Podcast Archives | Page 3 of 27

Retro Encounter 421 – Grandia II Part I

Posted by Michael Sollosi on June 13, 2024

Inside every cynic, there is a disappointed idealist. Grandia II felt like an RPG ahead of its time in 2000, with sophisticated active-time battles, smart underlying systems, and clever writing anchored by Ryudo, Grandia II’s sarcastic protagonist. Today’s episode of Retro Encounter… Read More »

Random Encounter 298 – Not-E3 2024 Extravaganza!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on June 11, 2024

On this week’s Random Encounter, we’re all in on Not-E3 2024! For video game fans, this is one of the biggest weekends of the year, with nonstop announcements, trailers, and demos to fill your every waking hour! They’ve sure been filling ours, and that’s why we’ve assembled an expert panel to break… Read More »

Retro Encounter 420 – Omori Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on June 6, 2024

I’ve walked for miles / My feet are hurting. Content Warning: this podcast episode addresses many sensitive topics, including mental health issues and self-harm. Is Omori an offbeat retro-styled RPG about a journey through a young person’s psyche? A story about a group of frien… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 136 – Same Name Game

Posted by Mike Salbato on June 4, 2024

We’re trying something new here on Rhythm Encounter. While there is no end to the variety of RPG music out there, sometimes we spot similar song titles on different soundtracks, which gave us an idea. For this episode, each panelist chose a pairing of two (near) identical track names from different… Read More »

Retro Encounter 419 – Hard to Love RPGs

Posted by Michael Sollosi on May 30, 2024

Accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. No one of sound mind plays an RPG out of spite. Players want to enjoy the games they play, sometimes with a fair amount of hype and anticipation beforehand. Today, we walk in between joy and despair, and discuss ten games that the panel wan… Read More »

Random Encounter 297 – A Return to the Underworld with Hades II

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 27, 2024

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re chatting about the early access release of one of the most anticipated games in recent memory: Hades II. In October 2020, Supergiant Games’ roguelike masterpiece Hades finally exited early access and entered the Steam and Epic libraries of countless ga… Read More »

Retro Encounter 418 – Omori Part I

Posted by Michael Sollosi on May 23, 2024

But my dreams, they aren’t as empty / As my headspace seems to be Content Warning: this podcast episode addresses many sensitive topics, including mental health issues and self-harm. Omori is an indie game that takes on dark themes such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and loss in a thoughtful,… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 135 – Super Mario RPGs

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 20, 2024

It’s-a-us, the Rhythm Encounter crew! With the impending launch of the remaster for the beloved sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, we decided it was high time to talk about Mario’s illustrious RPG career. Starting with 1996’s Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and extending through… Read More »

Retro Encounter 417 – RPG Obsessions with David Vinc

Posted by Michael Sollosi on May 16, 2024

To love is to suffer Three RPGFan panelists are joined by RPG enthusiast YouTuber David Vinc to discuss the favorites and frustrations about the world of RPGs. Does our guest prefer the predictable comfort of Dragon Quest or the unstable beauty of Final Fantasy? Which panelist has played Lufia II do… Read More »

Random Encounter 296 – Indie Game Dev: Lil’ Guardsman

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 13, 2024

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono invites two of the folks behind the recent indie game Lil’ Guardsman onto the show to chat about its development. Back in the early days of the pandemic, Toronto-based composer Scott Christian and his business partner Artiom Komarov made the remarkable decis… Read More »

Retro Encounter 416 – Persona 3 Reload

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 9, 2024

Are you courageous enough to try Retro Encounter yet? Back in February, Persona 3 Reload released, much to the delight of many on staff, So, this week, two veterans of Persona 3 and one newbie get together to chat about Persona 3 Reload. How does this one compare to the rest of the series?… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 134 – Masashi Hamauzu Spotlight

Posted by Mike Salbato on May 6, 2024

Whether or not you need an introduction to Masashi Hamauzu’s music, we’ve got something for you. From some well-known to lesser-known Final Fantasy pieces to some classic Square Enix games, our panel dug in to ensure we covered a lot of ground in Hamauzu’s history as a composer and arranger. So join… Read More »

Retro Encounter 415 – Arc the Lad II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on May 5, 2024

Elc the Kid Arc the Lad II is an improvement over the first in nearly every way, as a more dramatic, dynamic, and lengthy PS1 RPG only held back by some technical limitations, a lack of save points, and an excess of towers. Four Retro Encounter panelists played Arc the Lad II last month, and this ga… Read More »

