“...if a person just wants to talk, then it's best to not announce that you're tellin' a story. Tellin' a story does come with its own pressures and expectations, I – I suppose. After all, if you're just talkin' to a friend there's no more expectations than if you were talkin' to the wind. . . Words, by themselves, aren't expected to carry or aren't expected to stick, but if you announce you're tellin' a story then there better be a point to it all, you know?”
This comes from one of the numerous Game Over quotes, given to the player while playing Ultimate Custom Night by a character called Mr. Hippo. It's a rather amusing quote, one of an assortment of monologues he speaks regarding conversations he's had with his best friend Orville, another character out to kill the player. What makes this particular quote interesting is that, when you look at the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise as a whole, you certainly see that perhaps it isn't just Mr. Hippo making a point about telling a story. Whether you dove into the game looking for the jumpscares, were part of the lore hunters on the internet, or the casual observer who watched it via Youtube channels, you saw the story unfold before your eyes, even if there was no narrative structure. What do I mean? Well, the expectation is on me now, so let me tell you a story...
At face value, each game of the FNAF franchise was fundamentally simple. You played through five segments of the main game with increasing difficulty, played a bonus segment which presented a new challenge, then given another bonus segment where you were able to control the difficulty. It seemed an easy enough premise, with not too much of a narrative to work off from. For a story, the first three games mentioned that your character was merely a guard during graveyard shifts, with animatronics that wanted enter your office and do you harm. Simple enough to follow for a horror title.
The fourth game was where a story was becoming more into the forefront. This game tells a story of a little child who was often bullied by his older brother quite regularly while wearing a Foxy the Fox mask at home and in the pizzeria. The assaults came to a head when the brother and his friends picked him up, took him to a Freddy animatronic's mouth, and laughed at him until the mouth closed upon him, gravely hurting him. In Sister Location, we see that the story is the emphasis of the game, as the player needs to traverse five different puzzles in order to progress, with the character's mission in the game being more about the investigation than security. It's also the game where we are introduced to Michael Afton. In Pizza Simulator, the story is not as prominent than it was in the previous game, only showing up during small segments of gameplay and at the end where we see all the trapped souls and William Afton burnt down with the store. Finally, in Ultimate Custom Night, we are presented with multitudes of unique dialogue from the different characters that try to kill us, all of them letting us know that the person we play as is being tormented for the sins he has committed.
So where is the overarching story in these games? Again, if you look at the games at face value, you see that they are either designed to challenge a player to survive for 9 minutes per night, that there were puzzles you had to solve to progress, or you had to create the best darn Pizzeria of all time. If you were to take what Mr. Hippo was talking about, these would be the moments of someone talking into the wind. Nothing of consequence offered. Nothing gained. Nothing lost. The only thing offered was the gameplay experience of each title. It wouldn't be until you began to take a look at the layers inside the games that the player begins to see a story under the surface. Once you pick apart the small Easter Eggs, those small diversions in the game that lead to something completely different, is when you realize just how much of a story there is underneath.
But why hide a story through Easter Eggs and diversions? Humans like a good story, but we like to order when it comes to the narrative flow. We need the structure of a beginning, a middle and an end to satisfy that craving. But what if the story isn't good, or perhaps there are certain elements that aren't pleasing that thus make the viewer turn away? Just as we like a good story, we love a good mystery. The best method, in this case, is to hide snippets of a story throughout the series for the audience to decipher. It wasn't just discovering the story, it was the challenge piecing it all together that made the story interesting. To add a little intrigue, a mystery, a bigger riddle that needed to be solved, this is what needed to hook them. It kept them wanting to play the games, delve into the gameplay initially, then to comb over it all again to look for those little things in the environment to offer another piece of the puzzle. It would have been easier to make the story stand out, to tell the player that these things are happening in the world because of the possessing of children, but it is so much more compelling to find these secrets and Easter Eggs.
And compelling it was. With multiple Youtube channels discussing, theorizing, and explaining topics like the timeline of events in the story, how certain characters of this story came to be, how they fit into the grand scheme of things, and even how exactly the animatronics came to life. Everything was given to the players, and the community, if they chose to look hard enough for it. And even with all this information available, segments and events that occur in the game are still hotly debated within the community. To me, that makes a story far more interesting than going into it with a simple a “once upon a time...”
