual Act
The esoteric mystery of Tales of the Abyss gives us the gift of a mystical experience in the simple act of playing a video game.
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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.
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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.
Podcast
Director’s Commentary: How Elden Ring Turns Its Player into an Outer God
Listen to an extended discussion about Aaron Suduiko's analysis of the player's role as an Outer God in Elden Ring.
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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.
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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.
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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.