RPG Fan's Retro Encounter
232 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 34 ratingsJoin the RPGFan crew as they play through and discuss classic RPGs and adventure games!
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Episodes
Retro Encounter 82: Darksiders Part I
May 14, 2017 15:35 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MBWe've talked about Zelda games before on the podcast, but what about Zelda-likes? This week on Retro Encounter the panel dives into Darksiders, the brutal, edgy action game inspired by Zelda, God of War, and others. Join us as our panelists guide the incarnation of War as he wages war through a battleground of angels, demons, and all manner of horrors. Featuring: Peter Triezenberg, Marcos Gaspar, Keegan Lee
Retro Encounter 81: Tales of the Abyss Part II
May 05, 2017 00:14 - 1 hour - 60 MBIn their second Tales of the Abyss episode, Retro Encounter re-examines the principal characters, breaks down the motivations of the game's villains, and tries to make sense of the ending. Some of these endeavors are more successful than others. So what are the overall thoughts of three Tales-playing veterans? Either listen to the episode or read The Score. Featuring: Stephanie Sybydlo, Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi
Retro Encounter 80: Mario and RPGs
April 28, 2017 03:00 - 1 hour - 50.9 MBFor some reason, Mario "Mario" Mario and Luigi "Mario's brother" Mario are renowned as stars of platforming adventures, wacky sports titles, and chaotic fighting games, when we all know that their finest work is in RPGs. Three Retro Encounter panelists break down the Mario RPGs, from their SNES beginnings to last year's Color Splash. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg, John Tucker
Retro Encounter 79: Tales of the Abyss Part I
April 21, 2017 03:40 - 1 hour - 59.4 MBTales games are ever-present JRPGs, and recently it feels like a new one gets released every year. This week the Retro Encounter panel looks back to the Tales heyday and examines a series fan favorite, Tales of the Abyss. They go deep into the game's heavily political story, complex cast of characters, and Jade's dark sardonicism. Especially that last one. Featuring: Stephanie Sybydlo, Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi
Retro Encounter 78: Encounter of Mana
April 14, 2017 03:40 - 51 minutes - 36.1 MBInspired by the recent announcement of the Seiken Densetsu Collection for the Nintendo Switch, Retro Encounter devotes an entire episode to celebrating the highs and lows of Seiken Densetsu. The discussion topics range from the first four Mana classics, to the ill-advised Mana revival in 2006, to some unusual tangents into Radiant Historia and the 2000 Summer of RPG. Give it a listen! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Derek Heemsbergen
Retro Encounter 77: Persona 3
April 07, 2017 01:00 - 1 hour - 63.3 MBRetro Encounter is legally allowed to podcast about Persona once a year, so in 2017 we're tackling the groundbreaking 2006 PS2 RPG: Persona 3. The panelists get deep into playable characters, social links, Tartarus, Nyx, and more in this very Persona(l) episode of Retro Encounter. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Alana Hagues
Retro Encounter 76: The Good Dogs of RPGs
March 30, 2017 02:28 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBDo we love seeing dogs in RPGs? Do all dogs go to heaven? Which dog is the best dog? Who let the dogs out? Yes, yes, all of them, and undetermined. None of those questions are addressed in this week's Retro Encounter, but Alana and Mike talk about dogs for an hour regardless. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues
Retro Encounter 75: Chrono Trigger Part II
March 22, 2017 16:29 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBSo a polite robot, a gallant frog, and a cavewoman with no understanding of personal space walk into a bar, and save the world from the apocalypse? Join us for the conclusion to RPGFan's podcast all about Chrono Trigger, where the panel explores endgame strategies, storyline theories, and the other mysteries of Squaresoft's 1995 classic. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Chris Gebauer, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter 74: Favorite Final Fantasy
March 16, 2017 02:40 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBFour Retro Encounter panelists gather to come up with a list of a few of their favorite games. Sound familliar? Possibly. Regardless, today's podcast is an exercise to determine Retro Encounter's favorite Final Fantasy game. What could possibly go wrong? Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter 73: Chrono Trigger Part I