So what did you think of FNAF? Was it an overdone franchise, or did you find just as much enjoyment as a lot of others? Let me know with reblogs or comments! And if you liked it, please don't hesitate in clicking that little heart as well. Thank you for reading, and until next time!
Storied Gaming: Mass Effect’s Indoctrination Theory
Have you ever had a moment where someone mentioned that you are not particularly yourself at that moment? Have you looked into the mirror, studied yourself, and thought you either didn't recognize the person you were staring at, or that there was simply something different altogether about that face of yours? From time to time, be it a medical condition or through simple fatigue, we sometimes cannot tell if we're in the right frame of mind. For most situations, it's normal and easy to dismiss. For other situations, it may either be a lead up to a serious problem, whether that problem is health related or changes the fate of the universe. The last of three theories we'll look at on this topic will look into such a malady. Today, we look at the controversial, yet just as famous, video game theory that may hold an element of truth behind it. Today, we look into Commander Shepherd's Indoctrination.
A quick note before we begin: While I haven't played the game to completion, I do know its story, and as well as the character who is Shepherd. For the sake of inclusiveness, the Commander will either be referred to by rank, or by the "they" pronouns. Both genders of Shepherd can and have shown a level of badassness that is believable given their status in the galaxy, as well as the context of the story, and thus respect will be shown. Sound good? Let's begin!
The Theory's Rundown
The source I will use is through a Wiki which highlights the aspects of the theory, with the link provided (enter link here). The theory states that, throughout the course of the Mass Effect Trilogy, Shepherd, through exposure of Reaper technology, gradually became indoctrinated by the robotic beings by the end of the story, right at the events of the infamous Colour Endings (where the choices of how the story ended were coloured different). It's argued that the process took a long time, as Shepherd's mind was stronger than most others, and it took them longer to succumb to the powers of the Reapers.
The evidence behind the theory is somewhat large and seemed to be confirmed within the boundaries of the lore. When it comes to the lore of indoctrination and the Reapers, it's said that the power of the Reapers themselves, as well as prolonged exposure to technology and relics associated with the Reapers, help constitute the effects of indoctrination. It isn't the metals of the Reaper technology that affects organic minds, but rather the noises they produce, which appear to deliver a subconscious suggestion to the affected party, and subsequently affects them.
When it comes to Shepherd, there are three such times in which indoctrination could have occurred. The first could have happened when they were confronting both Saren and Sovereign at Eden Prime, to which the farmers of the area reported to the Commander of an unusual noise. The second and third times could be related to Shepherd's interactions with the Reaper named Harbinger, once during an interaction with the being, and the other time during the attack on London, where they and Anderson are able to make it inside the Citadel.
So what is the evidence that tells us they are indeed indoctrinated? The main components of the indoctrination seem to hit their peak in the events of Mass Effect 3. In it, Shepherd has a host of strange things happen to them that does not seem to be explained right off the bat, or at all by other characters in the game. Firstly, we have the child during the attack on Earth in Vancouver, a child that no one else seems to see, and disappears in an air duct when Anderson distracts them. Another hint, explained by the Rachni Queen in previous games, are the dreams they have, which include shadowy figures, or as the Queen refers to them oily shadows. There is then the almost disjointed and rather obscure imagery we see towards the end when the Commander talks with the Illusive Man and Anderson. And finally, we have the conversation with the Starchild, the being of light which looks like the child from the beginning. Throughout that conversation, Shepherd never mentions once the peculiar choice of appearance, not the explanation of anything that is happening around them.
How did I like It?
I believe it's fantastic. We see one of the most influential Commanders in the universe, the first human Specter, the first being to take on and defeat a Reaper... This is a being the Reapers would have wanted control of to fulfill their plans. The contributors to the theory went all out on explaining the details of the theory, using the codex entry within the game's lore and cross-referencing dialogue and events to further prove that these things are actually happening to Shepherd.
Personally, I believe it also can explain the ending to Mass Effect 3 based on the two other major characters we know to have become indoctrinated. Saren, or rather Sovereign, wished to create a new existence for life itself, a Synthesis of sorts, between all organic and inorganic life. "The strengths of both and the weaknesses of neither," being the words said through Saren. As I hinted, this was one of the coloured endings, that being Green. The Illusive Man expressed interest in controlling the Reapers, and through them police the entire galaxy, and had Shepherd chosen this Blue ending, that's what would have happened. Or, perhaps they came to their senses, saw the Red in their eyes, and instead went for the destruction of the Reapers, thus saving the galaxy that way.
