Suikoden III evokes the halcyon days of the PlayStation 2, when RPGs were many, UI conveniences were few, and Konami actually made video games. Suikoden III's politically-charged story and army of named characters are consistent with its predecessors, but it's split narrative and pants-optional waterfowl are all its own. Get to know Fubar (Fine, Unique, Beautiful Animal Riding) in the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Bria...
Apr 23, 2021•1 hr 14 min
What RPG uses dice-roll physics, requires rare drops from Skeleton Mages, and is exclusive to the 3DS Shop? Crimson Shroud and absolutely nothing else! Yasumi Matsuno (Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy XII) teamed up with Level-5 (Dark Cloud, Dragon Quest VIII) to produce one of the most unique RPGs for the 3DS way back in 2012, and we're absolutely here for it. After playing this game, you'll start feeling bad for goblins and hatred for skeletons. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Eva Padill...
Apr 16, 2021•55 min
Final Fantasy XIV's 2017 expansion had players visit the highlands of Gyr Abania and the steppes of Othard, but not as a tourist. Stormblood is a game about casting the light of liberation unto an oppressed people, and helping them tear down an imperialist regime. Stormblood is quite personal and political for an MMORPG expansion, but we're here for it. Raise your weary head and heed the call to arms ringing in your heart in today's episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Pad...
Apr 08, 2021•1 hr 30 min
One of the most common reader or listener comments that RPGFan social media receives is "not an RPG," and we take some umbrage at that. RPGFan prides itself on covering a diverse array of games, which includes some games that might be considered hybrid RPGs or RPG-adjacent. Today, Retro Encounter responds to that query directly, assembling a set of questionable RPGs, and deciding once and for all if they are indeed RPGs. Do we think Zelda is an RPG? How about Dissidia? Listen and find out! Featu...
Apr 01, 2021•55 min
Two Retro Encounter panelists played through four Muramasa: The Demon Blade endings and still can't stop gushing over the 2D action RPG's gorgeous backgrounds. But those backdrops aren't the only shiny things in Vanillaware's theatrical tour de force - there's also the lusciously animated food, the Hitoshi Sakimoto soundtrack, and our smiling faces. "If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart." -The Buddha, who is literally in this video game. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla: ...
Mar 26, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Before 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (but after Odin Sphere) the art-focused JRPG developer Vanillaware made Muramasa: The Demon Blade, an action RPG steeped in Japanese folklore and following a long tradition of ninja action arcade games. But how compelling are the characters, animations, and other elements of Muramasa? Listen and learn! This podcast won't possess your body and displace your soul, probably. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla; edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email...
Mar 18, 2021•51 min
It was early in 1996 when a couple of modest, lightly-janky Gameboy games were released in Japan, beginning a phenomenon that is persisting (and thriving) to this day. Those games were Pokemon Red and Green, the very first generation of Satoshi Tajiri and Game Freak's monster-catching series! A quarter century on, Pokemon is now the biggest multimedia franchise in the world, and what began as a respectable 151 creatures has ballooned to an incredible 893. On this episode of Retro Encounter, 5 pa...
Mar 11, 2021•1 hr 7 min
In 2015, Final Fantasy XIV players trekked to the north and looked to the sky in Heavensward, the fan-favorite expansion game that raised character levels to 60 and introduced Eorzeans to Ishgard. Three Retro Encounter panelists and FFXIV players of varying experience levels discuss their love of Heavensward and Ishgard, from the friendly bugs of Dravania to the Warring Triad of Azys La, in the second part of our Final Fantasy XIV podcast miniseries! We're seeking the peace of reason in the late...
Mar 04, 2021•1 hr 28 min
Retro Encounter's panel finished Radiant Historia earlier this month, and dissects the endgame of Stocke and his companions. The time traveling, turn-stealing, wheelin' and dealin' son of a king has some major decisions to make. Is Radiant Historia stylin' and profilin' to Retro Encounter's preferences? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Kaleb Curry, Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagr...
Feb 27, 2021•1 hr 31 min
Radiant Historia found many RPG fans in the last days of the Nintendo DS, and today Retro Encounter celebrates it on the 10th anniversary of its North American release. Parallel timelines, shoving enemies around a grid, Yoko Shimomura tunes, and suspicious botanical practices all take center stage in the latest Retro Encounter! Does this podcast exist until you listen? Who knows. Download us into being. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Kaleb Curry, Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt; Edited by Michael Sollos...
Feb 18, 2021•1 hr 12 min
In advance of the 2021 release of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, Retro Encounter is recording four Final Fantasy XIV episodes in 2021! Each will feature a different panel and focus on the panelists' personal experiences with Final Fantasy XIV, then discuss the characters, stories, and contents on one particular expansion. Today two Mikes and a Peter go through the Final Fantasy XIV 2013 reboot, A Realm Reborn. 1.0? What do you mean? Never happened. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Mike Salbato, Peter ...
Feb 11, 2021•1 hr 36 min
The worldwide release of Ryu Ga Gotoku 7 made a big splash in 2020, as the first Yakuza game with turn-based combat, the first Yakuza game not to star Kazuma Kiryu, and the first Yakuza game in 15 years with English-language voice acting. At least four RPGFan staff were enchanted by Yakuza's new look last year, and took very little persuading to have a 2021 discussion on Yakuza: Like A Dragon , chock-full of story spoilers. Listen to our podcast on the way to picking up some decadent Peking Duck...
Feb 05, 2021•1 hr 43 min
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean ramps up the drama on disc 2! In part 2 of our deep dive into Monolith Soft's forgotten classic, the three panelists return to talk about that now-famous betrayal, grumble about difficulty spikes, and most importantly, gush about the Children of the Earth! Now, is that rain, or is that the world crying out in pain? Featuring: Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt, Tyler Trosper; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter...
Jan 28, 2021•1 hr 40 min
Only the second game to be released by Monolith Soft, Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean swaps space and mechs for a card game, but keeps the dead gods. Three panelists explore disc one of this weird and wonderful game, from the beautiful pre-rendered visuals, to the engaging world and battle system. Where will the Mighty Ocean guide us? Tune in to this week's episode of Retro Encounter to find out! Featuring: Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt, Tyler Trosper; Edited by Micah Coates Get in T...
Jan 21, 2021•1 hr 34 min
Retro Encounter's episode on Hades marks the fourth SuperGiant Games episode of the podcast in six weeks, but we discussed the Hell out of this roguelike RPG of gods and monsters. Our favorite Zagreus builds, our mythological romantic preferences, and our warm, fuzzy feelings of progress and accomplishment all feature prominently in today's dark and bloody episode. Rhymes with "ladies," not with "blades." Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Niki Fakhoori, Alana Hagues, Dom Kim, Leona McCallum; Edited by...
Jan 15, 2021•1 hr 15 min
What happens when you cross NBA Jam, Oregon Trail, and SuperGiant Games' distinct style and flavor? The 2017 indie narrative game Pyre, which is hard to describe in just a few sentences, so we recorded an entire podcast about it instead! Part three (out of four) of our miniseries on SuperGiant Games. She shoots, she douses! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Eva Padilla; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 24 min
On the last day of 2020, Retro Encounter celebrates the year's video games while offering good riddance to essentially everything else. From roguelikes that play like Diablo to open worlds that play like Persona to Japanese adventure games of multiple narratives to Irish adventure games of self-discovery, the Retro Encounter panel discusses their favorites in 2020 RPGs and podcasts. From all of us here at Retro Encounter, thank you for listening. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Nathan ...
Dec 31, 2020•2 hr 14 min
Retro Encounter examines another entry in the Supergiant Games catalog in an episode all about Transistor, the 2014 action RPG that rewards careful planning with swift execution of its customizable abilities. The beautiful visual and audio presentation, 2nd-person narration, creative boss fights, and Function loadouts of Transistor take center stage in today's Retro Encounter! Retro Encounter waits for their Turn and kills the podcast Process in the second episode of Supergiant Month! Featuring:...
Dec 17, 2020•1 hr 11 min
Retro Encounter loves Tales Of RPGs, and Retro Encounter's host loves ludicrous fantasy drafts. Naturally those two passions collided in a podcast, in which five Retro Encounter panelists discuss their (mostly) favorite Tales Of characters and relationships in the format of a fantasy sports draft. Who is the first overall pick? Which Tales of Symphonia summon is stolen? Who are the president, vice president, and treasurer of the Crop Top Boyz? Listen and find out! Sorry, fantasy auctions are way...
Dec 10, 2020•1 hr 56 min
Retro Encounter kicks off Supergiant Games Month with a podcast all about Bastion, SG's breakout 2011 title in which a Kid wakes up in a mysterious broken city with only a voice to guide him and a hammer to smash things up. In this episode three panelists discuss The Kid's journey, including his arsenal of weapons, the beautiful accompanying soundtrack, and a few bold story choices. You know how many times The Podcast went off the rails? ...about 5 times. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues...
Dec 04, 2020•1 hr 7 min
Final Fantasy X-2. Great job system, great battle system, well-made pop songs. But how about the rest of the game? Our panel has some criticisms about the side quests, main story, and overall presentation of FFX-2, but they try to balance the bad with some good in the newest Retro Encounter. Well, that sure was a video game. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfan...
Nov 26, 2020•1 hr 3 min
Crowdfunding services like Kickstarter, IndieGogo, and Fig have disrupted traditional game production and become an inescapable part of how video game consumers and developers interact, but the crowdfunding revolution within video games is less than ten years old. Today's Retro Encounter is a discussion of how crowdfunding has affected the modern gaming landscape, as well as a few of our favorite (or most notorious) crowdfunded video game project. Listen to the newest Retro Encounter after pledg...
Nov 21, 2020•57 min
The sequel to the 2nd game ever covered by Retro Encounter finally gets its own journal episodes over five years later! We revisit the world of Spira and its new dueling factions, critique Dressphere fashion choices, and discuss Yuna's career change in our latest episode. Which Final Fantasy X character evokes a comparison to a classic Saturday Night Live character? Listen to find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Ema...
Nov 12, 2020•1 hr 15 min
Retro Encounter 261 - Finding Paradise Kan Gao and Freebird Games deliver the fourth game in the SIgmund Corp. Saga later this year, so in anticipation of Impostor Factory Retro Encounter is playing Finding Paradise, a game about memories, regrets, and making sure toilet paper rolls are on the hanger and not at the edge of the bathroom sink. Dive into our minds with the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Zach Wilkerson; edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us...
Nov 07, 2020•49 min
Retro 260 - RPG Vampires: Fangs for the Memories Vampires are a staple of horror, and to celebrate Halloween Retro Encounter is celebrating the vampires of RPGs. From the psychic vampires of Mass Effect to the protagonist of a game literally called Vampyr, we hold a supernatural discussion to run a small gamut of (actual) bloodsuckers who don't suck (figuratively). Drape your best cape and listen in! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling; edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touc...
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 6 min
Phantasy Star IV is the culmination of a four-game saga that puts the 2,000-year struggle of the Algol System into a context, and in today's Retro Encounter episode we dive deep into its final battle. We spent plenty of time in Phantasy Star IV's battles and dungeons, but we forget to go into the adorable final credits scene. That's our error. It's macros, combos, and more in the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Mark Tjan; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch:...
Oct 24, 2020•1 hr 5 min
Retro Encounter visits a faraway galaxy in a game from a long time ago (don't @ me Disney) in Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, one of the most acclaimed RPGs for the Sega Genesis, or Mega Drive if you're a peein'. It took us 5 years and 257 episodes to talk about Sega RPGs a second time, but it was worth it! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Mark Tjan; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Face...
Oct 16, 2020•1 hr 7 min
Presently (October 2020), RPGFan is publishing a feature on the best RPG of each year, from the dawn of Dragon Quest to the last full calendar year. As a podcast side dish to the website's main course, Retro Encounter examined the RPG oeuvre of each voting year, settled on the 10 best, and then started counting down. Join us in talking 1987 through 2019 in 2020! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jonathan Logan, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates This Episode's Related Links: Defendin...
Oct 08, 2020•2 hr 1 min
Even in a video game, humans are too trusting. Many of the most storied plot twists in RPGs have a central character performing an unexpected turn or betraying the player's trust. In today's episode of Retro Encounter five panelists detail over a dozen great video game traitors, from A (Apollo Justice) to Z (YakuZa Kiwami). Is one panelist among us... an imposter? No guarantees. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Niki Fakhoori, Alana Hagues, Nathan Lee, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Tou...
Oct 01, 2020•1 hr 35 min
In the final episode of Persona Month, we gather again to discuss the end of Persona 2: Innocent Sin . Discussion topics include the continuously terrible dungeons, childhood trauma, Adolf Hitler, and Jesus. Somehow, we try to make sense of all those things on this episode. Yes, this game goes some places. So does our discussion! Featuring Zach Wilkerson , Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Jo Padilla; Edited Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Ins...
Sep 25, 2020•1 hr 15 min
