State of the Arc Podcast

Casen has never played J-Pop Sphere Hunters before, and so this travesty is quickly being amended. The thing about Final Fan-Service X-2 is that, unlike its namesake, it presents us with the aftermath of its own deconstructed world. What to do now? Is the rampant fan service part of the results of bringing about such a world? The Idol culture an adequate replacement of previous religious traditions? What happens in the power vacuum after a theocracy has been toppled? We tackle all this and more in our exciting discussion on Final Fantasy X-2, a game that is often misunderstood, and often perfectly understood all too well. We discuss religion, tradition, deconstruction, the difficulty of reconstruction, the wisdom of patience, and the way that we can idolize games (like Final Fantasy X).

**Listen on Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3

**Listen on Soundcloud**: https://soundcloud.com/resonantarc

**Listen on iTunes**: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-the-arc-podcast/id1121795837

**Listen on Pocket Cast**: http://pca.st/NJsJ

Discord Link: https://discord.gg/RFMF6gpHr
Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/resonantarc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resonantarc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc

Kingdom Hearts IV is coming out next year and the new trailer is FIRE. We thought we were done with the series, and now our collective curiosities are peaked! Joining us today is Best Guy Ever @BestGuyEver ! https://www.youtube.com/@BestGuyEver/videos , and his podcast https://www.youtube.com/@InternetGeniusShow .

**Listen on Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3

**Listen on Soundcloud**: https://soundcloud.com/resonantarc

**Listen on iTunes**: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-the-arc-podcast/id1121795837

**Listen on Pocket Cast**: http://pca.st/NJsJ

Discord Link: https://discord.gg/RFMF6gpHr
Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/resonantarc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resonantarc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc

Nintendo just gave us our best look yet at the Ocarina of Time remake, and while nearly everything about it appears remarkably faithful to the original, its new visual direction left us with a lot to talk about!

In this episode, Casen goes into the latest Nintendo Directs completely blind as we react to the Ocarina of Time remake, debate Link's redesigned appearance and the game's new art style, and ask how much a remake should preserve the original's visual identity. Then we jump into the rest of Nintendo's announcements, including Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles, Resident Evil, Metroid, Persona, Romancing SaGa, and several surprises we weren't expecting.

What did you think of the new look for Ocarina of Time? Is this exactly what you wanted from a remake, or has something been lost in translation?

Time Codes:
0:00 – Intro
1:27 – Zelda’s 40th Anniversary Direct
3:01 – Ocarina of Time Remake Reveal
9:25 – Our First Impressions
10:36 – Something About the Art Direction Feels Off
16:03 – What Happened to Link’s Face?
17:27 – Is Link’s New Design Too Busy?
24:01 – The Plastic / Porcelain Look
26:01 – Moving Away From the Original Art
29:13 – Was Puppet Theater an Influence?
30:58 – Why Art Direction Matters
35:27 – Final Fantasy VII Revelation & Crisis Core
36:11 – Star Fox
36:59 – Fire Emblem
38:07 – Pikmin & a Very Silent Hill-Looking Game
38:53 – Xenoblade Chronicles 3
39:33 – The Climbing Game
40:32 – Resident Evil Remakes
42:21 – The New Wii Sports?
43:34 – Metroid: Ravenous
44:53 – Eternal Anima
45:33 – Romancing SaGa 3
46:24 – Persona 4 & Persona 6
47:20 – Kirby Gets Weird
48:47 – Our Nintendo Direct Standouts
50:28 – Outro

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3

Listen on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/resonantarc

Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-the-arc-podcast/id1121795837

Listen on Pocket Casts: http://pca.st/NJsJ

Discord Link: https://discord.gg/RFMF6gpHr
Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/resonantarc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/resonantarc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/resonantarc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resonantarc

Gamescom 2026 brought a lot of news for upcoming RPGs. In today's episode, we break down the latest Final Fantasy VII Revelation trailer, including the expanded Weapon encounters, Vincent's new backstory, the Fits system, and the enormous challenge Square Enix faces in marketing the final chapter without spoiling some of the biggest moments in the original Final Fantasy VII.

We also dig into Persona 4 Revival and the controversy surrounding Atlus' approach to remakes, including whether "quality of life" improvements can fundamentally alter the design and spirit of the original games.

Then there's Terranigma. After more than 30 years, one of the greatest—and most inaccessible—SNES RPGs is finally being rereleased worldwide. We go through what we currently know about the new release, its vanilla and enhanced modes, the involvement of original staff, and the strange controversy surrounding the music used in its reveal trailer.

