WHY Do We Play Games? Childhood vs. Adulthood | State of the Arc Podcast

Do you play games for different reasons today versus when you were a child? Does that reflect any big changes in your life and how you perceive the world? It has for me. While I still enjoy many of the games of my childhood, it is for different reasons now compared to then. Thanks for watching, and of course, enjoy the comments!
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[@alexandernoviello9557]

I first found you guys watching the Dark Pixel Final Fantasy retrospectives. I would watch them as the final employee in my small office, slowly working towards closing the business I had managed for 10 years. At the same time, my girlfriend's family home (where we were living at the time) was being foreclosed at the same time. With two children, this was an immensely tough time for me. Dark Pixel for sure helped me get through these hard times. Here I am, 8 or so years later, I'm in a much better place and I'm listening to a podcast by the same guys discussing the nature of growing up, and the role masculinity has in the balance of nature. I get so much out of your podcasts. Thank you bros.

[@YamiMilo]

These episodes where you guys discuss deep psychology and personality traits are so interesting. If you like doing those please do more, I love how you guys can exchange thoughts and ideas... the flow is so good. Long time fan here, love your work, keep it up guys :)

[@Zarggg]

Hell yeah. That stuff is fascinating to me as well, so I love hearing two other people just as interested in it talk about it.

[@citizen_kong]

right? I would be ok with more episodes like this, they dont have to be tied to a videogame either. Just discussing deep topics is cool enough

[@TheNightSkyPrince]

On your points about masculinity and violence, You GOTTA watch Vinland Saga. Just trust me.

[@notbateman4298]

Phenomenal anime and manga

[@Y-two-K]

Oh, hi NSP.

[@patrickweller5254]

Great anime.

[@ryandude3]

Yes! Came here to say this. It speaks perfectly to the points they raised here! So so good.

[@fenrir3097]

I do hope they do. It's an excellent series.

[@sjorsvanhens]

Feedback: THIS FORMAT IS REALLY INTERESTING! (You guys freely talking about topics that touch gaming but go farther and deeper).

[@JCDadalus]

Mike and Casen are amazing people.

[@kevinbuchanan-dorrance9101]

Ever hear of Moon? It’s a 90s jrpg that wasn’t localized until recently. You get sucked into an rpg world where you have to revive each monster that the ‘hero’ kills. It’s really interesting

[@michs7451]

“One idea that is presented throughout the Megami Tensei series is that people often lack excitement in their daily lives. Nocturne is about the extraordinary events that people wish for, but can’t actually experience in normal life. As a high school student in the game, your life is typical and the world around you is peaceful. But one day, a paradigm shift destroys the world, and from then on, you must carefully decide your fate. One option is to become a hero.” (Kazuma Kaneko) Although I’m typically more of a fan of the podcasts arranged around a text (e.g., Xenogears, Silent Hill 2), I really loved this episode, precisely because it gets at why I’m such a fan of the video game medium. I postulate that people play video games because (1) video games engage people on a holistic level (head, heart, hands), arguably more so than any other medium; and (2) encourage these people to undergo a version of the Hero’s Journey with each game. With regards to the second point, I theorise that the existential process of playing a game is, on a structural level, very similar to the monomyth as explicated by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Each game is a Call to Adventure to the player, wrestling them out from the mundane and towards a fantastical world where theoretically anything and everything is possible. The player is in particular going on a quest to find a hidden treasure (oftentimes but not exclusively related to the player’s subjective relation to the core theme of the game) and they slay dragons-symbolically the antitheses or antagonists that must be overcome in the player’s own psyche-to attain that treasure. And just as the Hero must recover that treasure into the supramundane world, the player must integrate that treasure back in the domain of the ordinary world in order to truly take possession of it. In other words, the very best of the video game medium, I think, are invitations for the player to undergo the process of death and rebirth, where the player dies as he currently is and is reborn into a higher and more transfigured version of himself. It is a provocation to heroism, part of the process of individuation, as the individual struggles to realise the highest version of himself that lies within.

[@JohnnySoCal]

I will admit I can relate to these two since I also grew up in the 90's and I still play games. Usually, in hopes of recapturing the wonder and amazement I had as a kid.

[@YamiMilo]

I notice I kind of have 2 "gaming moods" nowadays. I have that mood where I want to be immersed, with writing, thought provoking moments and well written characters (Yakuza 0, LAD and Persona 5R would be recent titles like that for me) Then theres the "I just want to turn my brain and have fun" mood, currently playing through Super Metroid yet again, Punch Out and Pokemon Nuzlockes (maybe not turn the brain off but just play for fun vibe)

[@dances_with_incels]

Every time I pick up kh1 and kh2 I cannot put it down until I beat it. I feel like I'm still at my grandma's old apartment when I would play those games and feel intense nostalgia.

