RPGFan's Retro Encounter

Retro Encounter completes its journey through Lunar and Lunar 2 for our special Lunar Month, in which the heroes of Lunar 2 confront personal adversaries, free the souls of four powerful dragons, and challenge an ancient evil... only for the real story to begin. Come for the romance, tolerate the grind, and stay for the incredible ending to Lunar 2: Eternal Blue! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Scott...

Part 3 of Lunar month continues with part 1 of our Lunar 2: Eternal Blue podcast! We expound on the fabulous Sega CD sequel, with discussion topics including Lucia's fashion choices, Ronfar and Jean divulging their secret pasts within moments of meeting either of them, and the indeterminate identity of the masked Mystere. Also, please send us emails for the upcoming episode 150 mailbag! Featuring:...

Lunar Month continues for Retro Encounter, where our trio of intrepid podcasters discuss anime betrayals, dominatrix outfits, and Saturday morning cartoon villainy. A dragonmaster is born, four new heroes rise to the occasion, and a flying cat finally proves that he isn't really a cat. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Leona McCallum Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twi...

Retro Encounter kicks off Lunar Month with a discussion, exploration, and celebration of Lunar: The Silver Star! We jive about the first half of Lunar 1's story, the strengths and weaknesses of the 90s RPG grind, the differences between Lunar's remakes and ports, and the world of Lunar's unusual occupation and fashion choices. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Leona McCallum Get in Touch:...

It's a big galaxy out there, but somebody's got to save it from the Reapers. And that somebody is our intrepid panel of sci-fi gamers! Join us as we wrap up our Mass Effect playthrough by talking about the big bads, the peanut gallery (AKA the Council), and the real villain of the game: the Mako. Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Greg Delmage, Nathan Lee, Liz Maas Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retr...

Super bosses. Not a final boss, but an extra challenge not for the faint of heart; maybe a well-hidden story secret or a bonus endgame reward. Is that Desert Rose or Earth Circlet worth it? In today's Retro Encounter four panelists recap their favorite bonus boss battles from several storied series. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Gino DiGioia, Dom Kim, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email...

Despite its dated visuals and janky systems, the original Mass Effect holds a special place in the hearts of many of us here at RPGFan. For some, it's the world BioWare created, a whole galaxy full of interesting new alien species to meet and compelling characters to learn about. For others, it's the thrill of exploring new worlds and taking part in sci-fi shootouts. Whatever the reason, we're alw...

Retro Encounter examines the career of gaming's most prominent team of cartoon lawyers in a special episode celebrating the Ace Attorney series of puzzle adventure games. From the early adventures of the immaculately coiffed Phoenix Wright to the spooky trials of the spiritual nation of Khura'in, the Ace Attorney games have delivered eleven titles to the world, but only eight released in the Engli...

Last time the Retro Encounter crew took a look at the demonic shenanigans of Darksiders, we journeyed as the Horseman War on his journey of vengeance. Now, his brother Death rides forth in a second adventure, trying to clear War's name. Along the way, gallons of demonic blood will be spilt, and innumerable collectibles will be... well, collected. We've reunited our own crew of Horsemen for this po...

Our second Super Mario RPG episode goes from Monstro Town to Nimbus Land, back to Yo'ster Isle again, and then finally Bowser's Castle. The podcasters discuss salacious animations, honorable pirates, and Power Rangers color schemes in our second episode on Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan...

Retro Encounter goes into the booth again for a second confessional episode, in which three panelists admit not to have played a few classic RPGs. Confession, contrition, acceptance, and recommendations, in that order. So which panelist has never played a Nihon Falcom RPG? Which one hasn't played any RPG for the Sega Genesis? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Keegan...

Super Mario RPG is a weird coincidence of a game. The most recognizable video game hero in the history starring an RPG made by Square during their 90s heyday, with a Yoko Shimomura soundtrack and Shigeru Miyamoto as an executive producer. Damn. Listen to two Super Mario RPG veterans and two first-time players experiencing Super Mario RPG for the first time discuss the legendary SNES game on Retro...

