- Article
- Random Encounter
- Podcast
Random Encounter 292 – The Lord of All Unicorns
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 na… Read More »- Article
- News
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Introduces More of the Cast in Pre-Launch Trailer
We’re getting down to the wire on Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes’ release date! To build more anticipation, developer Rabbit & Bear Studios and publisher 505 Games released a pre-launch trailer. The trailer showcases several new characters in the beefy cast, including magical girls, talking s… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 3/17/24
On this edition of RPGs Coming This Week: Two next-gen heavyweights tangle with two niche titles. It’s one of the more packed weeks of the year, and I say we dispense with the pleasantries. Let’s dive in! Reverse Collapse: Code Name Bakery – March 19th (Windows) Reverse Collapse: Code Name Bakery is… Read More »- Article
- News
Across the Kosmos ~ Xenosaga Piano Collection Announced by Wayô Records
Mystic Powers, a miracle is granted! In collaboration with original composer Yasunori Mitsuda and officially licensed by Bandai Namco, Wayô Records have announced Across the Kosmos ~ Xenosaga Piano Collection. The album brings together several Japanese video game musicians to celebrate the music of… Read More »- Review
Another Crusade
One of the best things about indie RPGs is that they often revisit genre classic formulas with a new lens. The best indie homages update the core mechanics for modern sensibilities or place familiar mechanics in new and unique worlds with endearing characters, free from the restrictions of massive p… Read More »- Music Review
Crest of Flames
Fire Emblem’s legacy is long but relatively new to audiences in North America. That exposure is largely due to Super Smash Bros. Melee showcasing some of the series’ heroes and some of the stellar soundtracks. Moving ahead to more recent entries, 2019’s Fire Emblem: Three Houses … Read More »- Article
- Retro Encounter
- Podcast
Retro Encounter 408 – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Spoilercast
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 st… Read More »- Article
- News
Sea of Stars Reaches 5 Million Players; 3-Player Couch Co-Op Coming Soon
Sabotage Studio has announced that Sea of Stars has surpassed the milestone of five million total players since its August 2023 release. Taking to X/Twitter with the announcement, the developer coupled this with a cute little video of the full cast of playable characters performing a celebratory “Da… Read More »Feature
Frosthaven Board Game Review
Campaign-based, cooperative board games like Gloomhaven have been around for several years, with famous series like Descent leading the genre. Once Gloomhaven hit the market in 2017, it dominated the #1 spot on BoardGameGeek.com’s list of highest-rated board games voted by users until last year, now… Read More »- Article
- News
Legacy of a Legend: A Short Tribute to Akira Toriyama
In an industry rife with layoffs and setbacks of all kinds, the loss of a true legend feels like a Kamehameha straight to the gut. Many reading this know by now, but if you have somehow missed it: Akira Toriyama, beloved artist and creator of the Dragon Ball series, passed away last week at the age… Read More »- Article
- News
Persona 3 Reload’s Expansion Pass Is Here
Persona 3 Reload (and the series in general) is continuing to dominate headlines. Last week, we learned about the “Promised Day”, massive sales success, and a new expansion pass. Persona 3 Reload indeed. The first round of new content is available now. Check the trailer below for more details: Per A… Read More »- Review
Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
I’ve committed a cardinal gaming sin: I haven’t played Bravely Default. I know! Two sentences in, and I’ve devastated my gamer credibility about as severely as Bahamut nukes an unprepared party with Megaflare. I thought about playing it, but then the Internet (and my insistent husband) suggested I s… Read More »- Article
- News
Monster Hunter Stories Collection to Release June 14th
Hey, Riders! On its 20th anniversary, Monster Hunter fans are delighted with new announcements from the second day of Capcom Highlights. The company revealed that Monster Hunter Stories (2024), a remaster of the Nintendo 3DS original, will release on June 14th for Nintendo Switch… Read More »- Article
- News
Grandia HD Collection Arrives on PS, Xbox on March 26th
