Rpg Fan's Random Encounter

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re diving into a magical alpine journey and revisiting a classic RPG.First up, Abe joins us to discuss Dungeons of Hinterberg. This action RPG with Zelda and Persona-like elements is set in a beautiful Austrian resort town, combining combat, puzzles, and social interactions. How do these elements come together to create a memorable adventure (and vacation)?Then, Neal is here to chat about the modern remaster of Vay, a classic RPG from the Sega CD era. This re-release aims to bring the nostalgic experience to modern platforms, maintaining the original charm while enhancing the graphics and gameplay with quality-of-life features. Does this remaster capture the magic of the original, or does it fall short of today's RPG expectations?Featuring: Jono Logan, Neal Chandran, and Abraham Kobylanski; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're celebrating our 300th episode with a special draft!Four years is a long time in the video game industry, so we’re making predictions about what things will be like when we record our 400th episode in April 2028. Jono has gathered all the hosts from the RPGFan podcasts to make their picks. Whoever gets the most predictions right in four years will win a video game! It's time to draft to the future!Featuring: Jono Logan, Hilary Andreff, Mike Salbato, and Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Retro EncounterRhythm Encounter

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're breaking down all the RPG news from the June 2024 Nintendo Direct and chatting about the recent re-release of Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel! As usual, Nintendo's latest showcase brought the house down with a flurry of surprises. Far from the Switch going out with a whisper, this Direct made it clear that Nintendo intends to go out with a bang! Did Nintendo manage to outshine the Not-E3 presentations the previous week, or were fans left wanting more?Then, we're diving into the Monster Hunter Stories series with Abe and Audra. We'll explore the recent re-release of the original Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. Abe and Audra, who reviewed these titles respectively, join us to discuss the unique charm of these spin-offs, their place in the broader Monster Hunter universe, and how they've evolved the formula for a new generation of hunters.Featuring: Jono Logan, Abraham Kobylanski, and Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Lo

On this week's Random Encounter, we're all in on Not-E3 2024!For video game fans, this is one of the biggest weekends of the year, with nonstop announcements, trailers, and demos to fill your every waking hour! They've sure been filling ours, and that's why we've assembled an expert panel to break down the biggest RPG news from the shows for you. From Summer Game Fest to the Xbox Showcase, it's Not-E3 time!Featuring: Jono Logan, Kyle Cantelon, Noah Leiter, and Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Demonschool Orientation Week: Demo PreviewMetaphor: ReFantazio Hands-On at Summer Game Fest

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're chatting about the early access release of one of the most anticipated games in recent memory: Hades II.In October 2020, Supergiant Games' roguelike masterpiece Hades finally exited early access and entered the Steam and Epic libraries of countless gamers. And now, its direct sequel, Hades II, has entered early access. But this isn't a barebones experience. There is already more content in Hades II than in many completed games. Jerry and Tin have been fighting their way through the underworld and beyond to deliver their thoughts about this already incredible experience and where it might go in the future.And then, it's Not-E3 preview time! The next episode of Random will be breaking down the biggest news from Summer Game Fest, various developer directs, and other presentations, but for now, enjoy our absolutely baseless predictions of what we might expect from video games' Christmas in June!Featuring: Jono Logan, Jerry Williams, and Tin Manuel; Edited by Jono LoganGe

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono invites two of the folks behind the recent indie game Lil' Guardsman onto the show to chat about its development.Back in the early days of the pandemic, Toronto-based composer Scott Christian and his business partner Artiom Komarov made the remarkable decision to leave their successful careers and jump into the indie dev scene. Recruiting a small but passionate team of programmers, designers, and writers, they founded Hilltop Studios and successfully launched their first title, Lil' Guardsman, in January 2024. But it wasn't an easy road to get there!As Jono happens to be very old friends with both Scott and Lil' Guardsman co-writer Jeremy Lapalme, this seems like a perfect opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of indie game dev. What's it like to build an indie studio and develop your dream game from scratch? And is that dream within reach of anyone? Let's talk about what it's like being an indie developer in 2024!Featuring: Jono Logan, Scott Ch

On this episode of Random Encounter, Zach joins the party to chat about the recent spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, and the new DLC for Final Fantasy XVI, The Rising Tide.Hundred Heroes has been one of our most anticipated JRPGs since its Kickstarter back in 2020. Led by Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama, Hundred Heroes promised a return to the style of PSX Suikoden games (especially Suikoden II) with gorgeous 2D graphics and an epic narrative focused on war-torn countries, base-building, and character recruitment. Zach is one of the biggest Suikoden fans out there, so we can't wait to find out if he enjoyed the game as much as he hoped! Then, Zach also shares his thoughts on The Rising Tide, the DLC of one of his favorite games of the last few years, Final Fantasy XVI. As the last piece of DLC coming out for XVI, does it put a bow on the top of this much-loved entry of the series?Oh, and Jono is grouchy about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.Featuring: Jono Logan and

