Exploring Themes in Video Game Narratives

It's been a while since we've done a dive into media, so—here goes! Friend of the show Charles Siegel joins for Pooka for a discussion of how video games and tabletop games inform and resemble each other. We go through a shortlist of ten titles for inspiration to round out this series of episodes (for now) (the other big one is music, and no way are we getting the rights to do that one). In our opinion, each of these games features a variety of elements that tie into those of Changeling: the Dreaming. Obviously, there are a lot more out there, but a shortlist seems sufficient for our purposes. We're of the opinion that video and tabletop games inform each other If you'd like to acquaint yourself with the titles in question, behold some videos:

• American McGee's Alice (2000) — opening video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSMZsT4UhyQ
• Braid (2008) – trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqtSKkyJgFM
• Final Fantasy (so many years) — here's the piano collection for FFVI as one example of Uematsu's music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SJisxnVFZo
• Kingdom of Loathing (2003 – present): https://www.kingdomofloathing.com/
• Persona 4 (2008) – opening video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h73LvR8V2LA
• Pokémon Go (2016 – present) – one of many rare Pokémon hunts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLdWbwQJWI0
• Psychonauts (2005) – trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDbDShqvc_o
• Tandem: A Tale of Shadows (2021) – trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKiv1skvUJQ
• Untitled Goose Game (2019) longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gruIyw_AHYE
• Yume Nikki (2004) – longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr4iJL1LZwY

Meanwhile, Charles can be found around the following parts of the interwebsphere:

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/charlessiegel
• Storytellers' Vault: https://www.storytellersvault.com/browse.php?author=Charles%20Siegel
• Tellurium Games: https://www.tellurium.games/

As for ourselves, drop us a line at any of the following:

• Discord: https://discord.me/ctp
• Email: podcast@changelingthepodcast.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699
• Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPod
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcast
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast

your host

Pooka G (any pronoun/they) used to tear it up at Dance Dance Revolution and is still proud of that A+ on "So Deep".

You have no chance to survive make your time. HA HA HA HA. —Cats, Zero Wing