March 08, 2017 06:29 - 1 hour - 52.5 MBChrono Trigger is one of the few RPGs that's widely considered to be an all-time (ha!) classic. Today four Retro Encounter panelists break down the first half of Square's 1995 Dream Project, right up until the first visit to Zeal. Join us discussing the past, present, and future of Chrono Trigger! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Chris Gebauer, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter 72: Localization Woes
March 02, 2017 03:59 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBRetro Encounter loves retro RPGs, even a few exclusive to Japan. Today, the panelists bring up a few Micro Cabin, Telenet, old Atlus, and old Square RPGs that never left Japanese shores, plus one particular Nintendo sequel starring a boy, a girl, a dog, and a thief. Join Rob and Mike as they lament localizations that might have been, but may yet be. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Robert Fenner
Retro Encounter 71: Shadow Hearts: Covenant Part II
February 22, 2017 22:30 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBWelcome to Japan! The Retro Encounter crew continue their epic quest in Shadow Hearts: Covenant by docking into Japan. The game takes a slightly more serious turn as we focus on a lot of the themes of the game, such as the characters relationships and their morals. We also spend more time talking about those dungeons, and really dig into what makes Shadow Hearts: Covenant what it is. Come and listen as Retro Encounter buries the past and saves the world from yet another god. Featuring: Ala...
Retro Encounter 70: Shadow Hearts: Covenant Part I
February 15, 2017 21:30 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBShadow Hearts: Covenant is the second entry in cult classic RPG series, and often the most talked about one. Set during World War I, this game is one of a kind and you'd be hard pushed to find anything else like it. As the journey takes them all across Europe, the crew dives straight into the combat system, considered by many to be one of the best in turn-based RPG history. There's also that wonderful cast of characters that includes a wrestling vampire, a white wolf, and the Princess of Russ...
Retro Encounter 69: Sex, Love, and Videogames
February 08, 2017 21:24 - 1 hour - 60.4 MBRetro Encounter gets a little sexy this week as the discussion turns to love and relationships in video games in general, and RPGs in particular. Join us on a very Valentine edition of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Josh Curry, Alana Hagues, Michael Sollosi, Steph Sybydlo
Retro Encounter 68: The Binding of Isaac
February 02, 2017 05:45 - 1 hour - 44.3 MBRetro Encounter features a second roguelike with an episode all about the Flash-to-famous Binding of Isaac. Listen to the panel discuss the game's Biblical origins, punishing difficulty, and tremendous variety in this week's Retro Encounter. Featuring: Chris Gebauer, Robert Fenner, Dong-Hee Kim
Retro Encounter 67: Voice Actors on Strike
January 26, 2017 04:12 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MBRetro Encounter tries something different by discussing the voice acting strike. We talk about SAG-AFTRA, the companies affected by the strike, the life of a voice actor and what this all means for developers, actors and us gamers. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer
Retro Encounter 22: Rogue Legacy
January 18, 2017 22:15 - 53 minutes - 37.3 MBRetro Encounter goes medieval as we explore a castle filled with baddies and loot in our playthrough of Rogue Legacy. We break down what makes the game so special, our favorite classes, traits, and bosses, and our different playstyles. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Our First RPG
January 12, 2017 07:15 - 59 minutes - 41.6 MBThe Retro Crew get about as Retro as possible, as they trade stories of their very first RPG. From Phantasy Star to Fallout 3, the gang spans three decades of formative role-playing memories, and question if their firsts still stack up. Featuring: Robert Fenner, Chris Gebauer, Alana Hagues, Dom Kim, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: 2016 in Review
January 04, 2017 16:20 - 1 hour - 46.5 MBJolly Josh and the gang ring in the new calendar with a look back at the year in video games. The four panelists break down their favorite 2016 game releases and much more in the inaugural episode of 2017. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Wintry Mix
