RPGFan's Retro Encounter

In the night I hear 'em talk / The coldest story ever told Kingdom Hearts II , one of the most celebrated sequels in the Square Enix catalog, finally gets an episode (the first of two!) on Retro Encounter. Within, we discuss the game's dynamic combat, the earnestly made Disney worlds, and plenty about Kingdom Hearts II 's mysterious black robed mostly-antagonists.  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alek...

The Leifthrasir Hand of Darkness When Ogre Battle retreats to the shadows, who keeps the beacons lit? When Princess Crown fails to draw an audience, who picks up the bag and keeps marching? When Japan shows a lack of interest in Starcraft, who ties the series to a tower defense game and a visual novel and waves that enticingly over the crowds? Of course, we all know when to cry out to Vanllaware,...

And amidst deepest despair, Retro Encounter everlasting. In honor of the recent release of Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail , we decided to get a few of our biggest XIV fans together to discuss the previous expansion, Endwalker . As the end of the Hydaelyn/Zodiark arc that dominated the first decade or so of Final Fantasy XIV , there is certainly a lot to talk about, with topics ranging from our favor...

What possible harm could an insane, mutant tentacle do?  Day of the Tentacle was a tentpole release in LucasArts's excellent run of classic adventure games from the late 1980s through the late 1990s, and its very specific dialog, puzzle logic, and sense of humor made it a cult classic. But how do two Day of the Tentacle longtime fans and one relative newcomer feel about this struggle of teenager v...

One more thing, there are a couple of loose ends I'd like to tie up. Nothing important, you understand. The Case of the Golden Idol made a splash in 2022, with its compelling murder mysteries, political intrigue, and puzzle adventure gameplay. It also has a decidedly retro look to it, so naturally a few of us wanted to play it. Today, three Retro Encounter panelists break down the mechanics, story...

We didn't start the fire Firewatch is the only release of indie game studio Campo Santo, but made quite an impact when it came out in 2016. Four Retro Encounter panelists played Firewatch recently, and today discuss everything from Firewatch's quotidian gameplay, clever use of anticlimax, and fabulous dialog both in writing and performance. So did we find Firewatch enlightening, disappointing, or...

The Dark Souls of Retro Encounter fantasy drafts  FromSoftware has produced an excellent run of fantasy RPGs since 2009's Demon's Souls, to which point its extended family of action RPGs comprises a genre all its own. And of course, if you can organize RPGs into a series, then Retro Encounter will attempt to draft them in time for American football season. So which player seizes Anor Londo in the...

Trespassers will be contemplated Retro Encounter concludes its eight-month-long playthrough of the Dragon Age trilogy, with a discussion of what's wrong with the Grey Wardens, what's worse in the Winter Palace, and much more. Dragon Age: Inquisition was a phenomenon in 2014, and the panel is excited to get to its long-awaited sequel in 2024. It's bears, barbarians, Titans, and Dread Wolves in the...

An Inquisition that everyone saw coming.  Retro Encounter played the first two Dragon Age games in the last nine months, so naturally there would come the time to finish the fight. Dragon Age: Inquisition escalates and expands the conflicts and concepts of the first two Dragon Age games, from the Mage-Templar war to the plight of Dalish Elves, in a 2014 Game of the Year contender. So how does toda...

This episode free with the Podcast of the Year edition Downloadable content used to be a video game luxury, but in 2024 it's an inevitability. But while day-one patches, frivolous additions, and pay-to-win models are frustrating or bad, sometimes an RPG's extra content is worth your time and hard drive space. In today's episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists detail a few of their favorite DLCs...

A, B, C, D, FF3 / Feels like a mid-rank to me Very few podcast, article, or video topics on the internet get folks more enthusiastic or more up in arms than tiers, lists, or a combination thereof. On today's emotional episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists play a fantasy-draft style game to place the main-series Final Fantasy games (plus FF Tactics) into five tiers. What quintet of RPGs land i...

Despite everything, it's still Retro Encounter. Over six years ago , we got together to chat about the instant indie class, Undertale . But, Undertale 's staying power is so strong that we decided to get together and chat about it again, this time with an all new panel. Is Papyrus still delightful every time he comes on screen? Did any of us have the heart to do a Genocide run? Hot dog? Listen in...

