Podcast Archives | Page 8 of 14

Retro Encounter 202 – RPG Villains: Luca Blight

Posted by Michael Sollosi on August 22, 2019

Luca Blight, the mad dog of a bad prince from Suikoden II, is one of the most memorable villains of Japanese RPGs, and Retro Encounter is bringing back the RPG Villains format to celebrate, analyze, and reproach him. What was Luca’s most horrible act? Could Luca have joined the heroes in different c… Read More »

Retro Encounter 201 – The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on August 15, 2019

In their second exploration of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, a panel gets deep into Erebonian politics, giant robots, and school dances. Plot twists, connections to other Trails titles, and more take center stage at the Thors Military Academy festival. Who’s the cutest couple at the sc… Read More »

Retro Encounter 200 – The Retro Encounter Awards

Posted by Michael Sollosi on August 12, 2019

Retro Encounter celebrates 200 episodes with its very own awards show! Five panelists discuss more than twenty awards subjects, except they aren’t beholden to particular years, specific genres, or common sense. The categories, winners, and panelists follow no rules at all except “Must either be unde… Read More »

Retro Encounter 199 – The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Part I

Posted by Michael Sollosi on August 6, 2019

Retro Encounter braves their second Falcom journey of 2019 with The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, an epic tale of generations of war, an economic class divide, and questionable school field trips. Four panelists of Trails veterans and newcomers tackle the fan-favorite RPG with enthusiasm f… Read More »

Retro Encounter 198 – Trials of Mana Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on July 25, 2019

Four Retro Encounter panelists each finished Trials of Mana (maybe more than once) and there is plenty to discuss. The game hits its non-linear middle chapter and choice-determined finale, and everything from elemental weaknesses to class changes to endgame loot hunting comes up. Beat up those Benev… Read More »

Retro Encounter 197 – Summer Nights

Posted by Marcos Gaspar on July 21, 2019

Three RPGFan panelists spend a warm July evening reminiscing about the games of summer. Games played durring summer break from school, games that have a summery feeling, or even games tied to specific middle-of-the-year-in-the-northern-hemisphere memories. This episode covers an enormous range of to… Read More »

Retro Encounter 196 – Trials of Mana Part I

Posted by Michael Sollosi on July 11, 2019

Seiken Densetsu III spent more than two decades on lists of “great Japanese RPGs that never left Japan,” until June 2019. It was added to the Retro Encounter schedule minutes after the announcement during E3 2019. A month after that fateful Nintendo Direct, four Retro Encounter panelists have played… Read More »

Retro Encounter 195 – Worst in Show

Posted by Michael Sollosi on July 4, 2019

It’s fun to talk about what you love, but almost as much fun to wallow in shared disdain. For this episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists discuss their LEAST favorite games in a few of their favorite series, from Kingdom Hearts Re:Remakes to flawed first or second games of legendary JRPG series… Read More »

Retro Encounter 194 – Until Dawn

Posted by Michael Sollosi on June 30, 2019

Retro Encounter gets spooky in June as two panelists discuss Until Dawn, the 2015 horror-narrative game where everyone can live, everyone can die, and everyone will definitely get chased around a resort cabin by psychopaths and wendigos. It’s a cool game about cold weather in the hot summer for Retr… Read More »

Retro Encounter 193 – Mythology and Folklore in RPGs

Posted by Hilary Andreff on June 20, 2019

Mythology, including everything from fairy tales to foundational beliefs of ancient peoples, has influenced storytelling, literature, and human civilization for thousands of years. Many RPGs are heavily influenced by myth, and on today’s Retro Encounter three folklore enthusiasts talk about mytholog… Read More »

Retro Encounter 192 – Honor Thy Mother and thy Father

Posted by Michael Sollosi on June 18, 2019

RPGFan recently celebrated Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with separate features dedicate to the moms and dads of RPGs, and Retro Encounter is here to piggyback on those pieces like they’re a dad at a swimming pool. Three panelists discuss the best moms and dads of RPGs, from hands-off mothers suppor… Read More »

Retro Encounter 191 – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Revisited

Posted by Michael Sollosi on June 7, 2019

Retro Encounter did an episode all about Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in late 2015, but back then Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night wasn’t on the horizon and Timespinner didn’t exist in a playable state. With the benefit of hindsight, two longtime Castlevania fans revisit the PS1 nonlinear sid… Read More »

Retro Encounter 190 – Ask Me Another: An RPGFan Quiz Show!

