RPGFan's Retro Encounter

Retro Encounter listeners voted back in September on a future Retro Encounter game, and now we finally deliver! Breath of Fire IV won the poll, and the duo behind The Good Dogs of RPGs podcast reunites to discuss the first chapter of the 2000 Capcom classic. You know, back when Capcom used to create classics. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan....

Two Retro Encounter panelists discuss the game that started it all in our fifth Final Fantasy podcast in as many weeks. We discuss Final Fantasy I's story, gameplay, influence, and even apocryphal development stories in this episode, with the oldest subject in Retro Encounter's brief history. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rp...

Retro Encounter's stroll down memory lane for Final Fantasy's 30th anniversary continues, with the panelists discussing the PS2 era to the present. The Fabula Nova Crystallis project, our favorite Final Fantasy XIV jobs, and late-game Blitzball strategy. Kilika Beasts forever. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Mike Salbato Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com...

This podcast began its life as a well-intentioned jaunt through our favorite Final Fantasy memories for the 30th anniversary of the Final Fantasy series. It ended up being a monstrous meditation on more than fifteen Final Fantasy games that needed to be split into two halves. In this episode four panelists discuss their favorite parts of Final Fantasies I through IX, with the second half of the se...

The aspiring filmmakers of Square Enix attempted Final Fantasy animated films three times over the past 17 years. Three Retro Encounter panelists watched them all and put on their headsets to discuss the three films: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within; Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children; and Kingsglaive: FInal Fantasy XV. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Keegan Lee, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFa...

Earlier this year, Retro Ecounter discussed one of the most debated topics - what is the best Final Fantasy game? After deliberation, there was one clear winner, and that's the subject of today's episode. Three Retro regulars get together to discuss Final Fantasy IX and sing its praises. You'll here them gushing about the characters, looting through the sidequests, and picking up all of those litt...

BlizzCon 2017 is behind us, and Retro Encounter original host Jolly Josh Curry reunites with Entitled Mike Sollosi to discuss all of the Blizzard goodness revealed and elaborated at the show. From a new Hearthstone expansion to classic 2004 World of Warcraft servers, two of RPGFan's Blizzard junkies have plenty to discuss. Unless it's about Diablo. Whether you hang out in Azeroth, Sanctuary, or Th...

It's the time of year to celebrate the creepy, the kooky, and the altogether ooky. Three of Retro Encounter's horror aficionados discuss their favorite horror RPGs, scary video game moments, or unexpectedly creepy parts of otherwise cheery RPGs. Seriously, what's with those Tomato Men in Secret of Mana? Featuring: Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues, Dom Kim Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan...

Our three panelists were busy the past two weeks and nobody was able to finish Digital Devil Saga in time for the podcast. It's an embarrassing Retro Encounter first. That doesn't mean there was a lack of discussion, though! Listen on for our continuing thoughts on Digital Devil Saga, including its characters, folklore connection, and novel adaptation Quantum Devil Saga. Featuring: Michael Sollosi...

Who needs ultimate weapons? Not us here at Retro Encounter! While we might have explored the subject before, this week's episode looks at all things stupid and fun - Wacky Weapons! Two returning panelists from the Ultimate Weapons episode take a look over RPG history and discuss the strangest weapons and equipment they've ever wielded against the big bad. Grab your golf clubs, brooms and water pis...

Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner was a PS2 Atlus experiment; two games made in the image of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, starring transforming cannibals in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Two Digital Devil Saga veterans and one newbie explore the bleak, brutal RPG with a critical eye. Is the cult classic also a critical hit? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch:...

Quintet! Whether it's a hands-on deity rebuilding civilization, children exploring the different sides of the human condition, or rainbow robot rumbles, Quintet games always feel unique and interesting. Today Retro Encounter throws back to the 90s with an in-depth discussion of Quintet's RPGs. Featuring: Robert Fenner, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan...

Three Retro Encounter panelists reconvene to discuss the second half of Final Fantasy XII, going deep into its ending and optional content. Hunts, espers, music, and romantic shipping each take center stage in today's episode. Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Robert Fenner, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfanco...

