- Article
- Retro Encounter
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Retro Encounter 464 – Breath of Fire II Part I
It is podcasts. On this week’s episode, two old veterans and one newcomer dive into the 1995 SNES RPG Breath of Fire II. A game known for its brutal grind and maybe even more brutal localization, some of the panelists still have a soft spot for it all these years later. Is the localization really th… Read More »- Feature
‘Now That’s What I Call 10 out of 10!’ – A Star Ocean Series Retrospective
The Star Ocean series is, in my opinion, massively underappreciated. Since beginning back in the mid-1990s, it has had quite the bumpy road, with entries generally releasing just once per generation and with wildly varying budgets and critical and player responses. Admirably, the Star Ocean games ha… Read More »- Article
- News
Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack Adds New Characters and Story
Tell me if this is you: the Atelier Ryza games look so good, but I don’t want to buy each individually. Good news! The upcoming Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack includes all three titles in one package. Plus, each game will feature new playable characters and story content! Ryza’s journey beg… Read More »- Review
Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition
I can’t believe we finally have a complete set of the remastered Neverwinter Nights series. After the accomplished rework of the original CRPG game, Aspyr has brought the classic follow-up, Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition—a game some believed unlikely to make the journey—to modern d… Read More »- Article
- News
Dear me, I was… Announced by Arc System Works
From the title alone, Dear me, I was… already sounds like it will tug on the heartstrings. Throw in the gorgeous art of Taisuke Kanasaki (Another Code: Recollection, Hotel Dusk: Room 215), and we’re in for a treat! Arc System Works announced the adventure game following a young girl’s everyday lif… Read More »- Article
- News
Metro Quester: Osaka Heads to Mobile July 31st
Kemco has announced that dungeon crawler RPG Metro Quester: Osaka is coming to mobile platforms on July 31st. Pre-registration and pre-orders are up now on iOS and Android. This latest game follows Metro Quester, which just released on mobile last April. Both games are already available on PlayStati… Read More »- Review
Hanako’s Flower Shop
Actions speak louder than words, and they can even jumpstart much-needed conversations. The language of flowers embodies that sentiment, allowing for hidden meaning and symbolism behind the seemingly simple act of choosing a bouquet for someone. Such is the premise behind the visual novel Hanako’s F… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 7/13/25
In this edition of RPGs Coming This Week, our sleepy July finally perks up. On the slate are a long-overdue remaster, an action RPG based on a manga/anime franchise, and a selection of interesting indie titles. I think it’s safe to say things never get samey around here, even during the quieter time… Read More »- Review
Covenant of Solitude
Covenant of Solitude is a KEMCO-published RPG from developer Magitec that was first released on mobile devices back in 2013. Now, it’s made its way to other platforms, including Steam. Covenant of Solitude unabashedly hearkens back to the 16-bit era of RPGs from the 1990s, but does it do enough to s… Read More »- Feature
Retro Encounter Final Thoughts – Fallout: New Vegas
Audra Bowling Fallout: New Vegas was my first foray into the Fallout series, and it is one heck of a great starting point. I’m not always a huge fan of some of the dated gameplay mechanics: why can’t I lug around as many jugs of purified water as I want and still fast travel, darn it?!? But the choi… Read More »- Review
Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer
From Clifftop Games comes the return of Kathy Rain, a beloved adventure gaming icon of the past decade, now with a new adventure that is twice the length and scope of the original game in Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer. Does it match up to or even surpass the original, or is it more of a sophomore slump?… Read More »- Article
- News
Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree Update Adds New Game+ Mode and More
Primal Game Studio and Knights Peak have announced that their dark-fantasy action RPG Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree has just received the substantial Update 1.6, now live on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The patch introduces the long-awaited New Game+ mode and much more. Check out… Read More »- Article
- News
Latest Monster Hunter Wilds Update Brings Lagiacrus and Seregios to the Wilds
