Arc seeking Ark

While it was a launch title for the PSOne in Japan, Arc the Lad was something of a swan song by the time it finally released in the West. It also stands as one of the final works of the now-defunct Working Designs localization company. Today our four panelists dig into this hidden classic, Finding equal parts joy and frustration in something of a proof of concept for its own sequel. Love Arc the Lad? Never heard of it? There’s something for everyone in today’s Retro Encounter!

Featuring: Wes Iliff, Audra Bowling, Ben Love, Nick Mangiaracina; Edited by Paul Dennis

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Arc the Lad at RPGFan

To be the sad man / Behind Mako eyes

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2024, reimagines many of the most dramatic and emotional moments of Final Fantasy VII, from Cloud’s flashback to Barret’s hometown and beyond, in a segmented open world environment driven by a mix of action combat and classic Final Fantasy ATB. Four Retro Encounter panelists / FF VII aficionados recently finished FF VII Rebirth, and reacted with a mix of joy, frustration, and confusion. We break down those feelings and more in today’s Retro Encounter! 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Tin Manuel, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Paul Dennis

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth at RPGFan

Retro. Retro never changes.

But boy, long-running RPG series sure can! Back when a small group of developers at Interplay Productions released Fallout in 1997, I'm sure they couldn't imagine they were setting the foundations for one of the most iconic RPG series of all time. From its humble beginnings as an isometric CRPG to Bethesda's first-person RPG take on the series, Fallout has gone through several genre and tonal shifts over the years. And with the first season of a brand-new Prime Video TV show coming out, Amazon is set to bring the world of Fallout to our TV screens for the first time.

This makes it the perfect time to look back on the long-running series and find out exactly what it was about Fallout that set the RPG world on fire!

Featuring: Jonathan Logan, Abraham Kobylanski, Jimmy Turner; Edited by Jonathan Logan

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Fallout Review
Fallout 2 Review
Fallout 3 Review
Fallout: New Vegas Review
Fallout 4 Review
Fallout 76 Review
Fallout - Season One Review

Warriors! Come out and play~~~

Omega Force, a subsidiary of Koei Tecmo, has made a name for itself over the past 25 years with dozens of entries into its Musou series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors in particular. Today, a Retro Encounter panel discusses Musou's origins as historical sims, its litany of different series, and its later evolution as a video game sub-genre Today, the larger Omega Force family includes Musou entries for Zelda, Dragon Quest, Persona, and many other beloved video game and anime series. 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Wes Iliff; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity on RPGFan
Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below on RPGFan
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes on RPGFan
Persona 5 Strikers on RPGFan
Touken Ranbu Warriors on RPGFan

I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon. 

Retro Encounter sees Final Fantasy IV through to its logical conclusion, from journeys to the center of the earth to heartbreaking family reunions, then, Alice, you’re going to the moon. Four Retro Encounter panelists talk the second half of Final Fantasy IV, including the changes made to the Pixel Remaster and Nintendo DS versions. Lali Ho! 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Lucas Greene, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster on RPGFan
Final Fantasy IV DS on RPGFan

I am not my Dark Knight’s keeper

Final Fantasy IV is a 1991 RPG full of colorful characters and high drama. But how does it hold up after 33 years of perspective? Four Retro Encounter panelists who grew up (separately) playing Final Fantasy IV give the classic SNES RPG another look (together), discussing everything from the opening cutscenes to Kain’s second betrayal. Or is it his third betrayal? Eventually you lose count. 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Aleks Franiczek, Lucas Greene, Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster on RPGFan
Final Fantasy IV DS on RPGFan

The real Infinite Wealth was the friends we made along the way. 

Ichiban Kasuga returns in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku 8 in Japanese), teaming up with former Like a Dragon protagonist Kazuma Kiryu in a wild turn-based open-world RPG set in both Japan and Hawaii. Four RPGFan staff, all of whom highly anticipated Infinite Wealth prior to its release in January, are ready to bring all of their thoughts and feelings into the Sujimon Arena, from the worst marriage proposal of all time to our heroes trading final battles. No need to hold back - step forward if you want to listen! 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Jonathan Logan, Tin Manuel; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on RPGFan

Can you SMELL what the Hawke is cooking? 

Dragon Age II had a mixed critical reception back in March of 2011, so we’re giving it a fresh perspective in March of 2024. Today’s Retro Encounter panel makes an exodus to Kirkwall to determine how they feel about DA2’s excellent characters and dialogue juxtaposed with DA2’s one-city setting and rigid timeframe? Listen and find out! 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Audra Bowling, Aleks Franiczek, Wes Iliff; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Dragon Age II on RPGFan

If I could turn back time / If I could find a way

Four RPGFan staff played through Dragon Quest XI this month, and it left them full of feelings. But were those feelings satisfying or wanting? How did they find DQ11’s notorious third act? Spoiler alert: this is a wonderful video game, despite what other RPGFan podcast hosts might say. 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Wes Iliff, Tin Manuel; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Dragon Quest XI on RPGFan

I love it when villagers rhyme / it makes me as glad as a slime

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age was hailed as an instant classic when it launched worldwide in 2018, and with more than five years of perspective our panel agrees. They discuss Dragon Quest XI's charming characters, rock-solid mechanics, and (unfortunately) repetitive music in today's episode of Retro Encounter, in which Jade kicks some fools and Rab remembers things past. 

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Gio Castillo, Wes Iliff, Tin Manuel; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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Dragon Quest XI on RPGFan

Rock the Dragon

Kazuma Kiryu starred in at least a dozen video games in the last eighteen years and experienced a remarkable fictional life. In today’s podcast, two of RPGFan’s most enthusiastic Like a Dragon advocates examine the life and times of the Dragon of Dojima, as part of Retro Encounter’s Year of the Dragon celebrations.  

Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan; Edited by Michael Sollosi

Opening and ending music by Miles Morkri

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RPGFan's So You Want to Get into Like a Dragon