We love RPGs here at RPGFan, but that doesn't mean we're fans of everything in RPGs. We all have vexations, annoyances, and pet peeves about RPGs, so we decided to air those complaints in a special, very negative podcast episode. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Dom Kim, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom T...

Retro Encounter gives the people what they want! The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap won a poll to be covered on Retro Encounter earlier this year, and is an interesting piece of the Zelda canon in its own right. Gust Jars, Kinstones, and two very magical hats feature prominently in this big Legend of Zelda adventure in which Link becomes very small. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Chris...

What is Zelda? Do we want a future Zelda game with Zelda playable? Do we like it in 2D or 3D? Is Zelda an RPG? Whatever you want it to be, of course, both, and surprisingly yes. This episode of Retro Encounter is a disorganized, open-ended discussion of Zelda tradition, Zelda weirdness, and what Zelda means to us. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nathan Lee, Stephanie Sybydlo Get in Touch: RPGFan.com E...

2018 marks the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, the Game Boy Zelda game with no Zelda, no Sages, no Hyrule, and some unique mechanics and situations relative to other Zelda games. The second of four Zelda-themed episode in Retro Encounter's Zelda month. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Chris Gebauer Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instag...

In the third installment of Retro Encounter's "favorite game within a particular series" miniseries, five Retro Encounter panelists break down every title in the storied selection of The Legend of Zelda video games. After focusing the discussion on a predetermined final four, the panel votes on an overall favorite to provide a definitive, authoritative, mathematical answer to the Best Zelda conund...

The Super Nintendo is a beloved console that delivered some of the greatest role-playing video games ever devised. Retro Encounter loves the SNES and also loves ranking things, and in today's special podcast these two passions meet when our three panelists count down the ten greatest RPGs for the Super Nintendo. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Keegan Lee, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Ema...

Keegan and Robert's journey into the heart of despair continues! After playing midwife to the Alley of Lingering Sighs, the two venture into the lower wards in search of the infamous night hag Ravel Puzzlewell. Along the way, they fill out their remaining party slots with a range of misfits, before chasing the past to the nexus of Law and Chaos. Brothels for conversation, fallen angels, skull pill...

Maybe your favorite RPG is an original story, or maybe your favorite RPG stands on the shoulders of giants? Today's Retro Encounter episode discusses RPG adaptations of other works, including non-RPG video games, novels from all over the world, blockbuster movies, and more. After going down a list of favorite RPG adaptations, the three panelists each propose a hypothetical nonexistant RPG adaptati...

This week Retro Encounter takes on Planescape: Torment, the classic PC RPG based on the popular Dungeons and Dragons setting Planescape. Torment has a reputation for terrific writing and a malleable story, and it's about time that Retro Encounter covered a western RPG again. Isn't it? Featuring: Keegan Lee, Robert Fenner Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Insta...

Some RPGs just can't stay RPGs. Whether it's stylishg fighting games, colorful roguelikes, nostalgic music games, or free-to-play card games, RPGs have spun off into a myriad of genres. Today on Retro Encounter, four panelists discuss their favorite RPG spinoffs, then concoct some theoretical RPG spinoffs of their own. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Kyle Kortvely, Nick Ransbottom Get i...

A new challenger appears in our second Valkyrie Profile episode, where a Valkryie Profile superfan joins our two-person panel from the first episode to break down the second half of the tri-Ace cult classic. Dramatic story turns, challenging dungeons, and the darkly tragic world of Valkryie Profile take center stage in this richly detailed Retro Encounter. Featuring: Robert Fenner, Hilary Andreff,...

This week's Retro Encounter podcast celebrates the Lunar New Year's Year of the Dog with the most godlike dog in all of video games. Okami, starring the canine artist-god Amaterasu, has been praised like the sun over the years, and today Retro Encounter discusses its highs and lows. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Caitlin Argyros Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twit...

Two Retro Encounter panelists played through the first three chapters of Valkyrie Profile for your listening pleasure. Tri-Ace's wild interpretation of Norse myth became a cult hit as well as a rare, sought-after PlayStation disc. Included in the discussion: difficulty levels, battle systems, strange stats, and early characters and dungeons... in profile. Featuring: Robert Fenner, Hilary Andreff G...