Art is political. Not all art needs to be challenged, but now is the time for artists to make a big move. american demigod, game master monday The four-episode miniseries will knock you out. “I think there’s obviously a sense of powerlessness that a lot of people are feeling that is very tied to the current political climate.” supriyaThe game master explains. The show features a team of demigods who band together to (literally) save democracy. american demigod is more than just a game, it’s a conversation and a call to action.
Quick information:
audio: Varying degrees of microphone quality, light editing, and good sound effects
vibes: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, American Gods, Percy Jackson
Number of episodes reviewed:4
system: demigod Probably by OK Games
average episode length: 1 hour 15 minutes
accessibility: Content warning in episode description. The program focuses on current events in politics, religion, and society.
platform: Audio only, podcast
language: English
When critiquing the technical aspects of the show, you need to provide context for how Game Master Monday works. It is run entirely by volunteers and functions as a community theater for new players, game masters, and others to get hands-on experience. They specialize in short miniseries and one-shots, and play a variety of games. That being said, I wish the music had been dialed down a few notches and the editing a little tighter. There are a few instances where the conversation cuts out or some voices are louder than others. The always upbeat music behind the conversations is a bit too stimulating. On the other hand, the sound effects were great and some made me laugh a lot. Nordine has evolved significantly over the series.
The setting is similar to ours, but with a Percy Jackson-esque hidden world in front of you. This matches the configuration described in. demigod Probably by OK Games. of quick start “Multiple truths at once. Lean into it.” And they do. Supriya especially looked outside the existing gods and temples. She explained that this choice came from the first time she ran Demigods.
“I had one [player] That person chose to be a child of Santa Claus…but everyone else was within the established pantheon. I have a world full of existing myths in my head, and I’m not the kind of person who can easily pull from them, so I felt that was really limiting. ”
Another highlight of the series is the decision not to call out any particular religious group. When I spoke to her, Supriya pressed me on this point, saying, “One thing I want to be clear about is that every religion has a responsibility and can be used as a cudgel, so I didn’t want to blame any particular religion.” Some scenes refer to a particular ‘Christian’ group in question, but they are never identified as such and are left vague.
You’ll find several nods to existing stories and myths. We are kicked off by Shakespeare’s prophetic three witches. macbethon a daily basis, they look like just three people warming themselves by a fire in an alley. As a Billy the Bard fan myself, I can tell you that the importance of these witches becomes more apparent in later episodes.
The first episode is an establishing pilot. Introduce each character individually and highlight their specific roles as demigods. Seine Fontaine (Grant Nordin) is a demigod. [redacted]opportunity (kendrick smith) Clearly an opportunity, Yarrow Mitchell (Abby Yazzie) is the comfort food of the Southwest region, Celeste “Ravi” Jobi (diamond phosphorus) is an adrenaline rush, Luhan Rafiq (Nordin Ali Kadir) is a psychopomp demigod who is a transition from life to death.
our demigods
Seine Fontaine (he/him) is shrouded in mystery as to where his demigod powers come from. What I do know is that he uses the Celestial Playbook, which is depicted in-game as a spy with oracle-like powers. But Nordin’s approach is as unconventional as ever. He is seen carrying a large book containing rules and ideals he has collected over time to guide his life.
Thane is in contrast to Opportunity (any/all), who has nothing to hide. In fact, she is happy to be in public and transforms herself from time to time to benefit him. Smith perfectly embodies the muse scenario presented, especially when it is stated, “You make everyone look good, especially yourself.” Smith does a good job of skirting the line of virtue and giving his characters a chance to grow (heh).
There’s Yarrow Mitchell, named after a plant with many healing and health benefits, and for good reason. She skillfully utilizes the strategies of Verdant, the custodian of fertility, vitality, and life. With the help of Sunny Yazzie the raccoon, she manifests her powers through cooking. This was a fun interpretation, as food is a universal language of compassion and love, and Yazzie generously superimposes his character on both.
Celeste “Lavie” Jobi (any/all) has only recently achieved demigod status. His opening scene focuses on when it happened and how their love of extreme sports led them to the warrior scenario. Rin gives Ravi incredible insight and intuition, a skill that allows him to break away from the wisdomless warrior trope and stay safe as he rides the line between life and death.
Speaking of death, there’s Luhan (he/someone) fulfilling his duty to souls passing from life to death, an ability unique to the Grim Reaper’s playbook. We learn that the soul can change its destiny even after death. This is a beautiful sentiment compared to the absolution we usually see. Although Kadir plays this character more traditionally than others, he proves comforting and essential later in the series.
binding
The series sets up what the game calls a binding, a moment when multiple demigods fight together and form a powerful bond. According to the quickstart, games usually start after this event, but for this series we wanted to focus on the Binding itself and emphasize the message of coming together. The second episode felt a little slow. The first half focused on the characters arriving in Washington DC. When our demigods unite, they begin to shine.
Even though demigods are very powerful, they are still very human. They are still driven by human motives such as fear, doubt, and hope. They must fight against what holds them back, along with battling the hydra-like monsters of fatigue and burnout. Mind you, this is a miniseries, so the amount we delve into their psychology is limited, but we do see them overcome what can be summed up as “their own obstacles.” As with many myths and legends, outsmarting your opponent is just as important as overpowering them. Fascism permeates from within, and so do our demigods.
The most shocking moment for me in this miniseries is its conclusion, which has a refreshing nuance. Even when a monster is defeated, it never truly dies. The characters must decide what to do when fascism inevitably returns. We often find absolutes when it comes to messaging at this level, but they found a way to get the message across that even with gods and demigods, it’s not that simple. Their differences are on full display when each explains how they see the “big picture” of democracy. They are trying to save democracy, but the players are not disillusioned that democracy is the perfect solution.
american demigod become a model for demigod Social commentary on games and current events from various perspectives. Now they succeed! In just four episodes, they use games to foster conversations ranging from the belief that we can make a difference to the understanding that not all actions look the same. The technical aspects and pacing may require some effort, but I would argue that the short time commitment and content offset that. All four episodes are available. american demigod above game master monday Get your podcasts anywhere. Next time democracy is gone, will you heed the call?
Image from Game Master Monday
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