State of the Arc Podcast

Gear up for this SPOILER filled review of Death Stranding 2! Guitar battles and dance routines make this game a hard one to pin down, but when dealing with Hideo Kojima, it's usually best to leave all your preconceived motions at the door (as much as you can, I suppose). We both loved this game, but have different opinions on the story itself. Please consider supporting us on Patreon if you have t...

Regent Cid becomes a... frog? Garnet loses her voice and Quina miraculously survives... but is now very hungry. Then Quina meets new frog-Cid. It's a blast! Enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to become a part of our Patreon community if you have the means. Thanks for watching! Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. **Listen On Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3 **Listen On So...

We go from the beginning of disc 3, which is actually wonderful for character development, all the way to the destruction of Alexandria, which is very sad. Enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to become a part of our Patreon community if you have the means. Thanks for watching! Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. **Listen On Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3 **Listen On Sou...

Well, he's done it. Kuja finally turned Brahne on him. But things may not go the way Brahne expected. The entry onto the outer continent takes us all the way to the end of disc 2 which ends with a huge bang. Enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to become a part of our Patreon community if you have the means. Thanks for watching! Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. **Listen On Spotify**: https://open.spo...

We take a step or two back to follow Zidane and friends as they journey from Burmecia to Cleyra. That didn't end well so then they go to the safe haven of Lindblum. That ended poorly as well, and now our friends, after saving Garnet from her own mother (?) are on a journey into the outer continent to try and find some way to stop Kuja and Brahne from annihilating everything they know and love. Enj...

Garnet and Steiner continue their journey from the South Gate all the way to Dark City Treno. Tot, Baku and Marcus are all feature prominently in this one, as well as the beautiful backgrounds and environments. These sequences of the game are masterfully crafted. Enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to become a part of our Patreon community if you have the means. Thanks for watching! Time Codes: 1....

Right out the gate we have an exciting podcast for you. Quina, Chocobo's and Moogles, all the things that make Final Fantasy IX great. Meeting Quina's tribe is a blast and making our way through Burmecia was thrilling. We play all the way up to the end of disc 1 for this episode. Next time, we'll get through Treno and into Alexandria. Enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to become a part of our Pat...

Lindblum is the coolest city in all of Final Fantasy. Not only is the world building perfectly executed here, the facing of the story is perfect as well. It's difficult to imagine how this stretch in Final Fantasy IX could have been done better. From Freya and Regent Cid's introduction, through the Festival of the Hunt and up to Garnet's stunning exit from the city, this entire sequence is a thril...

Huge thanks to all of our patrons who support us through thick and thin! You make what we do possible! You can support us on Patreon, or Subscribe Star. Thank you!! Now for the big question... what has become of the Final Fantasy retrospective series on this channel? As well as the bigger question, what will become of the Final Fantasy retrospective series? **We’re Now On Spotify**: https://open.s...

Death Stranding is one of the most unusual and unique games I've ever played. It flies in the face of conventions and stretches itself out into the real world in some unexpected ways. But, as with most of Hideo Kojima's games, it has a charm that is irresistible. Please consider supporting us on Patreon if you have the means. Thanks for watching! www.patreon.com/resonantarc **We're Now On Spotify*...

From the edge of the Petrified Forest to the dramatic entry into Lindblum, this is one of the most exciting stretches of Final Fantasy IX. The most notable moment in this stretch is when Vivi discovers the dark secret beneath Dali. What would you do? What would you think? Would you think at all? Can you think if you are not? If you don't exist? All this and more will be tackled in the next hour an...

The way that the intro to this game is framed by a theatrical performance is absolutely brilliant. Once again, Sakaguchi displays his prowess in the drafting of yet another beautiful and captivating introductory sequence that holds our attention and immerses us into a new and exciting world in Final Fantasy IX. We discuss the beginning of this game all the way up until the ship crashes into the Ev...