On this episode of Random Encounter, ex-host Random Greg Delmage returns to share his film expertise while chatting about the new Fallout TV show!Video game adaptations are hot right now, and Amazon has just dropped what might be the best one yet: Fallout! Based on the long-running RPG series, Fallout, the show is an exploration of the far future after a nuclear war in the 21st century destroyed all of civilization. With a pitch-perfect mix of dark humor, brutal violence, and a retro-50s future aesthetic, Fallout translates everything we love about the games into a brand-new, in-continuity story set in the LA Wasteland.Jono reviewed the entire series for the site last week (spoiler: he loved it), and he's excited to be reunited with Greg to chat about why this series should be of interest to all of the RPG fans out there!Featuring: Jono Logan and Greg Delmage; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rp

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're looking at a game-of-the-year contender and the latest from one of the industry's most visionary indie devs. First up, Izzy is here to chat about Dragon's Dogma 2. The sequel to Capcom's cult-classic Dragon's Dogma, DD2 is the true realization of many of the ahead-of-their-time gameplay mechanics of its predecessor. However, this positive fanfare has recently been overshadowed by the controversy of predatory microtransactions included in this full-price game. Do these money-grubbing measures really impact players' overall enjoyment of the title?Then, Tim is here to chat about Lucas Pope's latest game, Mars After Midnight. Known for his indie classics Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, Pope has moved from consoles and PC over to the crank-enhanced handheld known as the Playdate. Does the tiny screen and simplified gameplay hurt MaM, or do the limitations inspire brilliance?Featuring: Jono Logan, Izzy Parsons, and Tim Rattray; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're looking at two very different kinds of follow-ups to beloved games: a spiritual successor and a fan game.First up, we're talking about a long-awaited revival of Ogre Battle-style SRPGs with Vanillaware's Unicorn Overlord (the most bizarre name for a game since Triangle Strategy). Featuring a mix of real-time strategy, turn-based party combat, and overworld exploration, Unicorn Overlord really hit the sweet spot for Josh. Is it a game for everyone, though?And the overwhelming amount of fan content inspired by 2015's Undertale finally reaches its logical culmination with an incredible fan game that actually has the blessing of creator Toby Fox: Undertale Yellow. A prequel that follows the story of a previous soul who fell into the underground, Yellow delivers an experience that doesn't just live up to its inspiration but surpasses it in some ways. Aleks' feature, Undertale Yellow Feels Like a Legit Prequel, not only brings attention to this incredible labor of love, bu

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're taking a look at a long-running RPG series that has only made sporadic, but noteworthy, appearances here in the West!Mystery Dungeon began as a Dragon Quest IV spinoff back in 1993, but since then, there have been dozens of games in the series, including crossover titles with Final Fantasy (Chocobo’s Dungeon 2) and Pokémon (Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX), along with a standalone series (Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer). And with the release of the latest entry, Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island, we thought it would be a great time to take a deep dive into the series in preparation for our "So You Want to Get Into the Mystery Dungeon Series..." feature! Ben Love is here to walk us through these mystery dungeons and tell us everything we need to know to get started on our own JRPG rogue-like adventure! Featuring: Jono Logan and Ben Love; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter

On this episode of Random Encounter, it's finally time to talk about one of the most anticipated "Part 2s" in video game history: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth!Ever since part 1 of the FFVII remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Remake, was released in 2020, we've been desperate to know where the story is heading. Will it continue along as we remember it, or diverge in unexpected and, no doubt, controversial ways? Never fear, because Zach is here to chat about his review of Rebirth, sharing his thoughts about the story, characters, battle system, world, and where he thinks the final part of this trilogy might go (hopefully before 2030).Oh, and don't worry, no spoilers will be found here about who may or may not die in the game!Featuring: Jono Logan and Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ReviewFinal Fantasy VII Remake ReviewFin

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're "cranking" up our game to chat about a farming-centric piece of DLC for a pixel-art action RPG and a rogue-like on a tiny, black-and-white screen.First, Nick is here to share his thoughts about the farming DLC for 2021's Eastward, Eastward: Octopia. Having received solid reviews back when it was released, this new DLC strips out all of the combat and replaces it with some robust farm-sim mechanics. Coming in at around 20 hours' worth of gameplay for $6, Octopia might be an essential purchase for anyone who loves the original title or farming games!Then, Tim makes his first appearance on Random to chat about the rogue-like RPG Under the Castle and the tiny handheld console you need to play it, the Playdate. The Playdate is a fascinating piece of hardware, looking like a tiny, high-resolution yellow Gameboy Pocket with a crank on the side. The system is pricy, but does Tim think it and Under the Castle are worth the money?Featuring: Jono Logan, Nick Mangiaracina, and T

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're looking at a remake of an 18-year-old game and the release of a game that felt like it took 18 years to come out. Since its announcement in 2016, Granblue Fantasy: Relink has been on many RPG fans' most anticipated lists (it was on ours in 2020, 2022, 2023 AND 2024). And after seven years, it's finally here! Des dives into this long-awaited action RPG to discover if it can possibly live up to expectations! Then, Aleks revisits a new iteration of an old favorite: Persona 3 Reload. There have been many versions of Persona 3 since its first release in 2006 (including the original, FES, and Portable). Can this brand-new remake live up to Aleks' memories of this beloved classic turn-based RPG?Featuring: Jono Logan, Aleks Franiczek, and Des Miller; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Granblue Fantasy: Relink ReviewPersona 3

