Random Encounter Archives

Random Encounter 270 – The First Stirrings of Not-E3

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 29, 2023

On this week’s Random Encounter, we’re seeing the beginnings of the Not-E3 season! If you’re a video game fan, it’s getting close to the most wonderful time of the year! There are slightly under two weeks until Summer Game Fest, but we still have a ton of news to discuss from Wednesday’s PlayStation… Read More »

Random Encounter 269 – Ain’t Nobody Crying in This Kingdom!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 20, 2023

On this Saturday’s emergency Random Encounter, we’re discussing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom! We’ve assembled a panel of three people who loved Breath of the Wild, one who liked it, and one who just wasn’t a fan. The plan was to meet up to talk about the entirety of TOTK, beginning to e… Read More »

Random Encounter 268 – A Latte to the Past

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 15, 2023

On this week’s Random Encounter, we’re talking about two highly anticipated sequels (although one is slightly more anticipated than the other). First up, Jono and Mike share their initial impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the long-awaited direct sequel to 2017’s Breath of the… Read More »

Random Encounter 267 – Advancing Onto the Burning Shores

Posted by Jonathan Logan on May 8, 2023

On this week’s Random Encounter, we’re talking about a highly anticipated piece of DLC and a very highly anticipated remake (that we were never quite sure we would EVER see)! First up is Caitlin talking about the Horizon Forbidden West DLC, Burning Shores. In it, we visit the post-apocalyptical ruin… Read More »

Random Encounter 266 – Welcome to Cyberspace!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on April 24, 2023

On this week’s Random Encounter, we’re looking at two games (technically, 11 games) that bring us fully into cyberspace! First, Peter downloads his thoughts on the new visual novel based on Disney’s Tron franchise, TRON: Identity. Does it capture the cyber-magic of the classic 80s film and its 2010s… Read More »

Random Encounter 265 – The Games that SHOULDN’T BE!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on April 10, 2023

On this week’s Random Encounter, we’re talking about two games that, frankly, we can’t believe exist. Many of us expect certain game series to “stay in their lane.” Mega Man is a platformer. Doom is an FPS. Metroid is, well, a Metroidvania. But when a series tries something completely differen… Read More »

Random Encounter 264 – Parental Guidance is Advised

Posted by Jonathan Logan on March 27, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about how to introduce your children to video games, specifically RPGs. We’re far away from the 1980s, back when most parents saw video games as a “fad” or “waste of time.” Instead, parents nowadays see games as a legitimate form of entertainment at… Read More »

Random Encounter 263 – We’re Feeling the Theatrhythm!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on March 13, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re diving into some recent non-RPG Final Fantasy spin-offs! First up, we have the first console entry in the long-running Final Fantasy rhythm game series, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. Offering over 380 songs from every Final Fantasy game (with m… Read More »

Random Encounter 262 – We Walk Many Paths (At Least 8)

Posted by Jonathan Logan on February 27, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about two big recent RPGs, Octopath Traveler II and Like a Dragon: Ishin! When the original Octopath Traveler came out in 2018, we’d never seen anything like its HD-2D art style. Now, Square Enix is back with a sequel, … Read More »

Random Encounter 261 – Nintendo Direct, Engage!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on February 13, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re digging into all the news from the Feb 2023 Nintendo Direct! Here at RPGFan, we look forward to Nintendo Directs like children look forward to Santa Claus. The only difference is that we KNOW when the man in red is supposed to arrive, but Nintendo always ke… Read More »

Random Encounter 260 – Is Forspoken Really All That Bad?

Posted by Jonathan Logan on January 30, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about two games: one controversial, one not! Square Enix’s recent release, Forspoken, had a rough ride during its development, and it doesn’t look like that ended with its release. While many think it’s a perfectly fine action RPG, others feel… Read More »

Random Encounter 259 – Marvel Talk

Posted by Jonathan Logan on January 16, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, the panel REALLY gets into talking about Marvel Comics and music! A surprise hit of 2022 was Marvel’s Midnight Suns. Audra recently reviewed the supernatural-tinged strategy RPG, giving both Audra and Jono an opportunity to nerd the heck out about Marvel! Then, M… Read More »

Random Encounter 258 – Front Echoes

Posted by Jonathan Logan on January 2, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about two awesome RPGs released at the tail end of 2022. First up, Caitlin talks about her experience with the retro-indie JRPG, Chained Echoes. Primarily developed by a single person for the last seven years, this incredible JRPG evokes all those f… Read More »