December 29, 2016 02:35 - 1 hour - 43 MBDecember and January are ideal times to play winter-themed RPGs, and Retro Encounter is here with suggestions. Mike, Robert, and Peter each discuss their favorite snowy RPGs and icy locales in other RPGs in this December episode of Retro Encounter. Featuring: Mike Sollosi, Robert Fenner, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter 21-2: Diablo III
December 22, 2016 03:11 - 1 hour - 52.5 MBRetro Encounter has beaten Diablo III and is ready to discuss the final act of the game and its expansion, Reaper of Souls. We talk about lore, the end-game, seasonal content, and the future of Diablo. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter 21-1: Diablo III
December 15, 2016 08:00 - 1 hour - 64 MBRetro Encounter discusses what Diablo III launched as and celebrates what it has become. We talk about our history with the series, our original impressions of vanilla Diablo III, and debate our favorite bosses and classes. We cover the first three acts of the game. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: December Exhibitions
December 08, 2016 04:03 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBRetro Encounter sits down to give our impressions of the Game Awards and PlayStation Experience. We talk about all of the major announcements, critique the winners of the awards and examine the relevance of award shows. Featuring: Josh Curry, Michael Sollosi Questions? Comments? You guy are sick? Email us: [email protected]
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: RPG Confessional
December 01, 2016 02:35 - 57 minutes - 39.6 MBThere are too many video games. No games fan has played every popular video game, and naturally no RPG Fan has played every major RPG. On today's Retro Encounter three panelists reveal a few of the games missing from their RPG resumes, then listen to their Retro Encounter cohorts tell them why they should give those RPGs a try. It's just like a real confession, but without the privacy or discretion, and the only topic is video games. Featuring: Mike Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Nick Ransbottom
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Final Fantasy VI
November 23, 2016 23:30 - 51 minutes - 35.5 MBFinal Fantasy VI has many dear fans across the globe. It's celebrated as an artistic achievement, and regarded as one of the best video games ever, so when an old perspective joins with new one, what will come about? Two of our Retro Encounter regulars engage in a discussion over anything and everything about Final Fantasy VI, from the characters and story, to the mechanics and the sheer diversity of gameplay. Does this game still stack up against the rest of the series? Come listen as Retro ...
Retro Encounter 20-2: Child of Light
November 16, 2016 22:20 - 1 hour - 52.3 MBRetro Encounter completes Aurora's epic journey by finishing Child of Light. We talk about our thoughts on the ending, storytelling in video games, how Child of Light fits into Joseph Campbell's theory of the hero's journey, and provide our final impressions on the characters and the game. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: BlizzCon 2016
November 09, 2016 22:20 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBBlizzcon 2016 has happened and Retro Encounter is here to cover all the big announcements. Listen as we give our thoughts on the future of World of Warcraft, Starcraft 2, Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Diablo III. Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter 20-1: Child of Light
November 02, 2016 23:49 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBRetro Encounter becomes enthralled by the beauty of Child of Light as we discuss its unique and refreshing take on storytelling and classic RPGs. We relay our favorite characters and teams for battle, which fairy tales the game reminds us of and our predictions for how the story will end. We finish the podcast by guessing what the major announcements will be at BlizzCon 2016. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Kingsglaive
October 27, 2016 02:15 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBJoin the Retro Encounter crew as we take our first steps into the next generation of Final Fantasy with the CGI tie-in film, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. The film certainly has some big names behind it, with the likes of Aaron Paul, Lena Heady, and Sean Bean lending their prestigious talents to the voice cast, but does Kingsglaive hold up as both a movie and an introduction to the highly anticipated game? We discuss the technical merits of the film, theorize about its implications for Final...
