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Mechanized Narrative

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Final Fantasy XIII is Flawed in Interesting Ways

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-September 18, 2026

I didn’t like it but can’t stop thinking about it

Graham R Final Fantasy

Rejecting The Holodeck

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-August 24, 2026

Is a fully reactive simulation really the ideal state of narrative design?

Down to the Bones

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-July 30, 2026

Dungeon Encounters and minimalism in games

My Favourite RPG Towns

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-June 12, 2026

I've been told that the internet loves lists

A Guided Tour of Final Fantasy XII's Rabanastre

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-May 14, 2026

Taking a walk through one of the best cities in JRPGs

Graham R Final Fantasy

What Makes a Good RPG Town?

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-May 4, 2026

Continuing my series on RPG towns by getting to the heart of the matter

The Appeal of Towns in RPGs

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-April 13, 2026

Part one in a series exploring our favourite places to return

Back to the Grind

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-March 27, 2026

Should RPGs have so many battles?

Giving Real-Time with Pause a Fair Shake

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-March 13, 2026

Trying to find the good in my least favourite type of battle system

A Deep Dive into Dragon Quest XI's Interludes

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-February 23, 2026

How the game's midpoint character vignettes builds, then subverts expectations

What's the Plot of a JRPG?

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-February 5, 2026

How typical ideas about plot structure don't always work for JRPGs

Battle Systems, Abstractions, and the Limits of Plausibility

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-January 23, 2026

Or, does Ichiban really fight a giant squid?

My Favourite Books of 2025

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-December 22, 2025

Another best of the year list, this time featuring words

My Favourite Games of 2025

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-December 15, 2025

There's a season for all things

Mass Effect and A Tale of Two Genres

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-December 4, 2025

How Mass Effect's mechanical genre clashes with its science fiction story

Graham R Mass Effect

An Ode to Menus

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-November 14, 2025

How fiddling in menus structure the rhythms of RPG storytelling

Big Swords for Bigger Problems

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-October 31, 2025

Part Three in a series on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and legacy. Let's beat up some monsters.

Graham R Final Fantasy

A Machine Gun Nest Around Every Corner

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-October 6, 2025

How hidden information in tactics RPGs enhances the drama of a war story

Cushions for Some, Miniature American Flags for Others

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-September 19, 2025

Part Two in a series on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and legacy, this time featuring benches

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and The Anxiety of Influence

Mechanized Narrative by Graham R-September 1, 2025

How this sprawling game tackles the complicated legacy of the original FFVII

Graham R Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy