RPGFan's Retro Encounter

home_filledExplore shows

listSubscriptions

playlist_addQueue

addAdd by RSS Feed

Settings

Help Content policies Publisher guidelines

Send feedback

open_in_newGet the Android app open_in_newGet the iOS app

Privacy · Terms

RPGFan's Retro Encounter

RPGFan.com

Subscribe

Visit website

Join the RPGFan crew as they play through and discuss classic RPGs and adventure games!

RPGFan's Retro Encounter

Available episodes



Newest first

Oldest first

384 - Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter Part I

Don't be a D-Ratio. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter doesn't want you to have an easy time. A remarkable blend of PS2 visuals, tactical combat, rogue-like elements, and horror atmosphere set to a Hitoshi Sakimoto soundtrack, the fifth game in Capcom's signature turn-based RPG series is as unique as it is challenging. Three RPGFan staff of various experience levels tackled Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter with open minds and full hearts this week, but how do they feel? Listen and learn! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Stephanie Sybydlo; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri. Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter on RPGFan

383 - Final Fantasy XVI Spoilercast

The only podcast here is ours. And you can be its early witness! Final Fantasy XVI, one of the most-anticipated Square-Enix games of the 2020s, finally launched worldwide in June. And now, almost three months later, at least four RPGFan staff have finished playing and want to start talking. From favorite characters and fights to the future of Final Fantasy XVI DLC, this podcast delves deep into this Eikonic game. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri. Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Zach's Final Fantasy XVI Review

382 - That's Edutainment!

She'll take you for a ride on a wagon train to Zoombiniville It's back to school week here at Retro Encounter, where we stay retro but mostly avoid RPGs in a discussion of classic edutainment games, from The Oregon Trail to Sim City 2000. Who among our illustrious panel dreamed of being on the Carmen Sandiego PBS show? Which educational game most deserves a Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio adaptation? Listen and learn! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Niki Fakhoori, Jonathan Logan, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

381 - Disco Elysium Part II

Time to go work on Retro Encounter! We're back with our discussion of the second half of Disco Elysium. This week we dive into some of our favorite late-game side quests, go over our favorite conversations with our neckties, and discuss the fabulously strange ending. Did we get Kim to like us? Do we continue to be a disaster cop? Are Phasmids real? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Ben Love, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan - Disco Elysium Review RPGFan - Disco Elysium: The Final Cut Review

380 - Disco Elysium Part I

This is the face of a late-stage Retro Encounter enthusiast. This week we get together to discuss a game inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, despite a complete lack of any dungeons or dragons: Disco Elysium. Listen in as we discuss the wild humor and politics of this strange, amazing video game, and find out just how many bad choices we can make while still solving a murder case. Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Ben Love, Hilary Andreff; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan - Disco Elysium Review RPGFan - Disco Elysium: The Final Cut Review

379 - Final Fantasy Fantasy Draft 2.0

Off my podcast, jester. The commissioner sits there. It's fantasy draft season! And, well, it's been a while since our last draft episode, and even longer since we've drafted characters from the biggest RPG series around. So, we decided to pull a new panel together to engage in some Retro Encounter rules-based discussion nonsense with a supersized episode where we draft all our Final Fantasy characters. Is Celes is main character or a supporting one? Where does Kefka fall on our big board? Just how long can we make one episode? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Aleks Franiczek, Lucas Greene, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Retro Encounter 210 - Final Fantasy Fantasy Draft

378 - Final Fantasy VI Part II

Life... Dreams... Hope... Where do they come from? A new episode of Retro Encounter of course, that's where! We're back this week to dive into the second, more ruinous half of Final Fantasy VI. After the relatively structured and straightforward pacing of the first half, the latter portions of Final Fantasy VI are certainly much more open, and quite a revelation when the game released. Is the second half still as interesting as it was all those years ago? Did we recruit everyone? Who makes the right choice and turns off encounters while climbing Cultists' Tower? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Ben Love, Lucas Greene, Lucy Gray; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Audra's Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster Review on RPGFan Bob's Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster Review on RPGFan

377 - Final Fantasy VI Part I

Think a "podcast" like ours could help you out in your quest? In honor of the recent release of Final Fantasy XVI, we got a few of our panelists together to play through the SNES classic Final Fantasy VI. Some of us have played it a million times, some of us are just running through it for the first, and we chat about everything from the story to the combat to that music. Who is the best character? How does the combat hold up? Did we all suplex the train? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Ben Love, Lucas Greene, Lucy Gray; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Audra's Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster Review on RPGFan Bob's Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster Review on RPGFan

376 - Rollercoaster of Emotion: The RPG Moments That Moved Us

What the hell, Yoko Taro? After our recently published "25 Years, 25 RPG Moments" feature, we decided to get the crew at Retro Encounter together to talk about some of the moments that made us laugh, made us happy, and most importantly, the ones that wrecked us. What moments did we choose? Which ones did we miss? Who got too emotional to talk for a little while? Listen in to find out! (Note: there are heavy spoilers for a number of the games we discuss here, notably Breath of Fire IV, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Dragon Quest XI, Monster Rancher 2, Mother 3, Suikoden II, Final Fantasy X, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, and NieR: Automata. Listen with caution.) Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel, Michael Sollosi, Stephanie Sybydlo; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: 25 Years, 25 RPG Moment Feature

375 - Lost Odyssey Part II

Its gifts were mixed with good and evil both. This week we bring our panelists back together to discuss to discuss the second half of Lost Odyssey. While were were all pretty positive on the first half, some of us really like the latter portions, and some of us really don't. Did we do all the sidequests? Do the excellent short stories make up for the middling narrative? Are the environments still so very brown? Listen in to find out! (Editor's Note - While the host indicates this is Episode 374, the correct number is 375) Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Aleks Franiczek, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Lost Odyssey on RPGFan Lost Odyssey Review on RPGFan

374 - Lost Odyssey Part I

Okay it might not be called Final Fantasy XIII, but... This week on Retro Encounter, three first-timers get together to discuss Mistwalker's Xbox 360 cult classic Lost Odyssey. It certainly has some big names behind it, and we want to find out if it lives up to the previous works of the masters. How does it hold up? How brown can one game get? Does the turn-based combat work this time around? Listen to find out! Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Aleks Franiczek, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Lost Odyssey on RPGFan Lost Odyssey Review on RPGFan

373 - Octopath Traveler II Spoilercast

Thou shalleth listenen to thisen episode. Luckily, you won't hear any conversations about broken Early Modern English, because this time we're not talking about the original. Instead, we have a spoiler filled chat about Octopath Traveler II, a sequel that our panel loved even more than the first game. How does the game look? What about that combat? Oh, the music has to be good. What about any funny accents? Listen in to this week's episode to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Patrick Gann, Alana Hagues; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Octopath Traveler II on RPGFan Octopath Traveler II Review on RPGFan

372 - Persona 4 Golden Revisited

It's time to make history! This week, we're revisiting one of our favorites: Persona 4 Golden. After all, with the new release on modern consoles and Wes' glowing review for us at RPGFan, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to revisit some of our old friends. But there's an even better reason we're revisiting this classic! We're also joined by special guest, and friend of the podcast, Alex from Backlog Battle, to talk about everything that makes the game special to them, too. Does the game still hold up? Is Kanji still the best character? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Alex from Backlog Battle; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Persona 4 Golden on RPGFan The Backlog Battle YouTube channel

371 - Like A Dragon: Ishin! Part II

More brutal murders than John Wick and more mistaken identities than Twelfth Night. Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin! plays fast and loose with the events of Bakumatsu Japan, with multiple historical figures assuming second personas, a legendary alliance forged through a drunken brawl instead of careful diplomacy, and much more than can be contained in a mere podcast description. Today's Retro Encounter is all about the king-making, life-taking, and chicken racing of the latest to come out Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Jono Logan, Nick Mangiaracina; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Like A Dragon: Ishin! on RPGFan

370 - Like A Dragon: Ishin! Part I

Kamurocho has nothing on the mean streets of 1860s Kyo. Ryu Ga Gotoku: Ishin! was probably a lost cause to most fans of the Like A Dragon / Yakuza series, but Sega shocked everyone last year with the announcement of a full remake of the 2014 historical fiction samurai drama to arrive in February of 2023. RPGFan had at least four panelists eager to play it, so they gathered here to form their own Shinsengumi to discuss the swordplay, writing, performances, and historical context of the Ishin! remake. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Jono Logan, Nick Mangiaracina; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Like A Dragon: Ishin! on RPGFan

369 - Our Off-Brand Obsessions

All RPGs and no fighting games makes Jack a dull boy. We don't *solely* play RPGs here at RPGFan, and today is exactly the podcast to express that. Four RPGFan panelists discuss a few of their favorite games that can't be classified as RPGs with even the most liberal interpretation of the term, from crossover fighters to atmospheric horror to block puzzles to epic bug sagas. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Tom Cox, Ben Love, Nick Mangiaracina; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

368 - Most Wanted Remakes

Today we enter the realm of video game fantasies, but not Final Fantasies. Remakes are a regular part of the video game release schedule in the 2020s, and here at Retro Encounter we have a few ideas on a few that should come soon. A PS2 rogue-like, a Squaresoft RPG never released in Japan, and some Game Boy Color classics are only a small sample of what's in store in this episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Joshua Lindquist, Jonathan Logan, Tin Manuel; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

367 - RPGFan Had a Farm

E-I-E-I-oh boy I almost went to bed without watering the corn. Oh, hello. On today's Retro Encounter, we're breaking out the farm equipment and digging into the ever-growing farm simulation genre. Many of them overlap with RPGs, especially as modern games have expanded their systems beyond crops, animals, and relationships, offering combat systems and more. Of course we talked about Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley, but we covered much more ground in discussing how we all got our start, what we are playing now, and some farming games we're looking forward to. Saddle up! Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Greg Delmage, Dom Kim; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

366 - Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II

You would expect that first-party game releases for a system would dry up three years after its successor is released. But that certainly wasn’t the case with Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II! Released in 1994 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, StarTropics II was a bit of an anomaly. Developed by the legendary Nintendo division R&D3, this time-traveling sequel to StarTropics was, much like its predecessor, only found on the NES in North America. It was also an 8-bit game in a predominantly 16-bit era. So, our question today: Was StarTropics II a lost gem that was ignored because it was on an obsolete system? Or was it rightfully forgotten by gamers at the time? Let’s jump back in time and find out! Featuring: Jono Logan, Nick Mangiaracina, Michael Salbato; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.comRPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related L…

365 - StarTropics

There are some first-party Nintendo games that became legendary franchises. This… is not one of those games. Released in 1990 for the NES, StarTropics was specifically designed by Nintendo R&D3 with Western audiences in mind. In fact, it was never even released in Japan until 2008 on the Wii Virtual Console! This stylish and innovative game, featuring a genre mash-up with Dragon Quest-style villages and Zelda-like dungeons, gained a cult following of devoted fans, three of whom are on this podcast! Does StarTropics live up to their childhood memories? It’s time to stick some bananas in our ears, hop into our yellow submarine (piloted by R.O.B. the Robot), and find out! Featuring: Jono Logan, Nick Mangiaracina, Mike Salbato; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Rhythm Encounter 90 – Tropi…

363 - Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber Part I

Did this Ogre need a decoder? Ogre Battle 64 occupies a curious part of RPG history, as a Quest game made after Yasumi Matsuno's departure from Quest, as a hybrid real-time strategy game and traditional JRPG, and as an RPG for the N64, a system conspicuously lacking them. Today's episode of Retro Encounter is an Ogre Battle 64 skeptic and two longtime Ogre Battle 64 fans trying to reconcile OB64's peculiarities with modern sensibilities. What are their feelings? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Pete Leavitt, Joshua Lindquist; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Ogre Battle 64 on RPGFan Pete Leavitt's Ogre Battle 64 Feature

362 - RPGs on Repeat

"Do you think games are silly little things?" Most RPGs aren't designed to be played multiple times. You take in the story, see a few numbers increase incrementally, fight a boss, and roll some credits. But that doesn't stop a huge number of RPG fans from replaying their favorites multiple times, and Retro Encounter's panel is no exception. Today, a team of panelists details eight of their favorite games that they've replayed multiple times - sometimes the games cooperate by providing new choices and a variety of gameplay options; other times there's much less of that, but seeing these characters again is like visiting old friends. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Brian Mackenzie, Tin Manuel; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

361 - Xeno Series Fantasy Draft

Hey, at least there’s no gacha in today’s episode. While we might not love gacha mechanics in RPGs, we sure do love the characters in the Xeno series, and for today’s episodes we gathered four of our biggest Xeno fans on staff to draft our very own fantasy teams. Which protagonists do we love the most? Where does Citan go? Does Wes steal all of Zach’s picks again? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Wes Iliff, Izzy Parsons, Tyler Trosper; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: So You Want to Get into the Xeno Series... on RPGFan

360 - Year of the Pokémon

Wild PODCAST appeared! The 12 months from November 19th, 2021 to November 18th, 2022 were monumental for the most popular RPG franchise in the world. The Pokémon Company had three major releases in that timespan, with a set of remakes, a groundbreaking prequel, and a new pair of flagship games. In today's Retro Encounter, four panelists discuss Pokémon's remarkable year: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Tom Cox, Niki Fakhoori, Anthony Krolikowski; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on RPGFan Pokemon Legends: Arceus on RPGFan Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on RPGFan

359 - RPGFan's Guide to Style

"If fashion were easy, wouldn't everybody look great?" Today, Retro Encounter channels their inner Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn and discusses a few of the best and worst clothing choices made by RPG characters. What Persona character wore it best? Who has the best Mass Effect space suit? What oldschool accessories need to make a comeback? And what's Link's worst outfit ever worn? All of these questions asked and answered in the most fashion-forward ever episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Mario Garcia, Stephanie Sybydlo; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri See our episode post on RPGFan for a visual guide to the characters discussed in this episode. Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

358 - 2022 Year in Review

Should auld RPGs be forgot, and never brought to mind? No, that's why this show exists, and auld lang syne. It's that time of year again, where Retro Encounter lives in the very recent past and goes over several of the present panel's favorite games of the calendar year. From remasters of 1994 Square classics to 1995 strategy game homages to modern action RPG masterpieces, this episode highlights some of the best and brightest RPGs of the year. And wait for the end of the episode for a sneak peak at several Retro Encounter episodes coming in 2023! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Tom Cox, Jonathan Logan, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

357 - Xenosaga Episode I - Der Wille zur Macht Part II

It's a Xenomas Miracle! Xenosaga is a game about humanity, starring a cast that rangers from an android unable to distinguish empathy from protocol to an artificial human clinging to memories of her human parents to a cyborg trying to reject his own humanity. But regardless of the biology or technology behind anyone in Xenosaga's cast, the story told is deeply human, right until that one traumatizing torture scene. Please enjoy today's episode on the PS2 cult classic! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg, Tyler Trosper, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht on RPGFan

356 - Xenosaga Episode I - Der Wille zur Macht Part I

KOS-MOS isn't a doctor, but she'll die-a-Gnosis. Retro Encounter recorded episodes on Xenogears, Xenoblade, and Baten Kaitos several years ago, but what about the series that put Monolith Soft on the map? Today one superfan and three newcomers discuss the background, themes, characters, and early story of 2002's Xenosaga Episode 1, the first of a trilogy with subtitles from Nietzsche, the flyest nihilist. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg, Tyler Trosper, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht on RPGFan

355 - Muppets Encounter

It's in the singing of a street corner choir / It's going home and getting warm by the fire / It's true, wherever you find love, it feels like Muppets. It's the Muppets episode! Three RPGFan podcast hosts are lifelong fans of The Muppets, so in the grand tradition of A Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island, they are re-casting classic RPGs with iconic Muppets characters. Which Muppet portrays Kefka from Final Fantasy VI? Which crew member of the Normandy is Kermit the Frog? Does anyone else remember Lew Zealand? All of these and more in the most Muppetational episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening music by Sam Pottle. Ending music by Miles Morkri. Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

354 - Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Spoilercast

And now it's time to dive into something a bit meatier. Monolithsoft's latest game, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, finally dropped in July, and we gathered five of our biggest Xeno fans to discuss the gall of Tetsuya Takahashi's new jam. Listen in as we chat about the delightful British-isms, if there's finally a Nopon character who isn't annoying, and whether the game is really as sparkin' good as everyone else seems to think it is. Choose your future. Listen to this episode. Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Gio Castillo, Alana Hagues, Izzy Parsons, Tyler Trosper; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 on RPGFan

353 - Mass Effect 3

Silversun Strip Apartments. When you're here, you're family. Mass Effect 3 was an RPG event when it launched in 2012, and underneath the vitriolic reaction to its ending and multiple waves of DLC both expansive and reconstructive is an excellent shooter RPG. In today's episode of Retro Encounter, three panelists discuss not only Mass Effect 3's resolutions to the Krogan, Geth, and Reaper conflicts, but also the adventure, romance, and legacy of the Mass Effect trilogy. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Mass Effect 3 on RPGFan

352 - Mass Effect 2

I am the very model of a sci-fi shooter RPG! From Omega to Luna I'm the zenith and the apogee! 2010's Mass Effect 2 continues the story of Commander Shepard's quest to save the galaxy, but with new crew members, new benefactors, and way more planet scanning. An RPGFan away team discusses Mass Effect 2's villains-turned-allies, new alien cultures, and daring final mission in today's episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Mass Effect 2 on RPGFan

351 - Mass Effect Revisited

Back on our BioWare business. Mass Effect was one of the biggest phenomena in video games from the late 2000s through the early 2010s, and all three games in the original trilogy hold up as role-playing games, first-person shooters, and science fiction stories. Through the month of November, Retro Encounter is playing through the original Mass Effect trilogy, starting with the first game (which Retro Encounter also covered in June of 2018). Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Mass Effect on RPGFan

350 - Maybe You'll Learn Something

Thank you for listening to Retro Encounter for a Quite Interesting seven years! If you know two things about Retro Encounter, they’re probably that the podcast plays through great RPGs from every era and that its host loves game shows. Today, to celebrate 350 episodes of Retro Encounter, that host emulates a classic panel quiz format to go over a dozen discussion topics. Have a listen and maybe you’ll learn something! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Wes Iliff, Mike Salbato, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Poll for a future Retro Encounter episode!

349 - The Quarry

This game is from 2022, but horny teenagers getting murdered at a summer camp is Retro as can be. Happy Halloween! As far as Retro Encounter is concerned, Halloween begins in early September and lasts three solid months. As such, we are celebrating the horror season and providing a coda to Retro Encounter's Autumn of Adventure with The Quarry, the most recent cinematic horror adventure from Supermassive Games, the same studio that gave us Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology. So who lives, who dies, and who's still a werewolf at game's end? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: The Quarry on RPGFan

348 - Broken Age

Broken Age is a stunningly beautiful coming of age story. Beyond the narrative itself, its Kickstarter-fairytale-turned-cautionary-tale development cycle has been entertainingly and meticulously documented and helped chart the frontier of large-scale crowdfunded videogame projects. Listen to the Autumn of Adventure panel muse on this, the Double Fine Adventure documentary detailing this game's development, and the amazing characters while we retrace our experience through this incredibly framed story. Which robot pal of Shay's is best robot pal? Also, plot twist: Broken Age has a wolf! Adventure game month is almost entirely wolf month. Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Jonathan Logan, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Broken Age on RPGFan

347 - The Wolf Among Us

Hey there Little Red Riding Hood / You sure are lookin' good / You're everything a Big Bad Wolf could want Retro Encounter continues their Autumn of Adventure with The Wolf Among Us, a narrative adventure game set in the Fables comic book universe and originally released in five parts in 2013 and 2014. The panel dives into Telltale's unique brand of video game storytelling, The Wolf Among Us's fascinating portrayals of characters from fiction and folklore, and every decision Bigby Wolf makes in this dramatic noir plot. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: The Wolf Among Us on RPGFan

346 - The Secret of Monkey Island

Welcome to the first episode of Retro Encounter’s Adventure Game Month! Throughout October, we’re looking at four adventures across several eras of gaming. First up, the seminal point-and-click classic, The Secret of Monkey Island! SoMI is a foundational game for LucasArts. Under Ron Gilbert’s direction, it brought in many of the conventions that would define the point-and-click genre moving forward, including a refined verb interface, dialogue trees, and an inability to die (unless you try REALLY hard). In this week’s Retro, Jono, Hilary, and Mike will sail through the Caribbean-flavored adventure filled with witty sword fights, scurvy ghost pirates, and at least one three-headed monkey! Featuring: Jono Logan, Hilary Andreff, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: The S…

345 - Live A Live Part II

Live (A Live) from the Middle Ages, it's Thursday night! Live A Live is an anthology RPG comprised of eight miniature stories that lead to a grand finale, and its 2022 remake gets three thumbs up from today's Retro Encounter panel. They discuss the tragic eighth chapter, as well as the twisted endgame which brings together seven triumphant heroes and one disgraced would-be savior into a clash between good and evil. And it's all set to a killer Yoko Shimomura soundtrack. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Tom Cox; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Live A Live on RPGFan Live A Live (Switch) on RPGFan

344 - Live A Live Part I

Rhymes with "Drive Survive," not "Sieve Forgive" Live A Live, an influential 1994 RPG developed by Square during their Super Nintendo apex, is an anthology RPG which tells eight short stories that eventually coalesce into a satisfying finale. Live A Live's 2022 Nintendo Switch remake is the title's only official worldwide release, and several staff at RPGFan were eager to dive and thrive. This episode covers the first seven chapters, with a discussion of the rest coming next week. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Tom Cox; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Live A Live on RPGFan Live A Live (Switch) on RPGFan

343 - Fabula Nova Crystallis

Never Gonna Give Yeul Up Fabula Nova Crystallis, the high-concept collection of Final Fantasy games dating from 2006, resulted in five games of varying tone and execution. Retro Encounter spent much of August playing and discussing Final Fantasy XIII, and today three panelists break down and lift up the rest of the family, including the former Agito, Final Fantasy Type-0, and the Versus XIII successor, Final Fantasy XV. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Audra Bowling, Patrick Gann; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Crystal Tools Without a Craftsman

342 - Say Yes to the 3DS

Finally, we connect Xenoblade Chronicles to Abraham Lincoln. The 3DS eShop is on its last legs as Nintendo phases out online support for its successful handheld, but Retro Encounter hasn't given up on this 3D-enabled machine yet. Five panelists (including three new ones!) discuss their favorite 3DS games and series in an appreciation-slash-celebration for this titan of the 2010s. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Tom Cox, Anthony Krolikowski, Joshua Lindquist, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Top 25 Nintendo 3DS RPGs

341 - Final Fantasy XIII Part II

How clear is Final Fantasy XIII's story? Not exactly Crystal. Final Fantasy XIII has a wild ride to the finish, and three Retro Encounter panelists cap off their personal experiences playing it by reacting to FF XIII's remarkable design changes, confusing character motivations, and beautiful imagery in its final chapters. So who did we bring to the final battle? Why are there so many metaphors for abandonment in the game? How does Square-Enix ruin this beautiful ending in future games? Listen for all of this and more! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy XIII on RPGFan

340 - Final Fantasy XIII Part I

Thunderbolts and Lightning / Very very frightening Final Fantasy XIII, one of the most divisive games in the world's most popular Japanese RPG series, is certainly old enough to be considered Retro, but its style and tone are anything but. Our panelists are one FF XIII veteran, one FF XIII neophyte, and one lapsed player; they're unkind to the linear corridors and grating personalities of the first half of FF XIII, but understanding of the game's troubled development history and appreciative of its stunning visuals, beautiful music, and frantic combat. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy XIII on RPGFan

339 - Story vs. Gameplay

What's the story, RPGFan? Do you think it's worth a look? It seems kinda familiar, like a story from a book. RPGs and adventure games very often have an outsize focus on storytelling, in part because so many of them are about a group of characters growing and changing over the course of their game. Naturally, RPG fans of all stripes would prefer their games have a great story and great gameplay, but we know that's not always the case. In today's episode, five panelists decide whether they prefer a great story or great gameplay when only one of the two is an option, and highlight several games with particularly good narratives with lackluster playability, or vice-versa. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Niki Fakhoori, Dom Kim, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

338 - Three Truths and a Lie Part II

Don't ask me no questions, and I won't tell you no lies. We here at Retro Encounter love talking about video games, but decided to spend this episode getting to know each other a little better. In a sequel to a 2020 episode, four RPGFan panelists play a game in which they try to tell fact from fiction and share some details about themselves. Does Sollosi own three copies of Kingdom Hearts II, a game he's never played? Did Wes teach their daughter to impersonate a British character actor? Listen and reach out to the truth! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Niki Fakhoori, Wes Iliff, Mario Garcia; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

337 - Tales of Xillia Part II

Hey Jude, don't make it bad / Take a spirit, and make her better / Remember to let her into your heart / Then you can start to save the planet. Three RPGFan staff played through Tales of Xillia in July 2022, and left Rieze Maxia and Elympios feeling satisfied. By game's end, the panelists were surprised by an invading army, confused by multiple characters changing sides, and outraged that a 15-year-old is allowed to treat patients at a university hospital. But what intrigued us the most about this PS3 standout RPG? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Tales of Xillia on RPGFan

336 - Tales of Xillia Part I

We're all doing our best, but there is always room for Progress Tales of Xillia made a big splash on the PS3 in the early 2010s, with beautifully-rendered characters and frenetic combat for RPGs of that era. The usual Tales Of standards are here, from a climate crisis connected to Mana Spirits to one character that seems on the brink of betraying the team at any moment. So how does the panel feel about the do-gooder Jude and Milla of the impossible hairdo? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Anthony Krolikowski Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Tales of Xillia on RPGFan

335 - Gaming Accessibility

Did you know that RPGs, especially more traditional text-based RPGs, are generally considered to be among the more accessible videogame types? And that's a wonderful distinction, because accessibility means that the greatest possible number of players can actually play and enjoy it. Join our intrepid panel, then, in celebrating accessibility in all its forms. We discuss resources for news on the topic and accessible hardware and software reviews, how important it is to learn from the existing accessible gaming community, a wide variety of crucial accessibility features, and noteworthy ways developers have built accessibility into the design of their games. This is one Retro Encounter special topic that is guaranteed to improve your gaming experience. Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Lucy Gray, Wes Iliff; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitc…

334 - RPGFan Quiz Show: Gaiden

The chase is on in our pointless quiz show! Retro Encounter engages in friently competition for the fifth time, with four RPGFan staff members taking on the quizmaster's queue of questions. This quiz is a slightly different format from previous shows, with the four contestants playing simultaneously and rounds inspired by fan favorite game shows "Ask Me Another," and "I Literally Just Told You." Listen to our challengers shared struggle; maybe you'll learn something! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Jonathan Logan, Kyle Seeley, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Mark Mahler Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

333 - Suikoden I Part II

Young master... listen to this episode. That is my first... and last... request. Determined duels! Shocking departures! Sudden but inevitable betrayal! The second half of Suikoden the first is not lacking in drama, and four Retro Encounter panelists relish it, whether they're experiencing it for the first time or the tenth. Who's on our final sixes out of the first one-hundred-eight? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Cory Tischbein, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Suikoden on RPGFan

332 - Suikoden I Part I

Odessa told me: “A talkative man who doesn't have a podcast is a coward." One of the very first RPGs on the PlayStation, Suikoden created a legion of new fans in 1995, spawning nearly a dozen sequels and spinoffs over the next decade-plus. Retro Encounter has discussed multiple Suikoden sequels in older episodes, but today goes back to where it all began: a story of civil war, mystical runes, and 108 stars of destiny. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Cory Tischbein, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Suikoden on RPGFan