And the ending too, it seems to differ based on who, well which colour, you choose. You look at the both the Green and Blue endings, we see how things those differences happen, the leaves looking like circuit boards, or how the Reapers themselves would the act as the guardians of the galaxy. Or watching them become destroyed, and the breaths of the Commander being taken somewhere, safe.
The Problems With It
Frankly, there isn't anything intrinsically wrong with the theory. We see little sprinkles of a potential truthiness toward it, it becomes hard to deny it as just a theory. Even looking at other discussion videos on the topic, I began to notice too the telltale signs of an indoctrinated person within Shepherd, even going as far as seeing their eyes be the same as the Illusive Man's before they are disintegrated during the final cutscene.
With the inclusion of the extended ending DLC, we now see how each choice finally matters, and the ultimate fate of Shepherd. Be they Renegade for life or Paragon til death, while the choices mattered, they still seemed to fall flat for a lot of players who were looking for that great ultimate ending, that ultimate climax that would leave them satisfied.
And so that's it. Were you left just as unsatisfied as originals endings had left you? Or was there something else I missed? Let me know down below. I know I hadn't covered everything that there is when it came to this theory, but I felt for the sake of keeping the post as short as I have for other works, it was best to hit the major points, but definitely take a look at the theory, and if you have a suggestion for another one I should look at, I will certainly cover it. Until next time, folks!
Spoilers incoming for Persona 4 and Persona 4: Golden. Give the games a look see before we go into this theory, it’s actually a damn good game.
We all have something hidden within us that we never wish anyone to ever find. The secret might be dark, an embarrassment of sorts, a feeling about yourself that you never want to disclose. Sometimes, it’s just better to confront that person within you, to cast away the doubt of your Shadow, and embrace the person you really are, your Persona. When it comes to the characters in Atlus’s most popular side series, Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4, confronting their Shadow to reach their Persona is not only a necessity but also a means of survival in their world. But not everyone had to, but maybe they didn’t need to. Today we tackle the theory that, while it proves interesting, still holds some flaws on the surface. Today we ask: Is Teddie, Yu Narukami’s Shadow?
The Theory’s Rundown
The speculative theory goes as thus: Over the course of Persona 4, all characters who travel into the TV world, with the exception of Nanako, enter a realm of the TV world and is confronted by a Shadow, who represents the darkest or contrarian thoughts and feelings of the person. Should the person accept their Shadow as a part of themselves, the Shadow calms its aggression and converts itself into a Persona, a weapon, and companion of the user within the realm. Should a person reject their Shadow, it intensifies in strength, becoming its own being and lashing out against the individual. There are three characters that do not have this sort of interaction within the Shadow Realm: Yu (or the main character), Nametame, and Adachi. With Adachi and Nametame, we see their Shadows manifest when we confront them.
Which leaves Yu, and wouldn’t you know, the first Shadow being we confront is Teddy. As the theory suggests, Teddie has a unique relationship when it comes to Yu. He’s introduced as a Shadow without remembering anything about his life before their encounter. During the True End path, if the player neglects to do the social links, Teddie is the only one that will appear before Yu to give a moment of reflection. During the events of post-Nanako’s death, Yu happens to discover him within the Velvet Room, a place that seemed to be designated only for Yu, his benefactor Igor, and his assistant Margret.
When it comes to the Arcana, Teddie’s Star acts as a stepping stone for Yu going from The Fool to The World. Throughout the game, much like the other Persona games, the main character begins as The Fool, a wild card, a blank slate that which can project the right ideas into others and inspire through action. The Fool’s traits stem from our innocence, divine inspiration, madness, freedom, spontaneity, inexperience, chaos, and creativity, all things Yu has in spades. To adopt The World, a symbol of the protagonist’s triumph, Yu would need to also the qualities of the Star to achieve his goal. The Star’s traits are hope, self-confidence, faith, altruism, luck, generosity, peace, and joy; qualities that we see from Teddie time and time again. To accept the Star, to accept Teddie, Yu takes the final step to achieve his true Arcana, and his true Persona: Izanagi-no-Okami.
How Did I Like It?
