State of the Arc Podcast

In the second episode of our deep-dive analysis of Mass Effect, we arrive at the Citadel to report to the council about Saren's involvement with the Geth attack on Eden Prime. After being dismissed due to a lack of evidence, we begin our own investigation in order to provide proof of Saren's betrayal. 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Arriving At The Citadel (2:45) 3. Learning About The Keepers (25:31) 4. Hearing With The Citadel Council (31:09) 5. Feelings On The Renegade Path (40:20) 6. Finding Evidence Against Saren (56:54) 7. Presenting The Evidence To The Council (1:08:57) 8. Updated Thoughts On Female Shepard's Voice (1:13:20) 9. Additional Notes On The Citadel And Side Quests (1:15:17) 10. Thoughts On How Romance Is Handled In This Game (1:36:52)

In the first episode of our deep-dive analysis of Mass Effect, we cover the development history of this classic BioWare RPG. We'll introduce you to the creators who conceived the world and show how they secured the opportunity to create a brand new IP for BioWare. We also recount the prologue mission to Eden Prime! 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Our Personal Experiences With Mass Effect (3:15) 3. Dev History (13:01) 4. Brief Background On The Mass Effect Universe (1:04:26) 5. Prologue Mission "Eden Prime" (1:09:17) **We’re Now On Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3 **Listen On Soundcloud**: https://soundcloud.com/resonantarc **Listen On iTunes**: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-the-arc-podcast/id1121795837 **Listen On Pocket Cast**: http://pca.st/NJsJ Join Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/vWzXpTc 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

On the final episode of our Xenogears analysis, we bring back Retrograde Amnesia as well as Patrick Holleman to discuss some of the more confusing aspects of the story and the philosophy that inspired it. We also answer questions from the audience to further elaborate on our feelings on the game overall. This is a long one, so grab some popcorn! Retrograde Amnesia's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-ZMfpromeak2dHU4IybFYw Patrick Holleman's Game Design Forum Website: http://thegamedesignforum.com/ Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. The Story Behind The Spoken Audio Clip In The Track Knight Of Fire (4:10)) 3. Does Xenogears Have The Best Cast Of Villains? (7:42) 4. What Exactly Did The Gazel Ministry/Cain Want With Deus? (12:13) 5. Was The Egyptian God Mahan Worshipped During The Time Of Ramesses II? (24:06) 6. Can You Elaborate Any More On The Details Of The Diabolos Corps? (26:58) 7. Why Did Krelian Need Elly? (32:34) 8. Comments On The Manufactured Conflict Between The Ethos and Shevat (39:05) 9. What Are The Requirements To Resurrect Deus? (44:08) 10. Plato's Influence On Gnosticism (47:21) 11. Thoughts On Fei and Elly's Relationship Now That The Playthrough Is Over? (59:32) 12. Any Thoughts On Xenosaga's Connections to Xenogears? (1:03:06) 13. Theories On Why Deus Was Trying To Go To Lost Jerusalem/Earth? (1:11:07) 14. Which Era In the Xenogears Timeline Would You Like To See Expanded On? (1:15:58) 15. Why Does Grahf Give Power To Bishop Stone/Stein? (1:22:26) 16. Thoughts On How Disc 2 Scenes Were Prioritized? (1:26:04) 17. A Question For Casen About The Translation Of The Creid Album (1:33:10) 18. How Did Xenogears Personally Impact Each Of You? (1:37:40) 19. Can You Comment On What This Game Says About Hierarchies? (2:01:26) 20. How Would You Feel About A Modernized Version Of Xenogears? (2:05:22) 21. Which Element Do You Feel Made Xenogears Work Despite Its Shortcomings? (2:11:57) 22. How Xenogears Makes Comparisons (2:17:45) 23. How Did Takahashi and Tanaka (Soraya Saga) Come Up With This Stuff? (2:28:05) 24. Is The Complexity Of Xenogears Rewarding Or Is There An Element Of Diminishing Returns? (2:32:39) 25. What Is The Relationship Between Miang, Cain, and the Gazel Ministry? (2:39:27) 26. Is The Story Of Xenogears Ideal For A Video Game Or Something Else? (2:47:45) 27. Is There Any Other Game With This Level Of Narrative Density? (2:53:29) 28. Is Xenogears A Masterpiece? (2:57:58) 29. How Do We Feel About Chu-Chu At The End Of This Playthrough? (3:06:41) 30. How Jaques Lacan's "Desire" Explains Lacan's Transformation Into Grahf (3:11:02) 31. Did You Ever Feel Elly Was Going To Die At Some Point? (3:20:41) 32. Could You Give A Bit Of A Retrospective On What Happened With Takahashi Post-Xenogears? (3:25:55) 33. Any Other Interesting Parallels/Similarities Between Xenogears And FF7? (3:33:20) 34. What Did Perfect Works Add To Your Exploration Of Xenogears' Story? (3:36:08) 35. Wrapping Up (3:46:09)

