Sunni Rashad

There Will Be Brawl is a 2009 parody based on the video game Super Smash Bros. Brawl. A contentious game in its franchise, this web series has little overlap with the game it's inspired by or the movie There Will Be Blood.

It's a detective noir where Luigi takes center stage trying to piece together the mysterious deaths of various video game icons.

Its legacy is that many of its stars, from Matt Mercer as Ganon to Kyle Herbert, have gone on to bigger and better things.

But the writer should seek to explore what did this story of a gritty Mushroom Kingdom say about the world of 2009 and more than that what if anything can be gleaned from it over a decade later?

Skyrim has a video game has a reputation longer it seems than any and it's franchise and more dominant than most in its genre.

Despite its release over a decade ago it's still stands as one of the most popular RPGs to this day.

With that in mind it also has a very immersive and expansive world and within that world there is an innumerable mass of stories and legends.

One such tragedy is the story of what happened to the snow elves also known as the Falmer.

According to the law of the game the snow elves were a people that existed before Mankind and the land of Skyrim and through Conquest or retaliation the humans that settled the area eradicated them forcing them to join forces with the Lost race of dwarves that exist in the universe of Elder Scrolls and becoming cursed to be a fallen race of Mer or elf.

The author can use the lore from previous games they can use the lore from the Elder Scrolls Online they can explore the nature of existence for a species of people who seemingly don't exist anymore within the world that they used to.

Their story is called the tragedy of the snow elves and so one must ask was it a tragedy and Who Weeps for them?

Pokémon has always had a close relationship with lore communities because of the nature of the Pokemon world being just that a world. With it's own quirks and stories and legends different than but some what inspired by real world folklore.

Mythology within the world of Pokemon serves not only as a main pathway for lore to be shared with fans. It also allows for the world to be explored within the views of the inhabitants. Mythology gives the characterization of the world. That said, mythology within Pokemon has always been contentious with the subject matters addressed and the consequence of said stories. While many don't have much to say about the stories of the Legendary Pokemon that is the Pokemon that are deemed more powerful or more rare. Other stories such as the Sinnoh myth of how people used to marry Pokemon were seen and received much more contentiously.

With that in mind, however, after the recent leaks of 2024 the function of this mythology has come into question because of the controversial nature of some of the stories.

Wow they're parallels to Greek and old Japanese folklore cannot be understated the backlash and reception to the myths about certain Pokémon raises the question of what is the function of Mythology if not to further build the world and as such

Even if a myth isn't Canon for a universe what role does it play to shaping that world and what does it say about the world that was being created

Depression Quest in 2013 is a Twine engine game made by Zoe Quinn. The game / interactive fiction
dealt with the difficulties of living with depression. Although, it was praised by the more mainstream gaming media for its depiction of struggling with mental health, the game also sparked polarizing reactions, and became a focal point for the online culture was. It was particularly of note as a justification for the harassment campaign Gamergate in 2014.

With that in mind the author can explore the value of the game as a game and delve into how did this game challenge traditional gaming norms at the time? What does its critical and consumer reception reveal about the the world of indie game development and the modern social media landscape?

Eiken (2003) is a two-episode OVA filled with all manner of slapstick and innuendo that on its face are immature and sophomoric but veer into grossly distasteful as the show continues. The question then is upon seeing this content who is it for and why does it exist?

What was the mandate that called for the product and what can be gleaned from engaging with the material?

This is not meant as something opposed to sex or depictions of sexuality, this is a question of the low quality and base manner of titillation that the show engages, though looking at the character designs and ages the author could also question what was the logic behind the creation of the characters and why were those the decisions the creators went with.

Nemesis by Mark Millar is a comic that is centered on a sadistic and wealthy villain who systematically dismantles the lives of top law enforcement officers. With that context in mind, does this story actually say anything? That is to say, what does the violence and shock do for the plot and what the story hopes to communicate?

How does Nemesis challenge traditional ideas about morality in the superhero genre, and what might this say about our cultural fascination with anti-heroes? In what ways does the depiction of wealth as a tool for chaos reflect or critique societal power dynamics today? Does the comic’s shock-value storytelling serve to deepen its critique of heroism, or does it undermine its long-term impact on the genre?

"The Death of the Author" is the title of an essay literary critic and theorist Roland Barthes.

The term itself has been argued to mean that the work should be judged wholly on its own merits despite problematic origins. But, was that the intent of the framework or is it a post hoc justification for supporting creators (and thus their creations) who would otherwise be maligned?

With regards to fandom, how much can be said to be justified under this framework and as consumers should there be a limit to where and how this framework is used as a defense?

Depictions of the ideology of Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels are lacking in the world of video games. Many critics of Marxism have at best a child-like understanding of the term often reducing it to a string of buzzwords and malformed propagandist talking points.

As a result most games that feature any sort of Marxism, Socialism, or Communism, end up regurgitating the same played-out tropes. "No food, no freedom, all leaders are dictators"

One game that avoids the typical negative stereotypes of Marxism is "Victoria 3." In this grand strategy video game, players can explore and implement socialist policies inspired by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. By prioritizing workers' rights, collective ownership, and economic planning, the game allows for a nuanced exploration of Marxist principles, demonstrating their potential benefits while navigating the associated challenges. How does "Victoria 3" provide a balanced and respectful depiction of Marxist ideology compared to other video games?