State of the Arc Podcast

Which Final Fantasy games start off with bang, and which ones whimper pathetically on the floor? Which intros propel these games to legendary status, and which ones would the games be better off without? We discuss the qualities at the beginning of each game and rank them in order, from best to worst. It turns out, Final Fantasies all have pretty great intros, so even the least of these games here on this list is still probably above average. But there are a handful of games that shine brighter than the rest. Leave a comment with your list! Hironobu Sakaguchi interview Mike mentions: Edited: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRf6sqVv4_o Unedited: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3PoBiBb_HU Time Codes: Intro (0:00) Setting The Stage (1:29) 15 (4:39) 14 (11: 25) 13 (17:49) 12 (19:19) 11 (24:16) 10 (35:44) 9 (41:00) 8 (46:44) FFXII SPOILER (53:28) 7, also XII Spoiler is Now Over (58:21) 6 (1:02:15) 5 (1:05:35) 4 (1:10:17) 3 (1:16:52) 2 (1:24:45) 1 (1:39:11) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

The votes are in! The patrons have chosen! But which game will we cover next for a long-form analysis on our podcast? Metal Gear Solid 2? Terranigma? Why not both? Will we EVER cover Final Fantasy 9? Find out today! 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

The intro to art is often the most important part. Video games are no exception. If a dev team can pull off a good intro, they likely will be able to pull off a good game. To craft the perfect intro takes a lot of coordination between the directors, producers, musicians and the dev team. When it's done right, it almost always spells success for the rest of the game. In this episode, we dip back into many of the games we've covered on this podcast. Games like Xenogears, Bioshock, Vagrant story and more! Time Codes: Intro (0:00) Honorable Mentions (3:11) 1 (9:07) 2 (17: 27) 3 (22:15) 4 (28:08) 5 (34:22) 6 (46:11) 7 (54:12) 8 (1:00:26) 9 (1:08:19) 10 (1:18:59) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

In today's episode, we're covering Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece, Princess Mononoke. Set during Japan's late Muromachi period and incorporating fantastical elements, the tale centers on Ashitaka, a young prince of the Emishi people, as he becomes entangled in a conflict between the forest's spirits and the humans exploiting its resources. The film explores a recurring theme in Studio Ghibli's works: environmentalism, presented as a response to the effects of industrialization, framed within the traditions of Shintoism, animism, and folklore.

Today, my good friend Hian and I discuss the concept of Mono No Aware in Japanese culture—the "Romance of Impermanence" and the beauty of letting go while maintaining the appreciation of precious memories. Hian's Essay: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EsKkfrt8wyaZUqwWjsnJDg1jNGoWM80s/view?usp=drive_link

Having just finished Alan Wake, we couldn't help but notice the Jungian symbolism woven into the story. This is a story about Alan's journey to face himself, his shadow, and leave behind a persona (and image of himself) he has grown to hate.

I became fluent in Spanish in 4 months. Here is how I did it, and the good news is, it's something that you can do too! It's a basic, easy method that anyone can do. But it's not exactly a thing that you'd expect. I am currently studying Swedish with this same method to great success. Check it out! What language do you want to learn? SUBS2SRS: https://subs2srs.sourceforge.net/ Pimsleur: https://www.pimsleur.com/ **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