During the latest Capcom Spotlight, Capcom detailed Title Update 2 for Monster Hunter Wilds, headlined by the comeback of two fan-favourite monsters: Lagiacrus and Seregios. Lagiacrus, the iconic leviathan from Monster Hunter 3, returns with all-new underwater showdowns, complete with exclusive aqua… Read More »- Article
Prolific Composer Motoi Sakuraba Joins Scarlet Moon Artists Lineup
Motoi Sakuraba, the legendary composer behind Dark Souls, Tales, Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, and many more games (and especially RPGs!), has joined Scarlet Moon Artists. This branch of music label Scarlet Moon began in 2014 and includes many talented musicians who are available for indie projects… Read More »- Review
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Battle Destiny Remastered
Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m a Gundam fan. I enjoy the high-stakes mecha battles, epic science-fiction stories buoyed by political machinations, and the horrific and believable impact of war experienced by painfully human characters. I’ve been hooked on the franchise since watching Mobile Suit Gundam Wi… Read More »- Review
Deltarune (Chapters 3+4)
In my recent review of Chapters 1+2, I discussed Deltarune mainly on a macro level: how its legacy ties to Undertale, its main design iterations, and the broad narrative themes it sets up. Having already gone over that, I won’t be retreading any of it. If Toby Fox can just pick up from where he left… Read More »- Article
- Rhythm Encounter
- Podcast
Rhythm Encounter 161 – Mobile RPG Music Medley
Say what you want about your average mobile game, but there are a growing number of great RPGs you can play on your phone. Sure, some have hostile gacha mechanics, and many of the best get shut down eventually, but the care, budget, attention, and talent that goes into some mobile RPG soundtracks is… Read More »- Feature
SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered Interview with Hiroyuki Miura and Naofumi Ueno
Though Square Enix had hinted at an eventual SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered over the past five years, it definitely came as a surprise when they shadow-dropped it on March 27th, 2025 as part of a Nintendo Direct broadcast. While I (Patrick) enjoyed playing through this remastered version of the classic… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 7/6/25
Our quiet July continues in this edition of RPGs Coming This Week. It seems there aren’t as many games releasing this month, even outside the scope of RPGFan. Anyway, it took a little more digging than usual, but I managed to unearth some potential treasures for us. Let’s get down to business, shall… Read More »- Article
- News
Pera Coda, a Mystery Adventure Set in Istanbul, Announced for Steam
With inspiration taken from critically acclaimed Disco Elysium and the beautiful architecture of Istanbul, Pera Coda already sounds promising. Throw in puzzles that rely on time loop mechanics similar to the game 12 Minutes and exploration-driven mysteries like in Outer Wilds, and you’ve got quite t… Read More »- Article
- News
Aksys to Publish House of Fata Morgana Creator’s Project Code M
At the recent Anime Expo, Aksys Games announced it will publish Novect’s (formerly Novectacle) upcoming title, Project Code M. The mystery adventure visual novel was first teased in 2022, for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam, as Project Code Name M. Based on the trailer below, it is… Read More »- Review
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
We make the most of the one life we have by layering it with diverse experiences and developing meaningful connections with others. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time seeks to replicate this intricate tapestry by weaving together a variety of gameplay styles and risks becoming a “Jack of all t… Read More »- Article
- Retro Encounter
- Podcast
Retro Encounter 463 – Fallout: New Vegas Part II
You hear that? Richie Marcus likes Retro Encounter! In today’s episode, the panel gets back together to discuss the second half of Fallout: New Vegas. Our conversation covers The Strip, the endgame, the DLC, and of course, Richie Marcus. Does The Strip live up to its name? Which ending did we pick?… Read More »Music Review
Atelier Yumia ~The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land~ Original Soundtrack
The longer a franchise continues with new entries, the more urgent the warning “evolve or die” comes to be. With the latest Atelier entry, Atelier Yumia ~The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land~, developer Gust must have been feeling that pressure. Without question, Project A26 is a new… Read More »- Review
Date Everything!
