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 [email protected], and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com!

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 [email protected], 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

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 [email protected], and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com!

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 [email protected], and check out our website, http://playervsplot.com!

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 [email protected] 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

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 [email protected] 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.

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 [email protected] 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!

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

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!

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!