The console war is upon us, whether we would risk it or not! In which case, which side are we on? This matchup is specifically between Sony and Nintendo, with only mentions of Sega and X-Box. We've developed an objective criteria with which to judge these behemoths of the gaming world. Each console from the beginning to the most recent generation will receive a score from 0 to 5. The one with the higher number wins the match-up. How will your favorite consoles fare in this new, deadly framework? Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Criteria (2:02) 3. NES (7:43) 4. SNES (12:19) 5. PS1 vs. N64 (20:41) 6. PS2 vs. Game Cube (29:23) 7. PS3 vs. Wii (35:27) 8. Wii U (45:46) 9. PS4 vs. Switch (53:54) 10. Thoughts on the future (1:07:57) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Sheriff Sarah Breaker takes Allan in for questioning. Alan's phone rings, his wife's voice faintly coming through, followed by a chilling voice dictating Alan's next moves if he ever wants to see her alive again. At Lovers' Peak, the kidnapper demands Alan's manuscript, claiming it foretells future events. Their confrontation escalates, leading to a brutal struggle and a desperate chase through the darkness. The kidnapper escapes, leaving Alan to fight his way back to the Cabin. Barry, finally understanding the gravity of their situation, supports Alan’s frantic efforts. Barry receives a call from Rose, under the sinister influence of an old woman, setting a deadly trap. Alan presses on towards Rose, but both he and Barry fall unconscious as They drink Rose’ coffee. As Alan awakens from his nightmare, the truth crashes down on him: the mysterious editors are Barbara Jagger and Thomas Zane. Returning to Barry's car, he finds himself surrounded by FBI agents and police, led by the relentless FBI Agent Nightingale. The Dark Presence strikes, chaos erupts as Alan narrowly escapes the police. At the KBF-FM radio station, he confronts a darkness-possessed gate, its malevolence blocking his path. Fending off the swarming Taken, Alan makes his way inside, meeting Pat Maine, the radio host. Yet again, Nightingale and his men close in, cornering Alan. Sheriff Sarah Breaker intervenes, but Nightingale's volatile temper flares as he shoots at Alan, allowing him to slip away amidst the chaos. Reaching the train depot, Alan steals a car, leaving possessed machinery and Taken adversaries in his wake. He journeys to the Coal Mine Museum, waiting until nightfall for Ben Mott's call about a change of plans. The new rendezvous: Mirror Peak lookout. The path is fraught with danger as Alan battles Taken and poltergeists, his resolve unwavering. Traversing through a ghost town and silver mine, Alan hears Alice's haunting voice echoing through the tunnels. Emerging near the lookout, he navigates the mountain ruins, overhearing Mott's tortured confession that he never had Alice. Desperation turns to fury as Alan approaches the kidnapper, but the Dark Presence manifests as a violent tornado, ripping Mott into the air. In a climactic struggle, the Dark Presence targets Alan, threatening to tear him asunder. With a last desperate flare, Alan is flung into the lake. As he sinks into the abyss, a hand reaches.

Alan Wake, a famous crime novelist from New York City, lives in a world of stories, especially those with supernatural elements. But he's been suffering from writer's block for two years, so he and his wife Alice head to the remote town of Bright Falls for some peace and quiet. Suddenly, Alan finds himself driving along a dark road at night, and before he can stop, he hits a hitchhiker on the road. However, as he gets out, the man is gone, and the road he was just driving on is blocked behind him. Alan then realizes that the man is a terrifying, shadowy figure possessed by a Dark Presence. He gives chase to Alan, taunting and attacking him. Then, a mysterious light saves him, and he learns that only light can harm the shadows that pursue him. Eventually, Alan “wakes” up from this "nightmare," disoriented. Alan and Alice drive to an eerie cabin on Cauldron Lake. Alice then reveals that she hopes the setting will help her husband work through his writer’s block. This frustrates him, and he storms out of the cabin alone. Alice, who has a terrible fear of the dark, screams. He rushes back into the cabin, only to find that she has vanished. Alan dives into the lake in a desperate attempt to save her, and everything goes black. Upon regaining consciousness, Alan finds himself in a wrecked car with no memory of how he got there. He stumbles through the woods, only to realize that things have taken a surreal and terrifying turn. The forest around him is dark, and strange shadows begin to close in, echoing the nightmare sequence from earlier. Along the way, he finds pages of a manuscript titled Departure, describing the terrifying events happening around him. Even stranger, Alan doesn’t remember writing any of it. The manuscript draws Alan deeper into a horror story he is creating yet can’t control.