Plus: The Witcher 3 is somehow getting another major overhaul AND a new expansion; former Witcher developers are building their own RPG; and China's AAA game industry keeps producing graphically astounding-looking games.

What surprised you most from Gamescom?

#FinalFantasyVII #Terranigma #Persona4 #Gamescom #JRPG

Time Codes:
1. Intro (0:00)
2. Gamescom 2026 Reactions (1:49)
3. Final Fantasy VII Revelation (2:41)
4. Vincent's Expanded Backstory (8:20)
5. The New "Fits" Class System (14:32)
6. How Do You Market FFVII's Final Act? (15:52)
7. Nonlinear Paths & One Ending (17:54)
8. Persona 4 Revival (20:24)
9. Why Persona Remakes Are Controversial (25:17)
10. Does "Quality of Life" Change the Game? (31:39)
11. Is Persona Losing Its Original Art Direction? (35:18)
12. Could Persona Actually Look Like an Anime? (42:11)
13. Terranigma Is FINALLY Back (44:43)
14. What Exactly Is This Terranigma Rerelease? (49:26)
15. Vanilla vs. Enhanced Mode (54:00)
16. The Terranigma Music Controversy (58:07)
17. The Witcher 3 Is Getting ANOTHER Remaster (1:08:05)
18. A Brand-New Witcher 3 Expansion (1:10:27)
19. A New RPG From Former Witcher Developers (1:14:15)
20. China's AAA Games Are Getting Ridiculous (1:17:28)
21. What's Coming Next on Resonant Arc (1:20:45)

The 2002 remake of Resident Evil is often considered one of the greatest (and most faithful) video game remakes ever made. But is it really as faithful as its reputation suggests?

In this episode of The Remake Trials, we compare Resident Evil (1996) with Resident Evil (2002), explore the strange development history behind both games, examine how the remake transforms the original’s horror, discuss tank controls, Crimson Heads, Lisa Trevor, B-movie filmmaking, authorial intent, and the changing identity of Resident Evil. And at the end, we place REmake on our Remake Fidelity Matrix.

Is Resident Evil Remake still the gold standard for faithful remakes? Maybe, but it’s more complicated than we thought.

Time Codes:
(0:00) Intro
(1:31) The Remake Fidelity Matrix
(3:42) Welcome to The Remake Trials
(5:35) Was Resident Evil Supposed to Be Campy?
(11:41) The Strange Story Behind the Voice Acting
(13:06) Shinji Mikami on Horror and Comedy
(19:28) Resident Evil vs. The Evil Dead
(23:39) The Remake’s Biggest Change: Tone
(29:18) What Was Resident Evil Trying to Be?
(36:05) Was the Campiness Intentional?
(44:35) Why Capcom Wanted to Remake Resident Evil
(49:54) Who Owns a Work After It’s Released?
(58:23) Making Resident Evil “Scarier”
(1:04:08) B-Movie Horror vs. Gothic Horror
(1:15:54) Lisa Trevor Changes the Story
(1:18:42) How a Remake SHOULD Change Things
(1:23:14) Crimson Heads and Surprising Returning Players
(1:25:23) Why Tank Controls Actually Work
(1:29:36) Resident Evil’s Japanese Horror Connection
(1:33:30) The Three Types of Camp
(1:36:18) The Resident Evil Remake Paradox
(1:38:12) So How Faithful Is REmake?
(1:44:18) What Is the “Spirit” of a Work?
(1:51:12) Comparing the Gameplay
(1:56:25) How Resident Evil Changed as a Series
(1:59:29) The Lost Style of Classic Survival Horror
(2:03:19) The Death of B-Movies and Mid-Budget Games
(2:10:04) Final Verdict: The Fidelity Matrix

Sources For Further Reading:

Lynne Harris Interview: https://www.gamesradar.com/making-of-resident-evil-shinji-mikami-interview/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Shinji Mikami Interview: https://www.gamesradar.com/making-of-resident-evil-shinji-mikami-interview/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Kenichi Iwao Interview: https://www.crimson-head.com/interviews/kenichi-iwao-interview?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Original Developers Interview: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/resident-evil-creator-shinji-mikami-reflects-on-th/1100-6435918/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Hiroyuki Kobayashi Interview: https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7017/bexclusiveb-res-producer-speaks-out?utm_source=chatgpt.com

REmake Mikami/Kobayashi Interview: https://survivhor.biohazardfrance.net/morbidcreations/re_behind/int_remake/int_remake_1.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com