Game writer and narrative designer Aysha Farah tumbles down the rabbit hole with us to talk all about metatextuality in game narratives. As a medium that fundamentally includes an element of the player’s control of the narrative, video games are a fascinating way to explore our relationships to storytelling - and the way Kingdom Hearts relies on its own nature, re-contextualizing versions of some of the most classic stories in our cultural canon, captivates and enthralls us. How did one scene where Sora watched himself falling out of the sky influence Aysha’s own work in games?

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Guest: Aysha Farah

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

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