331 - Suikoden Fantasy Draft

Hundreds of heroes to choose from, but only four squads competing Retro Encounter returns from its 77-day hiatus to deliver three Suikoden episodes in a row! But before we get to our journal through the first Suikoden, we're going to draft Suikoden characters through the lifetime of the entire series, giving 32 of them a thorough discussion. Which main character goes first overall? Who's everyone's favorite tactician? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Mark Mahler Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

330 - Salt and Sanctuary

Three hosts enter. One leaves satisfied, one leaves salty, and the third… is still on the island. For Retro Encounter's third and final game of Metroidvania Month, three panelists took on Ska Studios' Salt & Sanctuary, a 2016 action RPG inspired heavily by both Metroidvania games and From Software's Souls series. The panelists all acknowledge Salt & Sanctuary's strengths and weaknesses, but completely disagree on whether the bleak, challenging title is, y'know, fun to play. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jono Logan, Tina Olah; Edited by Jono Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Salt and Sanctuary Review

329 - RPG Adaptations III

Of warrior mice and podcast men. Adaptations! In advance of an RPGFan feature later this month, three Retro Encounter panelists talk about their favorite stories and IP from outside the realm of video game RPGs, and how they each could be adapted into RPGs. 1990s novels aimed at young adults, 2000s superhero shows aimed at elementary school students, and 1960s manga for all ages are only a few of the series up for discussion in today's very hypothetical episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Wes Iliff; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

328 - Super Metroid

A couple weeks ago, we kicked off Metroidvania March with an episode on Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Today we turn our attention to what is, in many ways, the true origin of this sub-genre of adventure games, and the first half of its name before "-vania" would be added in subsequent years: Super Metroid. We don't actually cover Metroid here, but it's impossible to understate its influence on adventure games — especially since Metroidvanias have exploded in popularity thanks to the likes of Hollow Knight, the Ori titles, and of course, most Castlevania entries since 1997. So with all that in mind, four RPGFan editors sat down to discuss their feelings on one of the SNES' best titles, whether this was their first playthrough, or their twentieth. Featuring: Mike Salbato, Jono Logan, Cory Tischbein, Josh Louis; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpg…

327 - Pokémon Fantasy Draft

Jay Bilas is on hand to break down Flying-type wingspans. It's time to d-d-d-d-draft! Several RPGFan staff are enjoying Pokemon Legends: Arceus in the early days of 2022, so four Retro Encounter panelists are celebrating good times by drafting teams of their favorite monsters and trainers from the Pokémon universe. And a few draft picks might get a little spicy, or a little… funky. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Niki Fakhoori, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

326 - Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

First of all / I'm the soloist / The soul controller Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow was a highlight of the run of handheld Castlevania games of the 2000s, starring the soul-collecting teenager Soma Cruz. Four panelists with varying levels of Castlevania experience played or replayed Aria of Sorrow for Retro Encounter's Metroidvania Month, and the reviews are good (but maybe not Elden Ring good). Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Cory Tischbein, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow on RPGFan The Castlevania Advance Collection on RPGFan

325 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Part II

In which we all followed the Light, and read spoilers on the Dark Three Retro Encounter panelists finished runs of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic this month, and discover the truth of the Star Forge, the Sith Academy, and Darth Revan. Droids guarding riddles, Sith guarding crystals, and one of the most famous video game plot twists of the 2000s are contained within this action-packed episode! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on RPGFan

324 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Part I

A few decades ago, in a BioWare far, far away... Way back in 2003, Knights of the Old Republic was a standout RPG for the original Xbox that helped raise the public profile of BioWare, a sizeable Canadian developer of western-style RPGs. And less than a year before KOTOR is slated for a huge remake, a Retro Encounter panel of KOTOR veterans and neophytes comes together to train as Jedi to defeat the Sith. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on RPGFan

323 - The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope

Abandon *some* hope, ye who play this game In a semi-sequel to Retro Encounter's 2019 attempt to play the horror adventure sensation Until Dawn, the same two panelists reconvene with the 2020 Dark Pictures Anthology title, Little Hope. 17th-century witch trials, building character traits, and navigating trauma and guilt all take center stage in this entertaining horror romp. Also, this episode was recorded prior to Supermassive Games registering five trademarks for future Dark Pictures Anthology titles. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Little Hope on RPGFan

322 - Skies of Arcadia Part II

Skies of Arcadia has big ambitions in the second half of the game, and the Retro crew are finally allowed to sail beyond the sunset! With a new ship, their own secret base, and their very own crew to hand, these four foolhardy sailors discuss their favourite discoveries, crew members, and superbosses, all while mulling on the maturity of the characters, the beauty of exploration, and just how many different ways you can bend both hand-to-hand and ship combat to your will. There's no Rains of Destruction to fear, here. Featuring: Alana Hagues, Audra Bowling, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Skies of Arcadia on RPGFan SoA: Legends on RPGFan

321 - Skies of Arcadia Part I

Once dubbed the official Retro Encounter game, 2000's Dreamcast classic Skies of Arcadia finally sails on to the show. It's a fickle ship to get your hands on, but luckily, four Retro Encounter regulars are onboard to discuss this RPG all about optimism, friendship, exploration, and adorable space blobs. Will the two Skies of Arcadia veterans be able to recruit two newcomers onto their crew? By the sounds of their discussions on moons, colours, combat, discoveries, and the fact that they celebrate a grumpy old man, they might well be on their way to doing so! Featuring: Alana Hagues, Audra Bowling, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Skies of Arcadia on RPGFan SoA: Legends on RPGFan

320 - This Episode Is Not About RPGs, Again

RPGFans? Not today, we're not! Here at RPGFan, we write and talk about RPGs almost nonstop, but that's not all of who we are as fans of video games. Today, five RPGFan staff discuss ten of their favorite video games or series that aren't quite RPG enough for RPGFan, in a self-indulgent sequel to a 2019 episode. To his shame, the host accidentally says Puyo Puyo when he meant to say Panel de Pon. But the rest of the episode is a great discussion about video games that aren't RPGs. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Dom Kim, Abe Kobylanski, Jonathan Logan, Steven Mattern; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

319 - Top Ten PS2 RPGs

What will be the Final Fantastic game among our Personal picks? It's a new year, and Retro Encounter rings in 2022 with a bang, counting down a ranked list of fourteen PlayStation 2 RPGs, compiled from the panelists' own preferences, to eventually crown an official Retro Encounter Best PlayStation 2 RPG from the set. So what's the overall winner? How many Final Fantasy games make the list? How does Yuri Lowenthal factor into all this? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Wes Iliff, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

318 - 2021 Year in Review

Happy Last Year! (Good riddance) A year has come and gone, and Retro Encounter has always been more about the past than the future. Four RPGFan staff discuss twelve of their favorite games of 2021, from remade trilogies to time loops to demon summoning to canine companionship. Listen to the end for a preview of the first few months of 2022 in Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Jonathan Logan, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

317 - Final Fantasy V Part II

Three worlds, four (maybe five) characters, and a whole whack of potential jobs: That’s Final Fantasy V in a nutshell! In today’s Retro, our four panelists will finish their exploration of the story of FFV, talk about some of our favorite jobs, and take a look at other versions of the game that have come out over the years. And now that the Pixel Remaster version of FFV is available on mobile and PC, we hope that more people will get a chance to play this retro gem from the 16-bit era! Featuring: Jonathan Logan, Audra Bowling, Cory Tischbein, Quinton O’Conner; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy V Advance Review Final Fantasy V (Pixel Remaster) Review

316 - Final Fantasy V Part I

For those who loved RPGs during the SNES era, there was a game that forever seemed out of reach: Final Fantasy V. This unlocalized title was so legendary that it inspired the very first fan translation of a video game. Though Squaresoft eventually localized FFV for PSX in 1999, many still think of it as the black sheep of the Final Fantasy family. In today’s Retro, our panel will talk about their history with the game, comb through the first half of the story, and examine how the expertly crafted job system impacted future titles in the series and beyond! Featuring: Jonathan Logan, Audra Bowling, Cory Tischbein, Quinton O’Conner; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy V Advance Review Final Fantasy V (Pixel Remaster) Review

315 - Impostor Factory

Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable. Romance, drama, comedy, regret, and... rice? Impostor Factory is a visual novel of sorts that looks like a 16-bit RPG, the third game in Kan Gao's Sigmund Corp trilogy after To the Moon and Finding Paradise, and oh boy does it leave an impression. Our two Retro Encounter panelists love this entire trilogy and have a lot to say about its newest entry, from long cats to imagined weddings. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Impostor Factory on RPGFan

314 - RPG Villains: Emet-Selch

Remember us. Remember that we once podcasted. Emet-Selch, the principal antagonist of Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, is a unique blend of a foppish eccentric, a world-erasing psychopath, and a grieving survivor. He's a complicated, entertaining foil to the Warrior of Light, and Retro Encounter is going to examine him under the RPG Villains microscope as a last hurrah for Shadowbringers before Endwalker captivates the Final Fantasy XIV community (and around 40% of RPGFan staff). Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers on RPGFan

313 - Ys Origin Part II

Hiya, Hugo! Hiya, stupid! Whatcha wanna go get demon energy for? Our two panelists navigate through Ys Origin's three protagonists in our second episode on the 2006 prequel! Up for discussion is the Ys Origin endgame story, midgame boss battles, and family dynamic of the cursed Fact bloodline. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Ys Origin on RPGFan

312 - Ys Origin Part I

Retro Encounter travels between 1989 and 2006 in playing Ys Origin, the prequel to the original Ancient Ys Vanished, Nihon Falcom's influential action RPG. In today's Retro Encounter the panelists discuss co-protagonists Yunica Tovah and Hugo Fact, the layout of the mysterious tower they're climbing, and how Ys Origin references Ys titles past and future. It rhymes with "Geese." Not with "Wise." Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Ys Origin on RPGFan

311 - Star Trek: Judgment Rites

It wouldn't be Star Trek without an inevitable sequel! The crew of the USS Retro Encounter is back after last week's Star Trek-focused episode. This time, we're taking a look at the follow-up to 25th Anniversary, the 1993 point-and-click adventure game, Star Trek: Judgment Rites. With the cast of the original series again returning to voice their characters, Judgment Rites looks to deliver an authentic Star Trek experience. Will this sequel be the "The Wrath of Kahn" to 25th Anniversary's "The Motion Picture?" Or will it lead us "Into Darkness?" Featuring: Jonathan Logan, Hilary Andreff, Quinton O'Connor, John Tucker; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

310 - Star Trek: 25th Anniversary

It's time to explore strange old worlds with the crew of the USS Retro Encounter! In this episode, our landing party of Trekkies beam into the 1992 point-and-click adventure game, Star Trek: 25th Anniversary. Featuring the vocal talents of William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and the rest of the Enterprise crew, will this adventure game live up to the quality of the first two seasons of TOS? Or will it descend into the murky depths of the third? Featuring: Jonathan Logan, Quinton O'Connor, John Tucker, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jonathan Logan Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

309 - Cosmic Star Heroine Part II

Retro Encounter finished their star-studded journey across the cosmos this month, but does Cosmic Star Heroine live up to to Zeboyd's influences and fan expectations? The panel loves the visual design and battle designs of the game, but has issues in other places. But which boss was designed by the podcast host? Listen and learn! Brought to you by the founding members of the Psybe Appreciation Station. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Cosmic Star Heroine on RPGFan

308 - Cosmic Star Heroine Part I

Retro Encounter is blasting off again with two episodes on Cosmic Star Heroine, a 2010s crowdfunding success heavily inspired by specific 16-bit RPGs. The panel loves the visual style and battle system of Cosmic Star Heroine, but isn't 100% sold on the story, characters, or soundtrack. How exactly do they feel about this science fiction Japanese-style RPG? Listen and find out! So is CSH a worthy trek through the stars? Does it burn bright like fireflies? Listen to the episode! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Cosmic Star Heroine on RPGFan

307 - RPG Confessions III: Muse City Stories

The Church of Retro opens its confessional booth again, and three RPGFan panelists discuss the games and series for which they are the most embarrassed not to have played. So which RPGFan staffperson has never played a Suikoden title? Which Mega Man fan has never played Battle Network? Listen and find out! Retro Encounter encourages confession, but unlike Catholicism there is no shame in this podcast space. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Cory Tischbein, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

306 - Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Part II

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is about a teenager assuming a world of responsibility, adults confronting their worst selves, and stopping a demon from the Cthulhu Mythos from swapping the magnetic poles of Planet Earth. Four Retro Encounter panelists reject their own adult responsibilities to talk about this cult hit RPG from 2000, from the highs of Persona 2's themes to the lows of the Undersea Ruins. Being a man means... taking on the burden of a new podcast. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Persona 2: Eternal Punishment on RPGFan

305 - Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Part I

Retro Encounter brings the band back together in a brand new timeline, reuniting most of the team that podcasted on Persona 2: Innocent Sin in September 2020 to discuss its sequel, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment one year later. Converging timelines, video game grownups struggling to find their place, and comedians named after eggplants all enter the Velvet Room in today's episode of Retro Encounter. Let's do podcasting! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Persona 2: Eternal Punishment on RPGFan

304 - RPGFan Quiz Show IV: Revenge

Our fourth RPGFan Quiz Show in three years comes with changes to the quiz show landscape. Jeopardy!'s longtime host Alex Trebek has passed, and RPGFan's audio quiz show inspiration, Ask Me Another, announced that its final episodes will air later this year. But Retro Encounter is still here, and another quiz show arrives to challenge four contestants and crown a fourth Retro Encounter Quiz Show Champion. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Jonathan Logan, Mike Salbato, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

303 - Persona Fantasy Draft

Football season has seized North America, and four Persona-loving RPGFan staff decided to reject the sports-industrial complex to draft their own teams of teenagers battling their inner demons by confronting actual demons. Which protagonist is drafted first overall? Which participant picks not one, but TWO motorcycle-riding student council presidents? Listen and find out! ARE YOU READY FOR SOME TENTARAFOOTBALL!? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Neal Chandran, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Neal Chandran's 2010 Persona feature

302 - The Great Ace Attorney Spoilercast

Two recent entries in Capcom's Ace Attorney saga of part-visual novel, part-adventure game, and all-courtroom drama video games were in localization purgatory for a few years before finally releasing worldwide as The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles in July 2021. Three of RPGFan's preeminent anime lawyer enthusiasts discuss the story, characters, themes, puzzles, and handsome boys and dads of this pair of modern classics. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Niki Fakhoori, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Jonathan Logan Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles on RPGFan

301 - Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Part II

Three Retro Encounter panelists played Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne in August 2021, and each came out with different opinions and Reasons for those feelings. So which Reason is The Matrix and which Reason is The LEGO Movie? Listen and find out. You'll have plenty of time, climbing those massive tower dungeons Is Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne one of the PS2's best, or lacking compared to its successors? We don't quite agree on today's Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2) on RPGFan Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS4) on RPGFan

300 - Retro Encounter Battle Royale

300 episodes! Retro Encounter always celebrates 50-episode milestones with new podcast gimmicks and a public vote on a future Retro Encounter game, and in 2021 we deliver with a Retro Encounter elimination tournament! We took sixteen suggested games for a future Retro Encounter episode, then voted them down to a final four. Now it's time to rely on listener votes for an overall winner. The winning RPG (or puzzle adventure game) will appear on Retro Encounter as a game journal game in (probably) January 2021. So listen to us argue and reminisce about Retro Encounters past and future, then rock the vote! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Jonathan Logan, Zach Wilkerson, and three special guests; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Vote for a future Retro Encounter game!