Do you want to know what the top ten games of all time are? I think it's time to settle this once and for all. Mike and Casen go head to head in all out war as they try to settle this age old question once and for all. The rules are simple. For each match-up, from #10 to #1, the points get higher and higher. The winner of the #10 spot gets 1 point, while the winner of the #1 spot gets 10 points. Who's list will win the day? Casen's or Mike's? YOU DECIDE! Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Honorable Mentions (2:57) 3. #10 (7:33) 4. #9 (17:15) 5. #8 (24:17) 6. #7 (33:53) 7. #6 (44:10) 8. #5 (53:01) 9. #4 (1:01:43) 10. #3 (1:13:10) 11. #2 (1:29:42) 12. #1 (1:45:13) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

This is just a quick message in response to a great conversation I had over the phone with Zakogdo. I wanted to correct the record in some areas where he felt we misrepresented him and let you guys know where the future of this conversation lies on our channel.

In today's episode, we begin our deep dive into Alan Wake, a 2010 action-thriller game from Remedy Entertainment. In this first episode, we'll tell the story of the game's development, getting into the creators' headspace and setting up the themes and deeper meaning the game will explore. Join us!

Alexander O. Smith returns to talk game translation and localization. What words did he sneak into every Final Fantasy game that he translated? How would he have tackled current controversial translations? All this and more are discussed in this exciting episode of the Resonant Arc Podcast. Alexander's Instagram account: http://www.instagram.com/aokajiya/ The "Shogun" breakdown Alexander mentioned from Hiroko Yoda: https://blog.hirokoyoda.com/p/jidaigeki-made-in-usa **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Disclaimer for this episode: It has come to my attention since recording this episode (months ago) that there is some controversy surrounding the discussion of Paul Atreides as a "hero" among fans of the series. There are many who reject the idea that Frank Herbert's intention was misunderstood, as I state at the beginning of the video. I hope people watching this who are suspicious that I am going down the "Paul is actually the villain" route will give my take a chance. We set up how Villuneuve views this, as well as Frank Herbert's son Brian, and many people oppose those interpretations. All of that aside, I hope you give my take on this movie a chance, because I DON'T believe Paul is the "villain" of the story. I simply believe he is a human being, and human beings are complicated. I had a deeply emotional experience with this film, one that draws on a lot of my most raw personal experiences, and that is what I refer to when I make my analysis of this film. I hope it will be of some merit in this discussion. -Mike In today's episode, we're covering Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve's follow-up to the 2021 epic sci-fi film. This time, we get the second half of the adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel and the conclusion to the story. In the film version, Villeneuve focuses on the danger of messianic figures and shows how heroic, charismatic leaders manipulate the beliefs of passionate people to achieve their own aims, for better or worse.

How far is too far? If a translator tries to use common phrases and manners of speaking in the target language but does so at the expense of the source language's intention, who is to blame? We conducted an interview with Zakogdo over text and asked him some of these exact questions. Zakogdo is someone who talks about the localization of Japanese games on X and has gotten lots of traction this year by critiquing the translations of games like Unicorn Overlord and Eiyuden Chronicle. The interview was conducted over text, and we sought to find places of agreement and understanding. Find Zakogdo here: x.com/zakogdo Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Why Are We Doing This? (1:22) 3. How Did Zakogdo Learn Japanese? (20:00) 4. What Are Our Blindspots In This Conversation? (23:45) 5. How Have We Misrepresented You? (48:15) 6. What Points Have We Made That You Would Like To Rebut? (1:18:20) 7. What Does A Successful Translation Look Like To You? (1:44:10) 8. What Do You Think Is The Solution To All Of This? (1:52:15) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Today, we'll be analyzing Dune: Part One, the 2021 film adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic 1965 novel. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, renowned director of Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and Sicario, this movie tells roughly the first half of the story. It is filmed to the brim with great filmmaking to break down and is without question one of our favorite films of the last five years.

