Highlight Archives | Page 5 of 52

Starbites

Posted by Mark Roddison on May 23, 2026

Remember Maya, from Shell 2? All of twenty-five years ago?! Starbites wears its lineage on its sleeve, drawing direct inspiration from cult classics like Septerra Core while navigating two decades of JRPG evolution. It delivers a distilled concentrate of everything that makes the genre beloved and o… Read More »

RPGFan’s Summer Job System Fair Marathon Starts Today!

Posted by Scott Clay on May 22, 2026

It’s that time of the year again! Time for some summer time fun in the sun! But sometimes summer isn’t just about having fun; sometimes, summer is about that first summer job you had in order to pay for those video games of yesteryear. But work sucks, I know, and no one wants to work when we can jus… Read More »

ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies

Posted by Ben Love on May 21, 2026

When Disco Elysium was released in 2019, it was immediately regarded as a genre-defining work of RPG narrative design. From the way it recontextualized player agency and decision-making, how it represented the various mental faculties and barely-restrained impulses of protagonist Harry Dubois as ant… Read More »

Retro Encounter 486 – Final Fantasy VIII Part II

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 21, 2026

…Whatever. This week on Retro Encounter, the panel is back to offer their thoughts on all the (beautiful?) nonsense that happens in the second half of Final Fantasy VIII. Which one of us prefers Triple Triad over the entire rest of the game? Did our positive impressions crumble under the weight of t… Read More »

Mana, Music, and Majesty: The Aesthetic Beauty of Secret of Mana’s Soundtrack

Posted by Sam Medley on May 20, 2026

Secret of Mana is a controversial game. While it is often remembered for its beautiful design and gorgeous pixel art, gamers also deride its confusing combat system, poor pacing, and overall lackluster gameplay. Lying underneath these sometimes divisive elements is a key component of the game’s over… Read More »

Nitro Gen Omega

Posted by Mark Roddison on May 19, 2026

Mechs and anime share a bond as inseparable as Saturday mornings and sugary cereal. Developer DESTINYbit leans heavily into this classic synergy with Nitro Gen Omega, a turn-based roguelike RPG oozing a specific brand of weekend magic. The game thrives on its visual flair, utilizing fluid, stylish a… Read More »

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Hands-On Preview! Zelda? Secret of Mana? Or Something More?

Posted by Scott Clay on May 18, 2026

HD-2D style games since the original Octopath Traveler have changed how we view retro-style titles from bigger publishers such as Square Enix. HD-2D not only looks great, but also scratches the old school sprite JRPG itch many of us have had since the end of the SNES and PS1 era. And since its debut… Read More »

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Producer Naofumi Matsushita Q&A

Posted by Scott Clay on May 18, 2026

As part of our The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales preview, I also had the opportunity to send in some questions to producer Naofumi Matsushita. As always, I would like to thank him for his time in answering our questions, as well as the Square Enix staff who translated the Q&A. RPGFa… Read More »

RPGs Coming This Week, May 17–23, 2026 – Zero Stars for Coffee

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 17, 2026

That’s right, we’re leading off this week with a reference to all three major releases this week shoehorned into the implication that my Starbucks Rewards star count is zero. But actually it’s like 400 and I need to redeem some stars before they take them all away. That aside, any talk of some of ou… Read More »

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail Patch 7.5 – Trail to the Heavens

Posted by Caitlin Argyros on May 15, 2026

In the past, I’ve talked about what the final patch of a Final Fantasy XIV expansion typically feels like. There’s one last dramatic encounter that culminates in a flashy fight, a new (or newly revealed) character appears to entice the Warrior of Light to travel to wherever the next expansion takes… Read More »

RPGFan Chapters Pairing: Pentiment and The Name of the Rose

Posted by Matt Wardell on May 13, 2026

When I joined RPGFan early last year, one of my earliest assignments was to review the Switch release of Obsidian Entertainment’s medieval murder mystery adventure, Pentiment. I loved the game (as did my fellow RPGFan staff), though I thought it would appeal more to readers than to gamers. I remembe… Read More »

Vultures – Scavengers of Death

Posted by Ben Love on May 12, 2026

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 »

Directive 8020

Posted by Paul Skevington on May 11, 2026

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 »

Random Encounter 347 – Darkness and Retro Light

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 11, 2026

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 »

RPGs Coming This Week, May 10th–16th, 2026 – Anime, Space, and Horror

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 10, 2026

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 »

Crowdfunding Chronicles: Petrichor

Posted by Tina Olah on May 9, 2026

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 »

Pillars of Eternity (Turn-based)

Posted by Mark Roddison on May 8, 2026

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 »

Retro Encounter 485 – Final Fantasy VIII Part I

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 7, 2026

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 »

RPGFan Chapters Review: Boss Fight Books ‘Dragon Age II’ by Charlotte Reber

Posted by Aleks Franiczek on May 6, 2026

“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 »

Shadows of the Afterland

Posted by Matt Wardell on May 5, 2026

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

Posted by Jerry Williams on May 4, 2026

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 »

RPGs Coming This Week, 5/3/26 – Classic & Modern

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 3, 2026

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 »

Death by Scrolling

Posted by Dom Kim on May 1, 2026

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 »

Retro Encounter Final Thoughts – Persona 5

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 1, 2026

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 »

Starfield

Posted by Zek Lu on April 29, 2026

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 »

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