It’s a unique take on the relationship between Yu and Teddie. Looking at the game at face value, it does sort of explaining a couple of the key aspects of the story that seemingly doesn’t get touch upon via dialogue or action. In the context of this game, we do only see Teddie enter the Velvet Room, and it is a little strange for Yu to not have to deal with a Shadow of his own. For Teddie to be a Shadow without substance, it could explain how he came into existence but forget his purpose. He would have been what Yu would have to confront in the TV world to acquire Izanagi. Would Yu have gotten The World if this came to pass? It would have been the thing Yu would gain if Teddie was still the Shadow.
And as a quick addition to the theory, it would explain Teddie’s existence. Normally a Shadow is manifested based on the thoughts and feelings of the person who encounters them. If Yu already had the powers to summon his initial Persona at will, then ties to his Shadow would be severed. Much like how others Shadows would act on their own if they were rejected, Teddie became an entity of his own, one which struggles with its own mind and self-doubt. One that would create its own Shadow to face, and Persona to attain. On face value, it’s an interesting prospect. But...
The Problems With It
Let’s look at the problems through the story, and start from the beginning. The reason Yu is given his Persona early is that it was a gift from the Gods. Did I just rehash a statement? Actually no. In a statement that would be read as “oh, so he’s the chosen one then” type of mindset, it’s actually a one hundred percent correct assessment. Yu’s powers were indeed given to him by the Gods, Izanami to be exact, the mother of all creation to be more detailed. Yu encounters her as he enters Inaba while he, Dogima and Nanako stop as a gas stop. She makes some mundane conversation with Yu dressed as a gas jockey, and proceeds to shake his hand, and thus transferring power into him (you can actually feel it happen too if your controller had dual shock). And this is also revealed to be the reason of how Adachi and Nametame also are able to enter the TV world, as she had visited them as well.
So did Yu ever have to encounter a Shadow? The only time he ever had to encounter something Shadow-esque was only in the anime version of Persona 4, wherein during his fight with Margaret and Izanami, he is confronted with a Shadow that expressed his fears of leaving everyone he cared for. He was afraid of being alone again, yet unlike everyone else who could not embrace what they couldn’t accept, Yu’s journey saw him through the Shadow and helped him accept that he was indeed not alone.
Then where did Teddie come from if he wasn’t Yu’s Shadow? Teddie is still a Shadow, just not of any one person in particular. The bear himself tells us that there was a world of Shadows, a world created by human thoughts. He would then say:
“One day, a Shadow living in that world awakened to human emotions. But humans and Shadows are completely different entities. So he made himself forget that he was a Shadow... He wanted to forget... he wanted people to like him. And that’s how he came to look like this...”
And towards the end, once Izanami is defeated, the Investigation Team is able to see the Shadow World as it truly is. And what it is, is a gorgeous landscape, something that looks like a meadow.
But how can Teddie summon a Persona if he is, in fact, a Shadow? If we can glean something from Teddie’s story, it’s that he was able to manifest emotions and feelings. If that was the case, he would then be able to create an ego, a piece of identity that facilitates the creation of the Shadow and the Persona. It wouldn’t be too impossible for a being, which has gained an Ego and sentience naturally, to also be able to have such a gift within him as well.
And I believe that is where I will leave the topic for today. As I have said, I enjoyed the aspect of the theory, and it creates a more endearing relationship between Teddie and Yu than what we already see. It’s a fun thing to think about, despite the flaws and the facts that are presented to us in the context of the game. So until next time, where we will look into one last theory.
Today I would like to introduce to you the first of the three theories I would like to cover. Just to give an understanding of what I will do for a format, I will be giving a small introduction of the theory, give a rundown of the theory, say what I liked about it, and what I didn’t. So, without further adieu, on with the show!
Final Fantasy 8 was a very divisive game back in the late 2000’s. You had the crowd that adored the chemistry of Squall and Rinoa, that were excited to see the Leon segments, and loved playing Tetra Master (later to be known as Triple Triad for Final Fantasy 14). Then you had the detractors that despised the Guardian Force (GF) system, the Draw system, Selphie, and how the game ended. Wait, how did the game end again? Oh right, it ended with the characters being sent into a dimension which was the result of a Sorceress who managed to create a temporal compression. Wait, what? How does that make sense? Perhaps it doesn’t. Perhaps, as the theory we are about to look into, all of this didn’t actually happen, and that we are experiencing a death dream from Squall himself.
