Highlight Archives | Page 2 of 34

Retro Encounter 460 – Top 10 90s RPGs

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 22, 2025

This podcast are sick. This week on Retro Encounter, we do the impossible: try to create a top 10 list for 90s RPGs. Does the best game finish at the top? Do we have anything except JRPGs on our list? Did we leave out your favorites? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek,… Read More »

Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 20, 2025

There are a few ways you can go with a piece of DLC. One is to simply make more content for your original game; maybe a lengthy side quest or a new party member. Another is to create a semi-sequel, exploring new gameplay mechanics, settings, and basically testing the waters for your next game. Sabot… Read More »

Raidou Remastered Hands-On: Remaster or Remake? A Bit of Both!

Posted by Scott Clay on May 20, 2025

The debate today in a sea of remasters and remakes of games from yesteryear is the understanding of what is considered a remaster, and what counts as a remake. The broad and straight to the point answer is; remasters are when games that are fundamentally the same, but the graphics are updated to HD… Read More »

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma Hands-On: A Tale of Two Genres

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 18, 2025

When Marvelous announced Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, I liked the idea of the Eastern-inspired setting. The more we saw, the more it felt like the game may be primarily an action RPG with sim elements on the side, for better or worse (depending on what you want out of Rune Factory). B… Read More »

RPGs Coming This Week, 5/18/25

Posted by Gio Castillo on May 18, 2025

In this sequel-heavy edition of RPGs Coming This Week, we once again jaunt through a wide swath of genres. From cozy life sim RPGs to point-and-click sleuth-em-ups to epic action-adventures, we will certainly not be left wanting in terms of variety. So strap in, dear readers, and let’s be on our mer… Read More »

Quest 64

Posted by Joshua Lindquist on May 17, 2025

If you are a long-time RPG fan (and you probably are), you likely know the Nintendo 64 has only a few RPGs in its game library. If I asked you to name some RPGs on the Nintendo 64, you might tell me about a well-known classic like Paper Mario, or you might be a fan of something more obscure like Ogr… Read More »

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is Beautiful and Unexpectedly Compelling: Hands-On

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 16, 2025

When I sat down at XSEED Games/Marvelous’ PAX East booth to check out Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, I had the honor of having the game’s Localization Translator, Robin Griffin, give me a guided tour. She asked me if I was familiar with Story of Seasons, and foolishly and optimistically, I said I w… Read More »

Retro Encounter Final Thoughts: Suikoden I & II

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 15, 2025

Rob White I’ve loved having the opportunity to replay Suikoden II and play Suikoden for the first time with the recent remaster. It has confirmed to me that Suikoden II is still a fantastic game that holds its own even by modern standards. The first game very much feels like a prototype for Suikoden… Read More »

Maliki: Poison of The Past

Posted by Paul Skevington on May 14, 2025

The titular character of Maliki: Poison of the Past originates in a French webcomic and should be familiar to its fans. Since I had never experienced Maliki’s adventures before, I came to the game fresh and without preconceptions. I ruined this treasured state immediately by going online and checkin… Read More »

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Interview with Composer Lorien Testard

Posted by Zek Lu on May 12, 2025

In Zek Lu’s glowing review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, he proclaimed it features one of the most impressive soundtracks he’d ever heard in an RPG. As such, it is an honor to have the opportunity to interview Lorien Testard, the masterful composer behind this unforgettable journey. Patrick Gann s… Read More »

RPGs Coming This Week, 5/11/25

Posted by Gio Castillo on May 11, 2025

In this edition of RPGs Coming This Week, colorful roguelikes/lites cross paths with narrative-heavy adventure games. Let us guide you, dear reader, through a diverse lineup vying for your hard-earned dosh. Vamos! Death end re;Quest Code Z – May 13th (PS5, PS4) Death end re;Quest Code Z releases on… Read More »

Retro Encounter 459 – Suikoden II Revisited

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 8, 2025

Listeners. Do you want…our podcast? On this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, four of our panelists take a deep dive into Suikoden II. Who defends Jowy? Is Shu still be the best? How much Neclord hate can the host take? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Paul Dennis, Aleks Franicze… Read More »

Empyreal

Posted by Abraham Kobylanski on May 8, 2025

Empyreal (em-ˈpir-ē-əl) – adj. 1: of or relating to the empyrean, celestial 2: sublime I admit I wasn’t aware that empyreal was a word, let alone what it meant, so I thought it a good idea to know what I’m talking about when it comes to Empyreal. Silent Games features a few former Ubisoft… Read More »

