Podcast(s) Archive
Random Encounter 192 – Take Pride in Your Party!
On this episode of Random Encounter: Staff members sat down for a special Pride Month episode all about queerness and RPGs!Topics include the community, our first encounters with LGBTQ+ media, and which games we feel represent us well… and maybe not so well!Games covered include Timespinner, Perso… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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… Read More »
Phoenix Edge – Ep. 139: Game Delays, Mobile Shutdown & Pokémon News
We discuss the Tales of Arise delay and whether Bandai Namco has bitten off more than they can chew. We then jump in deep with the latest Pokemon DLC controversy, in addition to discussing preferred RPG DLC practices. We also discuss the Terra Battle & Final Fantasy Mobius closure, as well as ot… Read More »
Retro Encounter 242 – Yakuza 0 Part II
Our panel has reached the end of Yakuza 0, and with it comes new beginnings for the 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.… Read More »
Random Encounter 191 – Like Suikoden Up In Here!
On this episode of Random Encounter:- Everyone weighs in on their fave bits from the PS5 reveal event!- The Outer Worlds has hit the Switch in Tooker’s hot hands, but does it hold up? Jono wants to know!- With the return of Xenoblade Chronicles, Steph has made room in her schedule for some necessary… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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 bot… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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… Read More »
Random Encounter 190 – Some Heavy Stuff
On this episode of Random Encounter:- We got news on Paper Mario: The Origami King and our bodies are ready to be folded into this new adventure!- Bug Fables definitely takes some notes from Paper Mario, as Alana elucidates for us!- What’s an episode without Yakuza? Well, another episode, but Jono h… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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, bu… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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 episo… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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 limit… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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 Bo… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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… Read More »
Random Encounter 188 – Stir a Little More J Into That RPG!
On this episode of Random Encounter:- the remake of Trials of Mana is here and Greg got into it with gusto!- Sakura Wars is anime, and anime anime anime Nathan anime’d!- Neal partakes of an 80s after school special in Wintermoor Tactics Club!- we got listener mail!- Jono’s knee-deep in Bravely Secon… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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… Read More »
Random Encounter 187 – How Would You Like Your Retro With That?
On this episode of Random Encounter:- We have been wanting it, and now we’re playing it! Alana and Jo dish on FFVII Remake for us.- Jono’s wrapped things up with Bravely Default and is ready to move onto the next!- indie retro-style RPG Pillars of Dust has offered a fun, nostalgia-inspired adventure… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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 ol… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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 adve… Read More »
Random Encounter 186 – A Fresh Coat of Paint
On this episode of Random Encounter:- Jono wraps up on his Yakuza experiences with Judgment. That’s all… FOR NOW!- Tyler is here to regale us with his tales from Dragon Quest XI S, to tell us how the improvements between versions stack up.- Nathan reviewed Rune Factory 4 Special Edition for us, so… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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 an… Read More »
Retro Encounter 230 – Tokyo Mirage Sessions 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 heck The Opera of Light is supposed to be. Give! Me! A new episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Nathan Lee
Random Encounter 185 – Nothing But Love Over Here!
On this episode of Random Encounter:- everyone on the episode has played the FFVIIR Demo, so we wanna’ talk about it!- Greg got into the Trials of Mana Demo in anticipation of its coming release!- Caitlin’s experience in FFXIV: Shadowbringers 5.2 is different from Mike’s, so we definitely wanna’ hea… Read More »
Retro Encounter 229 – Tokyo Mirage Sessions 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 diss… Read More »
Retro Encounter 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… Read More »
Random Encounter 184 – Up With the Times
On this episode of Random Encounter:- Shadowbringers 5.2 has dropped since someone last said “FFXIV”, so Mike’s here to discuss it!- Stoneshard, by dev Hypetrain, has gotten Greg on its hypetrain, even if it’s challenging as heck!- Jono has wrapped up his time with Yakuza 5 and is ready for more of… Read More »
