Episode Notes In this exciting season finale, we discuss the plot and philosophical questions of the beloved SNES RPG, Chrono Trigger! We take you through the main plot, the side quests, and (many of) the endings! We also discuss some of the bigger lingering questions often debated by the game's fandom: what exactly is Lavos, and who might be the Entity? Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com! Time Stamps 0:00:00 What's Chrono Trigger? 0:14:00 The first quest: to the Middle Ages and back 0:38:00 Discovering the Apocalypse and the Future 0:45:55 Helping a frog knight defeat a wizard 0:53:00 Prehistoric era: when Lavos landed 0:58:28 Zeal and Magus's origin story 1:08:00 Side quests and getting stronger for Lavos 1:31:30 Final battle and the endings 2:02:10 What is Lavos and what does it want? 2:09:30 Who is the Entity? 

Player vs Plot

S2E12 - Chrono Trigger

Episode Notes We tackle another behemoth of a game this week with The Witcher 3! We walk you through the story beats of the main quest, summarize some of the bigger side quests, and analyze what the game has to say about fatherhood, political action, and interdimensional factionalism. We also talk about the unique challenges this game tackles in setting an open world RPG in the world of a licensed property. Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com! Time Stamps 0:00:00: What's The Witcher franchise all about? 0:18:15: Important characters to know 0:27:45: The inciting incident 0:39:35 Events in Velen 0:57:40 Events in Novigrad 1:09:35 Events in Skellige 1:20:00 Locating Ciri, Kaer Morhen 1:50:40 Final Quests 2:09:40 Finale and the Endings 

S2E11 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Think of today's episode as a story within a story - because we're doing framing narratives! We discuss games that have you playing out a story being told in-universe like Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time, Dragon Age 2, Final Fantasy X, and more. It's a classic narrative technique, but how does it fare in the realm of video games? Tune in to find out! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com!

S2E10 - Frame Narratives in Video Games

Episode Notes This week's episode is a doozy. We tackle the hotly requested Metal Gear Solid! We summarize the major story beats and discuss its meta elements, our treatment of soldiers, and whether your genes really determine your future. This is a long one and a bit on the goofy side so sit back, suppress your stomach acids, turn on your stealth camouflage, put away your Murakami novel and get in your box while we walk you through one of the weirdest game stories we've tackled yet! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com! Time Stamps 0:00 Our relationship with the game and Kojima 19:45  What you need to know from Metal Gear 1 and 2  38:12  MGS1's mission briefing 44:15  Introducing the support staff 53:25  Infiltrating Shadow Moses and finding the hostages 01:17:20 Nuclear weapons storage Building 01:52:50 The finale 2:11:00 How the game discusses genetics, autonomy and heritage 2:27:50 Further reading 

S2E9 - Metal Gear Solid

This week on Player Vs Plot we tackle a game that may seem to have a small plot but in the end is full of colossal themes to unpack. That's right, we're discussing Shadow of the Colossus! Join us as we talk about how this game connects with others games, the myths it taps into, and the overarching messages it sets out to convey. Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! Catch us on Instagram and Twitter @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website at http://playervsplot.com! Time Stamps 00:00:00 Introduction, what kind of "art" games existed in the mainstream at the time? 00:22:28 The premise and basic plot 00:52:00 Are the Colossi sapient? 00:58:20 The climax 01:17:00 Dormin and the ending 01:25:00 Analyzing the ending 01:44:25 Fan theories and the last secret 01:59:15 Listener questions 

S2E8 - Shadow of the Colossus

This week, Player vs Plot covers an unusual source of compelling video game storytelling: fighting games! How does a competitive arcade game tell a story when the player experience is always different? How does a match between two players fit into the game's "canon" plot? And how much storytelling can you get in with just animation, endings and win quotes, anyway? We tackle all of these questions using Street Fighter II as a case study! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com! Time Stamps 0:00:00 Our relationships with the arcade 0:17:00 Fighting games before Street Fighter 0:21:00 Plot of the original Street Fighter, what is a Street Fighter? 0:38:25 Street Fighter II, context of release 0:44:00 Sources of canon in Street Fighter 0:46:12 The player's narrative in Street Fighter II 1:22:22 Chun Li 1:40:00 Guile 1:45:10 Blanka 1:46:32 Zangief 1:48:24 Honda 1:48:55 Dhalsim  1:54:30 Ken  1:57:55 Ryu 

S2E7 - Street Fighter II

This week we tackle the Animal Crossing series, with a particular focus on its latest entry: New Horizons. We discuss its peculiar "communication" genre label and try to pin down what common stories will emerge from the game's many activities. We also discuss the movie adaptation and some popular fan theories! If you're an Animal Crossing fan or just wondering what story we could possibly be pulling from this series, this episode is for you! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! Catch us on Instagram and Twitter @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website at http://playervsplot.com ! Time Stamps 00:00:00: Intro, release history of the series 00:12:30: Main concept of Animal Crossing, discussing the "communication" genre 00:25:30: What's the player character supposed to be? 00:34:45: Animal villagers, their role in the game, and their personality types 01:23:00: Exploring common narrative threads in an Animal Crossing experience 01:32:45: The Animal Crossing movie adaptation 01:47:15: Development of the original Animal Crossing 01:52:50: Fan theories 02:09:00: Further Reading 

