It is podcasts. On this week's episode, two old veterans and one newcomer dive into the 1995 SNES RPG Breath of Fire II. A game known for its brutal grind and maybe even more brutal localization, some of the panelists still have a soft spot for it all these years later. Is the localization really that bad? How does the gameplay hold up? Do we ever get new dungeon music? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Mike Salbato, Matt Wardell; Edited by Paul Dennis Opening and ending music by...
Jul 17, 2025•1 hr 27 min
You hear that? Richie Marcus likes Retro Encounter! In today's episode, the panel gets back together to discuss the second half of Fallout: New Vegas . Our conversation covers The Strip, the endgame, the DLC, and of course, Richie Marcus. Does The Strip live up to its name? Which ending did we pick? Who among us takes up cannibalism? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Audra Bowling, Aleks Franiczek, Jono Logan, Matt Wardell; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Mil...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 53 min
We always love to celebrate birthdays here at Retro Encounter, and one of our all-time favourite RPGs/immersive sims has a big one coming up! Deus Ex is turning 25 years old! In honour of this momentous occasion, we've assembled a panel of fans to chat about each entry in the series. Whether you're a fan of the original Deus Ex , the two more recent games Human Revolution or Mankind Divided , or maybe even Invisible War , we have you covered in this retrospective. Oh, and don't forget to check o...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 48 min
You know, I tried to measure my charisma on Retro Encounter once. The microphone burst into flames. On this week's episode of Retro Encounter, we're chatting about the opening hours of the 2010 Obsidian classic Fallout: New Vegas . Can the host finally get his head around a WRPG? Do any of us actually do the main quest? Is Fisto the greatest character in an RPG? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Audra Bowling, Aleks Franiczek, Jono Logan, Matt Wardell; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Op...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 21 min
This podcast are sick. This week on Retro Encounter, we do the impossible: try to create a top 10 list for 90s RPGs. Does the best game finish at the top? Do we have anything except JRPGs on our list? Did we leave out your favorites? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Alana Hagues, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky...
May 22, 2025•2 hr 8 min
Listeners. Do you want...our podcast? On this week's episode of Retro Encounter, four of our panelists take a deep dive into Suikoden II . Who defends Jowy? Is Shu still be the best? How much Neclord hate can the host take? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Paul Dennis, Aleks Franiczek, Rob White; Edited by Paul Dennis Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 53 min
All of this podcasting in front of a children. In this week's episode of Retro Encounter, four enthusiastic series veterans and one newbie get together to discuss the original Suikoden to celebrate the recent remaster. Does the game still hold up? Can we stop ourselves from talking about the series as a whole? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Kyle Cantelon, Paul Dennis, Aleks Franiczek, Rob White; Edited by Paul Dennis Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFa...
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr 19 min
It doesn't matter how many draft picks get stolen. We will hold the line! Oh yes, it's time for another draft episode! This time around, we're drafting from some of BioWare's most celebrated games…alongside one or two that are a bit less celebrated. Who will steal Garrus before anyone else? How many choices will determined entirely by romance compatability? Will anyone remember Anthem exists, and does it have any memorable characters? Listen on for the answers to these questions, and more! This ...
Apr 10, 2025•2 hr 14 min
I wanna be an RPG fan when I grow up. This week on Retro Encounter we gather to discuss the RPGs that defined our taste. Not necessarily our favorites, but games that helped us understand what we value in an RPG or in games in general. Does Final Fantasy show up? Who likes the most obscure Metroidvanias? Who surprises the host with their love for racing games? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Lucas Greene, Ben Love, Paul Skevington; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending mu...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 58 min
I've traveled back in time from next week. Please listen to this episode. This week on Retro Encounter, the panel gets back together to discuss the second half of Tales of Graces f. Our discussion ranges from the increasingly excellent combat, the less than excellent dungeon design, and the good, the bad and the ugly of the Future Arc. Which game would we like to see get the remaster treatment next? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Wes Iliff, Paul Skevington, Michael Sollosi; Ed...