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're chatting about the latest installment in the Yakuza franchise, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and the indie point-and-click adventure game, Lil' Guardsman.First, Jono dives into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, the direct sequel to 2020's Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Does Infinite Wealth live up to the lofty turn-based JRPG expectations set by its predecessor? Then, Audra mans the review guardshed with the Canadian indie title, Lil' Guardsman. Does she let this adorable, cartoon-inspired point-and-click adventure pass into the Editor's Choice club? Finally, the entire panel discusses the state of the games industry in 2024. After what can only be described as a monumental 2023, will the big releases this year be able to live up to that standard?Featuring: Jono Logan, Audra Bowling, and Mike Sollosi; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Rel

Welcome to 2024! This year at Random Encounter, we're on the road to episode 300, so let's start the new year right by chatting about some games!First up, Jerry is here to talk about the experimental visual novel, Slay the Princess. In complete opposition to just about every video game plot ever, here you need to kill the princess or the world is doomed! Or is it? With a ton of endings and twists around every choice, Slay the Princess has captured Jerry's attention as a potentially overlooked gem of 2023.And speaking of overlooked gems, Aleks has another one for you from 1999 with Planet Laika, a Japanese-only game from Quintet, the developer of Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma. This lost 32-bit-era adventure/RPG hybrid features a highly experimental narrative, mind-bending graphics, and a philosophical bent that would have sent any translator in the late 1990s into a stress-related leave (which might be why it was never localized). Thankfully, Planet Laika now has a high-quality fan translation!

On the final 2023 episode of Random Encounter, we're chatting about all the games we're excited about that are coming in 2024!At the end of December, RPGFan publishes one of the year's biggest features: our most anticipated games expected to come out next year. And that means a chance to get together on Random Encounter to have a year-end freak out about all the games that will inevitably be added to our backlogs! 2023 was a banner year for gaming, but will 2024 follow in its footsteps? From Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to Metaphor: ReFantazio, here are our thoughts about what's to come in the year ahead! Featuring: Jono Logan, Hilary Andreff, Joshua Lindquist, Mike Salbato, and Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:RPGFan’s 30 Most Anticipated Games of 2024RPGFan Shop: RPGFan Review Card Collection

On this episode of Random Encounter, we chat all of the news from the 2024 Game Awards, and delve into two recent indie RPGs.First, The Game Awards came and went faster than the music playing off the winners! Baldur's Gate 3 was the champion of the evening with Best Game, but Alan Wake 2 walked away with a good share of the awards, as well. Join the panel as we gossip about the absolute boatload of game announcements that we can expect in 2024 and 2025 (and, if we're being really honest, probably 2026 and beyond)!  Then, Abe walks us through the dark, foreboding woods to chat about Little Goody Two Shoes, an indie horror RPG with life-sim, dating-sim, arcade, and roguelike elements. Is this fairytale-inspired game a "Grimm" experience, or does it deliver a happy ending? Then, Izzy dives into the timestream with the time-looping indie RPG, In Stars and Time. Do the game get tiresome, or do they want to replay it again and again?Featuring: Jono Logan, Abraham Kobylanski, and Izzy Parsons; Edited by Jono LoganGe

On the next Random Encounter, we delve into the vibrant worlds of Super Mario RPG and Persona 5 Tactica, and tackle the complex issue of redemption arcs in game publishing.First, Caitlin unpacks the Super Mario RPG Remake. Despite some minor frame rate drops and easy difficulty, does the game's timeless appeal shine through in this newly revitalized Switch release? Following that, Ben explores Persona 5 Tactica. Diverging from the gameplay of previous Persona SRPGs and instead pulling from XCOM, does it still deliver a solid Persona 5 experience while exploring new characters?Finally, the panel discusses redemption arcs in game publishing. What are the implications of companies releasing flawed games and then improving them over time? We'll delve into whether this trend benefits the industry and gamers, or if it sets a concerning precedent for game quality at launch.Featuring: Jono Logan, Ben Love, and Caitlin Argyros; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter:

On the next Random Encounter, we're taking a deep dive into Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Star Ocean: The Second Story R, and Dave the Diver!First, Jono discovers the yakuza's latest crisis in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Does this shorter Yakuza tale live up to its pedigree? Then Izzy Parsons gets to relive their childhood with the recent remake, Star Ocean: The Second Story R. Does this remake do justice to the original PSX game? Finally, Sollosi talks us through his experience with the indie sensation Dave the Diver, and how it kind of reminds him of both Like a Dragon and Hades!Featuring: Jono Logan, Izzy Parsons, and Michael Sollosi; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: podcast@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name ReviewStar Ocean: The Second Story R ReviewDave the DiverRetro Encounter 391 – Essential Fan Tran