299 - Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Part I

Podcasting is a harsh, unforgiving world that struggles between freedom of expression and survival of the fittest, but it's nothing compared to post-apocalyptic Tokyo. Three Retro Encounter Demi-Fiends survive The Conception with two friends, two strangers, and their favorite teacher (with an oddly close relationship to her students); but how do they find this recently-remade PS2 Atlus classic? We're very well acquainted, too, with matters philosophical, and understand conundrums, both demonic and mechanical in this very model of a modern classic RPG. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2) on RPGFan Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS4) on RPGFan

298 - Hakuoki Part II

The samurai and demon boys are back in town, as are our panelists as we finish our discussion of Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi for Ladies Otome Month here on Retro Encounter. This time, discussion centers around two more specific routes: one where Shinsengumi antagonist and demon Kazama helps you out (wow, so historically accurate), and the titular route where you get to know the tragic figure Hijikata in depth during his ill-fated mission to preserve the Shinsengumi during modernization and the dissolution of the shogunate. Bonus: Niki discovers photo mode and we discuss some pretty great otome crossover ideas...along with a round of "guess the Shinsengumi samurai based on historical photos." You can even play along with that last one on social media in the near future! Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Lucy Gray, Niki Fakhoori; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom…

297 - Hakuoki Part I

It's Ladies Otome Month on Retro, so our panel is kicking back and getting lost in historical Japan with a bunch of deadly samurai. Some of us are otome experts, some of us only know the genre from second-hand accounts, but we've all made our choices and been throughout at least one route. Many of us had a surprising amount to say about this intersection of otome, horror, and historical fiction. How many different routes did we cover? Did we agree on who's the best out of the Shinsengumi? Enjoy this lively discussion and find out! Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling, Lucy Gray, Niki Fakhoori; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Hakuoki on RPGFan

296 - The Essential Ten-2 Part II

A 2021 Retro Encounter sequel podcast drops its sequel episode, establishing a new Essential Ten for a new decade. Five panelists argue a list of twenty RPGs and visual novels down to an esteemed list of ten newly enshrined Retro Encounter Hall of Fame RPGs. By the end, the five RPGFan staff show a mix of accomplishment, fatigue, and sulky dissatisfaction, but we got there, doggone it. Which Final Fantasy game gets dumped? Do one, two, or zero Lunar games make the cut? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Eva Padilla, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

295 - The Essential Ten-2 Part I

Retro Encounter's most notorious two-part episode, a 2016 structured argument that resulted in a top ten RPGs deemed "essential" by Retro Encounter, is getting a sequel five years later. It's a new decade, and five Retro Encounter regulars will spend two podcasts and over four hours arguing a list of 35 RPGs to 10, and this is the first. Friendships are challenged and feelings are hurt (but not really) in the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Eva Padilla, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

294 - NieR RevisiteD

Retro Encounter did two episodes on NieR: Gestalt in 2016, but the recent Replicant remaster gives us new occasion to discuss the Square-Enix cult classic. We have Teen Nier, Automata context, and deeply personal narratives all up for discussion in a mostly-happy podcast about a sad, angry RPG. How far would you go for a podcast you love? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: NieR: Replicant on RPGFan NieR: Gestalt on RPGFan

293 - Knights in the Nightmare Part II

The stunning conclusion to Knights in the Nightmare is here, and holy plot Batman, that was a doozy! And with a remaster just announced for Japan this week, we cannot wait for more folks to dig in to this fascinating experience! (no relation to NiGHTS into Dreams for Sega Saturn) Featuring: Eva Padilla, Pete Leavitt; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Knights in the Nightmare on RPGFan

292 - Knights in the Nightmare Part I

What is dead may never die! On this Game Journal, two panelists dive into Sting's weirdo-bullet heck SRPG Knights in the Nightmare! Can this duo find the strength to make it out of this deep slumber in one piece? Find out on this week's episode of Retro Encounter! Dust off your late-2000s handheld, folks! Featuring: Eva Padilla, Pete Leavitt; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Knights in the Nightmare on RPGFan

291 - Final Fantasy XIV Part IV: Shadowbringers

Retro Encounter's miniseries on Final Fantasy XIV concludes this week with an episode all about Shadowbringers, Final Fantasy XIV"s most recent and most fantastical expansion. Three panelists discuss the changes Shadowbringers made to the FFXIV job system, how Shadowbringers subverts a few central tenets of Final Fantasy, and the unmatched passion and dedication of the FFXIV team, only a few short months away from Endwalker. Listen, and remember us. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Marcos Gaspar; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers on RPGFan

290 - Much Ado About Hunting

Monster Hunter: World has peaked and Monster Hunter Rise has risen, and with several RPGFan staff hunting Rathalos recently it was high time we recorded a Monster Hunter podcast for the first time in more than three years. Three panelists talk about the peaks and valleys of the fifth generation of Monster Hunter, which is stronger than ever sixteen games in. Sharpen your weapons, eat a hearty meal, then let's get to hunting. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Dom Kim, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Monster Hunter World on RPGFan Monster Hunter Rise on RPGFan

289 - RPG Villains: Psaro the Manslayer

Psaro, the very motivated main antagonist of Dragon Quest IV, is the best video game villain of the NES era and is definitely worth a podcast. But what's the most awful thing Psaro attempts in DQ4? Is he the true villain of the game? These and more addressed in today's Retro Encounter! For the first time in many months, this... is RPG Villains. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Dragon Quest IV on RPGFan

288 - Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen Part II

Five Retro Encounter panelists rolled credits on Dragon Quest IV, and the feeling on the 1990 classic are unanimous: Dragon Quest IV is ahead of its time. From the villain's motivations to the quest design to Akira Toriyama's badass women, Dragon Quest IV is a treat. Listen to us gush about it. Does Alena love Kiryl, or just hate doors? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Alana Hagues, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Dragon Quest IV on RPGFan

287 - Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen Part I

Five chosen panelists meet a chosen hero (or heroine) and his (or her) seven companions in today's podcast on 1990's Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen, making today's Retro Encounter one of the most retro we've ever done. Scottish accents, kickass princesses, and talented business wives all enter the discussion. Which chapter was our favorite? We don't say, but listen anyway! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Alana Hagues, Wes Iliff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Dragon Quest IV on RPGFan

286 - Dragon Quest Fantasy Draft

Four Dragon Quest aficionados who haven't attended live sporting events in over a year celebrate their love of the seminal Japanese RPG by pretending it's fake sports! Retro Encounter is doing another fantasy draft, and this time it's to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the slimy and sagacious series. Which Hero is the number one overall pick? Whose draft board gets undercut repeatedly? Listen in and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Rob Steinman, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

285 - Suikoden III Part II

Four panelists recruited twenty-seven times as many heroes in playing Suikoden III over April 2021, and have plenty to say about it! Suikoden III's complex politics, different motivations between its multiple protagonists, and surprise turns from series mainstay characters are all up for discussion. Is your father figure an immortal barbarian? Or literally another species? Maybe you're his clone? No judgments here. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Suikoden III on RPGFan

284 - Suikoden III Part I

Suikoden III evokes the halcyon days of the PlayStation 2, when RPGs were many, UI conveniences were few, and Konami actually made video games. Suikoden III's politically-charged story and army of named characters are consistent with its predecessors, but it's split narrative and pants-optional waterfowl are all its own. Get to know Fubar (Fine, Unique, Beautiful Animal Riding) in the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Suikoden III on RPGFan

283 - Crimson Shroud

What RPG uses dice-roll physics, requires rare drops from Skeleton Mages, and is exclusive to the 3DS Shop? Crimson Shroud and absolutely nothing else! Yasumi Matsuno (Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy XII) teamed up with Level-5 (Dark Cloud, Dragon Quest VIII) to produce one of the most unique RPGs for the 3DS way back in 2012, and we're absolutely here for it. After playing this game, you'll start feeling bad for goblins and hatred for skeletons. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Eva Padilla; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Crimson Shroud on RPGFan

282 - Final Fantasy XIV Part III: Stormblood

Final Fantasy XIV's 2017 expansion had players visit the highlands of Gyr Abania and the steppes of Othard, but not as a tourist. Stormblood is a game about casting the light of liberation unto an oppressed people, and helping them tear down an imperialist regime. Stormblood is quite personal and political for an MMORPG expansion, but we're here for it. Raise your weary head and heed the call to arms ringing in your heart in today's episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla, Mark Tjan Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood on RPGFan

281 - Is That An RPG?

One of the most common reader or listener comments that RPGFan social media receives is "not an RPG," and we take some umbrage at that. RPGFan prides itself on covering a diverse array of games, which includes some games that might be considered hybrid RPGs or RPG-adjacent. Today, Retro Encounter responds to that query directly, assembling a set of questionable RPGs, and deciding once and for all if they are indeed RPGs. Do we think Zelda is an RPG? How about Dissidia? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Quinton O'Connor, Eva Padilla, Stephanie Sybydlo Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

280 - Muramasa: The Demon Blade Part II

Two Retro Encounter panelists played through four Muramasa: The Demon Blade endings and still can't stop gushing over the 2D action RPG's gorgeous backgrounds. But those backdrops aren't the only shiny things in Vanillaware's theatrical tour de force - there's also the lusciously animated food, the Hitoshi Sakimoto soundtrack, and our smiling faces. "If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart." -The Buddha, who is literally in this video game. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla: edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Muramasa: Rebirth review (Vita)

279 - Muramasa: The Demon Blade Part I

Before 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (but after Odin Sphere) the art-focused JRPG developer Vanillaware made Muramasa: The Demon Blade, an action RPG steeped in Japanese folklore and following a long tradition of ninja action arcade games. But how compelling are the characters, animations, and other elements of Muramasa? Listen and learn! This podcast won't possess your body and displace your soul, probably. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla; edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Muramasa: Rebirth review (Vita)

278 - Pokémon Turns 25

It was early in 1996 when a couple of modest, lightly-janky Gameboy games were released in Japan, beginning a phenomenon that is persisting (and thriving) to this day. Those games were Pokemon Red and Green, the very first generation of Satoshi Tajiri and Game Freak's monster-catching series! A quarter century on, Pokemon is now the biggest multimedia franchise in the world, and what began as a respectable 151 creatures has ballooned to an incredible 893. On this episode of Retro Encounter, 5 panelists discuss the history of this storied series: where it's been and our hopes for where it could go in the future, for trainers of all ages. It's a great big world out there, and we're glad Pokemon's a part of it! Featuring: Eva Padilla, Niki Fakhoori, Josh Louis, Quinton O'Connor, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Eva Padilla Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Intro Song: "Pokemon…

277 - Final Fantasy XIV Part II: Heavensward

In 2015, Final Fantasy XIV players trekked to the north and looked to the sky in Heavensward, the fan-favorite expansion game that raised character levels to 60 and introduced Eorzeans to Ishgard. Three Retro Encounter panelists and FFXIV players of varying experience levels discuss their love of Heavensward and Ishgard, from the friendly bugs of Dravania to the Warring Triad of Azys La, in the second part of our Final Fantasy XIV podcast miniseries! We're seeking the peace of reason in the latest episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Liz Maas, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward review

276 - Radiant Historia Part II

Retro Encounter's panel finished Radiant Historia earlier this month, and dissects the endgame of Stocke and his companions. The time traveling, turn-stealing, wheelin' and dealin' son of a king has some major decisions to make. Is Radiant Historia stylin' and profilin' to Retro Encounter's preferences? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Kaleb Curry, Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Radiant Historia review

275 - Radiant Historia Part I

Radiant Historia found many RPG fans in the last days of the Nintendo DS, and today Retro Encounter celebrates it on the 10th anniversary of its North American release. Parallel timelines, shoving enemies around a grid, Yoko Shimomura tunes, and suspicious botanical practices all take center stage in the latest Retro Encounter! Does this podcast exist until you listen? Who knows. Download us into being. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Kaleb Curry, Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Radiant Historia review

274 - Final Fantasy XIV Part I: A Realm Reborn

In advance of the 2021 release of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, Retro Encounter is recording four Final Fantasy XIV episodes in 2021! Each will feature a different panel and focus on the panelists' personal experiences with Final Fantasy XIV, then discuss the characters, stories, and contents on one particular expansion. Today two Mikes and a Peter go through the Final Fantasy XIV 2013 reboot, A Realm Reborn. 1.0? What do you mean? Never happened. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Mike Salbato, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn review