[@JohnnySoCal]

@@dances_with_incels great games

[@chriskrause6280]

Man, chasing that childhood awe is more powerful than any drug. There was a time when I didn’t know Gandalf would come back to life. Now I’ve read so much fantasy I can see most tropes coming miles away, but damn was it fun when I wasn’t intimately familiar with the heroes journey and other tropes.

[@bhume7535]

I found y'all because of the Unicorn Overlord review and I've stuck around for these amazing in depth conversations, but I gotta know WHAT'S THE ENDING MUSIC YOU USE?! I love it and I'd love to hear the full thing and play the game I'm assuming it is from.

[@quiddity131]

It’s an original piece from Yasunori Mitsuda. They talked about it once but I can’t remember what episode.

[@MythDivine]

Your conversation over modern-day masculinity was such a great conversation. My favorite anime of all time Vinland Saga has the main character go through stage 1 and progress through life realizing that stage 1 was wrong in such an impactful way. I really think you guys would eat this show up.

[@ryandude3]

Totally agree. I think the way the protagonist's progress is structured sets the show/manga up to convey its message to a broader audience too, since it starts out so "cool".

[@cedericdrachenreign7637]

Your explanation of Ashitaka reminds me a lot of Rurouni Kenshin, which was my favorite anime growing up. Kenshin is a young war hero, known for his unmatched swordsmanship and is often called "the manslayer". He denounced violence and wanders Japan looking for a purpose that doesn't require killing people. He constantly has to temper his skills and even carries a 'reverse edge' sword, which is basically incapable of killing. He could quell any conflict with ease, but instead tries to use diplomacy and forgiveness, often to his detriment. Kenshin was always much bigger influence on me than any 'macho' or violent hero.

[@Gonreqesl]

Spanish here! Cheers to Casen for talking about El Cid, great piece of Spanish literature. I remember when I first read it at high school. Hope you and your kids enjoy it cause it's a wild and epic tale.

[@AbsoluteEse]

Since you said this is the last of the "filler" episodes, I had to say I really enjoyed them! Its always so thought provoking and interesting to hear you guys discuss these various life lessons that stem from a simple gaming "topic". Keep doing them, if you also enjoy them. I love your more episodic content too, but these can be so refreshing to jump into, with no context previously needed. Also funnily enough, I recently went to re-listen some 3,4 year old episodes of yours cause I was interested to take a look back "in history" and remind myself of some opinions and discussions from before, knowing how much they changed (for all of us). I found that those old episodes were often much less focused around a single topic, and I really like the current format much more - I see title, I know what I'm getting myself into (even with some funny thumbnails and chads that sometimes appear). Anyway, bless you guys for providing such value to the gaming circles / community, however you wanna call it.

[@kendric_BUF]

Princess Mononoke was very impactful to me in my formative years 13-16. Realized with you putting Ashitaka through that lens, that must've been why I liked him so much. Cool-flashy-warrior dude, yes. But also a man of deep compassion and kindness.

[@Y-two-K]

People like to talk about Miyazaki as a person, but he is a master at injecting important themes, lessons, and qualities into his characters and stories. Ghibli films appeal to children in all generations. Kids can see through preachy crap a lot of the time and see it as condescending, but Miyazaki and his films deliver great messages regarding environmentalism, believing in yourself, helping others, and more. I think the difference is that he lets the young viewers experience these lessons firsthand by following the perspective of the main characters and their journeys, whereas if you try to teach a kid a lesson in a more straightforward sense, they'll just roll their eyes and not actually care about what you're saying.

[@BlueberryBagel1]

Suikoden II was and still is one of my favorite games. It survived from childhood to today. It's interesting to think about. I love how someway I always leave these podcasts thinking about something more in depth than when I started.

[@Elora445]

That game series got published when I was in my teens. Had already played other games by then, but Suikoden touched something inside of me that has stayed there. Suikoden had and will always hold a special place in my heart. Suikoden I was a good game, but II was even better. Still hold up today. Suikoden is a series that I will probably love until the day I leave this Earth.

[@JCDadalus]

I really enjoyed hearing how Mike articulated the disagreement with Over correcting in our society for both hyper masculinity or hyper feminism. Excellently done, I have not seen many people articulate this in the most thoughtful way you guys have done it. Well done.

[@lookhowshegobbledthat]

Don't play big games that much anymore, but whenever I do I just play to recapture some sense of that nostalgia. I just don't have the energy (and time) to fully dedicate to the big games anymore. I've been getting back into reading again instead, a little more accessible and can pick and up and put it down whenever wherever.

[@FantasyYeet]

My gf always ask me why I still play video games. Ibask her why she always watches her 10 season tv shows. She answered with "its fun and I enjoy it". I answered with "the story, the music, the experience" i finally showed her how to play FFX and gave her small tips like, how to hold the controller. Navigating the help menu etc, and the sphere grid since she was pretty confused. A week later I come home from work and shes playing FFX without me. She was in Kilika where Yuna dances on the water. She said "this is amazeballs". I watched her play until the water kiss in Macalania. She teared up a bit. Im just waiting dor her to get to the end muahahahbbababananananna! Its gonna bring tearssssss!!! And then she will understand truly why I and many other play/love games.