Silent Hill 2 Remake has delivered a new experience to fans of the original while taking great care to maintain the spirit of the original and the result is something that comes as close to perfection as I've ever seen. They threaded the needle perfectly and even improved the experience in many ways. Max Derrat drops by to talk all things Silent Hill 2 Remake. Subscribe to Max Derrat: https://www.youtube.com/@maxderrat @maxderrat Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Max Derrat (1:14) 3. SPOILERS! (7:37) 4. Characters (19:19) 5. Jung and Alchemy (59:18) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Localization Controversy | Representing The Other Side Of The Debate by Resonant Arc

Are you too old to play video games? Are we? Is there a cut-off somewhere? In this episode, we dive into the age old question, "When are you too old to still be playing video games?" It's a good question. Also, it's a bad question. Which games are we referring to? What else are these games keeping you from doing? Is our civilization going to end? Or will it keep coasting by? When will I stop asking these questions?? If you have answers or insights relating to anything in this video, please leave a comment. If you enjoy this content, please consider subscribing. Thank you, you all rock! **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Hyper Light Drifter is brilliant. The incredible depth of its narrative, delivered without a single word of text, is a testament to how creative and evocative its music, sound, and visuals are. Today, we dive into what makes this game so special and how it has inspired both of us to live our lives to the fullest. 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Setting Expectations On How We Do Analysis (3:20) 3. What Is Hyper Light Drifter? (8:46) 4. Development History (11:39) 5. Hyper Light Drifter's Design Foundations (47:12) 6. Interesting Trivia About The Real World Immortal Cell (56:40) 7. Discussing The Game's Monoliths (1:02:09) 8. Why The Egyptian God Anubis Is Relevant To This Game (1:14:22) 9. Analysis Of Judgment (1:28:48) 10. How Tarot Is Used In The Game (1:32:54)

It seems that with every new Japanese game released here in the States, there's another controversy about the translation. Most recently, we saw this with Metaphor: Refantasio, but the same thing happened with Unicorn Overlord and many others. This is true not only for games but also for anime and Manga. So today, we brought in Alexander O. Smith, a professional Japanese-to-English translator and game writer who worked on games like Vagrant Story, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy XII, to set the record straight about the process of game translation and localization. Is the game industry plagued with "rogue translators" who are pushing their own agenda? Is censorship the issue? In this episode, you'll learn how and why these decisions are made and learn some REALLY cool behind-the-scenes info on how Final Fantasy X was translated! Timecodes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Establishing Our Intentions With This Conversation (1:46) 3. What Got Alex Interested In Learning Japanese? (6:36) 4. How Different Are Japanese And English Fundamentally? (15:51) 5. How Much Oversight Do Japanese Devs Have Over English Translation? (28:48) 6. How Much Of The Changes Between Japanese And English Are Marketing Decisions? (35:57) 7. How Often Are The Japanese Teams Requesting Changes For Other Markets? (44:24) 8. Should Translators Also Be Good Writers Themselves? (58:24) 9. Why Did Alex Change "Arigato" to "I love you" in Final Fantasy X? (1:19:00) 10. Alex's Biggest Translation Mistake On FFX (1:30:09) 11. Alex's Feelings On Working With Yasumi Matsuno (1:39:36) 12. How Do You Approach Translating Song Lyrics Like Melodies of Life? (1:57:56) 13. How Did You Master Older Forms Of English? (2:03:43)

After watching last week's State of Play presentation, we were surprised to see how upset people were about the Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster announcement. In today's episode, we'll discuss the uptick in gamer outrage and give our thoughts on the show's announcements! Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Responses To Last Week's Episode (2:01) 3. Thoughts on State of Play (20:50)

The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring concludes in such a beautiful way. Sam and Frodo, Merry and Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, and then of course, the tragedies of Boromir and Gandalf. The 7 who remain of the fellowship must go their separate ways. And while the movie tells us time and time again that Frodo must do this alone, Sam comes with him. J.R.R. Tolkien chose to hinge his works on certain beautiful truths that seem evident in the world around him, and explained the sadness and sorrow, and the goodness and beauty, in ways that no fictional writers have been able to do since. What an absolute beast. It can't be overstated how much good he has done for the world. Peter Jackson tries and largely succeeds in living up to Tolkien's high, high standards in this film. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. The Ring Goes South (2:07) 3. Caradhras (9:18) 4. The Mines of Moria (17:50) 5. The Balrog (26:30) 6. Pity for Gollum (44:33) 7. The Secret Fire (55:51) 8. Lothlorien (1:02:28) 9. The Lady Galadriel (1:20:35) 10. The Mirror of Galadriel (1:39:57) 11. The Great River (1:56:56) 12. The Departure of Boromir (2:05:30) 13. "I'm Coming With You!" (2:08:05) 14. Tolkien's Themes (2:10:40) 15. Linguistic Notes (2:29:22) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