The Theory’s Rundown
The theory is called Squall is Dead. It states that at the end of Disk 1, after the confrontation of both Seifer and Sorceress Edea, of whom the latter was to be assassinated by the members of SeeD, Squall dies as a result of Edea throwing Ice related magic into his chest and the subsequent fall from the parade float she was riding. From there, the rest of the narrative is Squall’s final moments, trying to piece together some unresolved questions and issues in his mind, so that he may pass away peacefully in his resolve.
Some of the examples used for this theory stem from the groundwork of the world as we knew it that wasn’t shown to us until Disk 2. We are then introduced to the concepts of the Moombas, their life cycle being the final stage for the Shumi, the Shumi people themselves, NORG’s ownership of the Balamb Garden, and the fact that Gardens can fly. Then the identity of Sorceress Edea, the powers and understanding of the title of Sorceress, the origin of Ultimecia, and Rinoa’s connection to the powers. As well as Pandora, the Lunar Cry, that the monsters of the world came from the moon. And finally the relationship of the characters themselves, of how they were all from the same orphanage and found themselves brought back together because of the events of Final Fantasy 8.
Ultimately the theory and the narrative come to a head when it comes to the final cutscene of the game. What we see as Squall reflects on his first encounter with Rinoa, is his mind trying desperately to recall those precious moments. They start to degrade, as we see in the cutscene, where the scenery of that moment, and Rinoa herself, become blurry, disfigured, incomprehensible. That is the moment that Squall’s life had come to an end, that his mind finally fades. We see other images and scenes flash by, some more obscured and distorted like the rest until we are faced with a ... well faceless Squall for a frame, followed by him looking upward on his knees until it fades to white. At this point, we are led to understand that his mental state had finally ceased, and he had properly died.
How Did I Like It?
I will give the creators of this site a lot of credit. I could not have gone into so much detail into everything from Disk 2 to the end of the game, and attempt to make a credible case. The inclusion of the Shumi and Moombas did seem a little out of place to me at first, and to be honest the idea of Time Compression being the reason behind Ultimecia’s goals seemed far too ludicrous to be believed for a Final Fantasy game. It really does explain the end cinematic too when you look at it from just a glance.
The Problems With It.
So when I said that Time Compression was too ludicrous an idea for Final Fantasy? Well, the thing about that is that they have messed with the idea of time alteration before, and in a Final Fantasy game as well. In the very first Final Fantasy, the villain Garland - who later turns into the archdemon Chaos - devises a plan to create a sort of temporal paradox, where he would send Four Fiends of the Elements into the future so that they can send him back into the past, thus supposedly creating a cycle where he simply cannot die. So we can't fully dismiss the idea of Chronomancy used in such an extreme.
As it comes to the Moombas, the Shumi, the origins of the monsters and everything else the theory tries to go against, it can be all summed up by the contrivance of this statement: It’s a Final Fantasy game. The reason Squall’s ice spike wound healed was because of the curing magic they would have employed before getting into the prison. The Shumi and Moombas are really no different than other things that come out of nowhere, like the Namingways in FF4, or just Moogles in general, though, I concede that a giant Shumi living in the lower levels of the Balamb Garden did seem to come out of nowhere.
What about them having been in an orphanage together and not remembering each other? It’s already been established that prolonged exposure to a GF makes you forget certain segments of memory due to their need to inhabit the host’s mind in order to function. Selphie herself explains how she had junctioned a GF to herself when she was younger, but she cannot remember the details of that GF or what happened to it either. Given Balamb's reliance on the GFs over other gardens, it would be safe to assume that Quistis, Squall, Zell and Seifer's memories were affected greatly because of it.
Does it also explain the final cutscenes? That is its own can of worms, and I’ll offer a link here to give the full story of what happened. Essentially the SeeDs tempted Ultimecia’s plan to compress time itself so that she can possess a Sorceress in the past, as she resides in the future. What we see in the cutscenes with Squall is him falling into the wrong Time Loop - a possibility that is referenced by Quistis prior to his scenes - and later becoming lost, only trying hard to focus on Rinoa and where to find her, and ultimately failing this.