Mar 13, 2025•1 hr 25 min
We have to look for the podcast, Cheria. It's the only way. On this week's Retro Encounter we get together to talk about the first half of Tales of Graces f , a game renowned for its combat system, and maybe less so for its storytelling. Four players of varying knowledge (and skill) talk about whether Tales of Graces f lives up to its reputation, the delightful characters, the sometimes frustrating dungeon design, and much more. Listen in! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Wes Iliff, Paul Skevington, M...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 25 min
This is his story. This week on Retro Encounter, we take a deep dive into the themes, obsessions, and gameplay quirks of one of the "father" of Final Fantasy : Hironobu Sakaguchi. How much did he really matter to the series? Does his work after leaving Final Fantasy hold up? Who can't stop talking about their disdain for Lost Odyssey ? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Matt Wardell; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: R...
Feb 13, 2025•2 hr 7 min
Bring my beloved Retro Encounter to me. This week we dive into the second half of Final Fantasy IX , chatting about the emotional story beats, rooster men, and terrible card games that some of us somehow enjoy. Does it still hold up all these years later? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Mario Garcia, Wes Iliff, Rob White; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky:...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 40 min
Doesn't it feel nice to listen to Retro Encounter under the stars? This week, the new host and a few huge fans dive into the first half of Final Fantasy IX . How does this classic hold up? Do we like the combat? Which monster doesn't like Vivi very much? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Mario Garcia, Wes Iliff, Rob White; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: ...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 26 min
"Saying goodbye doesn’t mean anything. It’s the time we spent together that matters, not how we left it." In a reminiscence-heavy episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists discuss the podcast's origin story, recording process, and favorite episodes and memories of nearly ten years of podcasting. Longtime showrunner Michael Sollosi officially steps down to hand off the podcast's reins to a new host, but also an old friend. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkers...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 27 min
Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. 2024 is (finally) behind us, and there is plenty to talk about. In one of the strongest years for RPGs in recent memory, five Retro Encounter panelists bring ten games to show and tell in discussing a few of their favorite RPGs of the calendar year. Fittingly, the conclusion to the Year of the Dragon has Dragon Quest, Dragon Age, and Like a Dragon feature prominently. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Joshua Lindquist, Jonathan Logan, Zach Wilkerso...
Dec 29, 2024•2 hr 13 min
Life is like a hurricane / Here in Townburg Dragon Quest III's open-ended exploration and high-stakes story comes to a conclusion for our four intrepid panelists, who struggled through volcanoes, ghosts, and unchecked capitalism to obtain the six orbs and take on Dragon Quest III's final run of antagonists. Surprise reunions, incredible series-wide callbacks, and version comparisons all enter the discussion in the latest episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, We...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 26 min
The more Dragon Quest changes, the more Dragon Quest stays the same. A podcast episode appears! Dragon Quest III was a blockbuster success in Japan in 1988, and its nonlinear progression, fun job system, and spirit of adventure influenced every Dragon Quest game to come. DQ3 also has a shiny new 2024 HD-2D remaster, and today on Retro Encounter different panelists play the NES 1988 and 2024 versions to compare, contrast, and celebrate this landmark Japanese RPG. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 16 min
"My favorite book is Moby Dick; no symbolism, just a simple tale about a man who hates an animal." Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of 2024's most acclaimed RPGs, about a royal succession that spirals out of control into a struggle for the soul of the world's people. Clashes of ideologies, dramatic character turns, and robust combat and job systems are highlights of this modern classic. So who's our favorite character? What name does the host get wrong for nearly two hours? Listen to us trying to dec...
Dec 09, 2024•2 hr 26 min
For a true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart. Retro Encounter concludes its 2024 Zelda Month with a second episode on A Link to the Past for the SNES, discussing the game's excellent second half of Dark World exploration and dungeoneering. So which panelist loves Misery Mire and which one hates the moth at the end of Skull Woods? What are our favorite Link to the Past items and glitches? Listen for a great discussion! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jo...
Nov 28, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Sky, Sea, Earth, and a Kidnapped Princess A Link to the Past is an unassailable classic of a Super Nintendo game, as a crystallization of multiple gameplay concepts that established the formula for dozens of Zelda games going forward, but also as an entertaining action RPG that has stood the test of time. Three Zelda veterans comprise the Retro Encounter panel today, and take a delightful nostalgia trip with a discerning eye in today's Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Joshua Lindquis...
