Marina Ryan sits down to recap Quest Markers’ first year – and the life lessons that video games can teach us. 

We talk about community, grief, love, finding meaning in life, overcoming despair, becoming your own saviour, and so much more. 

Hope you enjoy!

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(00:00) Introduction

(02:07) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

(04:00) Metroid Dread

(05:48) Final Fantasy VII & Final Fantasy 7 Remake

(07:12) Xenoblade Chronicles

(08:31) NieR: Replicant

(09:55) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

(11:26) Pokémon Gold & Silver

(12:36) Hollow Knight

(14:16) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

(15:25) Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

(17:00) NieR: Automata

(18:25) Resident Evil 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 Remakes

(20:34) The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

(22:07) What’s coming next year for Quest Markers 

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Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ 

Midautumn Game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1582380/Midautumn/ 

The Gaming Outsider: https://thegamingoutsider.com/ 

Ren: https://twitter.com/renraven_ 

Billy: https://twitter.com/saturn_sounds 

Snugboy: https://www.youtube.com/@Snugboy 

Zack Parkerson: https://twitter.com/GOcastZack 

Jack Alex Roberts: https://twitter.com/jackalexroberts 

Sherveen: https://twitter.com/SUduwana 

Scott Clark: https://twitter.com/GOcastScott 

Thomas Roland: https://linktr.ee/thomasroland 

Marina Ryan: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠  

Marina Ryan sits down with Kinsey for part 2 of Quest Markers’ anniversary episode! Thank you for 1 year of conversations, coffee, and laughs 🖤

Grab your ocarina and let’s fall into Termina for the sequel to our very first episode with our very  first guest. We talk about how Majora’s Mask tells a story of pain and healing through trauma, and we speculate about what the Fierce Deity's mask actually symbolizes.

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(00:00) Introduction

(01:39) Link’s memories, pain, and trauma

(03:10) The symbolism of the Fierce Deity's mask

(08:40) Majora’s Mask is so good at making you FEEL

(10:22) Would this game come out in 2023? 

(11:11) Majora’s Mask’s longevity 

(14:46) Music is healing

(15:33) You want to save the world because you care about the world and the small moments within it

(21:50) Pieces of heart symbolism

(23:05) Perfectionism and getting it right the first time around

(24:40) Link processing his trauma and finding his place within in

(26:26) Humility and courage

(28:27) Courage can manifest in other ways that aren’t slaying the monster 

(31:58) Despite the dread… life is so precious

(32:32) Developed in 1 year and setting an industry standard

(35:30) Wrap up

(38:07) Outro 

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FOLLOW US

Quest Markers: ⁠https://linktr.ee/questmarkers⁠ 

Marina Ryan

Socials: ⁠https://linktr.ee/marinaryan⁠  

Website: ⁠https://marinamakes.co

Marina Ryan sits down with Kinsey for Quest Markers’ anniversary episode! Thank you for 1 year of conversations, coffee, and laughs 🖤

Grab your ocarina and let’s fall into Termina for the sequel to our very first episode with our very  first guest. We talk about how Majora’s Mask tells a story of pain and healing through the 5 stages of grief – and how it’s up to us to decide how we respond to a terrible fate. 

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(00:00) Introduction

(01:57) Meeting Kinsey

(08:08) Story summary

(10:17) The Happy Mask Salesman & Defining Majora’s Mask’s tone

(12:45) Time anxiety & grieving future versions of you

(14:32) Agency, the butterfly effect, & helping the people of Termina heal

(16:18) Termina feels alive

(18:35) Finding joy and healing

(20:50) The 5 stages of grief & why Stone Tower Temple is the final stage of grief

(31:15) “This is truly a good happiness” 

(33:00) Link’s trauma from Ocarina of time

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FOLLOW US

Quest Markers: https://linktr.ee/questmarkers 

Marina Ryan

Socials: https://linktr.ee/marinaryan 
Website: https://marinamakes.co

Marina Ryan sits down with Thomas Roland for a special Halloween episode covering the Resident Evil series. 

This episode covers Resident Evil 0 through 5 Remake.

Grab your green herbs and get ready for a dive into RE’s characters, the themes of fleeting hope and becoming your own saviour, and why the survival horror genre isn’t meant to be difficult.

Welcome to (an accidental) Leon Kennedy Hour.

(00:00) Introduction

(07:33) Story summary for all 5 games

(14:30) Why Resident Evil 4’s change in direction made sense narratively

(21:53) Why is Leon Kennedy a fantastic character?

(26:20) Scariest moments in Resident Evil

(32:24) Jumpscares and RE’s creepy windows

(35:04) Leon’s leather jacket

(35:35) Fleeting hope and becoming your own saviour

(40:29) Multiple endings in RE1

(44:27) Survival horror as a genre isn’t meant to be difficult

(52:03) ‘Saudade’ or ‘The Bullet and the Blade’? 

(54:03) Why is the Resident Evil series so popular? 

