Geeks & Grounds is an asynchronous, monthly game club where we play video games and brew good conversation, together! β Each week, receive a newsletter with a reflection question and curated materials meant to help you thoughtfully connect with the games we play.
It's TV Tiiiime! πΊ DELTARUNE [Geeks & Grounds #96]
this week's brew π§
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I've already admitted that picking Deltarune for this month was a very self-indulgent choice, as it's one of my favorite games at the moment, even in its work-in-progress state. And the two chapters that we'll discuss these next couple weeks have solidified it even further as an all-time favorite - no point in burying the lede here - so I'm VERY excited to discuss it further!
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βListen to the episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts!
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Our initial conversations around Deltarune (Chapter 1 and Chapter 2) circled around the ideas of nostalgia and escapism. How the initial chapters presented fantasy worlds for our heroes -- Kris, Susie, and Ralsei -- to be able to be the best versions of themselves, save the day, and come safely home. What excited me most about Chapter 3 was seeing those lines between the Lightner's world and the Darkner's world blur. Kris, in particular, being forced to grapple with tough elements of their past that they seem to want to avoid. It brought up the question: what happens when the things you use for escapism turn into reminders of what you'd like to avoid?
Not to mention, this chapter has one of the most interesting (narratively) bosses with Tenna and the best throuple comedy (tragedy?) I think I've ever seen in a game! It's an absolute delight to play, and I can't wait to hear what YOU think!
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next week's brew β¨
βwhat we're playing for the month of June + supplementary materials to help you dig deeper.
July is a quick month, and next week we're already discussing Chapter 4: the episode drops July 22nd!
During our conversation about Chapter 3, we brought back up the concept of agency for, Kris. This will definitely come into play this chapter, and as you go through, I'd encourage you to notice the ways that you (as the player) and Kris interact.
In Chapter 4, we'll focus a bit less on the nostalgia and overt themes of escapism (although we'll certainly still see them) and move to explore more of the concept of fate and free will. The prophecy, something we've heard about since Chapter 1, plays a prominent role in this chapter. If you need, I've linked video below that shows the prophecy as we originally heard it, so you can remind yourself!
We'll also see some interesting evolutions in how our main characters evolve and behave. There'll be lots to celebrate, but take note of anything that feels unexpected, out of place, or inconsistent.
And, just in case you needed to check, below is the playthrough guide for the two chapters, which also includes the schedule, the game store page link, some additional reflection questions, and more!
| Check out the Playthrough Guide |
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This leads me to the reflection question for the week ~
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Reflection Question
Share your response by writing back to this message, submit a voice recording to be included in next week's episode, share in the community Discord, or simply ponder as you play. Of course, if you have other thoughts on the game you'd like to share not related to the question, please do so!
- Pick one of the Fun Gang characters (Kris, Susie, or Ralsei). How has your understanding of this character changed over the course of the four chapters? What do you think about them -- and their motivations/goals -- now, by the end of chapter four?
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Pour Over
Supplementary recs to expand on what we're playing this week~
- What was the prophecy again? Way back in Chapter 1, Ralsei kicked off the adventure by telling Kris and Susie that the three of them together make up the heroes in the prophecy. Here's the Chapter 1 scene for your reference edited together by YouTuber, HylianAngel.
- Who is the Roaring Knight? One of the major questions we've pondered since the start is the identity of the Roaring Knight. There are numerous candidates to consider, and I'd love to know your theories on who you think it may be. To help you evaluate, here's a solid video summarizing the role of the Knight and going through the major candidates and the evidence for and against each one by Youtuber, Gloop.
- And just because I referenced it in the Chapter 3 discussion: Raise Your Bat's Lyrics! It was so hard for me to catch while playing the first time, so here's an easy reference for you to compare.
the pastry case π₯
βour grab-bag of topics related to the industry and other media we've engaged with.
A LOT has happened since we last recorded, and we spent this week covering two primary pieces of news: the use of AI in The Alters and the layoffs at Microsoft. Here are the articles referenced in the conversion~
AI x The Alters:
- βThe Alters Developer Confirms It Used Generative AI Text and Translations, Promises Updates (Rebekah Valentine, IGN)
- βThe Altersβ AI Controversy Explained [Update] (Joshua Duckworth, GameRant)
- βFans Slam The Alters After Discovering Evidence of Undisclosed Gen AI In Images, Text, And Translation (Vikki Blake, Eurogamer)
Microsoft laid off 9K employees:
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βAll The Xbox Games Canceled And Studios Closed In Microsoftβs Latest Mass Layoffs (Eddie Makuch, Gamespot)
- Note: Microsoft is on the BDS listβ
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- Note: Microsoft is on the BDS listβ
Play/Watch/Listen/Read
Jenny -
- Play: Blue Prince
- Watch: K-Pop Demon Huntersβ
- Listen: Beautiful Chaos (Katseye)
- Read: Sunrise on the Reaping (Suzanne Collins)
Joel -
- Play: Blue Prince, Expedition 33β
- Watch: K-Pop Demon Huntersβ
- Listen: K-Pop Demon Huntersβ
- Read: A Day of Fallen Night (Samantha Shannon)
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This Weeks' Game Releases
Two titles that I'm keeping an eye on, and that may be worth picking up if you'd like something new to enjoy!
Stay in the loop -- listen to the weekly podcast on Spotify and Apple, hang with the community in Discord, and find us on Instagram!
βThanks for joining our digital cafΓ© this week -- talk soon!
Jenny
Jenny | Geeks & Grounds
Geeks & Grounds is an asynchronous, monthly game club where we play video games and brew good conversation, together! β Each week, receive a newsletter with a reflection question and curated materials meant to help you thoughtfully connect with the games we play.
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