S2E6 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Episode Notes This week we chat about the many ways in which video games make the player character stronger over time. What forms can it take, what does it accomplish for a story, and what kind of new challenges and solutions has this narrative technique brought to the medium? We discuss all this and more! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website at http://playervsplot.com ! Time Stamps 00:01:45 What is power progression? 00:07:20 Why do we like it so much? What do we get out of it? 00:14:00 The dark side of power progression 00:18:10 Power progression in sequels 00:23:00 How experience points and currency tell a story 00:31:00 Prescriptive vs Descriptive power progression mechanics 00:33:30 Losing progression to serve design 00:37:00 Has power progression become less part of the narrative voice of games? 00:53:00 What kinds of narratives are best served by progression mechanics? 01:12:38 "Increment games" (Progress Quest/Cookie Clicker) and their implications 01:30:00 Summary and wrap-up 

S2E5 - Power Progression Mechanics in Video Game Narratives

Episode Notes Amos Sorri joins us this week to discuss his new horror-comedy game Sauna 2000, which is nearing the end of its Kickstarter campaign! We talk about the importance of saunas to Finnish culture, how comedy and horror are more similar than you might think, and many more topics in this interview special! Check out the Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/madpuppeteer/sauna-2000-sauna-simulator-with-retro-aesthetic Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website at http://playervsplot.com !

S2E4 - BONUS: Interview with Sauna 2000 creator Amos Sorri

This week, Player Vs. Plot takes on another lightning round. That's right, it's three games packed into one episode! In this episode, we focus on the namesake of the genre: Rogue. Then, we share two of our favorite modern installments in the genre: The Binding of Isaac and Slay the Spire. We take a look at what tropes of the genre are present across all three games and how each game uses the roguelike elements to tell a unique story. Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website at http://playervsplot.com ! Time Stamps 2:24 - Rogue 36:00 - Binding of Isaac 1:17:56 - Slay the Spire 

S2E3 - Lightning Round: Rogue, Binding of Isaac, and Slay the Spire!

Time Stamps 00:00:00 - 00:30:30 Brief overview of the zombie genre 00:30:30 - 00:48:00 Prologue 00:48:00 - 01:25:25 Summer 01:25:25 - 01:58:15 Fall and Winter 01:58:15 - 02:25:15 Spring and Ending 02:25:15 - 02:45:30 Discussion of Joel and Ellie Show Notes Join Player vs Plot for a recap of The Last of Us Part 1 before jumping into the sequel! As we summarize every story beat, we discuss the implications of participation in video game violence and different perspectives on morality in a post-apocalyptic world. Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com! 

S2E2 - The Last of Us

Time Stamps 10:00 Historical Background 0:15:00 - 0:57:30 Opening Cinematic to Genichiro 0:57:31 - 1:51:00 Finding Ingredients for Kuro to Shura Ending 1:51:00 - End Other Ending Paths Show Notes Player vs Plot is back with a CLANK!, a SHING!, and a SPURT! In this season premiere we take you through the main plot (and a few side plots) of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice! We take a look at the main script, item descriptions and historical background to summarize and analyze one of our favorite games of 2019. Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com!

S2E1 - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

In our season one finale, we tackle three games in one episode: Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong Country, and Celeste. Each one has similar core mechanics but tells a completely different story! We discuss what those toads were doing in all those castles, whether King K Rool is a communist or just a regular pirate king, and how a new hair color can help you climb a therapeutic mountain. Join us as we look at three very different interpretations of what it means to be a platformer! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com! CORRECTION: Chris mentions a story about Rockstar showing a port of Super Mario Bros 3 to Nintendo in this episode. Chris was mistaken; it was actually ID Software that did this! TIME STAMPS: Super Mario Bros.: 7:30 Donkey Kong Country: 38:06 Celeste: 1:05:30 

S1E10 - Lightning Round: Celeste, Mario, and Donkey Kong Country!

This week we discuss the many ways video games tackle romance, both mechanically and thematically. Why do they use the mechanics that they do to represent love? Why is it so often successful to integrate dating simulation mechanics with other genres? And what is a game's mechanical representation of love saying about the role it plays in the story? We discuss all that and more! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com!

S1E9 - Romance in Video Games

Content Warning: discussion of graphic violence and disturbing themes We tackle the visual novel that decided to blend two genres: dating simulators and psychological horror. I guess opposites attract?!? Join us as we unpack the characters, the poetry, and, most importantly, the themes of this super kawaii literature club! Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot, send your questions and comments to playervsplot@gmail.com, and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com!

S1E8 - Doki Doki Literature Club

Player vs. Plot takes video game stories seriously. Whether you're eager to revisit the story of your favorite video game through a different lens, looking for a synopsis of a game you never played before its sequel comes out, or just curious about what happens in a game you know you'll never get around to finishing -- we're here for you! Join us each season as we walk you through the story of a new game each episode, unpacking the complexities of its plot, celebrating its successes and debating its messaging, themes and craft. Player vs Plot is a celebration of the narrative potential of video games!

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Player vs Plot

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