To me, the main issue of the story being a death dream is a hard one to swallow. While it does present itself as an interesting take on a narrative, and very experimental of an idea for a Final Fantasy title, one of which was completely littered with experimental designs, at the same time it’s an ending that wouldn’t be fulfilling to the player. What would have been the point of looking into the death dream of a failed hero? Another game comes to mind that would have done the idea properly. Eternal Sonata, for example, uses the death dreams of Chopin in such a way that it interweaves his musical talents, as well as the societal structure of Chopin’s era, on display in the game and through the narrative. In a strange way, it could open up young gamers into a classical world they would have otherwise have overlooked. What benefit would there have been in the case of Squall dying?
I enjoyed working on this theory and talking about it. It’s definitely worth a discussion and focuses on something I want to talk about more when it comes to Storied Gaming, that being the story of the game. I do have two more theories planned to talk about, but I wonder if there aren’t any others you would like for me to cover. Let me know in the comments below, and if you enjoyed this or any of my other work, please don’t hesitate to reblog down below. Until next time!
When the story is over, we are left with the intended conclusion the developer has created for us. From start to finish, we follow the characters and the story, piecing together the nuances and complexities of the narrative. But what if there was something more to that certain scene six hours into the game? Was that intentional, or perhaps it’s something more? It starts as a lingering doubt, or an expansion on the idea, or an explanation of the world and its inhabitants that can be seen in a different light. It’s the covenanted concept known as theories. Theories on their own are harmless, but to the right or wrong crowd they can incite a conversation, or cause infighting within a community. From my experience, while there are many different theories out there, there are only a few theory types that seem predominant.
Some game theories can take the role of the analytical. While these types of theories do not pertain to the overall story itself, it does offer a second thought of the small mechanics, objects or weapons in the world. These theories only serve to apply real-world physics and ideologies into the subject. Ultimately, the goal is to examine and explain how the subject could or could not effectively exist within our world as we know it. These sorts of theories range drastically, from how deadly a Bomb-omb is, to the inner workings of Tracer’s device, to going as scholastic as examining the economics of an MMORPG.
We then have those theories that take a look at certain characters and attempt to assess them further. For some, the face value of a character is not enough. For them, these actors need to have an intended purpose or a backstory that requires further explanation. It’s that nagging sensation of “well if they weren’t so important, why would they add them in?” This is where the wheels start to turn, and theories begin to form. Unimportant names, like W. D Gaster of Undertale or “The Phone Guy” from Five Nights at Freddy’s take centre stage, and while there is credibility for them to be there, often times they are seen as interesting discussion pieces and charming diversions.
We also have those works in which feel the story is incomplete in some way. These sorts of theories look at the narrative as a whole and dissect certain elements or segments of the story to explain what has happened or to further on a plot that otherwise was resolved with new information credible or otherwise. In some cases, these theories can range from explaining potential plot holes in the narrative, to understanding the consequences of certain actions or character placement within the story. Think of the theory that Red killed Gary’s Radicate, and why he no longer uses him in battle after meeting him in Lavender Town. Think of the theory that stated Majora’s Mask is Link’s purgatory as he deals with his own death. Think of the theory that Chell from Portal is actually the daughter of Aperture's CEO and his secretary. While by no means are these theories 100% accurate, they do offer interesting thoughts as to the reasoning behind certain events in games.
Finally, we have fan theories that, while they don’t offer academic forethought, delve deeper into game lore, or apply insight into certain characters, do provide some entertainment value. Either seen as fictional work (ala creepypasta or some such) or perhaps a fan who enjoys their chosen game a little too much, these sets of theories do not hold any weight into their examinations, rather they offer an amusing read or listen to an audience that would take in such a media. These general theories can range from the world the player inhabits is an apocalyptic one, much like the theory of Minecraft being set on a dying star.
From my perspective, I believe fan theories of video games are fascinating. While they don’t offer a clear explanation to what happens in the game, they do offer an interesting read as to what could have happened to our heroes in their journey. Or, that they provided that extra bit of closure for a character that needed to be addressed. Humans are creatures that require finality when it comes to narratives or puzzles. Anything intentionally left out, we inherently feel forced to fill in those gaps, even when it's unnecessary.
So what’s your favourite theory? Leave me a comment down, and if you liked today’s article, please feel free to give it a like or a reblog. In the next few Storied Gaming posts, I will offer some theories I loved to read and give my take on them. So please look forward to that. Until next time!
(Note: Apparently the preview is experiencing what others have been experiencing off and on with the site. Please go through Keep Reading to see the post without the weird symbols)
The following contains minor to major spoilers for Chrono Trigger. I recommend playing it first prior to reading today’s article. It is available for the Super Nintendo, PlayStation 1, Nintendo DS, and PC via Steam.
