What a fascinating topic. Thinking about it makes me *feel* like I know some examples but I can't really bring any examples to mind right now. But your point about XP immediately made me think of Undertale as well. The game deliberately leads you to think that XP is what you need to get stronger -- and you do get stronger but XP and LV are not what you think they are. You just think like that because of preconceived notions. So would you say that it challenges that notion, in a sense?
The use of Souls as XP [and indeed, as a universal currency] is, I think, more than arbitrary renaming, at least in that first game. The whole plot of Demons Souls, after all, revolves almost entirely around the discovery of Soul Arts, the manipulation and use of souls, the theft of souls, and the accumulation of souls, which is the domain of the profane and otherworldly. The arc of the game's progress, the ONLY way for you reach the final heart of evil, is to be invited, having gorged yourself on souls, possess 'power beyond human imagination,' and become yourself the greatest Demon within the lands. That the later games just reuse and then arbitrarily rename the mechanic weakens the narrative impact if Demons wasn't your first game, but it's a pretty powerful twist on XP, especially when you consider what happens to souls that are 'lost' or consumed to fuel the Demons' insatiable hunger.
You're exactly right. I probably should have spent some time differentiating Souls from GoW's Blood Orbs, which I do think are originally a thematic but uncritical re-skin of XP. Thanks for the elaboration!
Really interesting, hadn’t considered this and now I’ll be on the lookout for simulacra. I was always an alchemist in Skyrim, sneaking into the shops at night and stealing ingredients, lol. Is there open access to your scholarly work on alchemy in the game? I’d be interested to read it.
Unfortunately, I don't have anything available about Skyrim specifically. I have given a couple conference presentations about it, though! More projects are currently underway
What a fascinating topic. Thinking about it makes me *feel* like I know some examples but I can't really bring any examples to mind right now. But your point about XP immediately made me think of Undertale as well. The game deliberately leads you to think that XP is what you need to get stronger -- and you do get stronger but XP and LV are not what you think they are. You just think like that because of preconceived notions. So would you say that it challenges that notion, in a sense?
Exactly! We should be wary of bringing genre conventions with us unquestioned
The use of Souls as XP [and indeed, as a universal currency] is, I think, more than arbitrary renaming, at least in that first game. The whole plot of Demons Souls, after all, revolves almost entirely around the discovery of Soul Arts, the manipulation and use of souls, the theft of souls, and the accumulation of souls, which is the domain of the profane and otherworldly. The arc of the game's progress, the ONLY way for you reach the final heart of evil, is to be invited, having gorged yourself on souls, possess 'power beyond human imagination,' and become yourself the greatest Demon within the lands. That the later games just reuse and then arbitrarily rename the mechanic weakens the narrative impact if Demons wasn't your first game, but it's a pretty powerful twist on XP, especially when you consider what happens to souls that are 'lost' or consumed to fuel the Demons' insatiable hunger.
You're exactly right. I probably should have spent some time differentiating Souls from GoW's Blood Orbs, which I do think are originally a thematic but uncritical re-skin of XP. Thanks for the elaboration!
Really interesting, hadn’t considered this and now I’ll be on the lookout for simulacra. I was always an alchemist in Skyrim, sneaking into the shops at night and stealing ingredients, lol. Is there open access to your scholarly work on alchemy in the game? I’d be interested to read it.
Unfortunately, I don't have anything available about Skyrim specifically. I have given a couple conference presentations about it, though! More projects are currently underway