Retrograde Amnesia Season Three Announcement
Who won!?
Feb 09, 2021•4 min
Retrograde Amnesia: Comprehensive JRPG Retrospective
A chapter by chapter, beat by beat analysis of classic Japanese Roleplaying Games (JRPG). We delve deep into the story, dialogue, game mechanics, music, influences, and themes.
We've covered Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy VIII, Suikoden, Suikoden II, Xenosaga Episode I, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete.
Yes, we will kill god.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
Chrono Cross 17: Habitable Real Estate in Color Hell [Temporal Vortex + Arni (Home)]
Am I dead? I guess we’re looking back at the beach, waking up in dimensional vortex, tripping balls, befriending a shape-shifting creature of myth, sorting out reality, fighting against two dimensions, jumping in a warp zone, partying with Sprigg, failing to teleport, kicking ass to the moon, experiencing severe xenophobia, frightening the locals, and sleeping in my bed that isn’t mine. I can’t afford to lose you just yet. 01:07 Intro | 03:20 Temporal Vortex | 14:27 Dimensional Tower | 23:04 Tot...
Feb 08, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Chrono Cross 16: Ruinous Dreams of Dragons Don't Die [Ft. Dragonia (Another)]
Life and death, love and hate, they are all the same. This time we’re deluminating crystal monoliths, facing north, getting an ankle sprain, changing the order of head body and tail, battling beast mecha, inserting Skelly, glooping glop, receiving a kissy wissy from a son of a gun, stumbling upon an incubator, reliving a prologue, trapping Elements, vomiting ourselves, eliminating co-conspirators, talking as a silent protagonist, and facing ourselves at the edge of death. Now, let love bleed dar...
Feb 01, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Chrono Cross 15: Local Fossicker [Mount Pyre (Another)]
Don’t tell my bro, but I’ve got good stuff he don’t, baby. Today we’re getting a loogie hocked on our face, meeting the witch doctor, selling wares in a hot tub, watching a dragon sleep, turning lava to ice, debating diggity dogs, killing Solt with Peppor, getting dragons stuck in earth, fighting a tiny dragon, identifying unique dialogue, whooping the asses of overconfident devas, learning new techs, turning back after the point of no return. Not bad lad, I’m sure I’ll see you again. 01:13 Intr...
Jan 25, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Chrono Cross 14: Dancing on Fairy Corpses [Water Dragon Isle (Home)]
Welcome son of man, now come to me. Today we’re assuming ourselves bound by fate, getting the plot on track, acquiring our depressed doctor, defining shot, encouraging brother fights, riding lilly pads, killing all the dwarves again, deliberately letting Rosetta die and live, admiring and also destroying the dwarf tank, not using the dragon platform, and finding a link to Lucca. Wilt thou change the world, or wilt thou change thyself? 01:03 Intro | 02:54 Guldove (Another World)| 15:13 Chris stop...
Jan 18, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Chrono Cross 13: Fargo Shorts [S. S. Invincible (Another)]
Head into the fog? This time we’re treasuring skeleton fantasies, aligning character motivations, revealing a ghost ship as a pirate ship, wearing Fargo shorts, dancing to diegetic music, blowing whistles and hitting gongs, fighting big birds, inventing a new ho, doing jellyfish tranqs, fighting skeletons with skeletons, ignoring safety protocols, and beating up a Dead Head. I’m the bone. 01:05 Intro 05:14 | Aboard the Ghost Ship | 20:11 In the Hold #AD | 23:06 - Foggy Deck Invasion | 24:06 - Es...
Jan 11, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Chrono Cross 12: Worldly Person of Lordly Caliber [Hermit's Hideaway (Another)]
I am playing Chrono Cross, and I am alone. After going down the humour hole, we’re scouring the dregs of Viper Manor, assimilating into our party, finding sacred artifacts, getting our Safety Gear, eliminating sentient beings, reluctantly accepting NeoFio, watching Glenn give the game away, breaking down the fourth wall, speaking with the fairies, acquiring all of Skelly, fighting clowns in the woods, and meeting a familiar old man. And he doesn’t have a toilet. 01:05 Intro | 02:43 Shadow Forest...