[@AsherEntropic]

There are a lot of folks out there that could really gain a lot from watching this and really considering the points made.

[@johnoestmannmusic]

Game composer here. I’ve just found your channel in the last week and just want to say I love what you guys are bringing to the discussion. The honest conversations bringing spiritual exploration, Jungian psychosymbolism, social critique, and deep contemplation around games is offering many people dialogue that can be hard to find in their own local communities. Keep it up - keen to see more!

[@TectonicImprov]

He can lift a house and will kill any stranger he sees. Do NOT mess with Caysen's kid wow lmfao

[@Y-two-K]

I'm gonna be super cautious if I walk down any dark alleyways in Resonant Arc's neck of the woods.

[@mrgreen027]

For me is the experience. The beginning, the music, the story, the middle, the art style, the moments, the end. They give me an experience that I can't get in real life.

[@TheSpectacledOwl]

As a youngling, I would love these RPGs and fighting games because of the superpowers and abilities those characters have. Once I became more aware of the nuanced story elements, I started playing games for the stories, themes, and other important storytelling elements that make stories good and entertaining. Gameplay is important, too, of course.

[@jplayer073]

I suffered from depression, crippling anxiety and severe loneliness as a kid. I'm pretty happy to be a grown up now and actually have all that shit figured out. Games are still awesome, and now it isn't just an escape from a shitty life.

[@gregtroyan]

In general, I don't really replay a lot of games from my childhood unless I'm introducing them to my wife. Replaying Xenogears and FF Tactics for this podcast was a big deal for me because I rarely replay a game I've beaten, especially if it's an RPG. For me, for the most part, when it comes to playing games nowadays it's because I want to experience a particular narrative, the same way I watch movies and read books. I have an excitement and passion for storytelling. I always have, so I guess I play games for mostly the same reason: wanting to experience a narrative.

[@Miraihi]

I'd certainly play Xenogears only once. What a massive undertaking

[@gregtroyan]

@@MiraihiXenogears is one of the few games where I say a 2nd playthrough is absolutely recommended. After beating the game once, going through Perfect Works, and going back to it, the experience gets even better.

[@Msoulwing]

@@Miraihi It's far less of an undertaking when you know what you're doing with gear upgrades, deathblows etc. Still requires a fair bit of time, for sure.

[@patrickweller5254]

Princess Mononoke is definitely up there as one of their best. I personally lean towards Wind Rises and Porco Rosso as my personal favourites.

[@lastmanstanding7155]

I have a story on this. On this quiet strength. Well your guy's examples remind me of mamy experiences in my life. There was a time recently where a friend of mine completely misunderstood a joke I did. But it wasn't even an insulting joke. Just to be clear. It was more like situational humor. My way of trying to joke off an awkward moment for me. But so my friend misunderstood but what should have just been a normal reaction wasn't that, he flew off the handle. I tried to apologize for getting him riled up but he wasn't having it. We're in his car so he begins to drive erratically. The rest of the day from there was basically ruined for me since this guy just couldn't control himself. But in the moment instead of snapping at him I decided to go quiet and try to figure out what caused the sudden flare up of anger, since in the moment it wasn't clear. Even when he tried to provoke me with a glare I played innocent. Choosing to not engage. The dude had no self control in this regard to his temper. It's like a guy with no restraint meet me a guy with massive self restraint. I have another story from a bit longer ago, I'm a welder now but at school for it I was surrounded by the guys you described as kind of being in level 1. Not all of them were like that but many definitely didn't have self restraint. But they were fun guys nonetheless. I enjoyed my time. But this would be around my graduation and I needed to do some tests. And so based on my previous story, and probably how I type, you'd be correct to infer I'm a generally polite dude. I don't really hold grudges or get so upset that I try to get back or people or flare up emotionally. But I needed to do a test and a teacher was just sort of preventing it from happening. I asked him many times to let me do it in previous days but he'd blow me off. I could only do them on certain days because failure meant a retest in several days. So if I failed on my last day, welp, it's not my last day anymore. So In the morning I ask. And he blows me off again. Despite other students already working on theirs. So I stand up but keep a clam voice and say I need to do it. He tells me to sit down and be quiet so again I insist. Then he snaps, insults me and basically tells me to go jump in a lake. And maaaan everything you could think of flew through my mind but instead I stood up and walked out quietly. I then got ready to practice welding. While working I realized that my teacher would never speak to some of the other guys that way. They'd crush him. Hurt him. Sabotage. There's a lot of ways to cause "accidents" with welding equipment. Not that I'd try or expect others to. But it's like that warning for officers to not be so rude to your men because you might get caught in friendly fire during the "fog of war." Anyway, point is, in comparison to the guys always looking loud showing off their gains and power and throwing things around like a child when their mad, yea I must look "weak" cause I don't do that stuff. It irritated me. Still does. But it turns out my way was the correct one. Because of me not engaging the guy eventually let me do my test and so I passed and that was that. But I remember in the moment I wanted to just rip him apart. Verbally and physically. But I knew I couldn't engage in that emotionally and that I should pull back and come up with a better plan.

