Earthbound, Personality, and Game Design

Earthbound, Personality, and Game Design is the 8th episode of Digressing & Sidequesting on The Game Theorists.

Description
''Earthbound's greatest strength is its personality, something most modern games seem to lack. But, from a game design perspective, "personality" isn't something often considered. How does Earthbound use its charm to benefit its gameplay and story? And how did this quirky RPG gain a cult following unlike so many other games that have come out before or since?''