Random Encounter 257 – RPGFan’s Most Anticipated Games of 2023

Posted by Jonathan Logan on December 19, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about the games we’re most excited about in 2023! Each and every December, RPGFan publishes one of the year’s biggest features: a look ahead at the upcoming year. And this week on the show, our panel gets to geek out over it! What games do we think… Read More »

Random Encounter 256 – End-of-2022 Review Roundup!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on December 5, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re catching up on some of the biggest and best RPGs over the last few weeks and months. First, Niki walks us through the bug-laden fields of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet! Then, Des flies us into the great beyond with his thoughts about Star Ocean: The Divine F… Read More »

Random Encounter 255 – This Way Madness Lies: An Interview with Zeboyd Games

Posted by Jonathan Logan on November 14, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono and Michael Sollosi team up to speak with the gang behind Zeboyd Games about their latest title: This Way Madness Lies! Robert Boyd and William Stiernberg at Zeboyd Games have been turning out innovative indie RPGs since Breath of Death VII: The Beginning in… Read More »

Random Encounter 254 – Asexual Representation in RPGs

Posted by Jonathan Logan on November 7, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about asexual representation in video games. A few weeks ago, RPGFan published a feature by our own Caitlin Argyros, focusing on asexual characters in RPGs. Spoiler alert: it’s a pretty short list. Though queer representation has been on the rise ov… Read More »

Random Encounter 253 – Yakuza Encounter

Posted by Jonathan Logan on October 24, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono and GC are taking a comprehensive look at Yakuza/Like a Dragon! Every now and then, RPGFan publishes a game primer to help newcomers get into a new series. We’ve covered Trails, Tales, and Xenos, and now it’s time to cover Yakuza! With its recent rebranding… Read More »

Random Encounter 252 – Random Book Club – Fight, Magic, Items

Posted by Jonathan Logan on October 3, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, it’s Random Book Club again! Here at RPGFan, we love our JRPGs: Tales, Trials, and everything in between. But to understand where the genre came from, we need to look back almost forty years to two legendary Japanese creators: Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest) and Hirono… Read More »

Random Encounter 251 – Yakuza NO MORE!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on September 19, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re tackling one of the biggest news weeks in recent memory! First up, we’re discussing the recent Nintendo Direct, speculating about the big The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom announcement, and wondering how these 2023 release dates can possibly be comi… Read More »

Random Encounter 250 – Temptation, Thy Name is Final Fantasy XIV

Posted by Jonathan Logan on September 5, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono is, once again, tempted to play Final Fantasy XIV! With the release of the 6.2 patch of FFXIV, Mike is taking up the torch to try and convince Jono to create an account. Will he be successful? And Audra is here to chat about Dusk Diver 2, an anime-inspired a… Read More »

Random Encounter 249 – RPGFan is A-OFK

Posted by Jonathan Logan on August 22, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re going virtual! First, Caitlin examines the origins of a virtual band in the music biopic game, We Are OFK. Then, Brian steps into a virtual fantasy world in one of the only full-scale JRPGs available on VR platforms, RuinsMagus. And finally, Jono… Read More »

Random Encounter 248 – Switch RPG Roundup!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on August 8, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re going handheld with two highly anticipated RPGs for the Nintendo Switch… First, Izzy digs into the HD-2D remake of the classic Super Famicom/Super Nintendo RPG, LIVE A LIVE. Now, not only do Western audiences FINALLY learn how the title is pronounced, but w… Read More »

Random Encounter 247 – Random Book Club – The Art of Point-and-Click Adventure Games

Posted by Jonathan Logan on July 25, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, it’s Random Book Club time! Do you know what we love almost as much as video games? Books ABOUT video games! Bitmap Books just released their third edition of The Art of Point-and-Click Adventure Games, and Hilary got an exclusive first look at this incredible vo… Read More »

Random Encounter 246 – The Sun Also (Monster Hunter) Rises

Posted by Jonathan Logan on July 11, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about the joy of hunting monsters! First, the panel chats about the RPGs and adventure games that caught their attention in the highly-anticipated June Nintendo Direct. Then, Jono gives Dom and Des a chance to geek out at length about the new expans… Read More »

Random Encounter(s) Archive