- Review
Vultures – Scavengers of Death
Tension arising from unknown variables. Foreboding atmosphere. Moment-to-moment tactical decision making. These elements form the foundation of any good survival horror game, yet they could just as easily describe the nail-biting experience of playing an engrossing turn-based strategy title. Team Vu… Read More »- Article
- Random Encounter
- Podcast
Random Encounter 347 – Darkness and Retro Light
On this episode of Random Encounter, it’s all about the aliens! First up, Directive 8020. The latest game in Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures Anthology series, 8020 brings choice-based horror movie vibes into space. Pulling from the classic horror sci-fi films The Thing and Alien, did this inte… Read More »- Review
Directive 8020
The evolution of games whose core appeal centres on the strength of their narrative is astounding to me, whose first experiences with gaming involved extremely basic, text-only adventures. Playing Directive 8020 in 2026 feels like magic sometimes, a scientific miracle bringing my disparate interests… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, May 10th–16th, 2026 – Anime, Space, and Horror
Welcome to a special Mother’s Day edition of RPGs Coming This Week! Well, as long as your mom is into sci-fi survival horror (with turn-based OR adventure gameplay) or young people beating up other mecha from the cockpits of their own mecha. And while that notion would once have seemed preposterous,… Read More »Feature
Crowdfunding Chronicles: Petrichor
Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the space bear Jobert and his unusual companions. Their mission: to explore the cosmos in search of an ideal houseplant. Crowdfunding Chronicles proudly presents Petrichor, an adorable Earthbound-inspired space adventure with delightful 3D graphics… Read More »- Article
- News
Mina the Hollower Launches on May 29th for Consoles and PC
Yacht Club Games has announced that Mina the Hollower will launch digitally on May 29th for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Humble Store. Yacht Club’s mouse adventure was originally slated for release last Halloween, and when they had to delay it,… Read More »- Review
Pillars of Eternity (Turn-based)
Already considered a modern CRPG classic (and responsible for an underrated sequel and gorgeous spin-off), Pillars of Eternity has been freshened up once more with a new turn-based patch. Almost from the beginning, a decent portion of fans called for such a feature. Given the success of the turn-bas… Read More »- Article
- News
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure Coming to PS5 & Switch 2 This Fall
NIS America and Nihon Falcom have announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure will release on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 sometime this fall. Two trailers accompanied the announcement, showcasing a snapshot of what players might expec… Read More »- Article
- Retro Encounter
- Podcast
Retro Encounter 485 – Final Fantasy VIII Part I
I dreamt I was a podcast host. On this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, a panel of four veterans and one newbie take advantage of Zach’s absence to play the controversial but undeniably stylish Final Fantasy VIII. How do we feel about its unconventional design and storytelling choices? Is the cast… Read More »- Feature
RPGFan Chapters Review: Boss Fight Books ‘Dragon Age II’ by Charlotte Reber
“A deadline, a narrative mode, and a setting.” These guiding factors and a slew of practical constraints were the foundation of what would result in Dragon Age II, perhaps the oddest release in BioWare’s storied catalog and certainly of the beloved fantasy IP. Not odd in the way of Anthem’s misguide… Read More »- Article
- News
Xbox and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios To Unveil New Details on Stranger Than Heaven on May 6th
SEGA and Xbox have announced a joint showcase for Stranger Than Heaven, the upcoming game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. The showcase will air on May 6th at 4:00 pm PT/7:00 pm ET/May 7th at 8:00 am JST/1:00 am CEST on YouTube (as seen below) and the official Xbox Twitch channel. Ryu Ga Gotoku… Read More »- Review
Shadows of the Afterland
Looking at and listening to Shadows of the Afterland, one may think they’ve traveled back to 1988, to the heyday of point-and-click adventure games from the likes of Sierra Entertainment and LucasArts. The experience of playing it, though, is far smoother and easier than those games it harkens to, f… Read More »Alabaster Dawn Hands-On: Modern Retro Done Right
Retro done right is somehow surprisingly difficult. For decades, developers have attempted to capture the magic of yesteryear through visuals, music, and game design. Pixels may have charm, but recycled game design rarely lands, as—and I know some will hate reading this—old game design has been left… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 5/3/26 – Classic & Modern