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Falcom Encounter
October 19, 2016 22:09 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBWeaving dozens of video game yarns over thirty-plus years, Nihon Falcom is a particular favorite game developer here at RPGFan. Whether you're following one of the adventures of Adol Christin or traveling through Zemuria with a crew of Bracers, Falcom's worlds and characters are a blast to experience. Join Retro Encounter's four enthusiastic panelists as we extol Adol et al! Featuring: Mike Sollosi, Caitlin Argyros, Robert Fenner, Derek Heemsbergen
Retro Encounter 19-2: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
October 12, 2016 22:05 - 1 hour - 44.2 MBRetro Encounter gives their final thoughts on Danganronpa while touching on what makes the characters special, the final mysteries, how we responded to betrayal, whether we want to play Danganronpa 2 and how the anime fits into the greater Danganronpa universe. Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter 19-1: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
October 05, 2016 23:55 - 1 hour - 51.3 MBRetro Encounter wakes up in a hellish school where all the students are out to kill us. We delve into the first three chapters of Danganronpa by discussing our experiences solving the murder mysteries and developing relationships with the high school elites of Hope's Peak Academy. Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Episode 50
September 29, 2016 02:40 - 1 hour - 42.7 MBRetro Encounter celebrates 50 episodes by talking about the future of the podcast. Each of the Retro Crew names a game that we would be interested covering before we turn the power of choice to our listeners. Rock the vote! Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg, Alana Hagues, Robert Fenner
Retro Encounter 18-2: Valkyria Chronicles
September 22, 2016 03:35 - 1 hour - 52.9 MBAnother month has gone, and another game is over. Valkyria Chronicles has left a strong impression on the Retro crew this month, all with varying feelings. The squad look back at the second half of the game by touching on some of the most emotional and poignant moments. We find ourselves getting more and more attached to the characters as we move along, and whether we really trusted that character the whole way through. Join us as we celebrate victory and mourn our losses on Retro Encounter! ...
Retro Encounter 18-1: Valkyria Chronicles
September 15, 2016 03:20 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBRetro Encounter tanks up and readies to defend the small principality of Gallia in Valkyria Chronicles. Initial impression are positive, and while discussion inevitably begins with the luscious art style of the game, we debate whether the presentation and battle system do enough to keep us hooked. We touch on our favourite moments in the first 10 chapters, and what we like and dislike about the battle system in this hidden gem. Join us for this exciting episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring...
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Dreamcast Encounter
September 08, 2016 02:00 - 1 hour - 45 MBRetro Encounter looks back fondly on Sega's last games console. The Dreamcast had a limited library of RPGs, but the ones it did have certainly didn't disappoint. It branched out into online gaming at a time where it seemed impossible. The Retro Crew look back at the console's classic RPGs and what makes them so great, as well as unearth some hidden gems. Just how well do these games still hold up? And was the Dreamcast too much too soon? Featuring: Mike Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Robert Fenner
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Essential Ten Part 2
September 01, 2016 01:30 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBThis is the epic conclusion to Retro Encounter's deliberation on what games deserve to be on the first ever Essential Ten. What games will make the illustrious final list? Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg, Marcos Gaspar
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Essential Ten Part 1
August 24, 2016 22:00 - 1 hour - 79.3 MBRetro Encounter talks about our favorite RPGs of all time as we fight over which games belong on the Retro Encounter Essential 10. Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi, Peter Triezenberg, Marcos Gaspar
Retro Encounter 17-2: South Park: The Stick of Truth
August 15, 2016 12:00 - 1 hour - 43.7 MBRetro Encounter completes our journey of South Park: The Stick of Truth in a fiery explosion of farts. Come listen as we provide our final thoughts, favorite party member, our excitement for the sequel and our favorite moments of the game. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter 17-1: South Park: The Stick of Truth