Nov 22, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Zelda! The Zeldster! Zeldarino! Zelmeister! Making copies! The Legend of Zelda series has long starred a hero named Link seeking a princess named Zelda, but in 2024 the roles reversed for the first time on a Nintendo system. Echoes of Wisdom's (sort of) new protagonist also sports an item-duplicating monster-summoning Tri-Rod and explores a beautifully rendered Hyrule. Naturally, three Zelda enthusiast Retro Encounter panelists were excited to play Echoes of Wisdom last month, and convened today...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 23 min
Are you ready for some Sploosh Kaboom!? Retro Encounter begins a month of Zelda celebration for a Nintendo November to remember! Five panelists draft parties of their favorite Zelda characters, items, abilities, and locations in a snake draft format, all while trying to snag their favorites before others can snipe them off the board. So what's the first overall pick? Who dared draw from the Philips CDi well? Listen to the episode to find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Aleks Fra...
Nov 09, 2024•1 hr 40 min
Aren't you scared? Well that's just fine. Here at RPGFan, we don't cover dedicated horror games often (other than the odd Until Dawn or The Quarry ), but we still love the excitement of being scared! To celebrate All Hallows' Eve this year, a Retro Encounter panel highlights a few of the scariest moments from RPGs. From Dark Souls monstrosities to Suikoden psychopaths to Zelda zombies, this podcast has it all. Take a chance and roll the dice on Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra ...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 10 min
I learned to live half alive / Now you want me one more time Retro Encounter's host demonstrates contrition in today's episode, admitting on-air that there's at least one good Kingdom Hearts game out there. The panelists also discuss their favorite boss fights, Disney worlds, and character struggles of Kingdom Hearts, which might differ if you're playing on Normal, Proud, or Critical. Today our Dearly Beloved panel discovers their personal Sanctuary in Retro Encounter. Featuring: Michael Sollosi...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 25 min
In the night I hear 'em talk / The coldest story ever told Kingdom Hearts II , one of the most celebrated sequels in the Square Enix catalog, finally gets an episode (the first of two!) on Retro Encounter. Within, we discuss the game's dynamic combat, the earnestly made Disney worlds, and plenty about Kingdom Hearts II 's mysterious black robed mostly-antagonists. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Paul Dennis Opening and ending music by Mil...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 12 min
The Leifthrasir Hand of Darkness When Ogre Battle retreats to the shadows, who keeps the beacons lit? When Princess Crown fails to draw an audience, who picks up the bag and keeps marching? When Japan shows a lack of interest in Starcraft, who ties the series to a tower defense game and a visual novel and waves that enticingly over the crowds? Of course, we all know when to cry out to Vanllaware, and every couple of years, we know they'll send us an answer. But where did they come from? How do t...
Oct 10, 2024•1 hr 45 min
And amidst deepest despair, Retro Encounter everlasting. In honor of the recent release of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail , we decided to get a few of our biggest XIV fans together to discuss the previous expansion, Endwalker . As the end of the Hydaelyn/Zodiark arc that dominated the first decade or so of Final Fantasy XIV , there is certainly a lot to talk about, with topics ranging from our favorite hub city to the best dungeons in the expansion. Do we still love Estinien? Can anyone match Vena...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 46 min
What possible harm could an insane, mutant tentacle do? Day of the Tentacle was a tentpole release in LucasArts's excellent run of classic adventure games from the late 1980s through the late 1990s, and its very specific dialog, puzzle logic, and sense of humor made it a cult classic. But how do two Day of the Tentacle longtime fans and one relative newcomer feel about this struggle of teenager versus tentacle in 2024? Listen to find out, in our final episode of Retro Encounter's September of Ad...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 10 min
One more thing, there are a couple of loose ends I'd like to tie up. Nothing important, you understand. The Case of the Golden Idol made a splash in 2022, with its compelling murder mysteries, political intrigue, and puzzle adventure gameplay. It also has a decidedly retro look to it, so naturally a few of us wanted to play it. Today, three Retro Encounter panelists break down the mechanics, story, and future of Case of the Golden Idol, including its upcoming sequel. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, ...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 18 min
