RPGFan's Retro Encounter

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 and ends up doing the civilizations / imperialists / evils thing again in a total coincidence. Adol can't seem to stay out of trouble, and Retro Encounter is here to get into some.Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Tina OlahGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

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 general and Final Fantasy in particular. There was so much to discuss that there are plans to record a Job Search Part II.Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Greg Delmage, Peter TriezenbergGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

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 weeks episode. Whether you're travelling to work by boat, submarine or paraglider pop in those headphones and find out just how tricky is the worlds most difficult trick is, if a broken mirror really is seven years bad luck and do mermaids dream of aquatic sheep?Featuring: Leona McCallum, Katherine Kortvely, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

Retro Encounter jumps into 2019 and, following on from January's Kingdom Hearts discussion, decided to spoil the hell out of the long awaited conclusion to the Xehanort Saga, Kingdom Hearts III! Three huge Kingdom Hearts get together to discuss the awesome Disney worlds, gorgeous action, and baffling story. But under all of the bombast and beauty, is it all worth it?Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Alana Hagues, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals is a bonfide 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 played Lufia II over February and March and enthusiastically gab about it for today's podcast.Featuring: Leona McCallum, Katherine Kortvely, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

Wolf Team, a small Japanese developer active in the 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 after finishing the Super Famicom classic Tales of Phantasia. We explore the past of an influential studio on a Retro Encounter episode with a bittersweet final minute.Featuring: Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues, Michael SollosiGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

Running a podcast is just like running a guild sometimes, and all jobs must come to an end at some point, just like our game journals! This week, our panelists talk about the conclusion of Tales of Vesperia. We make our way to the end by going through a huge dungeon gauntlet, by being betrayed, by saving our friends, and saving the world! But after hours of missable sidequests, coliseum fights, altered artes and blossoming friendships, does Tales of Vesperia stand the test of time?Featuring: Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi, Stephanie SybydloGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

We're still celebrating Tales of month here at Retro Encounter, and what better time is there to form a guild? Nearly two years after our last Tales of game journal, Tales of Vesperia is on the docket, and the same three panelists return from the Tales of the Abyss episodes! In a dense first half, the trio gush about the characters and dig into the combat, and there's surely a grumble or two about missable sidequests.Featuring: Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi, Stephanie SybydloGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

Lights! Microphones! Action! Our panel of RPG battle maniacs reconvenes for a discussion on RPG combat in real time, focusing on series that fight in real-time, or at least mostly in real-time. Hearts, Souls, Mana, and Ends of the World all make appearances in today's action-packed episode of Retro Encounter!Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Trent Argirov, Greg Delmage, Peter TriezenbergGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com

Retro Encounter celebrates Namco's long-running action RPG series all February in a special Month of Tales! We kick off Tales Of month with an episode discussing the entire series, from Abyss to Zestiria, eventually picking an official Retro Encounter's Favorite Tales Of Game. Spoiler alert: it isn't Tales of the Tempest.Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues, Stephanie SybydloGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancom