Strap in for a massive episode - in Episode 7 I'm joined by my good friends Erick Flores and Jaden Joslin from the band Native Tongue, consummate gamers both, to delve even deeper into CD Projekt Red's 'Cyberpunk 2077'. We chat about the actual experience of playing the game from its earliest release, as well as discussing the production of it through the lens of the current gaming industry, which has a lot in common and shares a lot of the same problems as the mainstream film industry, and the cultural industries at large. We cover the game's strengths as a work, the challenges of birthing such a juggernaut into the current culture that is both trying to be an open world RPG and tell a compelling story, and opine for what we specifically look for in games and cinema that our hegemonic culture seems to completely lack. This was an exciting episode to record as we touch on a range of subjects relating to the production of contemporary art, including the film 'Parasite' by Bong Joon-Ho and its resonance with Western audiences, the shift in the gaming industry from strong storytelling and artistry to the games-as-a-service model that relies on DLC and has heralded the death of complete projects, as well as the impact of Japanese video game auteurs like Hidetaka Miyazaki and his 'Dark Souls' series, and Shinji Mikami and his horror series 'The Evil Within'.
Check out Native Tongue's latest song and music video 'Buffering', directed by yours truly: Buffering - Music Video
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The Mirror looks at cultural production through a critical and philosophical lens, emphasising the importance of historical understanding, deep reflection, and true situational awareness for developing higher levels of craftsmanship and discipline in artistic practice.
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The Mirror Theme is written, produced and performed by Annalisa Vetrugno, with drums contributed by Giacomo Greco.
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