(56:10) Wrapping Up & Question for the Audience

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FOLLOW US

Quest Markers

Listen Everywhere: https://linktr.ee/questmarkers

Thomas Roland

Socials: https://linktr.ee/ThomasRoland

Email: [email protected]

NaNoWriMo: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/thomas-roland/projects/a-company-of-silver

Marina Ryan

Socials:: https://linktr.ee/marinaryan 

Website: https://marinamakes.co

SPECIAL THANK YOU
Talking Skull on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKSgmRc-W4Y

Marina sits down for another solo episode to talk about the game she hadn’t stopped talking about for 2 years straight: NieR: Automata.

This episode goes in-depth on NieR: Automata’s story, how its game elements come together, why its use of narrative design is masterful, how it explores existentialism, free will, and the meaning of being alive, and why YoRHa androids wear blindfolds. 

(00:00) Introduction

(03:32) Story summary

(21:20) How the game elements come together

(23:36) Mastery in narrative design

(24:39) How NieR: Automata leans into the element of surprise

(27:15) Existentialism, free will, community, joy, and finding meaning

(34:28) Why YoRHa Androids wear blindfolds

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Our NieR: Replicant episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bC3GLTQz1lIyW6WodGyy2?si=229f9c2ca4c24475 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0nWUGi0LMI 

Follow Us:

• Quest Markers: https://linktr.ee/questmarkers 

• Marina: https://linktr.ee/marinaryan  

• Music: https://marinamakes.co

Marina sits down for her first solo episode to celebrate Quest Markers entering our episodic double digits, Dawntrail’s announcement, ARR’s 10th anniversary, and her finally getting caught up in MSQ after 1.5 years of playing FFXIV.

This episode goes in-depth on Shadowbringers and Endwalker lore, why Endwalker’s story hit as deeply as it did, why Emet-Selch is one of the greatest antagonists in all of gaming, and why FFXIV gets the friendship, hope, and villainous nihilism tropes so, so right. 

00:00 Introduction

3:48 Recap of Shadowbringers & Endwalker

10:29 Dynamis, Meteion, Zodiark, and the Great Sundering

20:06 Why was it so power that Shadowbringers flipped the WOL's role?

22:13 Why Emet-Selch is one of the best villains in all of Final Fantasy

29:29 Why Endwalker's story hits so hard

42:27 The 2 cutscenes I could rewatch over and over again

46:40 Answers

47:37 Wrapping up

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Special thanks: 

• Yoshi-P

• Soken

• G'raha Tia

• My Free Company

• StoutHelm for his lore videos: https://www.youtube.com/@StoutHelm 

• Anyone and everyone who has ever documented any FFXIV lore over on Fandom: https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XIV 

Follow Us:

• Quest Markers: https://twitter.com/questmarkerspod 

• Marina: @marinahascoffee on socials 

• Music: https://marinamakes.co

Marina sits down with Scott from The Gaming Outsider to talk about Scott’s favourite Zelda game: A Link to the Past. We talk about community, trust, secrets, betrayal, why King Zora is the funniest character, and whether the game holds up after all these years. Enjoy, and have a great day! 

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Follow Us:

The Gaming Outsider: https://thegamingoutsider.com/ 

Quest Markers: https://twitter.com/questmarkerspod 

Marina on The Gaming Outsider: https://www.patreon.com/posts/desert-island-86435008 

Scott: https://twitter.com/GOcastScott 

Marina: https://twitter.com/marinahascoffee & https://bsky.app/profile/marinahascoffee.bsky.social 
Music: https://marinamakes.co

Marina sits down with Game Director and Designer Sherveen to talk about the unexpectedly deep lore and narrative of Hollow Knight. We talk about the Hollow Knight’s tragic life, quirky characters we meet in Hallownest, the sad story of the Abyss’ vessels, and willing things into existence. Hope you enjoy!

(00:00) Introduction & Meeting Sherveen

(11:53) Hollow Knight's Story Overview

(17:11) Discussion of Hollow Knight's Narrative

(54:33) Wrapping Up

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Follow Us:

Midautumn Game: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1582380/Midautumn/  

Quest Markers: https://twitter.com/questmarkerspod 

Sherveen: https://twitter.com/SUduwana 

Marina: https://twitter.com/marinahascoffee & https://www.instagram.com/marinahascoffee/ 

Music: https://marinamakes.co

Jack sits down with Marina to talk about Pokémon Gold & Silver! We talk about the darker themes explored in this story, the controversy of Slowpoke tails, this generation’s lack of fire Pokémon, the glorious pink dog that is Snubbull, why Lavender town is so creepy, and finally being able to evolve Pikachu. Join us for an equally chaotic and funny conversation, and enjoy!

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Follow Us:

Quest Markers: https://twitter.com/questmarkerspod 

GGRecon: https://www.ggrecon.com/ 

The Indiependent: https://www.indiependent.co.uk/ 

Jack: https://twitter.com/jackalexroberts

Marina: https://twitter.com/marinahascoffee

Music: https://marinamakes.co

Ren comes back and sits down with Marina to talk about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, just before the release of Tears of the Kingdom. We talk about Zelda’s desire for freedom, Fi’s significance, our favourite emotional moments, and BOTW’s open-world design. We also speculate about Ganondorf and Demise’s appearances in Tears of the Kingdom. Enjoy!

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Follow Us:

Quest Markers: https://twitter.com/questmarkerspod 

Ren: https://twitter.com/rensomnia 

Marina: https://twitter.com/marinahascoffee

Music: https://marinamakes.co