Jan 04, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Chrono Cross 11: Leave it to Beeba, Hi-Ho [Hydra Marsh (Home)]
Hi ho. Today we’re dividing our time, teleporting across worlds, exchanging poetry, letting Leena meet Leena, getting poisoned, blowing the Beeba Flute, busting up the sacred Wingapede, murdering Pentapus, liberating Razzly, wiping out Dwarfs, making the Hydra extinct, healing Kid, watching Mel rob Kid, and sorting out a rookie thief. Go away, beeba off. 01:05 Intro | 06:14 Opassa Beach | 08:11 Home Arni Paradox Testing |14:37 Hydra Marshes (Home World) | 23:45 Pentapus | 29:10 Dwarf Screed | 32...
Dec 28, 2020•54 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Chrono Cross 10: Thieving of Labor [Guldove (Another) + Back to Termina]
I have not seen the light, amigo. Today we’re thinking of party members as coworkers, seeking advice from governing mystics, listening to dragon god legends, receiving a green tinkler, overlaying theme music, using alcohol as a bribe, psychically annihilating groupies, confessing to the florist, visiting Skelly’s house, cashing in a bet, confirming Pierre, and marveling in the absurdity of the Luchador Priest. Glenn is no cop; he’s got morals. 01:00 Intro | 03:30 Guldove’s Shaman | 11:45 Dragon ...
Dec 21, 2020•57 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Chrono Cross 9: Applebee's Punk [Guldove]
Ripples and waves make sense. This time we’re shaking off a massive fall, requiring extinct medicine, choosing Kid’s destiny, taking/refusing advice from horny clowns, channeling The Witcher 2, engaging in local commerce, drinking away insecurities, identifying “Applebees Punk,” alienating Korcha, stealing a secret dress, and becoming the wind. Au revoir, mon ami. 01:00 Intro | 04:29 Waking up in Guldove | 08:01 Doc’s clinic | 22:44 Guldove overview | 29:50 Orlha’s motivational workshop | 33:10 ...
Dec 14, 2020•49 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Chrono Cross 8: More Like Mystery Cat [Viper Manor, Part II]
We’re not here to play jacks. Instead, we’re extracting more lore from Karsh, misunderstanding ghosts, opening a chest with the power of persistence, enjoying a moonlight bridge, wrecking Marcy, getting freshman philosophical, seeing my mom in my sister and then fighting her, getting horny with a clown, meeting a menacing Lynx, making cat puns, taking hostages, and making leaps of faith. Come to me, the assassin of time, THE CHRONO TRIGGER. 01:07 Intro | 02:30 Karsh Interrogation | 12:13 Library...
Dec 07, 2020•50 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Chrono Cross 7: Normalize Dragons [Viper Manor, Part I]
Too Bad. Wrong. Sucker. On this episode we’re letting go of Pierre, dodging pointless spotlights, feeding hungry dragons, literally falling in a trap, suspecting Glenn might be an idiot, questioning the general competence of Viper’s dragoon, beating up robots, looting the vault, literally falling in another trap, releasing a cute monster, missing attacks, and gaining respect for Zoah. Feed the nobles to the dragons. 00:46 Intro | 02:25 Viper Manor Exterior | 07:10 Dragon Stables | 14:19 Inside V...
Nov 30, 2020•49 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Chrono Cross 6: Doodle Suits [Terminia + Three Routes to Viper Manor]
We shall age another year while you shall remain the same in memory. This time we’re lifting weights at Greco’s, feeling sorrowful with Glenn and Riddel, restarting the sword forge, instantly finding the Hero Medal, understanding misunderstood artists, suffering Pierre’s limitless idiocy, slaying Ketchop, boating with Korcha, ascending perilous bluffs, beating up expensive monsters, singing to forest creatures, hypnotizing aroma blobs, and staring in awe at the amazing tree leaping beefcake, Zoa...
Nov 23, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Chrono Cross 5: A Real Demagogue [Termina (Another)]
You’re not dead or anything, are you? On this episode we’re learning how to pronounce “acacia,” running short on Bellflowers, admiring coastal architecture, thinking about Glenn, polishing my Viper statue, getting framed by an invisible guy, observing potential toilets, working too hard, ordering squid guts, encountering demi-humans, constructing wistful sea metaphors, cutting through groupies, busting through carnies, and buying churros. You might just be the key to the destruction of this enti...