Retro Encounter returns to Dalmasca with Final Fantasy XII, the PlayStation 2 classic recently remastered for PlayStation 4. In this first episode our panelists talk classes, characters, and personal memories of Final Fantasy XII, especially the game's excellent localization and Vaan's impressive abdominals. Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Robert Fenner, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Emai...

Retro Encounter's first episode posted in May of 2015, and today in September of 2017 Retro Encounter hits triple digits. For its hundredth outing, six recurring Retro panelists play an elimination game to determine a future episode subject, and also wax nostalgic about Encounters past. The end result: a listener poll! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Josh Curry, Robert Fenner, Chris Gebauer, Alana Hag...

Today is Casts & Characters day on RPGFan! To accompany the site featured articles, Retro Encounter has five of the feature writers present to talk about their favorite RPG ensembles. Final Fantasy VII's Planeteers, Borderlands 2's weirdo heroes, Persona 4's Scooby gang, Koudelka's bickering heretics, and Final Fantasy XII's royal entourage each make an appearance. Get to know the heroes and v...

Ultimate weapons. When you find one in an RPG, it's a symbol of accomplishment, a trophy representing high dedication and near-completion of its game. Sometimes they're lying around in a late dungeon, but most of the time players jump through strange, specific hoops to obtain them. And four RPGFan podcasters are here to talk about those weapons, those trophies, and those hoops. Featuring: Peter Tr...

Grim Fandango continues to stun our panel with its original setting and sharp wit, and continues to frustrate that same panel with 1990s adventure game design. But what were the panel's overall feelings? Does Manny manage to rescue Mercedes? How fast does Glottis go? These questions and more are answered in today's podcast. Featuring: Alana Hagues, Marcos Gaspar, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGF...

Blizzard's Diablo series is over twenty years old, and over three games and two official expansions it's changed in leaps and bounds. Three of RPGFan's premier Diablo fanboys examine the evolutionary arc of the series, from the plodding walking speed of the original 16-floor dungeon to the satisfying gameplay of the Diablo III Necromancer class. Join us for a gothic fantasy Retro Encounter retrosp...

Retro Encounter gets spooky in August with a playthrough of the classic 1998 LucasArts adventure game, Grim Fandango. Snappy dialog, obtuse puzzles, aggressive fiery beavers, and mysterious cat races all make an appearance in Grim Fandango's first two days, as Manny Calavera seeks justice for himself and his clients. Featuring: Alana Hagues, Josh Curry, Marcos Gaspar, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch:...

Several RPGFan staff are big fans of Pokemon, so of course they have strong feelings about the different generations of Pokemon games. In today's episode, three panelists argue to determine the best overall Pokemon generation, with some discussion followed by a vote. Naturally, the arguments are adamant, not timid. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.co...

The GameCube is not the first console many people think of when we think about RPGs. If it doesn't come into your mind eventually, though, you're doing something wrong. We look back at the best multiplayer RPGs and forgotten gems on the system, and of course, with it being Nintendo, we could not escape without talking about some of their most famous mascots. This was where the Tales of series expl...

Four EarthBound panelists return to discuss Earthbound's alternately charming, bizarre, disturbing, and satisfying finale, from deserts to swamps to prehistoric underworlds (?) and alien attacks from the distant past (???). It's another hour of EarthBound banter from Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Robert Fenner, Keegan Lee Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgf...

Last year, four Retro Encounter panelists had a blast playing Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, a murder mystery novel rife with twists and turns. In 2017, three of those four panelists return for a special one-off episode on its sequel, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. There's a lot to discuss about this island in the sun; we'll be playing and having fun! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues,...

EarthBound is one of the oddest, most original Japanese RPGs on the Super Nintendo, and over the years it's amassed a cult following dwarfing that of Happy-Happyism. In this week's Retro Encounter, four panelists explore EarthBound's first half, taking Giant Steps all the way to Summers in summer. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Robert Fenner, Keegan Lee Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email...