A big thank you to Flydigi for sponsoring this video! Visit shops.flydigi.com and enter the discount code "resonantarc" for 10% off your order! In today's episode, we're collaborating with Daryll from @FinalFantasyUnion to bring the development history of Final Fantasy IX. This is part 1 of a series where we will break down the story of FF9 chapter by chapter, explaining the thought process of the...

Final Fantasy 10 has some of the best music in video games. Nobuo Uematsu was aided by Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano to craft this truly special soundtrack. Much like this podcast was aided by Daryl from Final Fantasy Union! Don't forget to support us on Patreon if you enjoy the content. Thank you! **We're Now On Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3 **Listen On Soundc...

In its opening moments, Suikoden II plunges you into a war-torn world where childhood friendships are shattered and impossible choices must be made. Underscored by Miki Higashino’s masterful soundtrack, it promises a journey filled with heartbreak, betrayal, and a desperate struggle for peace. This isn’t just another retro RPG — it’s a deeply personal tale about the cost of conflict, the bonds tha...

Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey isn’t just a sci-fi classic—it’s a cinematic milestone that changed the language of film. In this video, we break down the film’s mysterious symbolism, groundbreaking visuals, and philosophical questions about evolution, technology, and humanity’s place in the universe. Whether you’re a film buff, a philosophy nerd, or a JRPG fan who spotted the Xenogears in...

In March, the long-awaited remaster of Suikoden 1 & 2 was released, and Casen and I have decided to dive into these classic games to give our thoughts on the quality of the remaster and reviews of the games themselves. We're covering Suikoden 1 this week, and next week, we'll get into Suikoden 2! Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc Subscribe Star: https://www.subscribestar.com/resona...

Today we reach the end of our playthrough of Terranigma. We hope you've enjoyed this series as much as we've enjoyed talking about it. Thank you for watching and supporting the channel! Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc Subscribe Star: https://www.subscribestar.com/resonant-arc Twitter: https://twitter.com/resonantarc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resonantarc Instagram: https:...

Tidus laugh has been the subject of intense debate within the Final Fantasy X community. Some love it, others hate it. Clarity on the scene proper has been provided by the directors of the game and also the translators and localizers. However, a new discover is going to overturn the tables and recast the entire scene in a whole new light. Please consider supporting us on Patreon if you have the me...

Apologies to those expecting a Terranigma episode, but we really wanted to talk more about Expedition 33 this week! This is an extended version of the conversation we had on Monday in our final review about the ending and the central themes of the game. It is possible that we'll do a full series on this game at some point. Let us know if you'd like to see that!

After 100 hours, I can confidently say that Expedition 33 is one of my favorite games. The story is deeply human, the combat is incredibly fun long-term, and the world is absolutely beautiful. In this review, we'll explain how this game puts itself in the lead for one of the best games of 2025.

The resurrection of the genius is chapter 3 of Terranigma. Genius can mean several things, and we go with more of the old Greek reading of that word. Chapter 3 is the longest and most fun chapter of the game. Also, a heads up, Casen's jaw was giving him all sorts of trouble so if he's stretching it out a lot, mercilessly tease him in the comments. Leave a comment and support us on Patreon if you e...

David from the Acquired podcast joins us to talk about the fascinating, mysterious and incredible history of Nintendo. From selling concrete, to cards, to toys, and ultimately video game systems, Nintendo has left an intriguing trail behind them. Thanks for watching this episode on the history of Nintendo! Please consider supporting us on Patreon if you have the means. Thanks for watching! **We're...

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out of nowhere and has left us completely stunned. This game has just changed the industry for the better. This review has NO SPOILERS, but tons of footage! As a disclaimer, we have not yet finished it. Mike is around 20 hours in and Casen is around 35 hours in. But wow, this game is absolutely worth playing. Please consider supporting us on Patreon if you have the...

Daniel Santos @DanielSantosAnalysis joins us to discuss 'death of the author', which is a method of engaging with art that does NOT involve any consideration for what the author intended for the work to mean. Though we started out there, we slowly moved into topics like AI, God, Objectivity and whether or not people really are seeing Jesus in their coffee, toast or potato chips. All 3 of us are st...