If Lucille, late blues icon B.B. King’s immortalized guitar, could talk… oh, the stories she could tell! Francesca, WWE wrestler Xavier Woods’ trombone, is a famed character unto herself in pro wrestling lore. I named my #1 bass guitar Hepzibah. We’ve had many adventures together, and she’s even had… Read More »- Feature
CANADAFan: RPGs and Adventure Games from the Great White North
“Made in Canada” used to be kind of a joke in the entertainment industry. Back in the late ’90s, Rick Mercer (one of Canada’s greatest satirists and the host of Talking to Americans) starred in a brilliant Canadian television series, Made in Canada. He played a cutthroat television executive working… Read More »Feature
Crowdfunding Chronicles: DOWNHILL
It’s common practice to control the main character in a video game, but this time, she knows someone is pulling her strings! DOWNHILL is a bewitching pixel-graphic action RPG and debut title from all-female trio Sisterhood Games.- Article
- Random Encounter
- Podcast
Random Encounter 326 – Back to Business as Usual
On this week’s Random Encounter, we’re back to business as usual! Not-E3 and the release of the Switch 2 hit us like a hammer. But now that things have finally settled down, it’s time to chat about some games! First up, Aleks gets a chance to talk up the long-awaited Chapters 3+4 of Toby Fox’s follo… Read More »- Feature
Ranking The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy’s Routes
When tactical RPG The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy was described by its directors Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi as having one hundred different endings, I was skeptical. It’s the kind of hyperbolic claim that dares you to doubt it. Of course, one hundred endings later, I’m here to infor… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 6/29/25
All is tranquil in this edition of RPGs Coming This Week. No fast-paced or turn-based combat on the horizon, just games that require a lot of reading — not unlike what you’re doing right now. But I promise this article will be a lot more brisk than your average visual novel, so let’s just get starte… Read More »Article
New Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant DLC Drops on August 7th
Publisher Deck13 Interactive and developer Umami Tiger (Matthias Linda) have announced that the much-awaited Chained Echoes: Ashes of Elrant DLC is releasing on August 7th for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam. FYI, the paid content occurs just prior t… Read More »- Review
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX
Coming off the heels of two widely successful games, Kingdom Hearts II had a high bar to meet upon its release in 2005. More than meeting expectations, it was critically lauded and, like Kingdom Hearts before it, later received a definitive Final Mix re-release, which did not see Western gaming audi… Read More »Music Review
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Soundtrack
“Wake up, Sleeper.” In Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, you awaken once again into your new body, its context, its emotions—or rather, singular emotion: fear. Somewhere, another you has signed away your consciousness to be emulated into a sleeper, a synthetic body built to toil in deep space on b… Read More »- Review
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
In the not-so-far future of 2029 (okay, it’s slightly farther from Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s 2016 release), the world is still reeling from the “Aug Incident” that struck two years earlier, as depicted in Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011). Humans—or “naturals”—are disconcerted and distrustful of the… Read More »- Article
- News
Atelier Yumia Gets a Free Collaboration With Tales of Graces f Remastered
Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Gust have partnered with Bandai Namco to release a free Tales of Graces f Remastered DLC costume for Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. Yumia gets to wear Asbel’s outfit in-game. This bonus update is live now on PlayStation 5, PlayS… Read More »- Article
- News
Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive Announced for PC and Xbox
One of the hottest webtoon and anime series is getting its own action RPG! Revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase earlier this month, Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive recounts Sung Jinwoo’s adventures as a E-rank hunter along with adding new story, raids of up to four players, weapon customization, a… Read More »- Review
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut
In 2011, Deus Ex: Human Revolution revitalized a franchise, garnering heavy praise yet alienating fans of the original who sought a faithful “immersive sim” follow-up. Two years later, Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut launched to PC and all current consoles, including the series’ first foray… Read More »- Review
Deus Ex: Invisible War
The shining reputation the first Deus Ex enjoys is no accident. Director Warren Spector has stated that Ion Storm’s John Romero asked him to make the game of his dreams without budget restrictions and with a large marketing push. Under those circumstances, visions of grandeur seem inevitable. What i… Read More »- Review
Deus Ex
[Editor’s Note: June 23rd, 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the original Deus Ex. In honor of this, we have asked our review team to offer fresh looks at all four mainline games in the series. Be on the lookout for those later this week!] Twenty-five years ago today, we were given a glimpse into t… Read More »- Article
- Rhythm Encounter
- Podcast