There's been a lot of buzz about the slump the gaming industry is in for years now. Studio closures, big game failures, and an overall homogenizing of the AAA scene point to a possible collapse of the industry. Today, we discuss why this is happening and what--if anything--we can do about it. 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

We need a Xeno detox! So, while we begin preparing for our next big game, we would like to make some exciting announcements about the future of this YouTube channel! Learn more about how we'll be approaching the show moving forward and how we'll go about doing TWO episodes a week moving forward! For anyone who tries to sign up for our new Patreon tier, I still haven't received a message from Patreon support to resolve the problem I'm having linking the Discord perks. Please reach out to me in a private message (on Patreon or on Discord), and I will add you manually so you can enjoy the perks! 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

The Fellowship of the Ring is a masterclass in how to creatively adapt a book while technically also skipping, say, 4 entire chapters without missing a beat. I am more amazed at what Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and the whole team pulled off. It rejuvenated J.R.R. Tolkien's work in a way that kept many of his important themes in it. We continue to analyze what made these movies so special and compare them to the books where we can. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Peter Jackson Directing Action (0:51) 3. A Shortcut to Mushrooms (8:32) 4. Ring Wraiths (17:11) 5. Bree (28:09) 6. Strider (49:14) 7. Weathertop (1:05:59) 8. Isengard (1:24:18) 9. Flight to the Ford (1:31:20) 10. Rivendell (1:57:28) 11. The Council of Elrond (2:27:35) 12. No Oath nor Bond is Laid (2:48:15) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

To skip the Childhood's End spoilers, move forward in the timeline from 1:54:32 to 1:57:00 Thanks to all the guests who joined us on this panel! TJTheEmperor: @TJTheEmperor Keith Comito: https://www.lifespan.io/ David Aidan In this final episode, we break down the plot and themes for the entire Xenosaga series now that we have finished everything. It is packed full of really interesting insights from an incredible panel. We hope you appreciate it!

Wow, what a great game! We'll have one more episode after this one so please comment with what you want us to talk about next time that we may have missed this time. **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

On this episode we are going over Chapter 7! It's a blast. Join us! **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

Casen is out of town today, so I'm going back to touch on a few points we didn't have time to talk about last week. Thank you all for watching and contributing to this ongoing discussion!

After finding herself transported to Miltia 15 years in the past, Shion finds the rest of the group and investigates the area to find out what happened. Along their way, they come across Virgil engaged in combat with U-TIC realians. Seeing that he is badly injured, they decide to help him despite knowing he is the Blue Testament. They soon find an old church where they meet Febronia with a young Shion and Kevin. Febronia offers to be an organ donor to save Virgil’s life, and an emergency operation is conducted to rescue him. After the operation proves to be a success, Virgil, who has a deep prejudice towards Realians, gets to know Febronia and begins to reevaluate his views. Meanwhile, the group reconvenes with the crew of the Elsa to discuss their current predicament. The professor reveals that unless they can find a sufficient power source, it will be impossible to return to their own time. Allen also reveals to Shion that KOS-MOS’s black box has been damaged beyond repair, and without the help of Kevin, her original creator, she will never reawaken. Shion, despite warnings from Allen and the others about meddling with the past, decides to go into the city and discovers key truths about Joachim Mizrahi and the Zohar project that led to the disaster on Miltia. Most importantly, she learns that her father, Margulis, and Mizrahi were attempting to control the Zohar through experiments performed on both her mother and herself. She also learns that Kevin was a key member of Mizrahi’s team and finds baseline designs and code for KOS-MOS that allow the Elsa’s crew to repair her. As Allen and the professor work on reviving her, the ship is attacked by Voyager, who is beaten back by a redesigned KOS-MOS. With KOS-MOS repaired, the group then focusses on finding a sufficient power source to return to their own time and settle on conducting an operation to steal the vessels of Anima stored in the U-TIC secret base of Labyrinthos. While conducting the mission, Shion learns that U-TIC, under Kevin’s supervision, had developed the combat Realians that slaughtered all the people of the city and killed her mother during the Miltian Conflict. As the group attempts to escape with the vessels of Anima, Shion realizes that her mother is being transferred to the treatment facility where she will eventually be killed and decides to go after her rather than escape. Though the group wants to help her, they are overwhelmed by U-TIC forces and have no choice but to retreat. Shion is then confronted by the Red Testament, who reveals his true identity as Kevin Winecott. Shocked by this revelation, Shion freezes up and is captured by U-TIC.

