Lore & Order: A Gaming Podcast

James Padley & Amrith Eldridge

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Video Games
Updated Weekly

A podcast about games and nerd culture, and why they matter. Each week we reflect on how the games we love shaped our expectations, insecurities, relationships, and identities - and how they support our real life quest to become the best version of ourselves.

4d ago

Post Game Depression: The Strange Sadness of Finishing a Great Game

Have you ever finished an incredible game, and instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment, you felt sadness? The music swells. The credits roll. Only to be left with this strange emptiness. You wanted to reach the ending. You spent dozens (sometimes hundreds) of hours building towards it, but when it finally arrived...you almost wish it hadn’t. In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore the curious phenomenon of post-game depression: why finishing a great game can leave us feeling unexpectedly hollow, and what that feeling reveals about stories, relationships, and the worlds we inhabit. Because we’re not just saying goodbye to a game. We’re saying goodbye to a life we briefly lived. 🎮 Articles referenced in this episode: Post-game depression scale - a new measure to capture players' experiences after finishing video games - K. Janowicz & P. Klimczyk: gamesresearchgate.net/publication/400076597_Post-game_depression_scale_-_a_new_measure_to_capture_players%27_experiences_after_finishing_video_games What is Narrative Transportation? - C. Vinney: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-narrative-transportation-5217042 What is post-game depression? A narrative enquiry - P. Klimcyzk: https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/20994

51 min
Jun 8

A Healthy Distraction: How Games Help Us Cope

When life gets overwhelming, many of us instinctively reach for a controller. Whether it's before a big job interview, during a stressful week, while recovering from an illness, or simply after a rough day, games have a unique ability to quiet the noise and give our minds somewhere else to focus. In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore why games are such powerful tools for coping with stress, anxiety, pain, and uncertainty. We discuss the psychology of attention, flow state, and distraction, uncover fascinating historical examples of games being used to endure hardship, and examine the difference between healthy escapism and unhealthy avoidance. Along the way, we share personal stories of how gaming helped us through difficult periods, from major life transitions and medical recovery to anxiety, grief, and everyday stress. So come and get distracted with us - because sometimes distraction isn't something to feel guilty about. Sometimes, it's exactly what we need. 🎮 Articles referenced in this episode: Virtual “SnowWorld” Helps Burn Victims Cope with Extreme Pain - Laura Panjawi, 2017: https://www.rdworldonline.com/virtual-snowworld-helps-burn-victims-cope-with-extreme-pain/ Preventing intrusive memories after trauma via a brief intervention involving Tetris computer game play in the emergency department - L. Iyadurai, et al. 2018: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28348380/ Histories, Herodutus, 5th Century BC. Translated by G. C. Macaulay 1890 Distraction with a hand-held video game reduces pediatric preoperative anxiety: Anuradha Patel, et al. 2006: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16972829/

42 min
Jun 1

The Hero Within: Silent vs Voiced Protagonists

When you play a game, are you supposed to feel like yourself? Or are you supposed to feel like someone else? From silent heroes like Link and Pokémon trainers to iconic voiced characters like Geralt, Lara Croft, Kratos, and Commander Shepard, video games immerse us in very different ways depending on who we're controlling. In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore one of gaming's most fascinating design questions: Why do silent and voiced protagonists create such different emotional experiences? Because whether we're projecting ourselves onto a blank slate hero or stepping into the shoes of a fully realised character, games give us a unique opportunity to explore identity, empathy, and who we are. 🎮 Articles referenced in episode: The Psychology of Zelda: Linking Our World to the Legend of Zelda Series - Anthony Bean Virtual self-modeling: The effects of vicarious reinforcement and identification on exercise behaviors - J. Fox and J.N. Bailenson: https://vhil.stanford.edu/publications/medical/virtual-self-modeling-effects-vicarious-reinforcement-and-identification

50 min
May 25

The Age of Answers: The Death of Mystery in Modern Gaming

Do you remember hearing rumours about secret characters, hidden endings, or Easter eggs in games, and not knowing if they were real? Before guides, datamining, YouTube breakdowns, and social media spoilers, mystery in gaming felt different. Secrets spread through school yards, fringe forums, and word of mouth. If you wanted answers, you had to explore, experiment, and get creative. In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore what happened to mystery in modern gaming, and why losing that sense of uncertainty may have changed the way we experience games forever. So join us as we reflect on why the unknown still matters in a world where we can access every answer instantly. 🎮 Articles referenced in Episode: The psychology and neuroscience of curiosity - Celeste Kidd, Benjamin Y Hayden: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4635443/ Why we Love a good Mystery - Sam Goldstein Ph.D: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/common-sense-science/202503/why-we-love-a-good-mystery? Curiousity and the Dynamics of Optimal Exploration - Franceso P, et al: https://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/fulltext/S1364-6613%2824%2900028-7 What is Intolerance of Uncertainty? - Olivia Guy-Evans: https://www.simplypsychology.org/intolerance-of-uncertainty.html