Today's episode is the conclusion of Xenogears story. This is an amazing game with an incredibly deep story. We hope that as we have gone through this game with you--cover to cover, so to speak--that you have gained additional insights and a greater understanding of what this game means. For an allegedly unfinished game, Xenogears has a very complete and beautiful ending. We discuss it here. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Readdressing The Attack on Merkava (1:45) 3. Welcome to Hoth! (5:13) 4. Return to Zeboim (27:13) 5. Final Dungeon (41:53) 6. Inside the wave existence (52:06) 7. Return to Earth (2:02:55)

Play to the end of the game for next time! Today's episode is the penultimate section of Xenogears story. This is where it all comes to a head, where the biggest mysteries are paid off, and where we see Xenogears true message shine through. It is thrilling, dark, and absolutely beautiful. It's also deeply confusing, so we'll do our best to break it all down! Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Golgatha (4:31) 3. A Comprehensible Gazel Ministry Scene (13:59) 4. Wiseman Attempts To Galvanize Fei (26:44) 5. Entering Merkava (30:38) 6. Ramsus Backstory/Fei's Mother Was Miang! (34:36) 7. Confronting Krelian and Miang (46:19) 8. What Is The Zohar A Reference To? (1:04:49) 9. Continuing With The Breakdown Of Miang's Monologue (1:07:43) 10. What Is The Kadamony A Reference To? (1:19:02) 11. The Merkava Emerges (1:23:19)

For next time, play up to the part where Merkava crashes back to earth. In today's episode of -our- deep-dive analysis of Xenogears, "Disk 2" happens. If -you- are "prepared", it's not so -bad-. If -you- aren't "prepared"... well, -we- were -both- "prepared". So that was -good-. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Fei and Elly’s memories (1:28) 3. Regenerating with Melchior (12:58) 4. Releasing the nano-machines (34:00) 5. Ramsus importance in the story (1:09:56) 6. Fei and Elly’s relationship (1:37:25) 7. Mahanon (1:59:39)

QUICK UPDATE: We have fallen below our funding goal for the podcast. This means that unless we can get it back up, the show will go back to a monthly release schedule rather than weekly. If you appreciate the work we're doing, and would like for the podcast to remain a weekly show, please support us on Patreon or SubscribeStar. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/resonant-arc For the next episode, play up through Razael's Tree! In today's episode of our deep-dive analysis of Xenogears, Citan unbetrays us and helps us escape from Solaris, but not before we are betrayed by Hammer and confronted by Grahf. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Krelian Discovers The Uroborus Ring In Elly's Introns (3:53) 3. Citan Patronizes Fei (28:12) 4. Ramsus Threatens Elly (40:01) 5. Citan Wields A Sword Now (46:21) 6. Escaping Solaris Hammer's Betrayal (51:08) 7. Battle Against Grahf and Destruction of Solaris (1:03:23) 8. Elly Confronts Id (1:17:29) 9. Back To Shevat/Citan Explains Fei's Disassociative Identity Disorder (1:19:33) 10. Shevat's Leaders Vote To Put Fei In Carbon Freeze (1:29:56)

In today's episode of our deep-dive analysis of Xenogears, we enter Solaris and uncover its darkest secrets, all while being led on a path by Citan, whose true motives are revealed once and for all. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Entering Solaris' 3rd Class F Block (3:07) 3. Solaris' 2nd Class Block (12:18) 4. Emperor Cain/Krelian's Speech (22:59) 5. Elly's House (46:35) 6. Fei Reunites With Citan (1:09:23) 7. The Soylent System (1:19:42) 8. Solaris' Facilities (1:37:17) 9. Citan's "Betrayal" (1:53:34)

For the next episode, finish disk 1! In the fourteenth episode of our deep-dive analysis of Xenogears, we leave Shevat and head down to find a way into Solaris. After destroying gates and finding Emeralda, we finally make our way to Solaris, Elly's home. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Cleansing Nisan (0:44) 3. To The Cave (33:30) 4. SPOILER, Casen Guesses who Grahf is (38:54) 5. END SPOILER DISCUSSION 1, on to Bart Returns to Bledavik (43:58) 6. Destroying the Second Gate (52:32) 7. To The Third Gate (1:04:26) 8. SPOILER Discussion on Elly (1:06:49) 9. END SPOILER DISCUSSION 2, on to Emeralda (1:15:48)

For the next episode, play up to the point where you enter Solaris. Stop at the very first save point you encounter. In the fourteenth episode of our deep-dive analysis of Xenogears, the party is admitted into Shevat, where we learn about the war with Solaris 500 years ago, meet with Queen Zephyr, and help defend the city from a Solaris attack. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Introduction To Maria (0:27) 3. Meeting Queen Zephyr (6:03) 4. NPCs And Lore Dumps (8:14) 5. Dominia Infiltrates Shevat (55:31) 6. Nikolai Balthasar Attacks Shevat (1:10:46) 7. Chu-Chu Analysis (1:13:48) 8. Maria Faces Her Father (1:38:10) 9. Zephyr, Wiseman, and Gaspar (1:39:20) 10. The Best Part Of Every JRPG--When You Get Your Airship (1:52:39)