[@khallil]

I hope these episodes blow up so we can get more filler arcs in future

[@FFxStrife]

I didn't know english when I played FFVII as a kid, back then I loved Cloud because he was the coolest guy I had ever seen. As an adult, I love him now because most of that was a facade, the character I thought was invincible is in fact more relatable than I thought.

[@borjankosarac3645]

And it’s the relatable, flawed man (not the false hero) that saves the world from a megalomaniacal psychopath; succumbing to an identity crisis can only lead to misery and hurt, but self-acceptance is healthy and fulfilling.

[@AlainSTO]

It can be the simplest of topics and you two always make it so insightful.

[@steveco1800]

I can relate a lot to this, Ocarina was eye opening, but Skies of Arcadia was my Final Fantasy 7 game that made me reflect more widely on life and characters. Vyse is a good male role model and develops from an enthusiastic young man to a true leader. It’s got similar themes to Ghibli films and introduces a wide range of cultures.

[@jairekambui7738]

Underrated jrpg. I played it a couple years back on GameCube and it really surprised me with its depth of theme and character. Especially characters like Ramirez and Drachma. I wasn’t expecting much but it really is a classic. We need a remaster.

[@rd-um4sp]

planescape torment is on my backlog for so long. Maybe I'll use opportunity this to finally get it out of there.

[@DarknessFromHell]

Does anyone know the name of the ending song ?

[@Zoleil.]

I think it’s an original song from Mike

[@magicianman534]

I think you might appreciate the anime Frieren. It's about an immortal elf that has to learn how precious the time that means nothing to her is to others. She has to come to terms with how her ignorance lead to her not being with her friends with the limited time they had when she had the chance. It's not just about the impermanence of life and the finality of loss, though. It's also about how it's never too late to go on a new journey after you've left those things behind. I appreciate the show because it's not just about coming to terms with loss. It's about the next journey that comes after that acceptance.

[@fayte0618]

Personally, it’s a low risk way for me to learn about life similar to books and movies. That’s mostly the reason I gravitate more into story heavy games like JRPGS

[@AceBadguy]

Thanks guys for all your hard work.

[@YH-vj2xr]

Love this friendship and connection between you two guys, god bless you

[@paulsebring5326]

I had an interesting experience a few years back. For several years in my 20s during my time in the military, I was constantly playing street fighter 3 and I eventually grew out of it for similar reasons you guys expressed. However only a couple years back I picked up a side job at a restaurant that was pretty stressful. At the end of the shift. I just wanted to lay into somebody and found playing SF 3rd strike to be immensely satisfying again almost as if I was younger, and my attitude about it all also felt younger. It makes me wonder if some of that childhood destruction we seek may also be related to dealing with stressors in our young lives we don't know how yet to diagnose?

[@walmartian422]

13:10 that’s funny I used to have alot of dreams like that where you can’t fight and other things like my teeth falling out. Lately for the past couple years I’ve started winning dream fights but it’s usually some form of life or death struggle rolling around, wrestling, stabbing each other, etc but yea my teeth are all still falling out at random moments in my dreams.

[@aalbre1234]

“Does that right hand of yours wish to kill me, Ashitaka?” “If it would lift the curse, I'd let it tear you apart. But even that wouldn’t end the killing now would it?” I loved hearing you guys talk about Princess Mononoke- easily my favorite movie I always cry at the lepers line following the above scene: “"Forgive me, my Lady, but you must not make light of the boy's strength. Young man, like you I know what rage feels like, and grief and helplessness. But you must not take your revenge on Lady Eboshi. She's the only one - who saw us as human beings. We are lepers. The world hates and fears us, but she, she took us in, and washed our rotting flesh and bandaged us. (racked by coughing) Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed but still - you find reasons to keep living."

[@Y-two-K]

Ah, Miyazaki's mantra. "Find reasons to keep living". Let's treasure this man while we still have him, there aren't many others like him.

[@buckchuckgaming597]

One of the best and most underrated aspects of martial arts (jiu-jitsu, judo, boxing, wrestling, muy Thai, etc) is discipline. I’ve practiced jiu-jitsu for over 20 years and been coaching for the past 7 and martial artists are typically the last people to start a fight, but the first to finish it. It’s so important to have the skills, but also to have restraint and only use your skills when it’s absolutely necessary.

