Retro Encounter Archives

Retro Encounter 467 – Drakengard Part I

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on August 28, 2025

Wise men choose Retro Encounter before war. In this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, we are in pain. Wait, I mean we’re playing Yoko Taro’s first directorial effort: Drakengard. We discuss the first ending, the (purposely?) frustrating gameplay, all while trying to avoid going insane. Can a game t… Read More »

Retro Encounter 466 – RPG Confessional IV

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on August 14, 2025

What about podcasts? You guys got any podcasts? In this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, the host re-opens the RPG confessional, a place where we admit to series that we’ve never played before, much to our shame. Don’t worry, though, we’re just here to encourage our friends to play good stuff! Who… Read More »

Retro Encounter 465 – Breath of Fire II Part II

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on July 31, 2025

You’ve got to jump into the podcast! This week on Retro Encounter, the panel is back to dig into the story-heavy second half of Breath of Fire II. Who can’t stand the solo sections? Just how long can a final dungeon be? Is this the first time we killed God? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wil… Read More »

Retro Encounter 464 – Breath of Fire II Part I

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on July 17, 2025

It is podcasts. On this week’s episode, two old veterans and one newcomer dive into the 1995 SNES RPG Breath of Fire II. A game known for its brutal grind and maybe even more brutal localization, some of the panelists still have a soft spot for it all these years later. Is the localization really th… Read More »

Retro Encounter 463 – Fallout: New Vegas Part II

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on July 3, 2025

You hear that? Richie Marcus likes Retro Encounter! In today’s episode, the panel gets back together to discuss the second half of Fallout: New Vegas. Our conversation covers The Strip, the endgame, the DLC, and of course, Richie Marcus. Does The Strip live up to its name? Which ending did we pick?… Read More »

Retro Encounter 462 – Deus Ex RetroSpective

Posted by Jonathan Logan on June 19, 2025

We always love to celebrate birthdays here at Retro Encounter, and one of our all-time favourite RPGs/immersive sims has a big one coming up! Deus Ex is turning 25 years old! In honour of this momentous occasion, we’ve assembled a panel of fans to chat about each entry in the series. Whether you’re… Read More »

Retro Encounter 461 – Fallout: New Vegas Part I

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on June 5, 2025

You know, I tried to measure my charisma on Retro Encounter once. The microphone burst into flames. On this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, we’re chatting about the opening hours of the 2010 Obsidian classic Fallout: New Vegas. Can the host finally get his head around a WRPG? Do any of us actuall… Read More »

Retro Encounter 460 – Top 10 90s RPGs

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 22, 2025

This podcast are sick. This week on Retro Encounter, we do the impossible: try to create a top 10 list for 90s RPGs. Does the best game finish at the top? Do we have anything except JRPGs on our list? Did we leave out your favorites? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek,… Read More »

Retro Encounter 459 – Suikoden II Revisited

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on May 8, 2025

Listeners. Do you want…our podcast? On this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, four of our panelists take a deep dive into Suikoden II. Who defends Jowy? Is Shu still be the best? How much Neclord hate can the host take? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Paul Dennis, Aleks Franicze… Read More »

Retro Encounter 458 – Suikoden Revisited

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on April 24, 2025

All of this podcasting in front of a children. In this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, four enthusiastic series veterans and one newbie get together to discuss the original Suikoden to celebrate the recent remaster. Does the game still hold up? Can we stop ourselves from talking about the series… Read More »

Retro Encounter 457 – BioWare Draft

Posted by Wes Iliff on April 10, 2025

It doesn’t matter how many draft picks get stolen. We will hold the line! Oh yes, it’s time for another draft episode! This time around, we’re drafting from some of BioWare’s most celebrated games…alongside one or two that are a bit less celebrated. Who will steal Garrus before anyone else? How many… Read More »

Retro Encounter 456 – The RPGs That Made Us

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on March 27, 2025

I wanna be an RPG fan when I grow up. This week on Retro Encounter we gather to discuss the RPGs that defined our taste. Not necessarily our favorites, but games that helped us understand what we value in an RPG or in games in general. Does Final Fantasy show up? Who likes the most obscure Metroidva… Read More »

Retro Encounter 455 – Tales of Graces f Part II

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on March 13, 2025

I’ve traveled back in time from next week. Please listen to this episode. This week on Retro Encounter, the panel gets back together to discuss the second half of Tales of Graces f. Our discussion ranges from the increasingly excellent combat, the less than excellent dungeon design, and the good, th… Read More »

