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Game as Mind: A Psychoanalytic Explanation of Returnal
What's the difference between a psychological story and a story about psychology?
Podcast
With a Terrible Fate Podcast Episode 11: EarthBound’s Flavor Text
Enjoy a conversation with Max Gorynski about the latest in his Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound, plus meditations on Nintendo hardware, collectibles, and narrative metagames.
Podcast
With a Terrible Fate Podcast Episode 7: Too Long to Beat
Discussion of Aaron Suduiko's "Final Fantasy VII Remake is the Template for 'Grown-Up' JRPGs," plus Resident Evil and mute buttons.
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Final Fantasy VII Remake is the Template for “Grown-Up” JRPGs
Final Fantasy VII Remake's storytelling makes JRPGs more accessible to adults—along with a new postgame model, "The Chadley Interpretation."
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.
Podcast
With a Terrible Fate Podcast Episode 2: Origin Stories
Episode 2 of WaTF's podcast covers origin stories, player-avatar relations, the challenges of Valhalla, and the ethics of game libraries.
News
Coming Soon: New With a Terrible Fate Podcast Series
Announcing a new weekly video-game storytelling analysis podcast by With a Terrible Fate.
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Why Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Church is so Memorable (and How to Analyze It)
The Sector 5 Church isn't just the most incongruous building in Midgar: it also plays a quietly pivotal role in Final Fantasy VII Remake.
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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.