August 04, 2016 12:00 - 1 hour - 51.9 MBRetro Encounter absolutely loves South Park: The Stick of Truth! We start off with a discussion of our history with the show and how that translates into a game. Then we move onto talking about which classes we played, censorship in games, our surprise that games can be so funny and our overall excitement for how great The Stick of Truth is. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter 16-2: Xenogears
July 28, 2016 00:59 - 1 hour - 55 MBThe Retro Encounter crew is back, but with one man down will they be able to make it to the end of Xenogears? With disc 2's sharp shift to a narrative focus, the gang discusses the major reveals of the game, the psychology behind its characters, and what Xenogears might have been like if Square had been given more time on it. Featuring: Caitlin Argyros, Alana Hagues, Robert Fenner
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Root Double
July 21, 2016 02:30 - 48 minutes - 33 MBThis week, two of the Retro Crew take a look at Root Double: Before Crime * After Days, a nuclear meltdown visual novel by Takumi Nakzawa (Ever17, I/O) not wholly unlike Zero Escape. It's a mushroom cloud of mystery! Featuring: Davi Tesnovich, Robert Fenner
Retro Encounter 16-1: Xenogears
July 14, 2016 00:59 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBRetro Encounter sits down to talk about the Square classic: Xenogears. We discuss the Xeno-universe, whether Xenogears has aged well, symbolism, the puzzle-esque boss fights, the combat system as a whole and our overall impressions of the early portion of the game. Featuring: Josh Curry, Alana Hagues, Caitlin Argyros, Robert Fenner
Retro Encounter 15-2: Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
July 06, 2016 15:59 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBRetro Encounter finished The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and is ready to break down our experiences. What was our favorite dungeon? Which one did we hate? Did we have a favorite mask? Were we crazy enough to try to collect all the masks? All will be revealed in the this exciting episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Josh Curry, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: Persona 4
June 30, 2016 00:20 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBIn this Bonus Round of Retro Encounter we talk about all things Persona 4. We share our favorite characters and moments, argue about whether we got frisky with a certain nurse and discuss the general impact Persona has had on the industry. Also, don't worry; there are at least a couple bear jokes in honor of Teddie. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter 15-1: Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
June 01, 2016 23:10 - 1 hour - 54.7 MBRetro Encounter embarks on a journey in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask to beat the Skull Kid and his menacing moon while playing. We discuss our history with Zelda, what makes Majora's Mask both special and different from the other games in the series and the plethora of upgrades to the 3DS port. Finally, there is plenty of talk surrounding the time mechanic and how that affects the experience. Featuring: Josh Curry, Chris Gebauer, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo
Retro Encounter Bonus Round: SNES Encounter
May 26, 2016 01:12 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBRetro Encounter is hit with a wave of nostalgia as we reminisce about the SNES. We talk about our favorite games, its effect on the gaming industry and how the US missed out on so many great games. We wrap up by giving suggestions to Josh on what games he should try. Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi, Davi Tesnovich
Retro Encounter 14-2: The World Ends With You
May 20, 2016 01:35 - 45 minutes - 32 MBRetro Encounter finishes The World Ends With You but remains confused on some details of the story. In turn, we talk about the Reaper's Game and try to parse out how it came into being. However, the main thrust of the conversation focuses on the characters, their story arcs and how your partners aid in Neku's transformation. Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter 14-1: The World Ends With You
May 12, 2016 03:25 - 49 minutes - 34.1 MBRetro Encounter traverses Tokyo in this episode in hopes of winning the Reapers' Game. We focus the discussion on The World Ends With You's combat system and our thoughts on the characters. We agree that Neku is unlikeable during the first couple days but will we ultimately find him to be endearing? Featuring: Josh Curry, Mike Sollosi
Retro Encounter 13-2: Nier
April 20, 2016 19:00 - 1 hour - 101 MBRetro Encounter puts on our detective hats as we decipher the unexpected betrayals, surprise twists and multiple endings of Nier. This podcast heavily focuses on plot as we talk about the Emil's coming of age, Kaine's cycle of death and resurrection and our favorite moments, characters and bosses of Nier. Featuring: Josh Curry, Peter Triezenberg, Chris Gebauer, Alana Hagues