But why do we so frequently look at history this way? Well, as they say, history is told by the winners, in this case White America. Something similar is seen among historians who subscribe to American Exceptionalism. Overwhelmingly, though, historicist criticism on literature carried the writers’ biases with it, viewing history as stable and unquestionable. Traditional historicism is a rich movement within literary criticism, investigating the ways in which literature acted as a direct reflection of history. This lack of critical attention could be explained in the debate within literary theory between New Historicism and “Old” Historicism. “It’s as if Giygas isn’t really a thing, but more of an idea” the nerd says in his analysis, “Giygas is the vague embodiment of evil, or the devil itself, which makes this whole battle feel like an exorcism.” While both the nerd and Game Theory’s Matthew Patrick effectively delve into the game’s psychology and societal allusions, neither thematically make the connection between the game’s dark elements and its constant barrage of American imagery, which is crucial in fully appreciating EarthBound. No game critics have investigated the role of the American Dream as a theme of EarthBound - the closest we’ve come is an early episode of Game Theory tying EarthBound to real-life social issues, including the 1992 LA riots, and the Angry Video Game Nerd’s reading of EarthBound as being about repressed evil, symbolized through the game’s final boss, the “alien” Giygas. about coming to terms with the hidden evils buried underneath nostalgia and desire. And it does this, literally atop an alien invasion plotline, to explore the complicated dynamic of cultural alienation in American society. The game wants you to think of it as uncomplicated nostalgia, but just as many American Exceptionalists view our history as about freedom, becoming wealthy, having a house and a dog and all that “American Dream” stuff, every so often the game throws in disturbing scenes to challenge that assumption. It’s about coming to terms with the hidden evils buried underneath nostalgia and desire. EarthBound, despite how idyllically American the setting is, is a pointed critique of the American Dream. So there’s a lot of nostalgia in this game, to the point where mainstream game critics and fans alike wrote the game off as a quirky reflection of ‘90s American culture set to a generic “defeat the evil alien antagonist and save the world.”īut below the surface, there’s a deeper meaning. Much of the game’s soundtrack alludes to popular Beatles tracks. The low-level quest isn’t defeating the goblins who invaded the castle, but a rough-and-tumble gang of youths who took over the local arcade. The currency is not gold found in treasure chests, but paper dollars withdrawn from ATM machines. While 99% of RPGs on the market had fantasy settings, EarthBound is set in the heart of nineties Midwest America, here called “Eagleland.” While most RPG protagonists wield swords, cast spells, and drink healing potions, EarthBound’s protagonist Ness is a kid in a baseball cap who wields a baseball bat, has psychic sci-fi powers, and eats hamburgers when hurt. E arthBound might have been the weirdest role- playing game of the 1990s.
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