Publisher GungHo Online Entertainment America has announced that Grandia HD Collection will finally launch for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One on March 26th. It’s about time players outside the Nintendo Switch and PC platforms experience the charming and fantastical worlds of two RPG cl… Read More »- Article
- News
The First Berserker: Khazan Tells a New Story in the Dungeon Fighter Universe
Following in the footsteps of games like League of Legends, Dungeon Fighter Online is branching out with spinoffs into other genres. Originally revealed during The Game Awards last year, The First Berserker: Khazan brings forth the very first slayer, the Great General Khazan, in his own action RPG.… Read More »- Article
- News
Final Fantasy XIV Journeys to Xbox Series X|S on March 21st
The critically acclaimed MMORPG is coming soon to an Xbox Series X|S near you! Final Fantasy XIV launches on the latest Microsoft consoles on March 21st. If you want to get a head-start, the open beta test is going on right now. Prepare for adventure in the Xbox Series release date trailer below: Xb… Read More »- Article
- Rhythm Encounter
- Podcast
Rhythm Encounter 129 – Level One: RPG Beginnings
Previously on Rhythm Encounter, we have talked about some important first impressions, namely some of our favorite intro themes, and even title screen music. But what happens next is just as important: the opening hours of an RPG can really set the stage for what’s to come. When thinking about our f… Read More »- Review
Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story
As a child of the 1980s, I spent my youth watching The Smurfs, Snorks, Fraggle Rock, and other assorted programs featuring communities of fantasy beings in imaginative worlds. By that line of thinking, my childhood self would have liked Yordles — a race of adorable, vividly colored, magical beings f… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 3/10/24
On this edition of RPGs Coming This Week: a new mystery game and a bevy of ports. Not the biggest bag of loot, but we still take those. Let’s get into it! Death Trick: Double Blind – March 12th (Switch, Windows, macOS) Need a mystery game heavy on the intrigue? Death Trick: Double Blind may hit just… Read More »- Review
Unicorn Overlord
To say that the announcement of Unicorn Overlord left me in complete disbelief would be an understatement. Vanillaware announcing any new game is exciting. The first moments of the Unicorn Overlord reveal trailer made me wonder what type of game they were announcing. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim was a su… Read More »- Article
- Retro Encounter
- Podcast
Retro Encounter 407 – Dragon Age II
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… Read More »- Review
Zoria: Age of Shattering
Over the last five years, turn-based RPG fans have been blessed with a range of options on PC. The recent commercial and critical success of Baldur’s Gate 3 has shifted the genre back to the mainstream, with many gamers keen to explore similar offerings. Tiny Trinket Games developed their single-pla… Read More »- Article
- News
Amazon Aims to Set the World on Fire with New Fallout Trailer
Say what you will about Todd Howard, Bethesda, and Amazon, but boy, do they know how to put on a show! Today, Amazon released the full trailer of its TV adaptation of the beloved video game series Fallout, also confirming all eight episodes will be released on Prime Video on April 11th, 2024. Fallou… Read More »- Article
- News
RPG Maker With Releases This Fall on Switch; PS Versions Coming 2025
Developer Gotcha Gotcha Games and publisher NIS America have announced RPG Maker With, the newest entry in the long-running RPG creation franchise. You’ll be able to unleash your creativity and make your next game when it releases on Nintendo Switch this fall. PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 version… Read More »- Article
- News
Persona Series Sells 22.6 Million Copies Worldwide
Developer ATLUS has celebrated March 5th, the “Promised Day”, by announcing that the Persona series has sold 22.6 million units worldwide. Alongside this announcement, ATLUS also shared a new video, “Promise” (below), recreating the original trailer for Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 while utilizing… Read More »- Review
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy
We shine a spotlight onto the things we love to display them to the world. We show them off in hopes that others can see the same great features we see in them. But light also reveals imperfections, the hairline cracks and subtle chips that may otherwise have gone entirely unnoticed before. In this… Read More »- Article
- News
New Prescription for Peace Album Honors Suikoden Creator Yoshitaka Murayama