When it comes to the more interesting ideas of the creative writing medium, whether it's on TV, movies, books or of course video games, it has to be the time-traveling motif. This narrative produces a myriad of possibilities; from making commentary on current events to creating “What if” scenarios with historical characters and figures, or the cause and effect of altering events in history itself. When it comes to time travel, we gamers think of the quintessential game that should be added to anyone's library, Chrono Trigger. What makes this game so interesting? Take a moment of your time to read this and see.
At the beginning of the game, we control our near titular character, Crono, as he begins his day before heading on to the Millenial Fair, where the people of Guardia are celebrating the turn of the new millennium. While going to the different venues, Crono (literally) stumbles upon Marle, knocking a pendant from her possession. After retrieving it and (hopefully) returning it to her immediately, the pair continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Fair, until an announcement of a great experiment is heard. Lucca, Crono's ingenious friend, demonstrates the power of her new invention: The teleport machine. Crono uses it first, and to the amazement of all, it works! Crono is sent from one pad to another. Marle, overcome with the excitement, wishes to go next, and this is where our story truly begins.
A temporal (time-related) accident occurs involving Marle and her pendant, sending her 400 years into the past. After some time, Lucca manages to recreate the accident, sending Crono to the past to search for her. Chrono explores his homeland of the Medieval Era until he goes to Guardia Castle, where he finds Marle, whom the people believe to be a queen. Moments later, as they spend some time alone speaking, she seemingly disappears in front of his eyes. Lucca manages to travel to the past as well, explaining that Marle is not only of royal blood but that during this time in history the real Queen of Guardia has been kidnapped, only to be rescued sometime later. Marle looks like her ancestor, and thus the search was called off. To this end, she explains,“As I recall someone was supposed to save her. But history has been changed!.. if the real Queen is killed... Marle will simply disappear.” Without the real Queen to mother her ancestors, she would simply disappear from existence entirely. Marle is then saved by her two friends by rescuing the real Queen, with the help of their ally, Glenn the Frog, who originally rescued the Queen. After, the three return to the spot where the time portal sent them, though instead of going back to the present, they instead go into the future, where they discover an unfortunate fate.
The beginning of the game presents a more common trope when it comes to the time traveling narrative: The Grandfather/Grandmother Paradox, and the concept of Time Erasure. The Grandparent Paradox is when the time traveler goes back in time to when either a point before their grandparent or parent is born, becoming involved with the relative of that era, and from there perpetuates the ancestral line as intended. However, when Crono meets with Marle, she disappears, as if removed from all reality. This is explained by Time Erasure theory, where a disruption in the course of history alters the present, and the result of the disruption causes the subject to disappear completely as if they never existed. Since Marle hadn't continued the family line with her great great grandfather (gross), and the real Queen never returned, Marle nor her mother would ever have been born, and thus that line of ancestral succession would have been lost, causing Marle to be removed from time itself.
Now, not all past altering experiences are as horrendous as Time Erasure. Near the end of the game, we are presented with quite a few side quests that require us to go back and forth through time. One such side quest involves the restoration of a forest. In 600AD, where Marle was nearly erased, there is a rather desolate wasteland seen on the world map which is caused by a tunneling monster. After defeating it, the robotic companion Robo offers his services to a botanist to help plant trees. Though we see him in the world map plugging away at the fields, it isn't until we return to 1000AD where we see the fruits of the labour at its fullest, with a sprawling forest covering the landscape, and a small shrine dedicated to both the botanist and a powered down Robo, who is later restored with the help of Lucca.
Even some game mechanics are affected by time. Some dungeons make a return from one era to another, both housing the same treasure chests. In these occasions, the treasure in the future can receive updated loot inside it, while you can go back in time to loot the original treasure for its item. Conversely, if you choose to loot the treasure in the past, it will remain open and empty in the future. There are also some dungeons and locations that, while they are visible in the past, cannot be accessed or fully explored until you go into the future. Only one location of interest, the Sun Temple, exists throughout all history of the world and is attributed to the Sun Stone side quest, which unlocks Lucca's ultimate weapon (Wonder Shot), and some awesome sunglasses (or, Sun Shades).