273 - Yakuza: Like a Dragon Spoilercast

The worldwide release of Ryu Ga Gotoku 7 made a big splash in 2020, as the first Yakuza game with turn-based combat, the first Yakuza game not to star Kazuma Kiryu, and the first Yakuza game in 15 years with English-language voice acting. At least four RPGFan staff were enchanted by Yakuza's new look last year, and took very little persuading to have a 2021 discussion on Yakuza: Like A Dragon, chock-full of story spoilers. Listen to our podcast on the way to picking up some decadent Peking Duck! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Jonathan Logan, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Yakuza: Like a Dragon review

272 - Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Part II

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean ramps up the drama on disc 2! In part 2 of our deep dive into Monolith Soft's forgotten classic, the three panelists return to talk about that now-famous betrayal, grumble about difficulty spikes, and most importantly, gush about the Children of the Earth! Now, is that rain, or is that the world crying out in pain? Featuring: Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt, Tyler Trosper; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Baten Kaitos review

271 - Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Part I

Only the second game to be released by Monolith Soft, Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean swaps space and mechs for a card game, but keeps the dead gods. Three panelists explore disc one of this weird and wonderful game, from the beautiful pre-rendered visuals, to the engaging world and battle system. Where will the Mighty Ocean guide us? Tune in to this week's episode of Retro Encounter to find out! Featuring: Alana Hagues, Pete Leavitt, Tyler Trosper; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Baten Kaitos review

Retro Encounter's episode on Hades marks the fourth SuperGiant Games episode of the podcast in six weeks, but we discussed the Hell out of this roguelike RPG of gods and monsters. Our favorite Zagreus builds, our mythological romantic preferences, and our warm, fuzzy feelings of progress and accomplishment all feature prominently in today's dark and bloody episode. Rhymes with "ladies," not with "blades." Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Niki Fakhoori, Alana Hagues, Dom Kim, Leona McCallum; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Hades Review

What happens when you cross NBA Jam, Oregon Trail, and SuperGiant Games' distinct style and flavor? The 2017 indie narrative game Pyre, which is hard to describe in just a few sentences, so we recorded an entire podcast about it instead! Part three (out of four) of our miniseries on SuperGiant Games. She shoots, she douses! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Eva Padilla; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Pyre review

268 - 2020 Year in Review

On the last day of 2020, Retro Encounter celebrates the year's video games while offering good riddance to essentially everything else. From roguelikes that play like Diablo to open worlds that play like Persona to Japanese adventure games of multiple narratives to Irish adventure games of self-discovery, the Retro Encounter panel discusses their favorites in 2020 RPGs and podcasts. From all of us here at Retro Encounter, thank you for listening. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Nathan Lee, Eva Padilla, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

267 - Transistor

Retro Encounter examines another entry in the Supergiant Games catalog in an episode all about Transistor, the 2014 action RPG that rewards careful planning with swift execution of its customizable abilities. The beautiful visual and audio presentation, 2nd-person narration, creative boss fights, and Function loadouts of Transistor take center stage in today's Retro Encounter! Retro Encounter waits for their Turn and kills the podcast Process in the second episode of Supergiant Month! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Eva Padilla; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Transistor review

266 - Tales Of Fantasy Draft

Retro Encounter loves Tales Of RPGs, and Retro Encounter's host loves ludicrous fantasy drafts. Naturally those two passions collided in a podcast, in which five Retro Encounter panelists discuss their (mostly) favorite Tales Of characters and relationships in the format of a fantasy sports draft. Who is the first overall pick? Which Tales of Symphonia summon is stolen? Who are the president, vice president, and treasurer of the Crop Top Boyz? Listen and find out! Sorry, fantasy auctions are way to much to deal with in podcast form. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Kaleb Curry, Niki Fakhoori, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

Retro Encounter kicks off Supergiant Games Month with a podcast all about Bastion, SG's breakout 2011 title in which a Kid wakes up in a mysterious broken city with only a voice to guide him and a hammer to smash things up. In this episode three panelists discuss The Kid's journey, including his arsenal of weapons, the beautiful accompanying soundtrack, and a few bold story choices. You know how many times The Podcast went off the rails? ...about 5 times. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Eva Padilla; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan's Bastion review

264 - Final Fantasy X-2 Part II

Final Fantasy X-2. Great job system, great battle system, well-made pop songs. But how about the rest of the game? Our panel has some criticisms about the side quests, main story, and overall presentation of FFX-2, but they try to balance the bad with some good in the newest Retro Encounter. Well, that sure was a video game. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy X-2 review

263 - Crowdfunding Encounter

Crowdfunding services like Kickstarter, IndieGogo, and Fig have disrupted traditional game production and become an inescapable part of how video game consumers and developers interact, but the crowdfunding revolution within video games is less than ten years old. Today's Retro Encounter is a discussion of how crowdfunding has affected the modern gaming landscape, as well as a few of our favorite (or most notorious) crowdfunded video game project. Listen to the newest Retro Encounter after pledging to the $0 tier! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Tina Olah; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

262 - Final Fantasy X-2 Part I

The sequel to the 2nd game ever covered by Retro Encounter finally gets its own journal episodes over five years later! We revisit the world of Spira and its new dueling factions, critique Dressphere fashion choices, and discuss Yuna's career change in our latest episode. Which Final Fantasy X character evokes a comparison to a classic Saturday Night Live character? Listen to find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Eva Padilla, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Final Fantasy X-2 review

261 - Finding Paradise

Retro Encounter 261 - Finding Paradise Kan Gao and Freebird Games deliver the fourth game in the SIgmund Corp. Saga later this year, so in anticipation of Impostor Factory Retro Encounter is playing Finding Paradise, a game about memories, regrets, and making sure toilet paper rolls are on the hanger and not at the edge of the bathroom sink. Dive into our minds with the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Zach Wilkerson; edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Finding Paradise review

260 - RPG Vampires: Fangs for the Memories

Retro 260 - RPG Vampires: Fangs for the Memories Vampires are a staple of horror, and to celebrate Halloween Retro Encounter is celebrating the vampires of RPGs. From the psychic vampires of Mass Effect to the protagonist of a game literally called Vampyr, we hold a supernatural discussion to run a small gamut of (actual) bloodsuckers who don't suck (figuratively). Drape your best cape and listen in! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Audra Bowling; edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

259 - Phantasy Star IV Part II

Phantasy Star IV is the culmination of a four-game saga that puts the 2,000-year struggle of the Algol System into a context, and in today's Retro Encounter episode we dive deep into its final battle. We spent plenty of time in Phantasy Star IV's battles and dungeons, but we forget to go into the adorable final credits scene. That's our error. It's macros, combos, and more in the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Mark Tjan; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium review

258 - Phantasy Star IV Part I

Retro Encounter visits a faraway galaxy in a game from a long time ago (don't @ me Disney) in Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, one of the most acclaimed RPGs for the Sega Genesis, or Mega Drive if you're a peein'. It took us 5 years and 257 episodes to talk about Sega RPGs a second time, but it was worth it! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Mark Tjan; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium review

257 - The Best Year For RPGs

Presently (October 2020), RPGFan is publishing a feature on the best RPG of each year, from the dawn of Dragon Quest to the last full calendar year. As a podcast side dish to the website's main course, Retro Encounter examined the RPG oeuvre of each voting year, settled on the 10 best, and then started counting down. Join us in talking 1987 through 2019 in 2020! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jonathan Logan, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates This Episode's Related Links: Defending Champions: The Best RPGs of Every Year Since Dragon Quest Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

256 - Curse Your Sudden But Inevitable Betrayal!

Even in a video game, humans are too trusting. Many of the most storied plot twists in RPGs have a central character performing an unexpected turn or betraying the player's trust. In today's episode of Retro Encounter five panelists detail over a dozen great video game traitors, from A (Apollo Justice) to Z (YakuZa Kiwami). Is one panelist among us... an imposter? No guarantees. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Niki Fakhoori, Alana Hagues, Nathan Lee, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

255 - Persona 2: Innocent Sin Part II

In the final episode of Persona Month, we gather again to discuss the end of Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Discussion topics include the continuously terrible dungeons, childhood trauma, Adolf Hitler, and Jesus. Somehow, we try to make sense of all those things on this episode. Yes, this game goes some places. So does our discussion! Featuring Zach Wilkerson, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Jo Padilla; Edited Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Persona 2: Innocent Sin review

254 - Persona 2: Innocent Sin Part I

This week on Retro Encounter, four panelists get together to talk about Persona 2: Innocent Sin, the PS1 RPG that we never saw until its PSP remake over 10 years later. Topics include the engaging characters, the less than engaging combat, and somehow...disaster bisexuals. Don't ask. Just listen. Be sure to check out next week's episode to hear the end of our month of Persona! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Jo Padilla; Edited by Brian Ingemanson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Persona 2: Innocent Sin review

253 - Persona Playlist

Rhythm Encounter is back for the first time since 2017! (This is an different podcast entirely). But in a Grand Cross of a cosmic coincidence, Rhythm Encounter's return occurs during Retro Encounter's Persona Month, so we (Retro) chose to do an episode all about the music of the Persona series to celebrate their (Rhythm) return. Bop along to our jams, and check the tracklist below! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg; Edited by Michael Sollosi Tracklist 00:00:00 - Aria of the Soul (Margaret's Theme) - Persona 4 Arena Ultimax OST 00:09:40 - Boss Battle - Persona 2: Innocent Sin OST (PSP) 00:13:59 - Map 1 - Persona 2: Eternal Punishment OST (PSP) 00:27:35 - Tartarus (Thebel Block) - Persona 3 OST 00:29:04 - Mass Destruction - Persona 3 OST 00:42:44 - Heaven - Persona 4 OST 00:45:40 - Light the Fire Up In the Night (Dark Hour ~ Extend) - Persona Q: Sound of the Labyrinth 01:01:09 - Beneath the Mask - Persona 5 OST 01:05:55 - Last Surprise (Taku T…

252 - RPG Villains: The Persona 4 Killer

Persona 4 stars a group of meddling teenagers (and one bear) determined to bring a serial killer to justice, but what makes that killer tick? Retro Encounter jumps into the TV World and journeys into the mind of a murderer in a new episode of RPG Villains. The identity of Persona 4's culprit constitutes a spoiler, so listener beware. Turn this whodunnit into a yaheardit! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Lucy Gray, Jo Padilla; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Persona 4 Golden review (PS Vita) Persona 4 Golden review (PC)

251 - RPGFan Quiz Show The Third

This. Is. RPGeopardy! RPGFan is hosting a third quiz show in which four RPGFan staff compete for absolutely nothing at all in a trivia competition where the clues are (mostly) all about RPGs. Retro Encounter's most frequent host wrote the rounds, so don't be surprised to hear multiple Dragon Quest(ions). Can you figure out This, That, and The Other? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Nilson Carroll, Jo Padilla, Tyler Trosper, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

250 - Listener Mailbag Returns

Retro Encounter just hit a new milestone, and that means another self-congratulatory gimmick episode. Retro Encounter solicited listener emails all summer, and today we read and react to all that we received. At episode's end, we pick five games from the listener suggestions to be part of a new listener poll! Please listen to the episode and then vote in the survey! It's too late to write us an email, but you can vote in the survey for a future Retro Encounter game journal! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Micah Coates Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: Episode 250 survey for future Retro Encounter episode!

249 - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Part II

Retro Encounter draws their shared adventure in the Beanbean to a close in this podcast episode, discussing Luigi's solo missions, the collection of the Beanstar pieces, the brothers' journey through Joke's End, and confronting the final villains in a surprising moment of body horror. Today, Superstar Saga. Next week, episode 250! Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Pete Leavitt, Jo Padilla, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga 3DS review

248 - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Part I

Retro Encounter tackles the 2003 GBA classic Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga this week, and the panel is divided on whether the game's timed-hits combat, silly humor, and early-aughts dungeon puzzles have aged well or poorly. The panel is unanimous on Superstar Saga's treatment of coffee and condiments. So is Superstar Saga a classic coffee grind, or just a grind? Listen to find out! Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Pete Leavitt, Jo Padilla, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga 3DS review

247 - Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together Part II

Retro Encounter's journey to unite the Valerian isles, expel the manipulative Knights Loslorien, and stave off invasion from a hell dimension comes to a close, with the messy conclusion to Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. Collectivist vs. Individualist ideals, how characters are treated in different ending paths, and Yasumi Matsuno's love of obscure content all feature heavily. What endings did we get? Is it worth it diving into the post-game? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nilson Carroll, Jo Padilla, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together PSP review

246 - Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together Part I

Five years after podcasting about Final Fantasy Tactics, Retro Encounter tackles Yasumi Matsuno's prior magnum opus, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together! We discuss the Super Famicom classic's multi-layered, politics-heavy story, fascinating class system, and key differences between the PS1 and PSP versions before speculating on which Queen songs would make the best subtitles for a future Ogre Saga game. Is Canopus the most dominant birdman since Tony Hawk? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nilson Carroll, Jo Padilla, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together PSP review

245 - Trials of Mana Revisited

Two Trials of Mana scholars from 2019's Retro Encounter episodes return for a revisitation on the 1995 classic, specifically in the context of its 2020 remake. We talk visual upgrades, new classes, and some questionable English-language voice acting in a 1-year podcast anniversary all about a 25-year video game anniversary. Which is worse, Kevin's caveman accent or Charlotte's trouble with consonants? Listen and learn! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan Trials of Mana review

244 - Three Truths and a Lie

We here at Retro Encounter are taking a short break from talking about classic RPGs to play a party game. Four Retro Encounter panelists take turns to divulge facts both true and false, with the others guessing the lies. We learned a little about each other, all thanks to July having a fifth Thursday nestled in the month. Listen to the episode, and also congratulate RPGFan's new Editor-in-Chief! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Mike Salbato, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

243 - RPG Villains: Pokey Minch

Pokey Minch is a major villain both Earthbound and Mother 3, and somehow reminds you of every kid you ever hated in grade school as well as billionaire fascists of both fiction and history. In this episode we dive deep into Pokey Minch's journey, motivations, and unusual traits. This is RPG Villains. Does Pokey Minch bear some resemblance to modern world leaders? Maybe! Listen to the episode! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Jo Padilla Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

242 - Yakuza 0 Part II

Our panel has reached the end of Yakuza 0, and with it comes new beginnings for Dragon of Dojima and the Mad Dog of Shimano. Four panelists discuss Yakuza 0 for another full episode, and there is enough drama for two games and foreshadowing for six more in the crime story's dramatic conclusion. What metaphor is represented on your gangster back tattoo? All of this and more on the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Jo Padilla, Rob Steinman Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan Yakuza 0 review

241 - Yakuza 0 Part I

Yakuza 0 is a game about violence. And honor. And... real estate? Yakuza 0 tells a compelling crime drama about the intertwining tales of series hero Kazuma Kiryu and fan favorite villain Goro Majima in 1988, 17 years before the story of the first Yakuza game, but you're forgiven if you can't be bothered to complete more story missions with all the distractions that 1980s Kamurocho and Sotenbori have to offer. Four Retro Encounter panelists discuss the wealth of content and absurd tone of Yakuza 0 to the best of their ability, but only get so far. It's real estate moguls, cabaret club kings, and shy dominatrices in the latest episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Jo Padilla, Rob Steinman Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan Yakuza 0 review

240 - Best Console for RPGs Tournament Part II

Retro Encounter's Tournament of Consoles continues, whittling down a list of eight to a single champion. Three PlayStations, three Nintendo handhelds, one Super 90s machine, and whatever the hell you're supposed to call the Switch are our final eight gladiators in our console colosseum, but only one outlives and outlasts this cast of celebrated consoles. Listen to the end to discover Retro Encounter's official Favorite Console to Play RPGs! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Nicholas Whaley, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

239 - Best Console for RPGs Tournament Part I

Retro Encounter's host misses being able to watch sporting events while playing RPGs on a 3DS or Vita, so he gathered a panel of five panelists to hold a replacement tournament. Seventeen video game consoles are considered for the title of Retro Encounter's Favorite Console On Which to Play RPGs, but only one wins. In part 1 of 2, the panelists condense the Starting Seventeen to an Essential Eight. What consoles reign supreme in round 1? Listen and find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Nicholas Whaley, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

238 - Mother 3 Part II

Our panelists experienced Mother 3 to its dramatic conclusion, and in doing so dug an egg out of the trash, frolicked through a field of sunflowers, and located seven golden needles. It's Earthbound callbacks, theories about razors and bananas, and a lot of shed tears in part 2 of our Mother 3 episodes! If you've ever fantasized about kissing a mer-man, dream no longer. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

237 - Mother 3 Part I

Mother 3, a Japan-only Game Boy Advance RPG, the final game in Shigesato Itoi's trilogy, the subject of many direct questions to Reggie Fils-Aime. We won't say exactly how, but four Retro Encounter panelists played Mother 3 over the month of May and have a lot to talk about, including (but not limited to) grief, capitalism, and snakes. Explore Mother 3 and avoid bad crime shows from the early 2010s in the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

236 - Game Boy Advance Encounter

The Game Boy Advance was a huge success for Nintendo in the early 2000s, giving the world five Pokemon games, three Fire Emblem games, the first Mario & Luigi RPG, and so much more. Four Retro Encounter panelists gab GBA on today's episode of Retro Encounter! Listen to us discuss all the Game Boy Advance games under the sun, especially because Boktai needs to be played in sunlight. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Pete Leavitt, Leona McCallum, Tina Olah Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom This Episode's Related Links: RPGFan's Game Boy Advance Reviews

235 - Final Fantasy VII Remake Spoilercast

Is Final Fantasy VII Remake the most-anticipated RPG in history? Are the character portrayals up to high fan expectations? Was the combat too opaque? Why is it called Final Fantasy VII Remake without clarifying that the game is releasing in multiple parts? All of these questions and more, asked and anwered by a mostly-positive somewhat-frustrated team of Retro Encounter panelists. Spoilers abound in a very special Remake Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com Final Fantasy VII Remake Review Feature: Memories of Midgar: Our Favorite Moments from the Mechanical Metropolis of Final Fantasy VII

234 - Castlevania The Animated Series

The panelists of Retro Encounter are stuck at home, and at least four of them decided to watch the Castlevania animated series available on Netflix. The cartoon is loosely based on the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, and our podcast is loosely based on the concept of discussing video games and related topics that interest us. This counts. Is the Castlevania animated series bloody awesome or does it pale in comparison to the games that inspired it? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Patrick Gann, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

233 - Soul Blazer Part II

Aurora borealis? At this time of day? Localized entirely in the Freil Empire? Yes! But all our panelists had to wait until the World of Evil near the end of the game to see it. And in many ways, it is a riveting, yet quickly escalating conclusion as we make our way through the second half of this older Quintet GEM. Listen on to hear us wax poetical about the fleeting nature of existence when we visit the Mountain of Souls, ponder Dr. Leo's motives and...whatever's going on in his lab, and finally uncover the truth about King Magridd (jury's out on whether he's actually a good king). Oh, and then there's settling the score with Deathtoll and finding out what happens when your divinely mandated objectives are met but you still rather like humanity. Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Greg Delmage, Kyle Seeley, Mike Salbato Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com RPGFan: Soul Blazer Review Retro Encounter Episode 5-1: Terranigma Part I Retro Encoun…

232 - Soul Blazer Part I

The group hunts out monster lairs around the globe to some amazing slap-bass tunes as they discuss the very well-received early Quintet RPG Soul Blazer...and discover the importance of waiting at the title screen for game intros on some of those old titles. This segment of our divinely inspired adventure covers up through St. Elles (the third area of the world), but it still includes a range of unique creatures, such as talking elevators and rafts, goats musing on the nature of reincarnation, and a rather inept mill owner. Does Blazer's journey through the empire hold up? How does one blaze a soul? Or is it BLADE a soul? Find out this and more, and don't forget to tune in for Part 2 as well, because you know you want to see what happens when you reverse a bargain with Deathtoll. Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Greg Delmage, Mike Salbato, Kyle Seeley

231 - Mental Health, Self-Care, and Gaming

Retro Encounter is a little more serious than usual this week, as five panelists discuss video games as escapism, video game characters with whom we identify, and specific emotional attachments to video games, in the context of mental health and self-care. It's an episode full of personal stories and serious topics, and about how video games can be rewarding in ways other than simple fun. Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Lucy Gray, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Zach Wilkerson

230 - Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Part II

Retro Encounter wraps on Tokyo Mirage Sessions FE with a discussion on the game's second half, including standoffish new co-workers, tokusatsu superheroes, and whatever the hell The Opera of Light is supposed to be. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nathan Lee

229 - Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Part I

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE sounds like a fever dream. Atlus makes another RPG about teens saving the world from extra-dimensional shadows by teaming up with spirits, except all of the shadows and spirits are Fire Emblem characters and all of the teens are pop stars? Two Retro Encounter panelists dissect and celebrate the Mad Libs weirdness of one of the Wii U's signature RPGs. Also that's a musical sharp sign and not a hashtag. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nathan Lee

228 - RPG Adaptations Part II

The spice must flow! Retro Encounter once again muses on the hypothetical and the unlikely in our second Adaptations episode! What movies, books, and TV shows would Peter, Tina, and Audra like to see turned into video games, and how would we go about it? All I know is that I'm kicking myself for not mentioning Tron. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Audra Bowling, Tina Olah

227 - Dragon Quest: Your Story

Dragon Quest V is a video game near and dear to the hearts of many Dragon Quest fans, but how about its animated adaptation? Three Retro Encounter panelists tackle Dragon Quest: Your Story, a cartoon that makes some very strange decisions in retelling the story of Dragon Quest V. Sort of. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson

226 - NieR: Automata Part II

NieR: Automata ramps up the drama in its second half, with 2B, 9S, A2, and other androids with alphanumeric designations exploring post-apocalyptic earth. Our panelists talk about the philosophy, fashion, hard decisions, and even the end credits of NieR: Automata, and how all of the above hurt their feelings. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Jo Padilla, Zach Wilkerson

225 - NieR: Automata Part I

Retro Encounter discusses the 2017 RPG superhit NieR: Automata, in which the panelists discuss the philosophy, action, music, colors, and more of Yoko Taro's magnum opus. Nothing can stop us from getting to the end of A route, except for aggressive moose. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Jo Padilla, Zach Wilkerson

224 - The RPGFan Dating Game

Retro Encounter thought that a game of "Wed, Bed, Behead?" was too disturbring for a G-rated program, so we added an explicit tag and removed murder. Three RPGFan panelists put forth sets of hypothetical bachelors and bachelorettes and play a 1970s Dating Game remade for the 2000s. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg

222 - AI: The Somnium Files Spoilercast

AI: The Somnium Files was one of the understated hit visual novels of 2019, except that the game's tone and story is anything but. Five Retro Encounter panelists break down Kotaro Uchikoshi's wild dream-dropping murder mystery talking about its characters, themes, moments, and abundance of porno mags. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Tyler Trosper

223 - Suikoden V Part II

Our three Stars of Destiny return for Part 2 of our Suikoden V game journal episode! Come listen to our panellists dissect every inch of this PlayStation 2 gem and maybe the rest of the Suikoden series while they are at it. Featuring: Leona McCallum, Tris Mendoza, Zach Wilkerson

221 - Suikoden V Part I

Almost two years since our first Suikoden game journal, we return to the series with three dedicated fans of the series. Our three panelists all agree Suikoden V is a return to form after the fourth entry, with arguably the finest cast in the whole series. Join us as we discuss the first half of the game, the Queendom of Falena, argue over the best characters in the game, and wax poetic about Sialeed's sparkling personality. Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Leona McCallum, Tris Mendoza

220 - Cthulhu Saves Christmas with Zeboyd Games

Retro Encounter welcomes a special guest for the first time in its brief history, with Robert Boyd and Bill Stiernberg of Zeboyd Games visitng to discuss their latest RPG, Cthulhu Saves Christmas. The Zeboyd duo discuss their ten-year careers in indie game development alongside pricing strategies, finding time to play video games as busy adults, and their future plans. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Jonathan Logan, Robert Boyd, Bill Stiernberg

219 - Top Ten PSone RPGs

Retro Encounter recorded podcasts on over a dozen PlayStation games over the past five years, so naturally we have some ideas about which are the best and worst. On the first Retro Encounter episode of 2020 four panelists rank their favorite PlayStation One games, and discuss the list of ten. Which is really a list of fourteen. We're not great at counting. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson

218 - Retro Encounter Year in Review 2019

The final Retro Encounter episode of 2019 is a celebration of the year that was, in which five panelists detail over a dozen new RPGs they played in the preceding twelve months. Afterwards, the panel shares role-playing game regrets and resolutions for 2020, for auld lang syne. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Nathan Lee, Jo Padilla, Peter Triezenberg

217 - Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Part II

Ghost Trick's second half has twists, switcheroos, and some Very Good Animals and we're here to discuss all of it. Alternate timelines, supernatural magic, and prognostication of how painful a t-shirt gun is each get their moments in a very tricky episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Jo Padilla

216 - Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Part I

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is an offbeat adventure game from the creative team behind Capcom's Ace Attorney series. A ghost named Sissel wakes up above his dead body, and decides to solve his own murder. From there a tale of using supernatural ghost powers to save murder victims and thwart international conspiracies begins, using only GHOST and TRICK buttons on the Nintendo DS touchscreen. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Jo Padilla

215 - Another RPGFan Quiz Show!

Retro Encounter brings back its homage to Ask Me Another in a new quiz show for the end of 2019! Two new contestants, two returning contests, one new host, and sixty new questions are here to play, and the topics range from Suikoden characters to Zelda dungeons to professional wrestling. We got weird this episode. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Mike Salbato, Zach Wilkerson

214 - Vagrant Story Part II

We're back for part 2 of our Vagrant Story discussion! Our two panelists go over the Vagrant Story endgame, Ashley Riot's motivations, and the future of Vagrant Story in today's episode. There are some kind words about Yasumi Matsuno and some less-kind words about block-pushing puzzles. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jo Padilla

213 - Vagrant Story Part I

Vagrant Story is an experimental, cinematic RPG of the year 2000 with a battle system that's complicated both to navigate and explain. Fortunately, today's podcast goes deep into the presentation and mechanics of this Squaresoft classic, from graphics to gameplay and from Rosencrantz to Guildenstern. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jo Padilla

212 - EarthBound Revisited

EarthBound got mentioned on a stream, Kat and Sollosi had a short discussion, and a podcast was born. Two panelists from Retro Encounter's 2017 EarthBound episodes join with two relative newcomers to the RPGFan staff for an all-new EarthBound discussion, which connects Super Smash Brothers to One Piece to Undertale to the Charlie Brown & Snoopy Show. Good talk. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Katherine Kortvely, Jo Padilla

211 - Grandia Part II

We're back for the second half of Retro Encounter's journey through the world of the first Grandia! Our pair of panelists discuss the rambunctious Rapp, the secrets of Alent, and what Baal and his cronies are up to. Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Hilary Andreff

210 - Final Fantasy Fantasy Draft

In a very unusual episode of Retro Encounter, the host selfishly combines two of his longtime obsessions: Final Fantasy and fantasy football. Four panelists attempt to draft Final Fantasy characters into an ultimate Final Fantasy team, purely for fun and not competition (publicly), but each panelist is certain his team was the best (privately). Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Kyle Seeley, Peter Triezenberg

209 - Grandia Part I

Grandia, the Saturn classic later ported to PlayStation, saw new life in 2019 with ports available for Switch and PC. Two Retro Encounter panelists check and see if the Game Arts opus holds up, examining its intriguing battle system, long and winding dungeons, and relentless optimism. Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Hilary Andreff

208 - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Revisited

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a beloved 1993 classic with a recent 2019 remake. We wanted to discuss it in detail on a podcast, but we did so back in 2018! Hence the "revisited" in this episode title and also the emphasis on that recent remake and the future of Zelda. Today's Retro is all about the past, the present, and the future, all about a game with zero time travel. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Mike Salbato

207 - Fire Emblem: Three Houses Spoilercast

Fire Emblem: Three Houses made a huge splash among RPG fans in general and Fire Emblem fans in particular in July 2019, and a few months later we're ready to dive deep into a spoilercast all about it. Favorite characters, the nuances of different story paths, and more all take center stage in this fantasy drama of a strategy RPG. Say goodbye to weapon triangles and hello to the latest Retro Encounter episode! Featuring: Nathan Lee, Katherine Kortvely, Kyle Kortvely, Leona McCallum

206 - Wild ARMs 3 Part II

The second half of Wild ARMs 3 is loaded with hidden puzzle rooms, secret bosses, unidentified flying objects, and story surprises. Wild ARMs 3 has many hidden depths buried in its post-apocalyptic sands, and Retro Encounter's panel is ready to dig in. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jo Padilla

205 - Wild ARMs 3 Part I

Wild ARMs fans can't agree which game is the best in the series, but Wild ARMs 3 won a public poll held earlier this year, so that's the Ramen Western our two Retro Encounter panelists are taking on. Post-apocalyptic cowboys, shamanistic magic, and an excess of JRPG statistics populate this PS2 gem, and what RPG uses a Wild West setting better? Nobody. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jo Padilla

204 - DS Encounter

Retro Encounter celebrates Nintendo's massively successful handheld in a new console-dedicated episode! Melodramatic lawyers, gentleman professors, Square Enix remakes, and even rotoscoped detectives get their shine in this episode celebrating as many D.S. acronyms as we can remember. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

203 - Which Dragon Quest Is Dragon Best?