Stats, Maps, and Strats – An Ode to the RPG Strategy Guide

Posted by Rob White on May 7, 2025

I readily admit that I am a collector of things. If a game I’m excited to play has a special edition, I’ll usually buy it. I like buying K-pop music because of the amazing packaging and photo books. If I discover a new band or musician that I really like, I can’t just buy one of their albums—I need… Read More »

Phoenix Springs

Posted by Jerry Williams on May 6, 2025

Phoenix Springs is about 78% artsy and 22% fartsy. For those looking to do some soul-searching and who don’t mind a dive into the abstract, this is likely the game for you. While certainly not for everyone, it accomplishes what it sets out to do: introduce thought. A detective noir, Iris searches fo… Read More »

Random Encounter 322 – Clairly Oblivious

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 5, 2025

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re looking at a stylish upcoming turn-based RPG and a remaster of a sprawling open-world classic! First, Zek is here to discuss Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a game that might end up being his favorite JRPG of this generation. This stylish title is capturing at… Read More »

RPGs Coming This Week, 5/4/25

Posted by Gio Castillo on May 4, 2025

Inside this edition of RPGs Coming This Week are two wolves. On one side are cozy games that look like they would pair well with a cup of hot chocolate; on the other are far moodier games, including a sci-fi RPG with eyes towards the cosmos and a period-piece bartender/detective game. Strap in, read… Read More »

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (2013)

Posted by Audra Bowling on May 3, 2025

After being thoroughly charmed by developer Matrix Software’s Final Fantasy III Nintendo DS remake, I adored my time with their Final Fantasy IV remake. I was intrigued when I heard that the classic old-school FF had a sequel, so I leaped from 3D graphics to pixels to play the Final Fantasy IV: The… Read More »

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes: The Chapter of Markus

Posted by Audra Bowling on May 2, 2025

Time travel can be tricky, especially when it involves you and those you care for. That’s the central dilemma of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes’ third DLC story expansion, The Chapter of Markus. When the fabled Skeleton King Markus and other party members are inexplicably thrown back three hundre… Read More »

Despelote

Posted by Tom Naylor on May 1, 2025

I have a confession to make right off the bat: I’ve never really liked football. I realise that’s sacrilege, especially given that I grew up in the sport’s birthplace, at least where its modern incarnation was formed. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve tried my hand at it many a time. I’m not sure it’s even p… Read More »

Rosewater

Posted by Tina Olah on April 30, 2025

Come on down to your local saloon and let’s have a mighty fine talk about treasure hunting, failed revolutions, and nude photography. It’s been a long wait, but this March finally saw the release of Grundislav Games’ Rosewater, a Western-themed follow-up to 2018’s excellent steampunk detective game,… Read More »

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Posted by Matt Wardell on April 29, 2025

Middas afternoon, 5th of Heartfire, in the year 433 of the Third Era. When the Fighter’s Guild put me on to solve Arvena Thelas’ “rat problem,” I thought I’d be cleaning a basement of rabid vermin, not saving her precious pet rats from an intruding mountain lion. Now I follow a local hunter, Pinarus… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 159 – Press Start Again: More RPG Title Screen Music

Posted by Mike Salbato on April 28, 2025

RPG title screens bear a heavy burden. They’re one of the first things we see in a game, making them one of the best places to leave a strong first impression. And often, a key component of that is the music. Several years ago, we highlighted eight standout title screen tracks in episode 71, and tod… Read More »

RPGs Coming This Week, 4/27/25

Posted by Audra Bowling on April 27, 2025

Last week, three RPGs showed up out of nowhere. Everyone and their mother expected the Oblivion remaster, but pretty much no one anticipated the releases of Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones on Switch and Breath of Fire IV on PC. With how short this edition of RPGs Coming This Week is, I’m wondering if… Read More »

Penny Blood: Hellbound

Posted by Abraham Kobylanski on April 26, 2025

It’s been a while since the last Shadow Hearts game, and more specifically, about 20 years since Shadow Hearts: Covenant, generally considered the pinnacle of the series, came out outside of Japan. Creator Matsuzo Machida and company are currently working on a spiritual successor, Penny Blood, which… Read More »

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