With a Terrible Fate

This week on Pokémon Rose: a time-travel episode in more ways than one, exploring the legendary intersection between a unique Pokémon and a real-life Pokéchallenge.

What happens when a video game's sequel takes you back to a world you'd thought you left behind—a world that's kept moving without you? Find out in this week's episode of Pokémon Rose, studying the return to Kanto in Pokémon Gold and Silver.

This week on Pokémon Rose: how Game Freak's approach to mythological storytelling created a world that simultaneously felt old and new to players of Pokémon Gold and Silver.

This week on Pokémon Rose: how the explosion of available Pokémon in Pokémon Gold and Silver led to the innovation of a special Trainer/Pokémon bond that continues to this day.

This week on Pokémon Rose: a discussion of how Pokémon Gold and Silver set the standard for a Pokémon sequel.

On this special episode of Pokémon Rose: a reflection on the meaning of the original Pokémon anime to gamers and '90s kids, on the occasion of Ash's final episode in the anime.

Where did Mewtwo come from, and what does he have to do with the implicit storytelling for which Pokémon has become famous? Journey back with us to the original postgame in this week's episode of Pokémon Rose.

What makes for a compelling rival, and how do video games bridge the gap between fictional characters and real-life rivals? In the second episode of Pokémon Rose, join Dan in a study of how the Pokémon model of friendship and competition has evolved from Blue to Nemona.

How do the iconic words "I choose you" define Pokémon, and how do they inform the relationship between a player and his starter Pokémon? In this first episode of Pokémon Rose, join Dan in reflecting on how Pokémon teams subvert the typical JRPG party experience.

Today, on Pokémon Day 2023, With a Terrible Fate is proud to introduce a new, weekly audio series by seriesrunner and video game analyst Dan Hughes: Pokémon Rose: A Nostalgic Look Back! Tune in to this introductory episode to learn what the series is about, and how Pokémon can be a cipher to our past, present, and future as gamers—and as people. References "Understanding Xemnas in Kingdom Hearts I...

Join Aaron and Dan in a behind-the-scenes look at "The Gwyn Moment," a reflection on how Dan's experience with the first Dark Souls led him to think about video-game storytelling, Miyazaki, and his own life differently. Topics include: why it can be hard to take good video-game recommendations from friends; how gamers get motivated to care about the lore of a world; using Gwyn as a cipher to under...

Join Aaron and Dan in a behind-the-scenes look at the argument that the player of Elden Ring is an Outer God , not a Tarnished. Discussion topics include: why Elden Ring's endings are puzzling in the first place; what we can learn about Elden Ring from Miyazaki's other work; how Elden Ring uses lore differently than Dark Souls; why the Golden Order is a paradox, and how the player's ability to res...

This week, we come to you with an update about the future trajectory of With a Terrible Fate's podcast endeavors. In summary, we're going to be working to retool our audio material around deep-dives into our written analytical content, as well as longer, less frequent explorations of the most fascinating topics concerning video games as a storytelling medium. At the same time, Stefan will be stepp...

In the inaugural issue of a new type of With a Terrible Fate audio content, join Aaron and Dan for a deep dive into the publication's most recent analysis, "Critical Review: The Path to Necron in Final Fantasy IX. " Discussion topics include: what video games can learn from theater; the good, bad, and ugly of games that "break the fourth wall"; how complex stories like FFIX's can be rendered coher...

What does it take to put two great video game series together in a successful mashup? Join us this week in a free-wheeling exploration of the concept of "Silent Souls": a hypothetical mashup of Dark Souls and Silent Hill, inspired by a provocative internet image of a Catarina Knight sitting by the rest stop James Sunderland visits at the beginning of Silent Hill 2. In our side quests, we ponder Do...

What happens when the cosmic proportions of a Bandai Namco JRPG collide with the intimate, personal storytelling of deep character study? Join us this week as Aaron begins an analysis of Scarlet Nexus, the "brain punk" video game that's equal parts psychology of the self and psychology of the Other. In side quests, Stefan continues his Yakuza: Like a Dragon diary, Dan reflects on what the Japanese...

Iconic musical themes from games such as The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, or Undertale are deeply ingrained into the minds of any avid gamer. This week, With a Terrible Fate video game analyst Laila Carter joins us for an exploration of how these and many other leitmotifs frame, complement, constitute, or even subvert video game stories. Support us on Patreon! Main Story 00:05:04 Musical Leitmo...

Maps are profoundly practical. They help players find orientation in extensive game worlds, indicate points of interaction, and track progress. Yet by the same token, they complicate a player's relationship to the world of a game's fiction. This week, we discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of those complications. Later: Stefan kicks off his Yakuza: Like a Dragon diary; we discuss the order in...

Diving into the depths of the human psyche is something the progenitors of psychoanalysis could have only dreamed of. Yet, games such as Persona 5, Silent Hill, and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice enable us to do just that—at least within the domain of play and fiction. Join us for a discussion for a ride through various formations of mindscapes. Further, Aaron addresses reader commentary on his new...

A new challenger joins the market for hybrid handheld gaming: Valve‘s Steam Deck. This week, we discuss whether the Steam Deck may change where and how the stories PC games will be experienced—and what lessons the Switch can teach us to guide our thinking. Later, we contemplate recent rumors revolving around Netflix's supposed plans to stream video games, and a copy of Super Mario 64 that is more...

The flavor text of EarthBound tells a story you might have missed. This week, Aaron and Dan chat with fellow video game analyst Max Gorynski about the new article in his ongoing analysis series, A Comprehensive Theory of EarthBound. Later on, we discuss Nintendo's announcement of the Switch OLED model, the value of hard copies, and the transformative potential of treating video-game-story analysis...

What is play? What are its functions and why do so merrily do it? One of the most influential books to address these questions is Homo Ludens by the Dutch cultural historian Johan Huizinga. In our brand new reading circle, we discuss the first section of Huizinga's renowned engagement with the intricacies of play. Later on, we discuss and analyze one of the most prominent PS5 games at the moment:...

Our main story today is about Returnal, one of the few PS5 flagship titles at the moment and part of the recent resurgence of "roguelikes," commonly understood as games that feature mechanics setting avatars back to near the beginning of the game and largely resetting their progress every time they die. We analyze Returnal as a multiply psychological game that boldly meshes genres and ultimately r...

Video games return to the topic of pandemics time and time again. The Resident Evil series continues to indulge in close-up outbreak scenarios; The Walking Dead has brought players to tears at the emotional impact of loss; creative twists like Plague Inc. introduced the role of a pathogen on a quest to conquer the world; the infamous Corrupted Blood Incident in World of Warcraft even accidentally...

However one might spin it, video games often require a substantial time commitment, usually much more so than other storytelling media. Eventually, a player might lose interest, feel overwhelmed, or simply get disconnected from her own role in the story. In this week's main story, grounded in the first half of Aaron Suduiko's new "Final Fantasy VII Remake is the Template for 'Grown-Up' JRPGs," we...