Nov 16, 2020•55 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Chrono Cross 4: Kiss the Moons [Cape Howl + Heading North]
Boogum! This time we’re finding our own grave, kicking our talking dog off a cliff, enduring spice puns, gaining a star level, meeting a girl named Kid, sleeping in my dead boy room, obtaining Mojo, becoming exorcists, conversing with a jolly talking skull, taking the big egg, re-fighting the spice boys, and reading character fun facts. Nobody can take anything away from him. Nor can anyone give anything to him. 00:51 Intro | 03:04 Cape Howl | 06:50 Showdown at the sunset cliff | 17:08 Return to...
Nov 09, 2020•47 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Chrono Cross 3: Toking with Lizards [Opassa Beach + Another Arni]
What are you doing here, man, this is my island. On this episode we’re learning lessons from choices unmade, dancing the tokage, dressing the battle set, observing weird weapons, remembering Nu, acquiring Komodo Dragon scales, killing the dragon mother, getting sentimental with Leena, waking up at the beach, admiring the beautiful face of the Opah Fish, getting horny at posters, changing music in the middle of Arni, feeling love and affection from Mojo, and dying but still existing. Think about ...
Nov 02, 2020•56 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Chrono Cross 2: Ocean Metaphor [Arni (Home)]
Come on sleepyhead, get up. On this episode, we’re deleting music from the game, standing up to Leena through extended slumber, talking to everybody in Arni Village, learning super duper lizard secrets, reminiscing a life of gutting fish, unlocking Satellaview secrets, reciting more poetry, appreciating Poshul’s lisp, learning how to fight, reading mega-babe posters, and remembering the days of yore. Don’t tell grandma I was looking at the jiggle. 00:40 Intro | 02:01 Capturing hot sounds | 04:28...
Oct 26, 2020•50 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Chrono Cross 1: The Start of All This [Intro + Ancient Fort]
Let us begin a fantastical exegesis of Chrono Cross. To kick off our second season, we’re talking about who made Chrono Cross, discussing accent tools, denying community, marveling at efficiency, reciting poetry, devouring the intro CG movie, calling songs different names, invading a stone fortress, and foreshadowing doom. We hope you enjoy this radical dream! 00:50 Intro | 01:53 What is this podcast? | 03:35 Development overview | 14:25 Millennium reflections | 20:00 Power On / Attract Mode | 3...
Oct 19, 2020•52 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Xenogears E55: Fei, Dick Out [Epilogue]
The wretched will makes us experience sadness and loss. For the final episode of season one, we're meeting our real imaginary savior in space, speaking to ghostface killa, rationalizing villainous activity, getting high off god fumes, spilling soup, accepting fate, rejecting fate, seeking connections, determining the power of love through battle, forgiving genocide, favoring humanity over divinity, running through the dimensional shift, collapsing space time, falling to earth, and screaming in J...
Oct 12, 2020•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Xenogears E54: Old Testament [First and Last, Part IV]
I have been playing Xenogears for eight months. In the penultimate episode of season one, we're conducting inadequate preparation, incompleting a map, beating up angels, falling through laser tunnels, flipping tedious dungeon switches, observing basement bass, fighting fighting orbs, sealing divine abilities, time travelling to 1999, intershifting dimensionality, breaking our Gears, destroying fate, and killing god. Yes, we have killed god. 00:52 - Intro 02:15 - Final dungeon prep 05:14 - Explor...
Oct 05, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Xenogears E53: The War on Christmas [First and Last, Part III]
Have you ever taken a side quest to another episode of a game that will never exist? Today we're not appearing on the world map, recreating 90's cityscapes, fighting walking dragons, marveling at asphalt, manipulating Zeboim culture, using war as a solution to infertility, reading insane lore magazines, winning NBA grand slams, buying Joe-brand parts, purchasing drugs, living through another year, getting outrageously upset at dinner, concluding it won't work, making it work, producing a nanomac...
Sep 28, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Xenogears E52: Re-Obsessed with Viscera [First and Last, Part II]
We'll catch you in the static between sounds, right before we kill god. Today we're investing in Golden Vests, declining Franz' hot sounds, rejecting Margie's advances, locating Chu-Chu, getting bad info from a wiki, comparing hot sauce, beating up Sluggers for no reason, battle rapping dune men, extracting a sword from bones, playing human plinko, fist fighting Wyrms, banging big, changing our jukebox's face plate, and feeding a dog. #HammerDidNothingWrong 00:53 - Intro 02:06 - World Map: Expec...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Xenogears E51: Men of the Sea Never Say Die [First and Last, Part I]
We can actually play this game now. While we’re surviving the apocalypse, we’re also merging flags, buying scam birds, burning books, digging up a jukebox, alienating our dolphin stepson, going down with the ship, fantasizing about The Captain, becoming a landlubber, accepting forgiveness, not adding Ramsus to our party, confirming reality with Zephyr, forging exactly one legendary weapon, and stealing precious Chu-Chu wares. Ding ding, good job. 00:43 - Intro 03:20 - Snowfield hideout lobby (mu...