[@kolebowyer3837]

And MMA is a mockery of hundreds, if not, thousands of years of teachings... 😢

[@ViridianMaridian]

This little break where we talk about philosophy was really interesting because it felt like a culmination of ideas we've learned from the previous podcasts. Now we're applying those lessons to our real lives. I feel like these monthish long breaks between games could be a yearly occurrence, designed to capstone the ideas discussed in games of the previous year.

[@michs7451]

I really like this!

[@amorimjt]

I loved this format a lot. When this one finished so fast… with the saying this was a filler… i was sad… i wanted more

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

State of the CHADcast drop another banger 🔥 Also, I would love to see you guys talk about Princess Mononoke!

[@TheMilhouseExperience]

My favorite game when I was a teenager was The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. I loved the character because he was a big mass of power that was ready to explode. As an adult, I like the character even more because Bruce Banner is just a broken person trying and often failing to do his best to contain it. The antagonist, Emil Blonsky litterally serves as a foil that lets that inner monster take over over the course of the game. The thing I can fully appreciate in the Bill Bixby series is how the hulk is an expression of someone who has the power to force change and how often Banner, inadvertently, points him to help people that are going through troubles in there lives. It’s probably my biggest disappointment on how the MCU wastes the character.

[@takkun169]

When you were discussing how the man-o-sphere goons are teaching men from the early development perspective, one thing you may not have understood, is that the majority of audience for those guys is boys between the age of 12 and 20. Older men who get into that type of content generally follow for 1-2 years before either growing out of it or realizing that it isn't providing anything applicable to real life.

[@SanValentin199]

Men, I love these episodes so much. Keep em coming

[@WildMatsu]

Your discussion of the stages of masculinity is very insightful. I would claim, though, that you have made quite a significant error in your understanding of how that concept applies to present-day society. You yourselves explained how true masculinity comes from having the capability to commit violence but choosing not to use it except when absolutely necessary, and how rejecting violence wholesale prevents you from maturing as a man. I'd like to give a name to the state of men who reject violence wholesale: they have regressed from the violence-loving Stage 1 to Stage 0. There are countless men in modern society trapped in Stage 0. They have grown up in families, social environments, and schools that hammer home the message that violence is always bad, and there is something fundamentally wrong with men that causes their propensity toward violence. The problem goes WELL beyond your characterization of it, where you softly suggest that "feminists can occasionally be a little condescending." To such men, the message "hey, masculinity is actually not fundamentally evil" is like a glass of water in an endless desert, and they'll greedily down it--even if it's coming from a grifter and a scumbag, like Andrew Tate. Tate is a monster, but he's the inescapable product of the conditions society itself created. Attacking Tate is attacking the symptom while leaving the root cause untreated. If you want things to improve, you must have the courage to identify what's really going on.

[@valdegard]

Oh wow, I never in a million years expected There's No Such Thing as a Dragon on this podcast. I work at a children's hospital for groups that have had deaths or terminal illness in the family, and we read that book all the time. We do so in context of validating grief and the grieving process as a presence that society often tries to ignore, especially for children. In that validation, it becomes possible to develop a relationship with it, that of course isn't easy or pleasant, but is at least no longer overwhelming to even conceptualize.

[@javiertorrens8843]

I mean this very jokingly but I didn't think Mike was capable of laughing as hard as he did when Casen said he beat Mike up to a bloody pulp in his dream. Excellent episodes guys!

[@Windraesa]

The amount of prep and research that Planescape demanded is the gift that keeps on giving.

[@ArtelindSSB]

Favorite games when I was 14: - Super Metroid - Mega Man X - Final Fantasy III (VI) - Final Fantasy VII - Final Fantasy Tactics - Chrono Trigger - Kirby Super Star - Secret of Mana Favorite games now that I'm 37: - Super Metroid - Mega Man X - Final Fantasy III (VI)... Uh oh.

[@BeansEnjoyer911]

this episode is quickly shaping up to be one of my faves. keep up the great work y'all

[@zedrico8577]

I havent watch you guys since dark pixel gaming. Its interesting to see how much you've guys have grown up, but not just physically but also in ideas and thoughts. Nice to see you two again. Enjoying listening to you guys on spotify while i drive!

[@michaelhorvath62]

Man I'm really enjoying these general topic discussions. Thanks guys!

[@ProxyDoug]

15:51 Yeah, this is something that bothers me quite a bit, cause when as a culture, we started having this conversation about strong female characters, the impression most people have was that strong meant well written/developed, but over time we started seeing characters that were the opposite, except physically strong. There was this moment in the comics where Captain Marvel became sorcerer supreme and I think anyone who ever heard of it rolled their eyes at the concept alone.

[@uselessfamiliar]

The funny thing is, that video games gave me high morality. In RPGs you are always solving problems for others. The hero sacrifices for others for the greater good all the time.