Well, well, well... you don't a much stronger start to a game than that! Xenosaga III REALLY impressed me in its opening act. This is by far the most polished product of this trilogy, and we're excited to share our incites with you on all the great symbolism and strong setups here. Following her resignation from Vector, Shion teams up with Scientia to investigate the company’s secrets while Allen takes her place looking after KOS-MOS. Meanwhile, Canaan, Jr., Jin, chaos, MOMO, and Ziggy investigate a landmass floating through space that originated from Lost Jerusalem. Margulis attacks them in response, and the landmass is swallowed up in an inverted pocket of hyperspace, which the Elsa also falls into. Meanwhile, Shion visits Allen and sees a demonstration of two new weapons for fighting the Gnosis—T-elos, a battle robot meant to replace KOS-MOS, and Omega, a mech created from the remains of the Proto Omega and piloted by Abel. After the test, T-elos' creator, Roth Mantel, informs Allen that KOS-MOS will be scrapped in favor of T-elos. Because KOS-MOS's weaponry is the only way to break into the hyperspace pocket and save the Elsa, Shion leads the group into the facility and rescues KOS-MOS, guided at one point by Abel. Nephilim visits Shion frequently during this time, and Shion begins to experience a series of blackouts where U-DO contacts her. These events are observed by Wilhelm, who is working with the Testaments to find Abel his Ark. Entering the hyperspace pocket, the group finds the Elsa and investigates the area, encountering both Albedo and Virgil and learning that the Vessels of Anima powering their E.S. mechs are critical to the Testaments' plans. They are then confronted by Mantel—who reveals himself as the Red Testament—and T-elos. T-elos nearly kills KOS-MOS, but Shion's pendant activates and seemingly transports the group to the planet Miltia fifteen years in the past.

