Episode NotesIn this exciting season finale, we discuss the plot and philosophical questions of the beloved SNES RPG, Chrono Trigger! We take you through the main plot, the side quests, and (many of) the endings! We also discuss some of the bi

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Sep 7th, 2020 2h 54m

Episode NotesWe tackle another behemoth of a game this week with The Witcher 3! We walk you through the story beats of the main quest, summarize some of the bigger side quests, and analyze what the game has to say about fatherhood, political a

Frame Narratives in Video Games

Aug 31st, 2020 1h 37m

Think of today's episode as a story within a story - because we're doing framing narratives! We discuss games that have you playing out a story being told in-universe like Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time, Dragon Age 2, Final Fantasy X, and

Metal Gear Solid

Aug 24th, 2020 2h 38m

Episode NotesThis week's episode is a doozy. We tackle the hotly requested Metal Gear Solid! We summarize the major story beats and discuss its meta elements, our treatment of soldiers, and whether your genes really determine your future. This

Shadow of the Colossus

Aug 17th, 2020 2h 19m

This week on Player Vs Plot we tackle a game that may seem to have a small plot but in the end is full of colossal themes to unpack. That's right, we're discussing Shadow of the Colossus! Join us as we talk about how this game connects with oth

Street Fighter II

Aug 10th, 2020 2h 18m

This week, Player vs Plot covers an unusual source of compelling video game storytelling: fighting games! How does a competitive arcade game tell a story when the player experience is always different? How does a match between two players fit i

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Aug 3rd, 2020 2h 16m

This week we tackle the Animal Crossing series, with a particular focus on its latest entry: New Horizons. We discuss its peculiar "communication" genre label and try to pin down what common stories will emerge from the game's many activities.

Power Progression Mechanics in Video Game Narratives

Jul 27th, 2020 1h 38m

Episode NotesThis week we chat about the many ways in which video games make the player character stronger over time. What forms can it take, what does it accomplish for a story, and what kind of new challenges and solutions has this narrative

BONUS: Interview with Sauna 2000 creator Amos Sorri

Jul 20th, 2020 1h 5m

Episode NotesAmos Sorri joins us this week to discuss his new horror-comedy game Sauna 2000, which is nearing the end of its Kickstarter campaign! We talk about the importance of saunas to Finnish culture, how comedy and horror are more simila

Lightning Round: Rogue, Binding of Isaac, and Slay the Spire!

Jul 20th, 2020 2h 7m

This week, Player Vs. Plot takes on another lightning round. That's right, it's three games packed into one episode! In this episode, we focus on the namesake of the genre: Rogue. Then, we share two of our favorite modern installments in the ge

The Last of Us

Jul 13th, 2020 2h 54m

Time Stamps00:00:00 - 00:30:30 Brief overview of the zombie genre00:30:30 - 00:48:00 Prologue 00:48:00 - 01:25:25 Summer01:25:25 - 01:58:15 Fall and Winter01:58:15 - 02:25:15 Spring and Ending 02:25:15 - 02:45:30 Discussion of Joel and E

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Jul 6th, 2020 3h 9m

Time Stamps10:00 Historical Background 0:15:00 - 0:57:30 Opening Cinematic to Genichiro0:57:31 - 1:51:00 Finding Ingredients for Kuro to Shura Ending 1:51:00 - End Other Ending Paths Show NotesPlayer vs Plot is back with a CLANK!, a

Lightning Round: Celeste, Mario, and Donkey Kong Country!

Jan 27th, 2020 2h 1m

In our season one finale, we tackle three games in one episode: Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong Country, and Celeste. Each one has similar core mechanics but tells a completely different story! We discuss what those toads were doing in all th

Romance in Video Games

Jan 16th, 2020 2h

This week we discuss the many ways video games tackle romance, both mechanically and thematically. Why do they use the mechanics that they do to represent love? Why is it so often successful to integrate dating simulation mechanics with other g

Doki Doki Literature Club

Jan 9th, 2020 1h 53m

Content Warning: discussion of graphic violence and disturbing themesWe tackle the visual novel that decided to blend two genres: dating simulators and psychological horror. I guess opposites attract?!? Join us as we unpack the characters, th

The Zelda Timeline

Jan 3rd, 2020 1h 15m

We discuss the Zelda timeline! How much does it add to a player's enjoyment of the story, and does it even need to exist? Check back each week for a new discussion of a video game story! As always, catch us on Instagram and Twitter at @player

Pokemon Gen 1

Dec 26th, 2019 2h 27m

We take a deep dive into the world of Pokemon and find out there's more than we realized playing back in the 90's! In this episode, we look at what themes the game has and how its mechanics double down on its message. Plus we share some of our

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Introduction

Dec 18th, 2019 17m 5s

Meet the hosts of Player vs Plot and find out what this show's all about! Feel free to send us questions and comments at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook! You can also check us out on our website at http

God of War (2018)

Nov 8th, 2019 1h 37m

Join us as we follow the arcs of Kratos and Atreus in this semi-reboot of the god-killing action franchise! We talk about the use of RPG elements in a game involving children and veteran warriors, mentor and parental relationships in video game

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Part 2

Nov 7th, 2019 1h 10m

This is part 2 of a 2-part series. Be sure to start with the first one! We break down how Breath of the Wild's story tells a familiar Zelda story using a fresh take on the series's game structure. And how does tracking a non-linear story acro

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Part 1

Nov 7th, 2019 1h 16m

In this 2-part episode on Breath of the Wild, we break down how the game tells a familiar Zelda story using a fresh take on the series's game structure. And how does tracking a non-linear story across two timelines affect how we read a characte

Persona 5

Nov 5th, 2019 2h 12m

This week we take a close look at dungeon-crawling life sim RPG Persona 5! Social links! Day by day time progression! Dungeon crawling the human psyche! We talk about how all of these elements play into the game's multi-faceted narrative. The

Gone Home

Nov 5th, 2019 1h 29m

This episode we discuss the story of Indie darling exploration video game Gone Home! We tackle the use of virtual space as a storytelling device, finding rhythms and structure in non-linear emergent narratives, and the truth behind the JFK assa

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