[@pelgervampireduck]

Guys, this is kinda offtopic but i think you should try Signalis. It's the kind of story that can give you enough material for a couple of episodes. Lots of simbolysm, lore, the story can be interpreted in several ways, it's one of the best games of the recent years. Go in blind but it should be played at least three or four times, and you can ignore the references but it helps if you research the book and paintings featured in the game. I don't want to say spoilers, but trust me, Signalis is a masterpiece and the kind of game I know you can enjoy. I'd love to see you guys do your thing with it. Signalis fans please reply or post your own comments recommending it!. We must get them to play it!! hahaha.

[@Realag666]

I always liked games and my gradeschool got donated a SNES that alot of us gathered arround after school until the buses drove us home. Got introduced to Xenogears after watching a FF6 letsplay and subscribing to that channel, where the dude took the effort to Lets Play an 20-30 mins of Xenogears and then translating it from english to german so his like 70-100 viewers, who mostly only spoke german could enjoy it as much as he did. Fell in love with the story and RPG's in generell.

[@jonesy7425]

I realize that the intention of playing games for me hasn't changed. In a way, it has evolved. I played as a kid for the sense of adventure, to do something that I have never done before. I wanted to play other people's creations. As I've aged, maybe some things have changed. Example: Beating Super Mariokart as Koopa Troopa made me feel bad for jumping on the guys in the main line games ,but now I find I love experiencing things with MY creations. Dragon's Dogma was the clearest realization of that desire. I think I now use games in the same ways as books. To fuel my imagination. I just understand WHY now.

[@DungeonBricks]

Ohhhhh ¡El cantar del Mio Cid! I loved that book (it was required reading when I was in high-school) 35:48 "100%, people don't even realize" (not me wondering just how many will catch that reference)

[@rdrouynriv]

As a kid, I played games to feel older and get immersed in an adventure that was out of my reach. Now that I'm older, I play video games to recapture that feeling of being young. Also, I share your love of Princess Mononoke. Definitively the best work of Studio Ghibli.

[@fartoplata308]

Totally agree. From 1996 to maybe 2016 all I played were first person shooters and Grand Theft Auto. Ever since then it’s been nothing but RPG’s with philosophical themes, strategy games, survival horror with painterly design and mind stumping puzzles, and I guess Soulsbornes for the rush of beating a boss. Almost zero interest anymore in mowing down swaths of people. Zero hype for the next GTA or Call of Duty.

[@binglebandit]

I feel like Princess Mononoke is Ghibli’s best attempt at trying to cover all the nature and war ideas without being too convoluted. I feel like the story is the clearest and just best overall told. I love all the others too, but I think Princess Mononoke was the peak.

[@Rdrfan-f6f]

I think all of us aging gamers appreciate this perspective. As I grow older I seek out games that challenge conventions and aspire to originality. The current business model has effectively standardised gameplay by trying to appease as many markets as possible.

[@Wired1992]

I will miss these singular podcasts. Excited to get into the next game though

[@Darkenesis]

RE: "I can't punch in my dreams"--That's actually tied to the paralysis your body receives when you transition into sleep. The brain is active, telling a (rather random) narrative, and it's sending signals to your limbs, but getting nothing back. That lack of signal is why you feel as if you were underwater, or everything is slow and difficult to do, your brain is just imagining how effective your action is going to be, based upon the data it is receiving.

[@DaRkLoRd-rc5yu]

I play games for a similar reason to why i watch anime. I'm looking for a game that leaves an impact that gets me to see things from a different perspective. And leaves some form of emotional resonance with it's plot, message or themes. Or at least thats why i loved final fantasy. And nier automata and metal gear. And all of my favourite games. Bloodborne, persona 3. But the other things i play games for is to refine a skill or reaction times and perception. Like i was obsessed with smash bros and streetfighter. And rhythm games too. And that curve of learning and improvement and achieving something difficult an seeing improvement over time is incredibly rewarding and addictive. Overwatch 2 was the same.

[@elymX]

I have always been a gamer since I was 5 yr old playing on my Family Computer. What made me became a supergamer is when PS1 came out and I started playing games like FF VIII and thought to myself holy shit look at these cinematics how is this possible? I often play FF series just to unlock the cinematics and rewatch it again since there was no KZbin that time. Those days were the most fun I had when I was a Kid

[@sambajane]

I think we retcon our reasons for playing video games as young children ALL THE TIME. I studied trauma theory, and the literature talks about the trauma being induced through remembering and re-experiencing it. I think memory works that way in general -- some of the essential facts of a memory are placed there long after the fact, and it's in part because remembering is also a re-experiencing of something. It kind of means that we place our CURRENT values on top of childhood memories.

[@Rikiko722]

I haven't played the Outer Wilds but I bought it and it's in my library. I need to get round to playing it. Nonetheless, the idea you're describing of having immortality and letting go of it voluntarily sounds like Peter Pan or - and what is more salient to me - the Kokiri Forest in Ocarina of Time. As I've gotten older I've found that concept very beautiful, and the children that turned into skull kids in the Lost Woods, and Link's exit himself when he disappears through the darkness as Saria waves goodbye to him.

