RPG Backtrack

Previous Fire Emblem titles were self-contained, but Fates is a different experience in its structure.  Nintendo and Intelligent Systems made some interesting decisions here, and we delve into them at length. The post RPG Backtrack Episode 189: No Fates but What We Make appeared first on RPGamer .

Once upon a time we managed to sustain an episode of the Backtrack that talked about Disgaea for an astoundingly long time.  Even more games in the series have been released since then, but this time our ruminations aren't quite so sprawling. The post RPG Backtrack Episode 188: D2 The Mighty Prinnies appeared first on RPGamer .

The Langrisser series has only come across the Pacific legitimately on two occasions in different centuries, and neither is the high point of a venerable tactical franchise. Join us for a talk about its multifaceted components that includes extensive artwork discussion. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 187: “We’re Going to War” appeared first on RPGamer .

Radiant Historia was a fairly late release for the DS, and garnered quite a devoted following from those who were able to obtain it. Now that the game has received a 3DS remake, the task of unraveling its complex structure has fallen onto us. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 186: “You Can Make History Young Again” appeared first on RPGamer .

A massive series from Capcom called Monster Hunter involves exactly what the title implies. Once the thrill of Monster Hunter gets into someone's blood it seems to supplant all other desires, as this episode amply demonstrates. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 185: “The Hunt Is On” appeared first on RPGamer .

In a world with little life left and lots of clues about what went wrong, a young man must puzzle a way to survive. This is a story of Fragile Dreams, and here we talk about one of the Wii's unconventional highlights. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 184: “Fragile, It Must be Italian” appeared first on RPGamer .

Completing the localization of Trails in the Sky's Second Chapter was not a task for the lighthearted, but XSEED eventually persevered. This episode details why that was a good thing for the growing ranks of Falcom fans outside Japan. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 183: “Estelle Is Swell” appeared first on RPGamer .

Tales games just keep coming, and a couple of more recent ones come under the microscope today. One was embraced by almost everyone while the other comes with many more reservations. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 182: “Hearts of Graces” appeared first on RPGamer .

It was looking as if a highly-regarded title for the Wii wasn't going to make its way to North America, but Operation Rainfall eventually produced Xenoblade for more of the world. Describing why that was definitely a good thing takes some time, but much less than the game itself. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 181: “Xenomorphing” appeared first on RPGamer .

A few years ago, it looked as if Fire Emblem was on its last legs. Intelligent Systems threw everything it could think of into a game called Awakening, and it worked the necessary magic to get the series a new lease on life. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 180: “Awakening the Fire” appeared first on RPGamer .

It's been a long time since a completely new Lunar game was released, and an even longer time since a completely new Lunar game that is also good came to pass. So let's look back at the Eternal Blue and DS parts of the series. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 179: “Lunar 2: Eternal Boogaloo” appeared first on RPGamer .

Square-Enix heard the cries of several people who needed to have more Final Fantasy XIII, and brought forth XIII-2. Whether this particular sequel is one the world needed to experience is another question entirely. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 178: “Monday the Thirteenth” appeared first on RPGamer .

After Arena, post-Daggerfall, following Morrowind and past Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls reached Skyrim. Since its horses are more aggressive in a fight, the inability to get armored protection for them is a bit troubling. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 177: “Rim the Sky” appeared first on RPGamer .

Long-running manga and anime often involve characters seeking to get stronger, so turning them into RPGs isn't a completely inexplicable move. The results don't always justify the effort that went into their creation, at least not in the case of most of the fodder for this episode. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 176: “As Seen on TV” appeared first on RPGamer .

Through new episodes, remakes, prequels and some combination of the above the adventures of Adol Christin continue. On the PSP, Vita and PC he goes, and we're here to chronicle some further stories in the world of Ys. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 175: “The Ys Have It” appeared first on RPGamer .

Instead of moving on to the number 3, the Borderlands series went down under with a Pre-Sequel to see what happened between the first two games. The result is not quite as addictive as what came before, but it's still entertaining. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 174: “Watch Out for Claptrap” appeared first on RPGamer .

For years, the Persona series' last proper entry has been 4. To help understand the high level of anticipation the release of a fifth game in this series commands, detailing some of the things done right by one of the last big PS2 games seemed like a good idea. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 173: “You Meddling Kids!” appeared first on RPGamer .

It may not be a Final Fantasy in name, but Bravely Default would have been a worthy entry in that varied series if a new title hadn't been bestowed upon it. Its many laudable aspects, along with a few that are aggravating, come under the microscope. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 172: “Courageous Finances” appeared first on RPGamer .

Once more we venture into the world of The Elder Scrolls, this time with a game that helped popularize the idea of downloadable content. Oblivion is a big game, and we definitely came up with a lot to say. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 171: “The Hills of Oblivion” appeared first on RPGamer .

There are some good ones, but the trend of licensed games being wretched has never gone away. Thus South Park's first RPG being a delight to experience is a wonderful thing to report on. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 170: “Conformists” appeared first on RPGamer .

The corporate entity Square Enix hasn't been known for frequent inventions of new IPs in recent years, but a DS game which received consistent acclaim is one that qualifies. Its title may be a bit grandiose, but the content may actually deserve it. (The World Ends with You) The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 169: “Superego” appeared first on RPGamer .

Rogue Galaxy borrows a few things from Star Wars, but the idea of a ship with sails moving between planets is a new one. Hear about Level-5's other ideas for the game on this episode. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 168: “The Fastest Ship in the Galaxy” appeared first on RPGamer .

The further adventures of Kazuma Kiryu after the PS2 involve an Okinawa orphanage, joining with multiple others to deal with some missing money from the first game, and gunning down hordes of zombies as a lark. Haruka, unsurprisingly, gets kidnapped a few times throughout. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 167: “They’ll Kill Ya Five Times Before You Hit the Ground” appeared...

Among the things for which Idea Factory is responsible, a series that involves multiple generations fighting evil across continents has gained a devoted audience. Precisely what that audience sees in the games is a mystery, given their aggressively unpleasant mechanics and a plethora of dull drudgery. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 166: “Agarest in Peace” appeared first on RPGa...

A certain game involving a young man's dreams of being a Dragonmaster, and his childhood friend's unfortunate appearance on the radar of villainy, showed up on the Sega CD before making it to multiple other systems. Apparently the Silver Star Story was worth doing more than once. The post RPG Backtrack – Episode 165: “Lunar Excursion” appeared first on RPGamer .