Random Encounter 295 – Spiritual Successor Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Posted by Jonathan Logan on April 29, 2024

On this episode of Random Encounter, Zach joins the party to chat about the recent spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, and the new DLC for Final Fantasy XVI, The Rising Tide. Hundred Heroes has been one of our most anticipated JRPGs since its Kickstarter ba… Read More »

Retro Encounter 414 – Arc the Lad

Posted by Wes Iliff on April 25, 2024

Arc seeking Ark While it was a launch title for the PSOne in Japan, Arc the Lad was something of a swan song by the time it finally released in the West. It also stands as one of the final works of the now-defunct Working Designs localization company. Today our four panelists dig into this hidden cl… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 133 – The Great Culinary Encounter

Posted by Mike Salbato on April 22, 2024

Everything’s better with the right soundtrack backing it up, whether that’s studying, working, or household tasks — most notably for today’s discussion, cooking! Whether our panel on this episode was channeling energy for a flavorful Spanish chicken dish or some chill tunes to prepare cozy desserts,… Read More »

Retro Encounter 413 – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Spoilercast

Posted by Michael Sollosi on April 18, 2024

To be the sad man / Behind Mako eyes Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2024, reimagines many of the most dramatic and emotional moments of Final Fantasy VII, form Cloud’s flashback to Barret’s hometown and beyond, in a segmented open world environment driven by a mix of… Read More »

Random Encounter 294 – Crawl Out Through the Fallout, Baby

Posted by Jonathan Logan on April 15, 2024

On this episode, ex-Random Encounter host Greg Delmage returns to share his film expertise while chatting about the new Fallout TV show! Video game adaptations are hot right now, and Amazon has just dropped what might be the best one yet: Fallout! Based on the long-running RPG series, Fallout, the s… Read More »

Retro Encounter 412 – Fallout Encounter

Posted by Jonathan Logan on April 11, 2024

Retro. Retro never changes. But boy, long-running RPG series sure can! Back when a small group of developers at Interplay Productions released Fallout in 1997, I’m sure they couldn’t imagine they were setting the foundations for one of the most iconic RPG series of all time. From its humble beginnin… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 132 – Remasterpiece Theatre

Posted by Michael Sollosi on April 8, 2024

It’s hard to go a few months without a remaster of a beloved RPG gracing our physical or virtual shelves, but when some of those are the quality of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series or the recent Persona 3 Reload, we aren’t complaining. This age of remasters also means updated or rearranged mu… Read More »

Retro Encounter 411 – Musou Encounter

Posted by Michael Sollosi on April 4, 2024

Warriors! Come out and play~~~ Omega Force, a subsidiary of Koei Tecmo, has made a name for itself over the past 25 years with dozens of entries into its Musou series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors in particular. Today, a Retro Encounter panel discusses Musou’s origins as historical sims, it… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 131 – Sounds of the Season

Posted by Mike Salbato on April 1, 2024

Huh? Featuring: Mike Salbato, Hilary Andreff, Wes Iliff, Kyle Cantelon; Edited by Mike Salbato Links for this episode: YouTube: Might and Magic VI, All Voice Acting Part 1 YouTube: Might and Magic VI and VII: Creature Sounds PlayStation 2 Crystal Clock Tracklist 0:03:32 – Level Up – Dragon Quest0:03… Read More »

Random Encounter 293 – Dogmatic Dragons

Posted by Jonathan Logan on April 1, 2024

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re looking at a game-of-the-year contender and the latest from one of the industry’s most visionary indie devs. First up, Izzy is here to chat about Dragon’s Dogma 2. The sequel to Capcom’s cult-classic Dragon’s Dogma, DD2 is the true realization of many of t… Read More »

Retro Encounter 410 – Final Fantasy IV Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on March 28, 2024

I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon. Retro Encounter sees Final Fantasy IV through to its logical conclusion, from journeys to the center of the earth to heartbreaking family reunions, then, Alice, you’re going to the moon. Four Retro Encounter panelists talk the second half of Final Fan… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 130 – RPG Safe Spaces

Posted by Mike Salbato on March 25, 2024

While RPGs have no shortage of high-energy moments requiring intense strategizing, quick reflexes, or simply a box of tissues for the more emotional moments, it’s important to have downtime between those to balance everything out. This episode is about “safe spaces” in RPGs, and our panelists did no… Read More »

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