[@borjankosarac3645]

Knowing that Mike intends to playthrough “Unicorn Overlord” and having seen much of that game’s themes, I think he’s going to love its narrative just as much (if not more) than its gameplay; I will not say why for anyone unspoiled (not sure how far anyone reading this has gotten) but… there it is. For my part, RPGs aren’t my favourite genre because of the power scaling (at least not anymore) but because I get invested in the narrative of the games I play; if I don’t like the story I don’t care how good the gameplay is. Recalling my childhood, I appreciate the things that matter more than those shallow things; when I first watched Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Damn” at age 8, the demise of its villain was my favourite scene for the cathartic gratification, but while I still appreciate that I resonate with the themes more. When I read “The NeverEnding Story” I weep for the themes of self-acceptance and why stories matter to us; when I play the older Final Fantasy titles, I cherish the bonds of the characters and pity the villains that lack that; when I watch BTAS or ATLA or “Gargoyles” again, I’m in awe of the courageous heroes who confront their flaws and always rise above them, doing what they could to fill the half-empty glass of their broken worlds, even if they could only half-fill them.

[@beefcurtains6691]

Lmao oh man you guys had me cracking up and smirking this whole video thank you for that 😅😊🤙

[@Metro4466]

Love the stories in this one

[@Scimarad]

I can help but think for me it's down to being really, really unsociable 😃 I think as time goes on I think I just really like being able to explore and spend time in other worlds which probably goes to explain why I'm not so over open-world games as most people. I mean, don't get me wrong I like great stories and characters but I think it's the worlds themselves that I really fall in love with. I get a lot of that through being a pretty voracious reader for as long as I can recall (I remember reading War of the Worlds at a pretty young age) not to mention films and TV shows as well but there's something special about just hanging around in a simulated world not particularly doing anything urgent.

[@btones]

Saying it’s “all about the final boss” is something I find myself saying if I just want a game to end. Like, I’ve either gotten my fill of a game or it’s just been ‘okay’ for the last 10 hrs and nothing else is grabbing me. But basically I’m done and want to move on and the final boss gives me a bit of punctuation to the time I sunk playing. And if I’m really not feeling it but don’t want to just “call it,” and if there’s an option to do it, I’ll crank down the difficulty and just barrel through to the credits. I’ve got a 40 year backlog that’s not going to play itself.

[@yuuts2619]

I still play video games because nobody has figured out how to stop me.

[@Sparticulous]

Great episode for the algorithm

[@chriskrause6280]

Man this resonated with me (pun not intended). I’ve also been worried about the “role models” many young men have been finding in the internet. Especially now that I’m the father of a young girl. The thing is, I also understand both sides. I was also that dumbass teenager who used to headbutt for fun in football (not surprising I got into stunt work.) But as I’ve gotten older, even the way I approach choreographing violence in theatre has changed. Trying to find the ways the violence is an expression of the character is what’s far more interesting to me now, as opposed to trying to be as flashy as possible. But it all ties back to the inevitable cycle of life. When we are young and have the most power is when we’re the most ill suited to use it. When we’re older and (ideally) wiser, our body’s no longer have the strength they did. It’s why I love watching top tier pro athletes and you see the truly great ones find ways to extend their prime when their athleticism starts to go.

[@jairekambui7738]

Our generation grew up with a lot of great stories in our entertainment, and that’s what influenced our love of and interest in storytelling, world building, and development of themes, narratives and characters. Kids today though are growing up with very different games, games like Roblox or Minecraft that might end up making them a lot more creative than we were in comparison.

[@gmoney0987]

28:16 what a phenomenal conversation and point. Jordon Peterson has talked a lot about this idea as well.

[@WobstaCat]

What's the closing music on this podcast?

[@TheBeird]

For me, it's just something I've always done and enjoyed. Some of my first memories are of my brother playing video games and I grew up lucky enough to see a whole variety of consoles. ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Master System, Mega Drive. Friend across the road had an NES, then we got an SNES. It brought me joy the same way watching movies, or playing outside, and reading. And I think our generation were lucky to grow up alongside games. Like, it was all mascot platformers when I was a kid. Then adolescence brings Tomb Raider and Metal Gear Solid etc. We was like those who grew up watching Georges Méliès movies all the way up to the first talkies. So yeah, I've a huge attachment to the medium. And it bums me out to see the corporate culture ruin it all, and for the complete lack of regard for preservation of old games too. Oh well, there's always Mescaline.

[@robTCGZ]

Why I play games? Same reason I listen to music. I just love them. They bring me joy. They allow me to feel, which is something I rarely experience through everyday life/interactions.

