RPGFan's Retro Encounter

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 choices will determined entirely by romance compatability? Will anyone remember Anthem exists, and does it have any memorable characters? Listen on for the answers to these questions, and more! This is guaranteed to be your favorite podcast on the Citadel! Featuring: Wes Iliff, Aleks Franiczek, Michael Sollosi, Matt Wardell; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

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 Metroidvanias? Who surprises the host with their love for racing games? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Lucas Greene, Ben Love, Paul Skevington; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

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, the bad and the ugly of the Future Arc. Which game would we like to see get the remaster treatment next? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Wes Iliff, Paul Skevington, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

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 whether Tales of Graces f lives up to its reputation, the delightful characters, the sometimes frustrating dungeon design, and much more. Listen in! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Wes Iliff, Paul Skevington, Michael Sollosi; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

This is his story. This week on Retro Encounter, we take a deep dive into the themes, obsessions, and gameplay quirks of one 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 their disdain for Lost Odyssey? Listen in to find out! Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Matt Wardell; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

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 Wilkerson, Mario Garcia, Wes Iliff, Rob White; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

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 Wilkerson, Mario Garcia, Wes Iliff, Rob White; Edited by Zach Wilkerson Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Bluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.social Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

"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. Longtime showrunner Michael Sollosi officially steps down to hand off the podcast's reins to a new host, but also an old friend. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Retro Encounter 450 Game Journal Poll!

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. Fittingly, the conclusion to the Year of the Dragon has Dragon Quest, Dragon Age, and Like a Dragon feature prominently. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Wes Iliff, Joshua Lindquist, Jonathan Logan, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

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 antagonists. Surprise reunions, incredible series-wide callbacks, and version comparisons all enter the discussion in the latest episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Wes Illiff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Dragon Quest III on RPGFan Dragon Quest III HD-2D on RPGFan

The more Dragon Quest changes, the more Dragon Quest stays the same. 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 play the NES 1988 and 2024 versions to compare, contrast, and celebrate this landmark Japanese RPG. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Wes Illiff, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Dragon Quest III on RPGFan Dragon Quest III HD-2D on RPGFan

"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 character turns, and robust combat and job systems are highlights of this modern classic. So who's our favorite character? What name does the host get wrong for nearly two hours? Listen to us trying to decipher the metaphors of Metaphor! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Tin Manuel, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Metaphor: ReFantazio on RPGFan

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 panelist loves Misery Mire and which one hates the moth at the end of Skull Woods? What are our favorite Link to the Past items and glitches? Listen for a great discussion! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Joshua Lindquist, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom A Link to the Past on RPGFan

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 going forward, but also as an entertaining action RPG that has stood the test of time. Three Zelda veterans comprise the Retro Encounter panel today, and take a delightful nostalgia trip with a discerning eye in today's Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Joshua Lindquist, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom A Link to the Past on RPGFan

Zelda! The Zeldster! Zeldarino! 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-duplicating monster-summoning Tri-Rod and explores a beautifully rendered Hyrule. Naturally, three Zelda enthusiast Retro Encounter panelists were excited to play Echoes of Wisdom last month, and convened today to discuss it front to back, spoilers included. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Tin Manuel, Mike Salbato; Edited by Paul Dennis Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom on RPGFan

Are you ready for some Sploosh Kaboom!? Retro Encounter begins a month of Zelda celebration for a Nintendo November to remember! Five panelists draft parties of their favorite Zelda characters, items, abilities, and locations in a snake draft format, all while trying to snag their favorites before others can snipe them off the board. So what's the first overall pick? Who dared draw from the Philips CDi well? Listen to the episode to find out! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Aleks Franiczek, Lucas Greene, Noah Leiter; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

Aren't you scared? Well that's just fine. Here at RPGFan, we don't cover dedicated horror games often (other than the odd Until Dawn or The Quarry), but we still love the excitement of being scared! To celebrate All Hallows' Eve this year, a Retro Encounter panel highlights a few of the scariest moments from RPGs. From Dark Souls monstrosities to Suikoden psychopaths to Zelda zombies, this podcast has it all. Take a chance and roll the dice on Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Lucy Gray, Dom Kim; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom

I learned to live half alive / Now you want me one more time Retro Encounter's host demonstrates contrition in today's episode, admitting on-air that there's at least one good Kingdom Hearts game out there. The panelists also discuss their favorite boss fights, Disney worlds, and character struggles of Kingdom Hearts, which might differ if you're playing on Normal, Proud, or Critical. Today our Dearly Beloved panel discovers their personal Sanctuary in Retro Encounter. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Paul Dennis Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Kingdom Hearts II on RPGFan

In the night I hear 'em talk / The coldest story ever told Kingdom Hearts II, one of the most celebrated sequels in the Square Enix catalog, finally gets an episode (the first of two!) on Retro Encounter. Within, we discuss the game's dynamic combat, the earnestly made Disney worlds, and plenty about Kingdom Hearts II's mysterious black robed mostly-antagonists. Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Peter Triezenberg, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Paul Dennis Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom Kingdom Hearts II on RPGFan

The Leifthrasir Hand of Darkness When Ogre Battle retreats to the shadows, who keeps the beacons lit? When Princess Crown fails to draw an audience, who picks up the bag and keeps marching? When Japan shows a lack of interest in Starcraft, who ties the series to a tower defense game and a visual novel and waves that enticingly over the crowds? Of course, we all know when to cry out to Vanllaware, and every couple of years, we know they'll send us an answer. But where did they come from? How do they keep surviving on niche titles? And most importantly, how does our intrepid panel feel about their entire ouvre? Find the answer to these questions and more with a Very Special Episode of Retro Encounter! Featuring: Wes Iliff, Gio Castillo, Ben Love, Nick Mangiaracina; Edited by Michael Sollosi Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri Get in Touch: RPGFan.com RPGFan Shop Email us: retro@rpgfan.com Twitter: @rpgfancom Instagram: @rpgfancom Threads: @rpgfancom Facebook: rpgfancom Twitch: rpgfancom