What is bravery without a dash of recklessness?  Five Retro Encounter panelists recently finished the first Dark Souls, and it's every bit as impressive, intense, and moving today as it was in 2011. Today the panel talks about the game's undercooked second-half environments, the fully-realized DLC episode, and the emotional turmoil upon discovering why certain bosses were present in their current...

Let's praise the sun! Doo-doo-doo-doo The Dark Souls of RPGFan podcasts has finally arrived! Dark Souls is one of the most celebrated RPGs of the 2010s, helping to establish an entire new genre of RPG. Today, one Dark Souls newcomer and four Souls-like veterans discuss this challenging, carefully-crafted RPG, from its interconnected setting to the intense boss fights of Dark Souls's first half.  F...

There can only be one.  Since time immemorial (May of 2019), Retro Encounter has hosted quiz shows to determine which Retro Encounter panelist knows the most about the subject we celebrate every day on our beloved website. Today, five former RPGFan quiz show winners duke it out in a trivia free-for-all to determine who is the true Champion of Champions. We've started, so we'll finish.   Featuring:...

PlayStation IV: A New Hope The PlayStation 4 was a massively successful console, with incredible sales, an official lifespan of seven years, and game releases continuing to the present day. And moreso than its predecessor, the PS4 had a rich selection of RPGs. Today, four Retro Encounter panelists each composed individual top ten lists of PS4 RPGs, and then collated those individual lists into a f...

Deep fried Retro! This week we get the panelists back together to chat about the second half of Grandia II . Listen in while we talk about late game changes in tone, how well the pacing holds up, and if Ryudo is still endlessly hilarious. Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Ben Love, Claton Stevenson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Ema...

You can't go back, but you can move forward. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was one of the most hotly anticipated RPG releases of 2024, as a successor to the fan-favorite Suikoden series in all but name, written and designed by Suikoden 's late creator Yoshitaka Murayama. So did Eiyuden live up to expectations? Are we excited for a potential Eiyuden sequel? Listen to find out!  Featuring: Micha...

Inside every cynic, there is a disappointed idealist.  Grandia II felt like an RPG ahead of its time in 2000, with sophisticated active-time battles, smart underlying systems, and clever writing anchored by Ryudo, Grandia II 's sarcastic protagonist. Today's episode of Retro Encounter discusses the characters, mechanics, and first-half story of Grandia II , especially how its modern touches and an...

I've walked for miles / My feet are hurting.  Content Warning: this podcast episode addresses many sensitive topics, including mental health issues and self-harm.  Is Omori an offbeat retro-styled RPG about a journey through a young person's psyche? A story about a group of friends reconnecting after drifting apart following tragic circumstances? Or a harrowing depiction of trauma surrounding the...

Accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.  No one of sound mind plays an RPG out of spite. Players want to enjoy the games they play, sometimes with a fair amount of hype and anticipation beforehand. Today, we walk in between joy and despair, and discuss ten games that the panel wanted to love but struggled to connect with. A few of these are broadly popular, while others are fro...

But my dreams, they aren’t as empty / As my headspace seems to be Content Warning: this podcast episode addresses many sensitive topics, including mental health issues and self-harm.  Omori is an indie game that takes on dark themes such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and loss in a thoughtful, poignant manner. But it’s also chock-full of subversive humor and game mechanics that manipulate emotion...

To love is to suffer Three RPGFan panelists are joined by RPG enthusiast YouTuber David Vinc to discuss the favorites and frustrations about the world of RPGs. Does our guest prefer the predictable comfort of Dragon Quest or the unstable beauty of Final Fantasy? Which panelist has played Lufia II dozens of times? How about games where you recruit dozens of characters? It’s an episode all about the...

Are you courageous enough to try Retro Encounter yet? Back in February, Persona 3 Reload released, much to the delight of many on staff, So, this week, two veterans of Persona 3 and one newbie get together to chat about Persona 3 Reload. How does this one compare to the rest of the series? What’s our favorite party composition? Is Koromaru still the bestest boy? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Z...

Elc the Kid Arc the Lad II is an improvement over the first in nearly every way, as a more dramatic, dynamic, and lengthy PS1 RPG only held back by some technical limitations, a lack of save points, and an excess of towers. Four Retro Encounter panelists played Arc the Lad II last month, and this game holds up well enough to have a great discussion.  Featuring: Wes Iliff, Audra Bowling, Ben Love,...