[@DashXero]

The only real change in my favorite games from when I was a teenager to now is that Vagrant Story moved from my number 5 slot to my number 3 slot. Power Stone and Way of the Samurai remain in my top 2 slots. I love both of those games because they captured my imagination in regards to what was possible with game mechanics. Power Stone, for example, was a fighting game that was unusually intuitive for a fighting game, but played with the archetypes of the characters so thoroughly that people of the time didn't understand that they weren't playing a grappler when they selected the big slow character (they actually selected the game's zoner). Way of the Samurai had an interesting mechanic where they let you decide when and when not to draw your sword - and that would affect how NPCs reacted. I'm inclined to believe that the reason people play games differs wildly from person to person.

[@raza5757]

Good trains of thought here. I’ve never thought about what games I liked then versus what games I would like now. I appreciate the JRPG stories more now but I am far less patient when level grinding is required.

[@Hohice]

This is something I've been thinking about so much! great and can't wait listen.

[@Dairkun]

I hate that you guys stopped showing up in my feed on the regular. I'm gonna have to set a reminder to check in on ya. Good talk!

[@quiddity131]

Great discussion as always! Princess Mononoke is my favorite Miyazaki movie.

[@jeffferreira1321]

My face whenever Mike starts telling a story about his mom: 😬 I'm glad he turned out to be normal after that and being home schooled!

[@mattcat83]

When will the Planescape Torment review start?

[@eldritchautomaton]

I want to parrot what some of the people here in the comments are saying. I would highly recommend you watch Vinland Saga. That show encompasses a lot of what is talked about in this episode.

[@Armoogeddon]

Planescape Torment is a banger, super ahead of its time. Looking forward to the discussion and analysis!

[@quezcatol]

def a stress relief factor and getting rid of what is around you. everyone has diffrent things, my dad for ex would watch sports or even leave the house and gamble on horses at the race track (he made enough that he could afford it). I dont blame him. people need a hobby.

[@JSCG12]

Loving the "filler" episodes lately. More please!

[@keen96]

I still play games for the same reasons I did from when I was a kid: for the stories. I do love the gameplay aspect of games but there's a lot I can tolerate as long as the story and the music are good. It really is no wonder JRPGs are my favorite genre and Xenogears my favorite game ever (obligatory mention of how outrageously good your podcast on it was.) As for my gaming habits, I might be a bit of a special case, maybe. I work from home in my own business and rarely have the time to play anything since I'm working on week days, too tired at night, and having a social life on the weekends. These days the only way I get to finish a "big" game is by taking a couple of days off to just go through it in as few sittings as possible (ie wanted to do this for FFVIIRb but it seems like it'll have to wait for a few months.) Obviously, this is not something I can afford to do very often so I reserve these bursts for the games I'm truly the most excited about AND when the timing is right. My job, while tiring, time consuming, and stressful, is also unbelievably fulfilling so I never really play games to "unwind." This is extremely different from my gaming habits growing up, but I feel it definitely has got more to do with the realities of my livelihood and not because there was some change within me or in my preferences. Other than becoming more responsible, I suppose. A bit of a cherry-picked answer to keep the comment short but it's the gist of it. Always a joy to hear your perspectives in basically anything you choose to discuss!

[@mattsully2238]

I remember playing video games as a kid and they were... Whatever. But most games then were 20 minute adventures. Think street fighter 2. In, out, done. Then ff7 came out and I bought it mostly on hype and realized games can be stories and experiences. Never looked back

[@alexandernoviello9557]

Dude, my mom came home with a VHS tape from the Stop and Shop bargain bin some time in 1997. It was an MTV production called Game Brain. Remember those PS Underground demo disc's? This VHS was a combination of the watch-only previews from those disc's along with full video walkthroughs for Captain Blasto and Final Fantasy 7. Some how the FF7 walkthrough is only 17 minutes and covers the whole game, including side quests like Yuffie, Vincent and Chocobo breeding. I fell in love with FF7 from this VHS tape alone. I just finished Mario RPG and FF7 looked similar to me, just in 3d and much cooler looking.

[@zedrico8577]

The topic about stage 1 and masculine reminds me of two things. The original Trigun anime and surprisingly reminds me of what kratos has gone through throughout out all of the god of war games. Especially if you finish the most recent game and its free dlc. Especially if you are a father.

[@SatiZakito]

I upvote the Princess Mononoke Review, of course I like the movie! But watching you analyze the from your mature POV it's great.

[@jairekambui7738]

I play different games than I did growing up, back then I was heavy into platformers, Pokémon games and anime fighters. Around 2010 I got into playing Jrpgs starting with the PS1 FF games on my PSP and it changed the way I look at games. These days I pretty much just play jrpgs and my gaming tastes have really changed. I don’t really enjoy Mario and Sonic games anymore, but I love a good jrpg. In terms of the actual reasons though, I think it’s mostly the same. The games themselves that I play are very different, but it’s still somewhat about enjoyment and escapism. Admittedly though, I love jrpgs for the characters, storytelling, and thought provoking themes, so that aspect of it is different for me.

[@joeyisabsb1]

I bet these Chads will talk sports and beer just by looking at them. I cant wait!