58 min
May 18

Nostalgia Therapy: Why We Replay Games

Does hearing an old game soundtrack instantly transport you back in time? Can a loading screen, menu sound, or familiar world make you feel comforted, reminiscent...or even a little sad? In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore the power of nostalgia in gaming. Why certain games stay with us for decades, why revisiting them feels so meaningful, and what those experiences reveal about who we were - and who we’ve become. So join us for a round of Nostalgia Therapy. Because nostalgia in gaming isn’t just about replaying old favourites; It’s about reconnecting with a past version of yourself. Articles referenced in the episode: The untranslatable word that connects Wales - Lily Crossley-Baxter: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210214-the-welsh-word-you-cant-translate The effect of a multi-week nostalgia intervention on well-being: Mechanisms and moderation - Layous, K., Kurtz, J. L., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2022): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-88177-001 Nostalgia in video games - Nicholas David Bowman , Tim Wulf (2023): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X22002652

48 min
May 11

From Controller to Compassion: How Games Build Empathy

Can video games actually make us more empathetic? For decades, games - especially violent ones - have been accused of making people more aggressive, isolated, and emotionally disconnected. But what if we’ve been looking at games the wrong way? In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore how video games can become powerful empathy building machines: helping us understand other perspectives, connect emotionally with people unlike ourselves, and experience stories in ways no other medium can. Because games don’t just show us someone else’s struggles. They let us live them. Articles referenced in this episode: Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong - Patrick M. Markey, and Christopher J. Ferguson: https://www.amazon.com.au/Moral-Combat-Violent-Video-Games-ebook/dp/B01N76VRLM American Psychological Association: Resolution on violent video games: https://www.apa.org/about/policy/resolution-violent-video-games.pdf Empathy, Attitudes, and Action: Can Feeling for a Member of a Stigmatized Group Motivate One to Help the Group? C. Daniel Batson, Johee Chang, Ryan Orr, and Jennifer Rowland: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/014616702237647 Jane McGonigal - Super Better. Find links to all her work at: https://janemcgonigal.com/ Gaming can be a machine for empathy - Dr. Wajeehah Aayeshah: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/gaming-can-be-a-machine-for-empathy

49 min
May 4

No Problem: How Video Games Make Us Expert Problem-Solvers

What if every game we’ve ever played has been quietly training us to solve real-life problems? In this episode of Lore & Order, we explore how video games shape the way we think. How they teach us to analyse challenges, adapt quickly, and find solutions under pressure. From puzzle solving, strategising, and fast-paced decision-making, games constantly put us in situations where failure isn’t 'Game Over' - it’s just part of the process. But how does that translate into real life? Join us as break down what problem-solving really is, and how gaming mindsets can carry over into our everyday experiences. We also reflect on the games that helped shape the way that we approach challenges today. Follow us on instagram at @loreandorderpodcast Articles referenced in this episode: Measuring Problem Solving Skills in Portal 2 - Valerie J. Shute and Lubin Wang: https://myweb.fsu.edu/vshute/pdf/problemsolvingportal.pdf A Motivational Model of Video Game Engagement - Andrew K. Przybylski, Richard M. and Ryan, C. Scott Rigby: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2010_PrzybylskiRigbyRyan_ROGP.pdf

50 min
Apr 27

FOMO in Gaming: Playing What Everyone Else is Playing

Have you ever stuck with a game you weren’t enjoying just because everyone else said it was incredible? In this episode of Lore & Order, we unpack the quiet pressure to play what’s popular, and why so many of us push through games that simply aren’t for us. From 'Game of the Year' hype to viral gaming moments, modern gaming is more connected than ever. But that connection comes with a trade-off: the fear that we’re missing out. We explore: The psychology behind why we feel pressured to play what everyone else is playing Chasing “masterpieces” vs chasing the momentThe power of reviews, and why we trust consensus over our own tasteThe "canon" gaming experienceGiving in to the hype or waiting for a better experience And reclaiming our tasteWe also look at the upside of FOMO; how it can expand our taste, introduce us to new genres, and occasionally lead us to something we never expected to love. So join us as we break down all things FOMO in gaming!

57 min

A podcast about games and nerd culture, and why they matter. Each week we reflect on how the games we love shaped our expectations, insecurities, relationships, and identities - and how they support our real life quest to become the best version of ourselves.

Creator

James Padley & Amrith Eldridge
Years Active

2K
Episodes

13
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© James Padley
Show Website

Lore & Order: A Gaming Podcast