Retro Encounter 454 – Tales of Graces f Part I

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on February 27, 2025

We have to look for the podcast, Cheria. It’s the only way. On this week’s Retro Encounter we get together to talk about the first half of Tales of Graces f, a game renowned for its combat system, and maybe less so for its storytelling. Four players of varying knowledge (and skill) talk about whethe… Read More »

Retro Encounter 453 – Hironobu Sakaguchi Encounter

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on February 13, 2025

This is his story. This week on Retro Encounter, we take a deep dive into the themes, obsessions, and gameplay quirks of the “father” of Final Fantasy: Hironobu Sakaguchi. How much did he really matter to the series? Does his work after leaving Final Fantasy hold up? Who can’t stop talking about the… Read More »

Retro Encounter 452 – Final Fantasy IX Part II

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on January 30, 2025

Bring my beloved Retro Encounter to me. This week we dive into the second half of Final Fantasy IX, chatting about the emotional story beats, rooster men, and terrible card games that some of us somehow enjoy. Does it still hold up all these years later? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilker… Read More »

Retro Encounter 451 – Final Fantasy IX Part I

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on January 16, 2025

Doesn’t it feel nice to listen to Retro Encounter under the stars? This week, the new host and a few huge fans dive into the first half of Final Fantasy IX. How does this classic hold up? Do we like the combat? Which monster doesn’t like Vivi very much? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkers… Read More »

Retro Encounter 450 – Thank You, Good Night, and Good Luck

Posted by Michael Sollosi on January 2, 2025

“Saying goodbye doesn’t mean anything. It’s the time we spent together that matters, not how we left it.” In a reminiscence-heavy episode of Retro Encounter, four panelists discuss the podcast’s origin story, recording process, and favorite episodes and memories of nearly ten years of podcasting. Lo… Read More »

Retro Encounter 449 – 2024 Year in Review

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 28, 2024

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. 2024 is (finally) behind us, and there is plenty to talk about. In one of the strongest years for RPGs in recent memory, five Retro Encounter panelists bring ten games to show and tell in discussing a few of their favorite RPGs of the calendar year. F… Read More »

Retro Encounter 448 – Dragon Quest III Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 19, 2024

Life is like a hurricane / Here in Townburg Dragon Quest III’s open-ended exploration and high-stakes story comes to a conclusion for our four intrepid panelists, who struggled through volcanoes, ghosts, and unchecked capitalism to obtain the six orbs and take on Dragon Quest III’s final run of anta… Read More »

Retro Encounter 447 – Dragon Quest III Part I

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 12, 2024

A podcast episode appears! Dragon Quest III was a blockbuster success in Japan in 1988, and its nonlinear progression, fun job system, and spirit of adventure influenced every Dragon Quest game to come. DQ3 also has a shiny new 2024 HD-2D remaster, and today on Retro Encounter different panelists pl… Read More »

Retro Encounter 446 – Metaphor: ReFantazio Spoilercast

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 9, 2024

“My favorite book is Moby Dick; no symbolism, just a simple tale about a man who hates an animal.” Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of 2024’s most acclaimed RPGs, about a royal succession that spirals out of control into a struggle for the soul of the world’s people. Clashes of ideologies, dramatic chara… Read More »

Retro Encounter 445 – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on November 28, 2024

For a true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart. Retro Encounter concludes its 2024 Zelda Month with a second episode on A Link to the Past for the SNES, discussing the game’s excellent second half of Dark World exploration and dungeoneering. So which pan… Read More »

Retro Encounter 444 – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Part I

Posted by Michael Sollosi on November 22, 2024

Sky, Sea, Earth, and a Kidnapped Princess A Link to the Past is an unassailable classic of a Super Nintendo game, as a crystallization of multiple gameplay concepts that established the formula for dozens of Zelda games to come, but also as an entertaining action RPG that stood the test of time. Thr… Read More »

Retro Encounter 443 – The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Spoilercast

Posted by Michael Sollosi on November 14, 2024

Zelda! The Zeldster! Zeldarino! The Zelmeister! Making copies! The Legend of Zelda series has long starred a hero named Link seeking a princess named Zelda, but in 2024 the roles reversed for the first time on a Nintendo system. Echoes of Wisdom’s (sort of) new protagonist also sports an item-dupli… Read More »

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