Sep 14, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Xenogears E50: Bear with Me Here, Oedipus [Xenogears Wakes]
The system is awakening. Today we're getting lore from a Jesus cross, contacting the fourth dimension, tapping into the god universe, adventing into this world, instilling a mother's will, nursing an Oedipus complex, dealing with a paradox, playing the Undertaker's Theme, fighting dad as well as my transmigrated ancestor, giving birth to humanity, destroying our remaining advanced military equipment on insane tactical gambles, and awakening Deus as a direct result. Perception is reality and also...
Sep 07, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 50
Xenogears E49: My Teenage Bedroom [Fallen Star, Part II]
Face up to the reality that you don't want to see. This time we're abandoning our child's weaknesses, visiting the room of the coward, losing our home, suffering abuse by the will of our transmigrated mother, forcing psychic contact, imagining the hell dimension, mentally and physically fighting our father, being different people, watching ourselves watch ourselves, sharing our feelings with ourselves, receiving centuries of memories, and considering "live" as suspect advice. Even if I go to hel...
Aug 31, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 49
Xenogears E48: Fist Imagery [Dreams, Part II + Fallen Star, Part I]
This videogame is now a visual novel with boss battles. Today we're opening our fists to hold people, becoming a symbol, twisting Sophia's words, fading away, seeking power to treat depression, crying in carbonite, walking through snow fields in big robots, sealing away the very meaning of Existence, practicing Contact consciousness, shedding skin, showing down with the Demon of Elru, unifying personalities with Wiseman, and taking a fist full of memories. If only you had power, you could have s...
Aug 24, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Xenogears E47: Hitherto Presentiment [Dreams, Part I]
You live. You Die. That's all. Before that we're worshipping weapons, falling behind in rapture ascendance, freezing someone in carbonite, dealing with Solaris, watching heroes fall to villainy, defining the Zohar, dissociating identities, going for it, meeting old beefcake Fatimas, offending divine providence, interpreting smiles, delivering triple Bro's, and waiting for Krelian's final creed. I just wanted the game with the big robot on the cover. 00:47 - Intro 04:40 - God awakens 09:20 - Carb...
Aug 17, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Xenogears E46: Expressing Anger Through Lore [Merkava Calls]
I am fated so as not to be able to kill myself. On this ecstatic episode we're visiting the Ark Park, warning the Elements, imagining nanomachine battles, falling between sculptures, clinging our fists, insulting science experiments, reducing ourselves to one hit point, gazing upon eyeball baskets, detaching Anima relics, not killing immortal villains, shooting our friend, extracting genetic factors, and jumping in a magic pool full of glowstick fluid. Adeiu, boys. 00:43 - Intro 02:29 - Entering...
Aug 10, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Xenogears E45: Exegesises on Crucifixes [Promised Land + Waiting Death]
Girl, that hurt. Today we're crucifying machines and Chu-Chu, negotiating with Krelian, finding our precious birds, doing sick combos, doing even sicker combos, doing the sickest combos, listening to Omen, wondering why we were left alive, deleting digital existence, looking fleshly, aligning pronouns with nanomachines, not going to Cracker Barrel, refusing to listen to reason, and blaming my problems on my girlfriend. Your feelings must be in the right place. That is strength. 00:58 - Intro 03:...
Aug 03, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Xenogears E44: Circumstances that Led to This Coitus [Above Mahanon + Paradise]
Don't worry, I won't die. Today we're being a man and confronting the problem, performing an anime kiss, becoming one body, having awkward sex in Maria's room, embracing feminism with Margie, experiencing reincarnation through remote viewing, losing our transformer, paying off references from sixty hours ago, recognizing strange faces in scary places, inheriting instincts, halving hit points, soft-locking with Deus, finding the unthinkable when accessing the data, optionally losing to Alpha Welt...
Jul 27, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Hosted on Libsyn
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast