RPG Backtrack

A little girl with the ability to put spirits into objects, a foolish demon who almost burns his dimension out of existence, multiple consumers of the world, and a place with a certain je ne sais quoi. All came from NIS and involve various amounts of strategic thinking to succeed. (La Pucelle, Phantom Brave, Makai Kingdom, Soul Nomad and the World Eaters) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 96:...

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, one for the Dark Lord on his dark throne in the land of Mordor where the shadows lie. Mordor's grip has ensnared most attempts to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's world to life. (The Lord of the Rings) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 95: “Central Middle Earth&#822...

This particular Gust series has many trademark RPG elements, including tongue-twister subtitles for the games. It also steadily progresses in misogynism, until the amount of odious material reaches near-cataclysmic levels. (Ar Tonelico) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 94: “Ou Est le Sol Ciel?” appeared first on RPGamer .

Being a detective in an alternate history version of Tokyo with demons crawling all over the place isn't that hard. It just demands a willingness to get lost in evocative 1920s-esque environments while smacking inhuman adversaries repeatedly in action combat. (Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner). The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 93: “Devil Doll” appeared first on RPGamer .

Link went through several phases during the GameCube era. First he demonstrated cel shading, then he tempted gamers to buy GBA link cables, and after that ushered in the Wii's launch. It's all up for reminiscence on this episode - along with something about a fellow named Tingle. (The Legend of Zelda, Part 3) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 92: “Master of Swordplay” appeared fir...

Cavia's occasional ventures into the RPG world have been filled with bloodshed and piling up huge numbers of corpses. The other tenets of these games vary quite a bit, so have a bloody good time with a slice of this episode. (Drakengard, NIER) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 91: “Y’know, for Kids!” appeared first on RPGamer .

Instead of venturing further into a galaxy far, far away BioWare chose to enter a land inspired by, but hardly identical to, imperial China. The company's usual high writing standard made the transition with flying colors. (Jade Empire) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 90: “Bauxite Republic” appeared first on RPGamer .

Reviving barren worlds was a theme Quintet visited more than once, right up to the end of the company in fact. Bring back the faded flora and fauna of whole planets on this ecologically-minded Backtrack! (Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, Terranigma, The Granstream Saga) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 89: “A Quartet of Quintet” appeared first on RPGamer .

Once upon a time, Akira Toriyama created a long-running series that has lasted in the public consciousness far longer than its contemporaries. Given that it involves people increasing in strength to a seemingly unreachable zenith, a few RPGs have surfaced over the years dealing with it. (Dragon Ball Z) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 88: “Go to Hfil” appeared first on RPGamer .

The GameCube got the occasional exclusive, and Monolith Soft delivered a pair of them later in the system's life. Managing cards for combat and contending with winged citizenry, along with the occasional divine whale, await. (Baten Kaitos) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 87: “Is This Your Card?” appeared first on RPGamer .

From a monastery in Wales to China, through many scenic spots in Europe and Japan, this tour finally hits the western hemisphere. Many emotions will be felt while navigating these locales, and a Ring of Judgment watches over all of them. (Shadow Hearts) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 86: “Rasputin’s iPhone” appeared first on RPGamer .

Once upon a time, a land with rearranging geography had the little problem that a quartet of titans wanted to rule. Saving the planet from that menace isn't always worthwhile, though. (Lufia) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 85: “Mr. Sinistral” appeared first on RPGamer .

Enjoy a scenic tour of just some of the locations various Stars of Destiny call home. Start in the Scarlet Moon Empire, move to the Jowston City-State, and finish with a romp through the Grasslands. Excessive attention may be paid to ducks along the way. (Suikoden, Part 1). The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 84: “108 Stars in the Heavens” appeared first on RPGamer .

A certain Square title involving giant robot combat and questionable theological ideas is the showcase this time. If that's not enough, an offshoot Final Fantasy and one of the PSP's most appealing Rogue-likes are also analyzed. (Xenogears) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 83: “We Have the Technology” appeared first on RPGamer .

Unappealing wastelands populated by those with demonic avatars may not seem to connect with Hindu mythology. Lo and behold, the Megami Tensei universe makes it work anyway. (Digital Devil Saga) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 82: “The Devil Rides Out” appeared first on RPGamer .

For once, the attempt on the Backtrack to remember an entire series came to naught when its earlier games were just too archaic. The ones we did talk about were plenty to sustain a magical show, at least. (Wizardry VII and VIII) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 81: “A Wizard Did It” appeared first on RPGamer .

It's time to wolf down a howling good bowlful of puppy love. Scratch that itch to bark at the moon and bury a bone in this doggone call of the wild instead. (Okami) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 80: “Show Me Those Canines” appeared first on RPGamer .

From the minds of Yuji Horii, Koichi Sugiyama, and Akira Toriyama came a long-running series that sets the charts afire in Japan. It grows up a bit in the games we talk about this time. (Dragon Quest, part 2) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 79: “Dragonwyck” appeared first on RPGamer .

It's round-up time, and a big herd of steers is loose on the prairie. Looks like a might few RPGs are among 'em, so sit carefully to avoid the cacti and we'll trade stories around the ol' campfire. (Wild Arms) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 78: “Once Upon a Time in the West” appeared first on RPGamer .

Not many games that are offline feature going online as a key component of their setting. One episodic series with tie-ins from other media did it regularly, though, and hooked people pretty easily. (.hack) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 77: “Welcome to the Machine” appeared first on RPGamer .

Level-5 was a new company back when it made some games that featured town building in addition to dungeon exploration. How entrancing they are seems to vary from person to person, though. (Dark Cloud) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 76: “Under a Cloud” appeared first on RPGamer .

He's a green-clad gadget man, a master of many dungeons with the tools to traverse them. He's an elf, a mute warrior, an unquestioning savior of the land, a lover of sticking it to the porcine, and Nintendo is glad to have him. (The Legend of Zelda - part 2) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 75: “A Link to the Future” appeared first on RPGamer .

What would one's probable reaction to encountering a demon be? In a realistic scenario death would most likely occur, but in video games making friends with the occult is a frequent experience. (Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 74: “Night of the Demon” appeared first on RPGamer .

Among the formidable tasks undertaken by the Backtrack crew, none may demand more willpower than explaining how to play the most maligned Akitoshi Kawazu product of all. Things pick up from there. (Unlimited Saga, Romancing SaGa) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 73: “Romancing the SaGa” appeared first on RPGamer .

From the days of the Genesis right up to modern handhelds, Climax keeps making games. Looking at things from a different angle is strongly encouraged to make sense of them. (Landstalker, Lady Stalker, Dark Savior, Time Stalkers, Kingdom of Paradise, Steal Princess) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 72: “This Is the Climax” appeared first on RPGamer .