Posted by Michael Sollosi on May 30, 2019

In our third and final episode of Retro Encounter’s Podcast Tribute series, our hosts emulate Ophira Eisenberg and Jonathan Coulton for an RPGFan episode of Ask Me Another. Four contestants tackle sixty RPG trivia questions for the chance to win nothing but a good time. Because Retro Encounter is to… Read More »

Retro Encounter 189 – Chrono Cross Part II

Posted by Peter Triezenberg on May 23, 2019

The dream is not over yet. Retro Encounter’s journey through Chrono Cross continues, with a discussion of the latter half of the game. From the Dead Sea to Chronopolis, the depths of the ocean to the heights of Terra Tower, to beyond the darkness of time itself… there’s a lot to unpack here. We ta… Read More »

Retro Encounter 188 – How Did This Get Made: Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

Posted by Michael Sollosi on May 17, 2019

Maybe art is subjective? Retro Encounter emulates How Did This Get Made for an episode all about Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. The panelists break down the movie’s plot, themes, and style in our most cinematic episode since the Final Fantasy Film Festival. And we may learn some Second Opinions. Sneak… Read More »

Retro Encounter 187 – Chrono Cross Part I

Posted by Peter Triezenberg on May 9, 2019

On this episode of Retro Encounter, we take a look back at one of the most divisive sequels in gaming history. When you’re following up on what many consider to be the greatest RPG ever made, it would be easy to stick to the tried-and-true, but Chrono Cross does anything but. The Yang to Chrono Trig… Read More »

Retro Encounter 186 – RPG Villains: Kefka Palazzo

Posted by Michael Sollosi on May 2, 2019

Retro Encounter’s producer takes inspiration from another of his favorite podcasts in today’s Retro Encounter episode all about the sorceror clown of Final Fantasy VI, Kefka. Three panelists examine Kefka’s deeds, motivations, and impact with questions like “is there any good in Kefka?” and “why doe… Read More »

Retro Encounter 185 – Missing Classics

Posted by Michael Sollosi on April 25, 2019

Classic Editions! Nintendo and Sony recently created three bespoke boxes full of classic video games, but none of them have enough RPGs. Today’s Retro Encounter episode is wishful thinking about the three high-profile mini consoles and theorycrafting some that may not exist yet. Sadly, this episode… Read More »

Retro Encounter 184 – Ys: The Oath in Felghana Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on April 18, 2019

Adol Christin and three panelists conclude their visit to the hometown of Dogi the Wall Crusher in a new Retro Encounter episode on Ys: The Oath in Felghana. Is this the greatest Ys game? Is The Oath in Felghana too short? Is Chester a mean jerk? All of these questions answered, and more. (Maybe, No… Read More »

Retro Encounter 183 – Ys: The Oath in Felghana Part I

Posted by Michael Sollosi on April 11, 2019

Ys is a decades-old series centered on the travels of the adventurer Adol Christin as he explores derelict civilizations, clashes with ambitious imperialists, and battles ancient evils. Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a remake of the third Ys game, in which Adol goes on a vacation with his best pal Dogi… Read More »

Retro Encounter 182 – Job Search

Posted by Michael Sollosi on April 4, 2019

Character classes! Job systems! From Wizardry to Final Fantasy to World of Warcraft to Octopath Traveler, many RPG characters are defined by player-selected classes and jobs. In today’s episode we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of job systems in RPGs, mostly concentrating on Japanese RPGs in g… Read More »

Retro Encounter 181 – Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Part II

Posted by Leona McCallum on March 28, 2019

Lufia II is a timeless classic and continues to capture the hearts of gamers to this very day, so let’s bring our Lufia love to its bittersweet conclusion in this week’s episode. Whether you’re travelling to work by boat, submarine, or paraglider pop in those headphones and find out just how tricky… Read More »

Retro Encounter 180 – Kingdom Hearts III Spoilercast

Posted by Peter Triezenberg on March 23, 2019

Retro Encounter jumps into 2019 and, following on from January’s Kingdom Hearts discussion, decided to spoil the hell out of the long await conclusion to the Xehanort Saga, Kingdom Hearts III! Three huge Kingdom Hearts get together to discuss the awesome Disney worlds, gorgeous action, and baffling… Read More »

Retro Encounter 179 – Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Part I

Posted by Leona McCallum on March 17, 2019

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals is a bonafide classic on the SNES, with an epic story, great characters, fiendish puzzles, and tons of superlative side content including raising pet monsters and challenging a 100-floor dungeon. But don’t take only my word for it! Three Retro Encounter panelists pla… Read More »

Retro Encounter 178 – Dances with Wolf Team

Posted by Robert Fenner on March 7, 2019

Wolf Team, a small Japanese developer active in the 1980s and 1990s, has a surprising legacy of RPG creators lasting to the present day. Tri-Ace, Namco Tales Studio, and several others have their roots in Wolf Team, which splintered aftering finishing the Super Famicom classic Tales of Phantasia. We… Read More »

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