This edition of RPGs Coming This Week really captures the range of titles we cover at RPGFan, with only one turn-based RPG, alongside a long-awaited action RPG, and two solid-looking throwbacks to classic PC gaming in very distinct flavors. Take a look below at this week’s highlights! As for me, I’m… Read More »Music Review
Chrono Trigger Orchestral Concert -Melodies Across Time-
An orchestral concert for Chrono Trigger, you say? Sounds like a lovely affair! But, wait a second… is Square Enix really doing a full orchestral arrange album for this classic game less than ten years after their last one? Yes. Yes they are. Not only that, but this new Melodies Across Time album… Read More »- Review
Death by Scrolling
Simplicity is a virtue, and one that’s easy to overlook in games where upgrade systems, complex enemy AI, and intricate level design often steal the spotlight. Yet the best games prove that, even stripped of their bells and whistles, strong cores can carry the entire experience. Death by Scrolling i… Read More »- Feature
Retro Encounter Final Thoughts – Persona 5
Audra Bowling Persona 5 Royal is the most complete version of a well-done adventure. Do I think it could’ve been better? Yes, but I also acknowledge that my opinion of the urban fantasy-based RPG is somewhat skewed. Regarding dungeon design, Persona 5 is one of the most creative and entertaining Per… Read More »- Review
Starfield
With Starfield finally landing on PlayStation 5, I came into it as a first-time player who had spent the last few years watching the discourse unfold from a distance. Few modern RPGs have been picked apart quite like this, with some calling it a triumph and others treating it like a cautionary tale.… Read More »- Feature
Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2026: A Spectacular Time in Anaheim
With the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2026 in Anaheim now behind me, I wanted to share some thoughts and experiences that didn’t make it into my other articles. Between the Evercold reveal, live competitions, hands-on activities, press conference, and incredible concerts, it was a weekend I will never… Read More »- Article
- News
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Switch 2 Preview and Demo Out Today!
Recently, I had the opportunity to check out Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on the Switch 2. You can as well with the demo releasing today for both the Switch 2 and the Xbox Series X|S. The demo covers chapters 1 and 2, and save data carries over to the main game when it releases on June 3rd. As som… Read More »- Review
Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta
The Ys series has garnered significant critical acclaim, with its hero Adol Christin becoming an RPG icon. Arguably, Ys has had a significant impact on the action RPG genre from early on, with exploration-heavy, puzzle-laden games, featuring challenging fights that require quick-footed strategy to o… Read More »- Article
- Random Encounter
- Podcast
Random Encounter 346 – Will the PS5 Rescue Starfield?
On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking all about two older games that have recently been revitalized with new gameplay! When Starfield was released in 2023, it was divisive, to put it mildly. Some said it was one of the best games ever, some said it was the worst game ever, but most gree… Read More »- Article
- News
Evercold Press Conference with Naoki Yoshida at Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2026
Thanks to the Square Enix PR team, I had the privilege of taking part in a press conference with Naoki Yoshida following the reveals at Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2026 in Anaheim. We were able to ask about everything from Evercold’s story direction and gameplay changes to the newly announced raids,… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 4/21/26 – Homages and a Trail to the Heavens
As we begin the final week of April 2026 (wait, what?), we have one of the fuller weeks of RPGs Coming This Week in a while. From the latest update to Final Fantasy XIV to a great-looking Zelda-like and creature collecting RPG, and even a beloved hippo, it’s a pretty good week to be an RPG fan. We’l… Read More »Music Review
Chrono Trigger Piano Soundscape Arrangement
Chrono Trigger, a true classic in the Square Enix library, hit store shelves in 1995. That means 2025 was its 30th anniversary. As part of the 30th anniversary celebrations, Square Enix published Chrono Trigger Piano Soundscape Arrangement. When Square Enix Music first announced this album, all my n… Read More »Twitch
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Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
Wednesday, May 13
5:30 pm PT
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Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
Thursday, May 14
5:30 pm PT
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Trails Beyond The Horizon
Friday, May 15
1:00 pm PT
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Trails Beyond The Horizon
Saturday, May 16
1:00 pm PT
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Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
Sunday, May 17
1:00 pm PT
Tune in on Twitch
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