Player vs Plot

S2E12 - Chrono Trigger

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0000

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?

S2E11 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 04:00:00 -0000

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.

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

S2E10 - Frame Narratives in Video Games

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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!

S2E9 - Metal Gear Solid

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 10:00:00 -0000

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!

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

S2E8 - Shadow of the Colossus

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 10:00:25 -0000

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

S2E7 - Street Fighter II

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 10:00:00 -0000

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!

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

S2E6 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:24:24 -0000

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!

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

S2E5 - Power Progression Mechanics in Video Game Narratives

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0000

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

S2E4 - BONUS: Interview with Sauna 2000 creator Amos Sorri

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:21:17 -0000

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

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

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0000

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.

Time Stamps

2:24 - Rogue
36:00 - Binding of Isaac
1:17:56 - Slay the Spire

S2E2 - The Last of Us

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0000

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.

http://playervsplot.com!

S2E1 - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 09:00:00 -0000

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.

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

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 10:00:00 -0000

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!

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

S1E9 - Romance in Video Games

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 11:00:00 -0000

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!

S1E8 - Doki Doki Literature Club

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:17:00 -0000

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!

S1E7 - The Zelda Timeline

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:04:55 -0000

We discuss the Zelda timeline! How much does it add to a player's enjoyment of the story, and does it even need to exist?

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!

Episode Notes

4:20 -- Links between the games when they were first released 16:00 -- The official timeline 39:45 -- Why have a timeline? 58:05 -- Sterling wants a game featuring all three timelines

S1E6 - Pokemon Gen 1

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 17:42:50 -0000

We take a deep dive into the world of Pokemon and find out there's more than we realized playing back in the 90's! In this episode, we look at what themes the game has and how its mechanics double down on its message. Plus we share some of our favorite crazy fan theories and wild Pokedex entries!

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: 0:09:30 - We outline the episode and Chris begins taking us through a deep analysis of the story of Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green. 1:20:00 - We begin to discuss the themes present in the game and how well they're delivered upon. 1:30:00 - We take a look at the world building done in Pokemon - is it set in the real world? How much breaking the fourth wall is really done? 1:45:00 - We switch it up and briefly discuss Pokemon in other media including the tv show, manga, movies, and more! 1:56:00 - We review some of the craziest fan theories out there. 2:05:00 - We go over the most bizarre true facts from the game including some of our favorite Pokedex entries.

Introduction

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 18:11:36 -0000

Meet the hosts of Player vs Plot and find out what this show's all about!

Feel free to send us questions and comments at playervsplot@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook! You can also check us out on our website at http://playervsplot.com

The opening and closing for this podcast is Arcadia by Reaktor Productions.

Thanks for listening!

S1E5 - God of War (2018)

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 22:00:25 -0000

Join us as we follow the arcs of Kratos and Atreus in this semi-reboot of the god-killing action franchise! We talk about the use of RPG elements in a game involving children and veteran warriors, mentor and parental relationships in video games, 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 and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com

S1E4 - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Part 2

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 22:28:41 -0000

This is part 2 of a 2-part series. Be sure to start with the first one!

We break down how Breath of the Wild's story tells a familiar Zelda story using a fresh take on the series's game structure. And how does tracking a non-linear story across two timelines affect how we read a character's arc? 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 at @playervsplot and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com

The intro for the show is Arcadia by Reaktor Productions.

Thanks for listening!

S1E3 - Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Part 1

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 22:23:19 -0000

In this 2-part episode on Breath of the Wild, we break down how the game tells a familiar Zelda story using a fresh take on the series's game structure. And how does tracking a non-linear story across two timelines affect how we read a character's arc? We discuss all this and more!

Check back each week for more discussion of video game stories! Catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @playervsplot and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com

The intro for the show is Arcadia by Reaktor Productions.

Thanks for listening!

S1E2 - Persona 5

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 03:35:54 -0000

This week we take a close look at dungeon-crawling life sim RPG Persona 5! Social links! Day by day time progression! Dungeon crawling the human psyche! We talk about how all of these elements play into the game's multi-faceted narrative.

The summary for this one got a bit long, so feel free to skip ahead to 1:17:00 if you don't need the refresher!

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!

The intro for the show is Arcadia by Reaktor Productions.

Thanks for listening!

S1E1 - Gone Home

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 01:48:16 -0000

This episode we discuss the story of Indie darling exploration video game Gone Home! We tackle the use of virtual space as a storytelling device, finding rhythms and structure in non-linear emergent narratives, and the truth behind the JFK assassination!

Check back each week for more discussions of video game stories! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and send any questions to playervsplot@gmail.com ! You can also check out our website at http://playervsplot.com