So while we have discussed some examples of how it conveys a time-traveling narrative, the main question to ask is: Is it scientifically sound? The short answer is no, but that isn't to say that the team who worked on this didn't try their best with what they knew. They did apply the Time Travellers Immunity theory, where those who travel through time retain the memories of the eras they visit, as well as the changes in history that otherwise would have been rewritten, but that isn't to say everything we know or theorize about time travel is applied in this game. It was released in 1995, and what we thought even then wasn't as extensive as it is now. Even my own knowledge of time travel is limited to narratives like Back to the Future, so to fault them with today's knowledge seems fruitless.
Does the lack of temporal knowledge diminish the quality of Chrono Trigger's story? Not in the least. The storyline and gameplay are still a marvel as they were back then. The characters are engaging and differ wonderfully. The progression of the plot is not at all jarring nor inconsistent. The soundtrack still holds up. Today, theories and speculations, musical remixes, fan art and fan fiction stand as a testament to just how much dedication and love there is for Crono and the gang, even after 20 years. For what it offered, in an era where JRPGs were still trying to hit the mark on Western audiences, I can honestly say it was a title I would always return to.
So what did you think of Chrono Trigger and time travel? Did it make you think about your nostalgic past? Let me know with a reblog, a like, or even a comment down below. I'll see you in the future with another article. Until next time.
It's hard to know everything that happens in the world. It's constantly changing, even while the little piece of it you inhabit never seems to move an inch. It can be a rather overwhelming concept to think about, especially when it conflicts with everything you knew up to that point. This is what they call the 'fish out of water' trope when you take a character from surroundings they have always known, and place them into an element absolutely foreign to them, but rather commonplace for everyone around them. The trope itself can be an interesting experience for the audience, as it adds the right amount of drama to keep the appeal of the narrative going and offer contextual insight into the world through the eyes of someone also experiencing it for the first time. While we have seen it in some other forms of media, movies for example with works such as Blast from the Past and Thor, we gamers have seen this occur as well. Here are two examples I know of that show off the fish out of water trope.
The Time Traveller
Nothing is more stressful than closing your eyes one moment, then opening them another to find yourself in the future where there is not one item from the past that seems familiar. That moment when a character takes a moment to look around at their surroundings, only to see that what used to be their neighbourhood is something completely different; or, what seems commonplace for the inhabitants of this new world is strange and nearly alien for the character.
In Fallout 4, you play as either Nate or Nora (who you chose to play as the Sole Survivor), who enjoy a typical day in suburban Boston in 2077, the year the bombs drop. The couple, along with their baby, goes to Vault 111, where they are to be cryogenically frozen until it was deemed safe for habitation. When the game gives you control, 200 years pass, and you return to your home only to see their neighbourhood decayed and their civilization drastically changed.
It's here that the Sole Survivor is shown the rules of the new world: Kill or be killed, bottle caps are the new currency, ghouls are both a friend and a threat while the feral ones are worse, trust who you know will be there for you, and – though it's unique to Boston – know who is real and who is a Synth. Before then, the Sole Survivor had no idea what sort of the world the Commonwealth Wasteland had in store for them, acquiring information on organizations like The Minutemen, the Railroad, and the Institute; common household names of saviours and boogeymen, but not ones the Sole Survivor would know.
The Social Outcast
What if you spent your entire life in a bubble? A place where the terrors and fears of the outside world could never reach you, a place where all of your needs are met, and there was never a need for you to take one step outside the front gate. Then, what if one day you had to take that step?
Luke fon Fabre of Tales of the Abyss had such a fate happen to him. His upbringing left him without the need to leave his home at the manor. His education was offered there, he was given three square meals, he trained in the courtyard, and he had friends and family either residing or visiting the manor, so social interaction with someone his age was common. It wasn't until certain events transpire that he was forced to leave the manor and explore the world of Auldrant that he realized how different everything was. Food was not always brought to him on a platter, and what was available to him had to be purchased with currency out of his own pocket. Not everyone was a servant of his uncle, so ordering the average town folk to do his bidding was out of the question. And with no one knowing who he was, or even acknowledging his nobility, he had to learn fast that the social hierarchy doesn't always guarantee immediate recognition of status, nor immediate need to comply with his orders, rather it would be him that would need to heed their orders.
So has there been a time where you felt like a fish out of water? Or do you happen to know of another game that shares this trope? Let's hear it in the comments. Until nex time, don't feel lost out there!