With Dragon Quest XI's Switch version on the horizon and Dragon Quest Builders II in the rearview mirror, two of Retro Encounter's distinguished Dragon Quest dilettantes delve into the entire series catalogue. Eventually, the dynamic duo determine Retro Encounter's official favorite Dragon Quest. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

202 - RPG Villains: Luca Blight

Luca Blight, the mad dog of a bad prince from Suikoden II, is one of the most memorable villains of Japanese RPGs, and Retro Encounter is bringing back the RPG Villains format to celebrate, analyze, and reproach him. What was Luca's most horrible act? Could Luca have joined the heroes in different circumstances? Is Luca Blight the true villain of Suikoden II? All of this and more in today's episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Leona McCallum, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

201 - The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Part II

In their second exploration of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, a panel gets deep into Erebonian politics, giant robots, and school dances. Plot twists, connections to other Trails titles, and more take center stage at the Thors Military Academy festival. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

200 - The Retro Encounter Awards

Retro Encounter celebrates 200 episodes with its very own awards show! Five panelists discuss more than twenty awards subjects, except they aren't beholden to particular years, specific genres, or common sense. The categories, winners, and panelists follow no rules at all except "Must either be under RPGFan's coverage or pertaining to Devil May Cry 5." Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

199 - The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Part I

Retro Encounter braves their second Falcom journey of 2019 with The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, an epic tale of generations of war, an economic class divide, and questionable school field trips. Four panelists of Trails veterans and newcomers tackle the fan-favorite RPG with enthusiasm for good dialog and thirst for cute moms and dads. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

198 - Trials of Mana Part II

Four Retro Encounter panelists each finished Trials of Mana (maybe more than once) and there is plenty to discuss. The game hits its non-linear middle chapter and choice-determined finale, and everything from elemental weaknesses to class changes to endgame loot hunting comes up. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

197 - Summer Nights

Three RPGFan panelists spend a warm July evening reminiscing about the games of summer. Games played durring summer break from school, games that have a summery feeling, or even games tied to specific middle-of-the-year-in-the-northern-hemisphere memories. This episode covers an enormous range of topics, from Blockbuster rentals to a toddlers playing Undertale. Featuring: Marcos Gaspar, Audra Bowling, Kyle Seeley Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

196 - Trials of Mana Part I

Seiken Densetsu 3 spent more than two decades on lists of "great Japanese RPGs that never left Japan," until June 2019. It was added to the Retro Encounter schedule minutes after the announcement during E3 2019. A month after that fateful Nintendo Direct, four Retro Encounter panelists have played through the first half of SD3, rebranded Trials of Mana. Six heroes, eight spirits, and much more to discuss. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

195 - Worst in Show

It's fun to talk about what you love, but almost as much fun to wallow in shared disdain. For this episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists discuss their LEAST favorite games in a few of their favorite series, from Kingdom Hearts Re:Remakes to flawed first or second games of legendary JRPG series to ill-advised spinoffs. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Greg Delmage, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

194 - Until Dawn

Retro Encounter gets spooky in June as two panelists discuss Until Dawn, the 2015 horror-narrative game where everyone can live, everyone can die, and everyone will definitely get chased around a resort cabin by psychopaths and wendigos. It's a cool game about cold weather in the hot summer for Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

193 - Mythology and Folklore in RPGs

Mythology, including everything from fairy tales to foundational beliefs of ancient peoples, has influenced storytelling, literature, and human civilization for thousands of years. RPGs are heavily influenced by myths, and on today's Retro Encounter three folklore enthusiasts talk about mythology in RPGs in depth, from the best depictions of Cerberus to DOS freeware Thor puzzle-action games. Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Lucy Gray, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

192 - Honor thy Mother and thy Father

RPGFan recently celebrated Mother's Day and Father's Day with separate features dedicate to the moms and dads of RPGs, and Retro Encounter is here to piggyback on those pieces like they're a dad at a swimming pool. Three panelists discuss the best moms and dads of RPGs, from hands-off mothers supporting their journeying child from afar to doting adoptive grandpas. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Alana Hagues Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

191 - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Revisited

Retro Encounter did an episode about Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in late 2015, but back then Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night wasn't on the horizon and Timespinner didn't exist in a playable state. With the benefit of hindsight, two longtime Castlevania fans revisit the PS1 nonlinear side-scrolling action RPG by examining Castlevania's past, considering Symphony of the Night's influence, and prognosticating Koji Igarashi's future. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

190 - Ask Me Another: An RPGFan Quiz Show!

In our third and final episode of Retro Encounter's Podcast Tribute series, our hosts emulate Ophira Eisenberg and Jonathan Coulton for an RPGFan episode of Ask Me Another. Four contestants tackle sixty RPG trivia questions for the chance to win nothing but a good time. Because Retro Encounter is too cheap for prizes. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Stephanie Sybydlo, Patrick Gann, Leona McCallum, Kyle Seeley, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

189 - Chrono Cross Part II

The dream is not over yet. Retro Encounter's journey through Chrono Cross continues, with a discussion of the latter half of the game. From the Dead Sea to Chronopolis, the depths of the ocean to the heights of Terra Tower, to beyond the darkness of time itself... there's a lot to unpack here. We talk about dragon hunts, atmospheric dungeons, links to Chrono Trigger, and rushed conclusions. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Marcos Gaspar, Kyle Seeley, Tyler Trosper Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

188 - How Did This Get Made: Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

Maybe art is subjective? Retro Encounter emulates How Did This Get Made for an episode all about Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. The panelists break down the movie's plot, themes, and style in our most cinematic episode since the Final Fantasy Film Festival. And we may learn some Second Opinions. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Rob Steinman, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

187 - Chrono Cross Part I

On this episode of Retro Encounter, we take a look back at one of the most divisive sequels in gaming history. When you're following up on what many consider to be the greatest RPG ever made, it would be easy to stick to the tried-and-true, but Chrono Cross does anything but. The Yang to Chrono Trigger's Yin, we discuss our initial reactions to this PS1 classic, its colorful cast of characters, its luscious audiovisual presentation, and more. The quest for the Frozen Flame begins here, so join us on this journey. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Marcos Gaspar, Tyler Trosper, Kyle Seeley Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

186 - RPG Villains: Kefka Palazzo

Retro Encounter's producer takes inspiration from another of his favorite podcasts in today's episode all about the sorceror clown of Final Fantasy VI, Kefka. Three panelists examine Kefka's deeds, motivations, and impact with questions like "is there any good in Kefka?" and "why does Cid dress so poorly?" What makes this legendary RPG evildoer tick? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Stephanie Sybydlo, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

185 - Missing Classics

Classic Editions! Nintendo and Sony recently created three bespoke boxes full of classic video games, but none of them have enough RPGs. Today's Retro Encounter episode is wishful thinking about the three high-profile mini consoles and theorycrafting some that may not exist yet. Sadly, this episode recorded before the recent announcement of the Sega Genesis Mini. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Lucy Gray, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

184 - Ys: The Oath in Felghana Part II

Adol Christin and three panelists conclude their visit to the hometown of Dogi the Wall Crusher in a new Retro Encounter episode on Ys: The Oath in Felghana. Is this the greatest Ys game? Is The Oath in Felghana too short? Is Chester a mean jerk? All of these questions answered, and more. (Maybe, No, and Yes). Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Tina Olah Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

183 - Ys: The Oath in Felghana Part I

Ys is a decades-old series centered on the travels of the adventurer Adol Christin as he explores derelict civilizations, clashes with ambitious imperialists, and battles ancient evils. Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a remake of the third Ys game, in which Adol goes on a vacation with his best pal Dogi and ends up doing the civilizations / imperialists / evils thing again in a total coincidence. Adol can't seem to stay out of trouble, and Retro Encounter is here to get into some. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Tina Olah Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

182 - Job Search Part I

Character classes! Job systems! From Wizardry to Final Fantasy to World of Warcraft to Octopath Traveler, many RPG characters are defined by player-selected classes and jobs. In today's episode we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of job systems in RPGs, mostly concentrating on Japanese RPGs in general and Final Fantasy in particular. There was so much to discuss that there are plans to record a Job Search Part II. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Greg Delmage, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

181 - Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Part II

Lufia II is a timeless classic and continues to capture the hearts of gamers to this very day so let's bring our Lufia love to its bittersweet conclusion in this weeks episode. Whether you're travelling to work by boat, submarine or paraglider pop in those headphones and find out just how tricky is the worlds most difficult trick is, if a broken mirror really is seven years bad luck and do mermaids dream of aquatic sheep? Featuring: Leona McCallum, Katherine Kortvely, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

180 - Kingdom Hearts III Spoilercast

Retro Encounter jumps into 2019 and, following on from January's Kingdom Hearts discussion, decided to spoil the hell out of the long awaited conclusion to the Xehanort Saga, Kingdom Hearts III! Three huge Kingdom Hearts get together to discuss the awesome Disney worlds, gorgeous action, and baffling story. But under all of the bombast and beauty, is it all worth it? Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Alana Hagues, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

179 - Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Part I

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals is a bonfide classic on the SNES, with an epic story, great characters, fiendish puzzles, and tons of superlative side content including raising pet monsters and challenging a 100-floor dungeon. But don't take only my word for it! Three Retro Encounter panelists played Lufia II over February and March and enthusiastically gab about it for today's podcast. Featuring: Leona McCallum, Katherine Kortvely, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

178 - Dances with Wolf Team

Wolf Team, a small Japanese developer active in the 1990s, has a surprising legacy of RPG creators lasting to the present day. tri-Ace, Namco Tales Studio, and several others have their roots in Wolf Team, which splintered after finishing the Super Famicom classic Tales of Phantasia. We explore the past of an influential studio on a Retro Encounter episode with a bittersweet final minute. Featuring: Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

177 - Tales of Vesperia Part II

Running a podcast is just like running a guild sometimes, and all jobs must come to an end at some point, just like our game journals! This week, our panelists talk about the conclusion of Tales of Vesperia. We make our way to the end by going through a huge dungeon gauntlet, by being betrayed, by saving our friends, and saving the world! But after hours of missable sidequests, coliseum fights, altered artes and blossoming friendships, does Tales of Vesperia stand the test of time? Featuring: Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi, Stephanie Sybydlo Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

176 - Tales of Vesperia Part I

We're still celebrating Tales of month here at Retro Encounter, and what better time is there to form a guild? Nearly two years after our last Tales of game journal, Tales of Vesperia is on the docket, and the same three panelists return from the Tales of the Abyss episodes! In a dense first half, the trio gush about the characters and dig into the combat, and there's surely a grumble or two about missable sidequests. Featuring: Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi, Stephanie Sybydlo Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

175 - A Thirst for Battle Part II

Lights! Microphones! Action! Our panel of RPG battle maniacs reconvenes for a discussion on RPG combat in real time, focusing on series that fight in real-time, or at least mostly in real-time. Hearts, Souls, Mana, and Ends of the World all make appearances in today's action-packed episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Trent Argirov, Greg Delmage, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Related Links: RPGFan.com

174 - Tales of Favourites

Retro Encounter celebrates Namco's long-running action RPG series all February in a special Month of Tales! We kick off Tales Of month with an episode discussing the entire series, from Abyss to Zestiria, eventually picking an official Retro Encounter's Favorite Tales Of Game. Spoiler alert: it isn't Tales of the Tempest. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

173 - Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Retro Encounter had so much fun playing 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors last year that the same four codenamed panelists reunited for the sequel! Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward has more friendly robots, more diabolical puzzles, and more artificially intelligent rabbits than its predecessor, and the crew is here for all of it. Featuring: Hilary "Hilary" Andreff, Trent "The Stranger" Argirov, Leona "Jade" McCallum, Michael "Monsoon" Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

172 - Kingdom Hearts Part II

The panelists shut the door on this miniseries of Kingdom Hearts podcasts, and shed as much light as they can on the second half of the first game in the storied series. Dancing in Halloween Town, skulking in Hollow Bastion, and fighting Kingdom Hearts's strong suite of secret bosses all come into play in Retro Encounter's Kingdom Hearts finale! Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Alana Hagues, Kyle Kortvely, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

171 - This Episode Is Not About RPGs

2019 has barely begun and Retro Encounter will try something a little different. The four panelists are sick and tired of talking about RPGs for 170 episodes, so for 171 they'll try the opposite route and talk about their favorite video games and video game series that RPGFan doesn't cover. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Nathan Lee, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

170 - Kingdom Hearts Part I

The Retro Encounter episode that yours truly dreaded to record is here. Kingdom Hearts, the popular Square-Disney crossover PS2 RPG, gets discussion worthy of its cult following. Deep appreciation for Kingdom Hearts' voice acting and music and considerably less appreciation for the designs of a few early stages are the stories of the day in our first Kingdom Hearts episode. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Alana Hagues, Kyle Kortvely, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