On March 5th, Scarlet Moon Records published GENTLE LOVE’s Prescription for Peace: A Tribute to the Departed Volume II. A follow-up to the 2015 original album, producer Jayson Napolitano writes in the album’s digital liner notes that the impetus for this release was last month’s untimely loss of Yos… Read More »- Article
- News
Square Enix Plans to Update Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s Performance Mode
The Final Fantasy series has always stood out amongst its peers in terms of art style and visuals. Since the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, a few players have noticed the vast texture and lighting differences between the “Performance” and “Graphics” modes. Well, if you happen to be one of the… Read More »- Article
- News
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak to Rise in the West July 5th [UPDATE]
Update: The article originally said that Trails through Daybreak would be releasing on July 7th instead of July 5th. We apologize for the error. NIS America has announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak will release in western regions on July 5th for Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, and… Read More »- Article
- Preview
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Hands-On Preview
Thanks to the people at Capcom, I recently had the privilege of checking out a preview build of the upcoming Dragon’s Dogma 2. Like many, I was very surprised when Capcom announced Dragon’s Dogma 2 in 2022, because it was a game I never expected to get a sequel. After playing this demo, I am glad it… Read More »- Review
Yukar From The Abyss
In ancient times, a myriad of gods visited the mortal realm, bestowing their blessings upon devoted humans. Humanity forgot about the gods and their gifts, resulting in the disenchantment of many of the gods who left the mortal world behind for good. Only a few gods remain, with varying views on hum… Read More »- Review
The Thaumaturge
Sometimes after a long, hard week at work or home, all we want to do is kick back and relax with a quick game session: maybe a few runs on Slay the Spire or a few rounds on Persona grinding for that next creature fusion. Other times, the idea of a meaty, involved RPG narrative is just what’s needed.… Read More »- Article
- Random Encounter
- Podcast
Random Encounter 291 – Let’s Explore a Mystery Dungeon!
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 seri… Read More »- Feature
Retro Encounter Final Thoughts – Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Michael Sollosi When I played Dragon Quest XI in 2018 I was awestruck. Everything from the game’s expressive monster animations to the snappy turn-based combat to the fairy tale story was pure, distilled Dragon Quest, but in a modern presentation so gorgeous I could scarcely believe it. But would my… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 3/3/24
On this edition of RPGs Coming This Week: diversity! From SRPGs to CRPGs, most niches will get something good this week. Let’s get into it! The Thaumaturge – March 4th (Windows) Since The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, I’ve craved more games based on Slavic culture and folklore. The Thaumaturge looks like it… Read More »- Article
- Preview
No Rest for the Wicked Preview
When playing the tear-jerking, award-winning Ori and the Blind Forest, did you think, “Okay, cool, but what I’d love to see what these guys could do with a Soulslike”? Me neither, but that’s what we’ve got here. After making two outstanding Metroidvanias, the devs likely wanted to stretch their legs… Read More »- Review
Under the Castle
You may or may not remember the Playdate, game publisher Panic’s 2022 foray into the boutique handheld space identifiable by its crank-based control scheme. The console didn’t hold the spotlight for long thanks to its niche nature, but its humble origins have since flourished into a space for indepe… Read More »- Music Review
MILK BAR: An EDM Tribute to Majora’s Mask
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask offers incredible source material for musicians to play with, and gosh, have they over the years. Koji Kondo’s work on this poignant entry in the series continues to evoke feelings of joy, pain, mystery, triumph, and more to this day. So it’s no shock that MILK BAR… Read More »- Article
- News
Penny Blood: Hellbound Enters Early Access for All Players March 7th
Penny Blood, the spiritual successor to the fan-favorite Shadow Hearts series, wowed on Kickstarter back in 2022. While we still patiently await its release, the roguelite companion game Penny Blood: Hellbound just hit Early Access on Steam for early backers up to January 31st! It will be available… Read More »- Review