Rather than taking advice from a Chad philosopher like Diogenes, we'll instead be diving into the deep end of virgin Friedrich Nietzche's thoughts. This is essential if one wants to understand the underlying meaning of Xenosaga, particularly this final entry in the series.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a monumental work of art. Both the book and the film. The movie came out in our early teen years and we read the books shortly thereafter. In this podcast, we attempt to understand and explain some of the differences between the book and the film, as well as where the film really shines and where it may fall short. We hope you enjoy this podcast, it was a blast to produce. J.R.R. Tolkien is a beast. Time Codes: 1. Intro (0:00) 2. Foreword (1:00) 3. Prologue (13:38) 4. Galadriel's Mirror (36:33) 5. Prometheus or Lucifer (48:58) 6. Bilbo and Gandalf (57:57) 7. "You want it for yourself!" (1:19:47) 8. The Road Goes Ever On and On (1:27:22) 9. Frodo Gets the Ring (1:36:24) 10. The Eucatastrophe (2:04:53) 11. Being Grounded in the Shire (2:13:39) 12. Gandalf and Saruman (2:18:39) **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Today, we'll be covering the story of how Shion finally got fired from Vector. While Jin Uzuki investigates Gnosis Terrorism—a new phenomenon in which Gnosis under a person’s control attack high-population centers—he finds a mysterious young Realian girl being taken care of by the Subcommittee on Close Encounters and Juli Mizrahi. The Subcommittee lab is attacked, and an agent named Doctus, who was sent by an anti-UMN organization called Scientia, kidnaps the Realian girl. Jin and Shion pursue Doctus to a Scientia vessel and are caught. The Captain of the vessel attempts to explain the situation to them, revealing the dangers of the UMN and Vector’s role in funding the research that led to the events on Miltia 14 years ago. As Scientia conducts an analysis on the Realian girl, a power awakens in her, and Shion is rendered unconscious as the Realian disappears from the lab. Jin works with Doctus to conduct an encephalon dive into Ars Nova, a top-secret area of the UMN sealed by Vector. There, Jin confronts Grimoire Verum, the father of Nephilim and the orchestrator behind the recent Gnosis attacks. Grimoire attempts to use the Realian as a vessel for his daughter’s consciousness, but the Realian girl rejects her memories, and the song of Nephilim turns her into a Gnosis. Grimoire’s consciousness is destroyed, but Shion is able to help the Realian regain her memories, calling her by her true name, Almadel. It is revealed that Shion’s father had experimented on Almadel, and Shion had befriended her and tried to comfort her in her distress. This also unlocks repressed memories for Shion. Almadel then realizes that she must sacrifice herself to stop the Song of Nephilim from resonating throughout the universe. Shion has an emotional breakdown in response but is roused and comforted by Jin. As a result of this incident, Shion is demoted within Vector, but due to her conflicted feelings about Vector’s involvement in all of this and their attempted coverup, she leaves Vector without saying goodbye to KOS-MOS and joins Scientia.

Today, we're bringing on an amazing panel of guests, including TJTheEmperor, Keith Comito, and David Garcia Abril, to discuss the execution of Xenosaga II's story and gameplay, what it was like playing this game for European audiences, how changes to voice direction made a big impact, and the philosophy of life extension.

After three weeks of consideration, it is now declared by law, by the authority vested in Resonant Arc, that Xenosaga Episode II is, indeed, good.

Despite attempts by many of you to convince us otherwise, we still really like this game! While visiting her brother, Jin, Shion blames his absence for the deaths of their parents during the Miltian Conflict. Meanwhile, during a procedure to analyze the Y-Data MOMO possesses, a virus implanted by Albedo activates, and MOMO fragments her own personality to keep Mizrahi's data secure. Shion, Jr. and the rest of the group initiate an encephalon dive to enter MOMO's subconscious and save her. During this period, Jr. reveals that he and his brothers were part of an experiment by Dmitri Yuriev: Yuriev's wish was to create an existence that would neutralize U-DO. The three of them were close, but Albedo became despondent when he discovered his immortality was unique to him, meaning he would outlive his brothers. During an experiment, Jr. breaks the circuit containing a portion of U-DO, resulting in everyone except himself, Albedo, and Gaignun being killed. After being touched by U-DO, Albedo goes insane while Gaignun remains unaffected. As they save MOMO, Albedo hacks in and tricks MOMO into releasing the decoded Y-Data to him, and using that data, Albedo opens the way to Miltia. With Miltia accessible, the Federation, U-TIC, and the Immigrant Fleet fight each other for control of the Zohar hidden on the planet.

Today we'll be turning the entire Xeno fanbase against us by defending Xenosaga II's character redesigns and story. This game is actually pretty good! Xenosaga Episode II opens amid the Militian conflict, fourteen years before the events of Episode I. Canaan and chaos are sent on a mission to investigate what is happening there and discover that Realians are being driven insane by the "Song of Nephilim." After finding themselves ambushed, they are rescued by Jin Uzuki, who has stolen data implicating those who used the Song. After fending off an attack by Margulis, Jin transfers the data into Canaan's mind for safekeeping. Fourteen years later, the key to unlocking that data remains on Miltia. Now stationed at Second Miltia, Canaan is assigned to protect the crew of the Elsa. Upon arrival, Shion reluctantly hands KOS-MOS over to Vector officials while instructing Allen to keep an eye on her. Ziggy prepares to escort MOMO to have the data implanted in her by Joachim Mizrahi retrieved. During her stay, Shion receives a vision from Nephilim, asking her to help Cecily and Cathe as promised. On Second Miltia, MOMO, Ziggy, chaos, and Jr. are attacked by U-TIC agents in powerful mechs, and they are only able to fend them off due to Canaan’s intervention. Meanwhile, Shion has an uncomfortable reunion with her brother, Jin.

Set 100 years before the events of Xenosaga Ep.1, Xenosaga: Pied Piper tells the story of cyborg Ziggurat 8 in his former life as human counter-terrorist agent Jan Sauer working for the Galaxy Federation. It centers on Sauer’s team as they track a serial killer known by the hacker alias "Voyager," who stalks and murders his victims, mostly children, inside the U.M.N., or Unus Mundus network, a universe-spanning virtual reality internet. The squad is deployed to the planet Abraxas to investigate these murders and bring Voyager to justice. As Jan carries out his investigations, he meets Dr. Sharon Rozas, and over time, the two fall in love and get married. As Jan's investigation gets closer to unveiling Voyager's identity, it becomes clear that high-ranking officials in the Galactic Federation are connected to Voyager and attempt to shut Jan and his team down. After escaping arrest and finally unveiling Voyager as Erich Weber, a member of his own team, Jan is forced to watch Sharon and her son murdered in front of his eyes and chooses to take his own life rather than be used by corrupt higher powers or be killed by Voyager. His body is reclaimed and recycled, which leads to him becoming the cyborg Ziggurat 8.

Mike and Casen disagree completely on the value of The Legend of Korra as a follow-up series to Avatar: The Last Airbender. In this video, you'll see friends torn apart as they come to realize the person they once admired and respected is actually a bigot of the most heinous kind and must be eliminated for the betterment of humanity. The bloodbath that ensues has been documented here for your entertainment. Time Codes: 1. Introduction (0:00) 2. Comparison to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul (7:04) 3. The Last Airbender's Greatest Strength (8:29) 4. Korra Season 1 Discussion (11:59) 5. Korra Season 2 Discussion (18:11) 6. Korra Season 3 Discussion (31:41) 7. Korra Season 4 Discussion (40:17) 8. Let the True Debate Begin (48:30)

Michs is getting his Masters Degree in Theology at Harvard University, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk about Final Fantasy X and the Yevon religion that rules Spira. No, we are not talking about Final Fantasy X-2. Maybe one day... In the mean time, enjoy this discussion we had. It touches on a variety of topics, ranging from Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov, to the Bible, to politics and modern monetary policy. I hope you enjoy it! Please leave a comment and subscribe to our channel if you liked the video. Time Codes: 1. **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

Journey is such an incredible game. It's an experience that will stick with you for years. The story for Journey is a distillation of the hero's journey, and presents it in a most beautiful and compelling way. Also, I hope you all love Dante's Comedia because we'll be diving into that a fair bit. Enjoy the discussion! **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

This game has been a blast. Thanks for watching! **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

What can change the nature of a man? Final episode will be up next week! This game has been a blast, and we're excited to jump into a few new ones soon. Xenosaga 2 and Journey are next up on the docket. **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Slake is such a dope word. It sounds so intense. This game gives us such an endless stream of things to talk about. We hit the lower ward and the clerks ward here. Don't forget, the world is founded on belief. Use it well! **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Max Derrat @maxderrat is a beast. But how much of a beast is he really? We find out in this 1 on 1 conversation about God, Alchemy, Carl Jung, video games and so much more. I hope you enjoy it! **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc

Die While You Still Can W/@maxderrat | Planescape Torment Analysis (Ep.2) by Resonant Arc

Max Derrat @maxderrat https://www.youtube.com/@maxderrat has joined us to discuss Planescape Tormentäs development history. This game had some fascinating things happen behind the scenes that most people are entirely unaware of. Also, big huge thank you to Mr Edders 123 @MrEdders123 https://www.youtube.com/@MrEdders123 for being such a beast. Check out how wild this game was to make as we step into the first act of the game next week. Enjoy the comments! Time Codes: 1. **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 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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@resonantarc