169 - Dragon Quest XI Spoilercast

Retro Encounter indulges in its host's selfish whims and does a deep dive discussion into Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of An Elusive Age, the latest title in the seminal Japanese RPG series. Important characters, plot points, modern RPG amenities in a traditional series, and weaponized nostalgia are all brought up, but the music isn't. It was for the best. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Rob Rogan, Rob Steinman, Zach Wilkerson Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

168 - 2018 Year in Review

Retro Encounter puts a bow on 2018 by discussing several of its video game highlights, including games that quest, games that hunt, games that spin, games that code, and even games that Go. Here's to the year that's gone and to the year about to begin! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

167 - A Thirst for Battle Part I

The Retro Encounter panel's original plan was to record a single episode about battle systems in RPGs, but there ended up being so much to discuss that we're splitting it into two episodes. Today we focused on turn-based combat, from the earliest Japanese RPGs through grid-based systems to whatever the hell Final Fantasy XII is. So check the attacks queue, wait your turn, and strike that episode link! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Trent Argirov, Greg Delmage, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

166 - 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors Part II

Kotaro Uchikoshi's visual novel has an intriguing beginning and a dramatic middle, but the end is where it's at. Today's episode of Retro Encounter goes deep into the finale of 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. Neuroscience, quantum physics, and prosopagnosia all feature prominently in a surprisingly academic episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Hilary "Hilary" Andreff, Trent "The Stranger" Argirov, Leona "Jade" McCallum, Michael "Monsoon" Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

165 - 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors Part I

This month on Retro Encounter a group of puzzle enthusiasts try to escape a sinking ship in 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, the DS visual novel and puzzle adventure filled with murder, intrigue, and arithmetic. In the first Retro Encounter episode dedicated to 999, discussion centers on the game's cast, structure, and numerous instances of the number 9. There are A LOT. Featuring: Hilary "Hilary" Andreff, Trent "The Stranger" Argirov, Leona "Jade" McCallum, Michael "Monsoon" Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

164 - Building the Pokemon League

Retro Encounter is legally required to do at least one Pokémon episode a year, and we complete our quota with a very special Pokemon episode! Four Pokémon enthusiasts devise teams for a theoretical Elite Four, and then conspire to build a team for a worthy Champion. Really though, it's an excuse to discuss our favorite Pocket Monsters. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Nathan Lee, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

163 - RPG Cuisine

Happy Turkey Day from Retro Encounter! It was too challenging to devote an entire episode to the best RPG turkeys, so the discussion ended up being about RPG foods and feasts instead. The panelists break down their favorite cooking systems, foodie side quests, and the most delicious-looking meals in RPGs. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Keegan Lee, Tris Mendoza Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

162 - Golden Sun Part II

It's time for the Sun to set on this game journal and your three Adepts are back, back, back again with a second Golden Sun podcast! Come join us as we discuss solving colour-based puzzles while colourblind; try to figure out if this game was just a stealth remake of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; and fall in love with everyone's favourite man-eating basement amphibian, Toadonpa! Featuring: Leona McCallum, Keegan Lee, Tris Mendoza Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

161 - Golden Sun Part I

Join us on the first part of our November game journal, the GBA classic Golden Sun, as our three intrepid editors unravel the myriad mysteries of Weyard. Is Kraden a bad role model for children? Is Vale the worst starting town in an RPG? And will Tris be able to keep himself from spoiling the sequel before the end of this game journal!? Find out all that and more! Featuring: Leona McCallum, Keegan Lee, Tris Mendoza Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

160 - Mermaid Swamp

It's the most wonderful time of the year, which means Retro Encounter is getting its spook on. Host Marcos Gaspar assembles the crew to have a brief discussion on Japanese indie no-budget horror titles, followed by a playthrough of Mermaid Swamp. Four friends embark on a camping trip to the mountains, but a stalled engine sees them forced to spend the night at a kindly old gentleman's decrepit manor. What should've been a quick stop turns into a haunting mystery of mermaid folklore and brutal acts. Featuring: Marcos Gaspar, Greg Delmage, Robert Fenner Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

159 - Mega Man Legends 2 Part II

Our Mega Man Legends experience concludes this week, in which Mr. Volnutt travels through a few tiresome elemental dungeons and buys expensive shoes. Our hero learns how to circle-strafe and all about his past in the second half of his second game, and we talk all about it on Retro Encounter! Featuring: Robert Fenner, Scott Clay, Mike Salbato Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

158 - Mega Man Legends 2 Part I

New islands, new robots, and new pirates are in store for our panelists as Mega Man Legends month continues. In our first episode on Mega Man Legends 2, the panelists go over the game's multitude of improvements made to Mega Man Legends 2 as well as the characters and plot points encountered in the first two islands. We admire Mega Man Volnutt, but maybe not as much as Tron Bonne does, in today's episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Robert Fenner, Scott Clay, Mike Salbato Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

157 - Mega Man Legends Part II

Our discussion of the first Mega Man Legends concludes in our new podcast episode. Who is the mysterious robot at the center of the ruins? How much Zenny do you need to upgrade all the weapons? What's on TV in Mega Man's airship? All these questions and more, featured on this week's episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Scott Clay, Robert Fenner, Mike Salbato Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

156 - Mega Man Legends Part I

Retro Encounter celebrates the recent release of Mega Man 11 by revisiting the two action RPG adventures of the Blue Bomber on the original PlayStation! Today we play through the first half of Mega Man Legends, exploring the ruins under Kattelox Island and lamenting the weaknesses of early 3D action games. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Scott Clay, Robert Fenner, Mike Salbato Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

155 - Suikoden II Part II

Suikoden II is a true cult classic, and five podcast panelists try their best to do it justice in our second Suikoden II podcast. Vampires are hunted, unstoppable forces meet immovable objects, and endgame scenarios are flagged in the thrilling conclusion to Suikoden II. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Keegan Lee, Leona McCallum, Tris Mendoza Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

154 - Fire Emblem: Past, Present, and Future

Somehow, we've barely talked about Nintendo's decades-long series of strategy RPGs on Retro Encounter, so today is the day we correct that injustice! Series origins, favorite characters, the future of Fire Emblem, and the state of the fan community are all discussed. Together we ride! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nathan Lee, Leona McCallum, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

153 - Suikoden II Part I

Suikoden II was the most-requested Retro Encounter game (from listener emails) for the first three years of the podcast, so today we give the people what they want! Luca Blight's savagery, Jowy Atreides' ambition, and Nanami's role as the perfect big sister are all topics on the latest Retro Encounter episode. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Keegan Lee, Leona McCallum, Tris Mendoza Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

152 - Top Ten SNES RPGs For Real This Time

Retro Encounter fooled its listeners good in April of this year, so in September the same three panelists make it up by rattling off a list of top ten SNES RPGs, for real this time. Did we include any Quintet games? How many Final Fantasy games made it? Listen and learn! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Keegan Lee, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

151 - Shadow Hearts Part II

Join us for the exciting conclusion of our Shadow Hearts game journal as we tour Europe! It's a refreshing melding of the familiar and fantastical as we meet vampires, psychic London orphans, and even some really likable townsfolk. We reminisce and talk about connections with the rest of the series (mostly Koudelka) as we learn the truth about the man who calls himself Roger Bacon and see what happens with our human Keys to Light and Darkness. And Yuri, of course. Featuring: Stephanie Sybydlo, Hilary Andreff, Tris Mendoza, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

150 - Listener Mailbag

150 episodes in, and Retro Encounter still can't stay on topic. For this milestone episode five panelists read a collection of listener emails received over the past month, with topics ranging from great RPG battle systems to white whales to suggestions to future episodes. And, perhaps appropriately, episode 150 clocks in at almost exactly 150 minutes. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues, Keegan Lee, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

149 - Shadow Hearts Part I

What mischief will our panel get into as we follow along with the Rude Hero and play through this PS2 gem? We're discussing this title's abundant atmosphere - the spooky, ghostly, and humorous - as the party journeys through East Asia. Some of us are returning to this tale of malice and soul graveyards, while one of us is playing it for the first time. One of us is new to Retro Encounter entirely! Featuring: Stephanie Sybydlo, Hilary Andreff, Tris Mendoza, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

148 - Final Fantasy VII Remake: Hopes and Fears

Final Fantasy VII is an unassailable classic in the eyes of many RPG fans, and naturally Retro Encounter's panelists are divided on their feelings about the upcoming FF VII remake. What parts are we concerned may get cut? Should the game move to action-oriented combat? Will Sephiroth's role expand? All of this and more. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Leona McCallum, Rob Rogan, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

147 - RPG World Tour

Setting is an extremely important element to any RPG, adding to a game's visual, interactive, and tonal presentation. So naturally a few Retro Encounter panelists have thoughts. Four panelists each present a few of their favorite RPG worlds, detailing why they're great to explore and to experience. Featuring: Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Leona McCallum, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

146 - Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Part II

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 Clay, Robert Fenner, Chris Gebauer, Leona McCallum Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

145 - Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Part I

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: Michael Sollosi, Scott Clay, Robert Fenner, Chris Gebauer, Leona McCallum Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

144 - Lunar: The Silver Star Part II

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 Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

143 - Lunar: The Silver Star Part I

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: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

142 - Mass Effect Part II

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: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

141 - Super Boss Battles

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 us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

140 - Mass Effect Part I

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 always excited to chat about this epic series and the game that started it all. Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Liz Maas, Greg Delmage, Nathan Lee Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

139 - Ace Attorney

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 English language. All of them enter the discussion in a very procedural episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Brigid Choi, Keegan Lee, Stephen Meyerink Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

138 - Darksiders II

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 podcast on Darksiders II: Keegan Lee, Marcos Gaspar, and Peter Triezenberg get to talking about the game's overworld design, the implementation of Diablo-style loot into a Zelda clone, and make one too many Sonic the Hedgehog references. You have been warned... Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Marcos Gaspar, Keegan Lee Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

137 - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Part II

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.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

136 - Confessions Part II

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 Lee Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

135 - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars: Part I

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 Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

134 - The Airing of Grievances

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 Twitch: rpgfancom

133 - The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

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 Gebauer Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

132 - What Is Zelda?

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 Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

131 - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

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 Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

130 - Favorite Legend of Zelda

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 conundrum. Also: sexy fish-men. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nathan Lee, Rob Rogan, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

129 - Top Ten SNES RPGs

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 Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

128 - Planescape: Torment Part II

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 pillars, and ambulatory mortality ahoy, in Planescape: Torment Part II. Featuring: Keegan Lee, Robert Fenner Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

127 - RPG Adaptations

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 adaptation from their fertile imaginations. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Keegan Lee, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

126 - Planescape: Torment Part I

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 Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

125 - RPG Spinoffs

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 in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

124 - Valkyrie Profile Part II

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, Stephanie Sybydlo Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

123 - Year of the Dog

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 Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

122 - Valkyrie Profile Part I

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 Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

121 - The Practical Cats of RPGs

Ah, cats - stubborn, aloof, proud creatures who enjoy lazing around, eating and bringing you dead animals as presents. There are as many cat lovers as there are dog lovers on the site, so on the cusp of Year of the Dog, we decided to celebrate all things feline instead. These cats are anything but lazy, and this episode is sure to be paw-some as our panellists discuss wannabe movie star cats, space cats and magical cats. Featuring: Alana Hagues, Robert Fenner, Keegan Lee Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

120 - The Thrill of the Hunt

Monster Hunter World is upon us, and it's the first video game blockbuster hit of 2018. A game from last week isn't quite retro enough for Retro Encounter though, so three of RPGFan's most enthusiastic Monster Hunter fans hop on the show to talk about their personal experiences, weapon mains, and many years of hunting wyverns, dinosaurs, and giant pink fart monkeys. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nathan Lee, Nick Ransbottom Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

119 - Chroma Squad

This week, our host is extremely excited to play the Power Rangers-inspired indie strategy RPG Chroma Squad, and two other Retro Encounter panelists are at least willing to humor him. So is the rainbow-hued Chroma Squad a Tokusatsu triumph, or a sad Sentai send-up? Listen in for the panel's thoughts. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Hilary Andreff Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

118 - Undertale

Retro Encounter continues its January indie games month with a very special episode all about the 2015 smash hit Undertale! Undertale was programmed, written, and composed by a single creator, but it takes three Retro Encounter panelists to properly dissect this subversive cult favorite. This episode experienced some technical difficulties, so I apologize in advance for occasional lapses in audio quality. Featuring: Chris Gebauer, Dom Kim, Rob Rogan Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

The indie game scene is thriving in 2018, but ten years ago was a different time. Today, three Retro Encounter panelists examine OFF, a 2008 French-language indie title created in RPGMaker 2003. The group walks through OFF's entire plot before attempting to interpret the surrealist gem's themes and metaphors. Featuring: Robert Fenner, Nilson Carroll, Michael Sollosi Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

116 - Breath of Fire IV Part II

Retro Encounter unites the Yorae Dragon in our second Breath of Fire IV episode. Both panelists are Breath of Fire IV fans, one from childhood and one newly minted. We talk endgame scenarios, edgame characters, difficulty spikes, and fancy dragons in our first Retro Encounter of 2018! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

115 - 2017 Year in Review

Continuing a Retro Encounter annual tradition, six panelists talk the year in video games, from January's Tales of Berseria to December's Xenoblade Chronicles 2. 2017 was such a dense year for RPGs that there is a lot to talk about. In addition, the panel briefly discusses their favorite RPGFan podcasts and features of the year and a few 2018 games they're looking forward to. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Marcos Gaspar, Alana Hagues, Dom Kim, Peter Triezenberg Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

114 - Breath of Fire IV Part I

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.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

113 - Final Fantasy I

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: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

112 - Memoria Final Fantasy Part II

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 Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

111 - Memoria Final Fantasy Part I

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 series saved for another day. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Alana Hagues, Mike Salbato Get in Touch: RPGFan.com Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom