On this week's Random Encounter, we are looking at sequels both past and present!

First up, Zach is here with his thoughts about the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. While DQ I could have done with a few fewer "enhancements," it sounds like the new expanded story and features have made DQ II into one of the best Dragon Quest games ever!

And next, Zek is here to share his disappointment about the highly anticipated sequel to 2019's The Outer Worlds: The Outer Worlds 2. While it does have a bigger budget and scope, it sounds like it failed to capitalize on the potential of the first game. And in the world of The Outer Worlds, failing to monopolize is a capital offence!

Oh, and a quick note to all of our Canadian listeners: We recorded this on Wednesday evening, long before Game 7 of the World Series, so please forgive my bright-eyed optimism and will to live, and take them with the spirit intended at the time!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Zach Wilkerson, and Zek Lu; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Review
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake Review
The Outer Worlds 2 Review
The Outer Worlds Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we are catching 'em all and beating 'em up!

When Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released in 2022, it signalled a newer, more experimental type of Pokémon game. Now, Game Freak is back with Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the second entry in the Legends series. With a new real-time combat system, an urban environment, and giant Pokémon battles, Z-A looks like it promises everything that fans have wanted from the series, but does it pull it off? Niki has some thoughts!

And then, Bob is here to chat about the new roguelike beat-'em-up RPG Absolum. It's been a long time since there was any real innovation in the beat-'em-up genre, but with a stunning animated art style, exploration, RPG mechanics, and a roguelike structure, Absolum might just be the most interesting beat-'em-up in years. Is it worth the fight?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Jerry Williams, and Niki Fakhoori; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Review
Absolum Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we have a remaster of one of the greatest strategy RPGs of all time!

When Final Fantasy Tactics was released on the PSX in 1997, it marked the entry point for countless RPG fans into the world of SRPGs (aka TRPGs) By piggybacking off the success of the landmark JRPG Final Fantasy VII, Tactics introduced an entirely new audience to the grid-based strategy RPG goodness seen in previous SRPGs like Fire Emblem and Shining Force.

Since then, Tactics has seen numerous re-releases, including Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions for the PSP and mobile devices that gave the game a much-improved localization. But now with Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, Square-Enix has released what is arguably the definitive version, now with sharper graphics, excellent quality-of-life features, and exceptional voice acting.

Tactics also happens to be one of the favourite games of Jerry and Zach. Does this brand-new remaster live up to their high expectations?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Jerry Williams, and Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Review
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions Review
Final Fantasy Tactics Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we're chatting about one of the biggest indie releases of the year!

Boy, between Silksong and Hades II, September has been quite a month for indie games. Everyone here at RPGFan has been eagerly awaiting the full release of Hades II since its early release last year, and our patience has finally been rewarded! Zek and Matt are here to answer all of the big questions like: Is this highly anticipated sequel as good as the original Hades? What new gameplay mechanics has Supergiant Games brought to the table? And perhaps most importantly, who can you date?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Matt Wardell, and Zek Lu; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Hades II Review
Hades II Hands-On Preview
Hades Review

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're doing a Random Book Club for the brand-new tome from Bitmap Books: 50 Indie Games that Changed the World.

Over the last 20 years, the indie game scene has become just as important as the AAA industry, with games like Silksong showing sales numbers that many big devs would kill for! There are so many brilliant indies out there, such as Return of the Obra Dinn, Coffee Talk, and Hades, but which ones had the biggest impact on both the video game industry and the world?

50 Indie Games that Changed the World aims to answer that very question! Do Jono, Hilary, and Mike agree with all of its choices? Probably not, but that's the joy of chatting about lists on the internet!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Hilary Andreff, Mike Salbato; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
50 Indie Games that Changed the World
Bitmap Books
Random Encounter 218 – What is a JRPG? A Delightful Little Pile of Adventure!
Random Encounter 247 – Random Book Club – The Art of Point-and-Click Adventure Games
Random Encounter 305 – Random Book Club – Legends of Localization Book 3: Undertale
Random Encounter 252 – Random Book Club – Fight, Magic, Items
80 Days Review
Stardew Valley Review
Rogue Legacy Review
Hades Review
Coffee Talk Review
Return of the Obra Dinn Review
Hades: Developing Hell Noclip YouTube Documentary

On this week's Random Encounter, let's head to the bazaar and see what the RPGFan stall has in stock!

First up, Niki is here to chat about Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar. Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar was a beloved entry in this long-running series on the Nintendo DS. Does this remake (with some updated branding) live up to the memories of the original?

Then, Neal is here to share his thoughts about Quartet, a new retro-style JRPG from the developer of Shadows of Adam. While it looks like a pretty standard SNES JRPG on the surface, it is the mature storytelling and more modern mechanics that set it apart. If you miss the days of the SNES, this might be an RPG you'll want to check out!

And finally, the entire panel shares what they are most excited about that was announced at Gamescom 2025!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Neal Chandran, and Niki Fakhoori; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar Review
Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar Review
Quartet Review
Shadows of Adam Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we're discussing a mobile-based gacha spinoff of a beloved JRPG and a Wii U classic that has finally made its way to a modern console!

Persona 5 has more than its share of spinoffs, including Persona 5 Royal, Persona 5 Strikers, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, and Persona 5 Tactica, and now there is a new game to add to the list: Persona 5: The Phantom X. This mobile and PC game is a full-fledged JRPG, but one with dozens of gacha mechanics in the way of a smooth gameplay experience. Was Audra able to get over these revenue traps to enjoy the solid game beneath?

And then Ben is here to talk about the first 100 in RPGFan history: Xenoblade Chronicles X! This classic JRPG was released on the Wii U, where no one really played it (but to be fair, no one really played the Wii U either). But now it's available on the Nintendo Switch, so no one has an excuse not to play this spectacular early entry in the long-running, beloved Xenoblade series! 

Featuring: Jono Logan, Audra Bowling, and Ben Love; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Persona 5: The Phantom X Review
Persona 5 Review
Persona 5 Royal Review
Persona 5 Strikers Review
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Review
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we're playing an updated classic, a spin-off of a modern classic, and talking about the weirdest game I have heard of in a long time!

First up, Mark is taking off his nostalgia goggles to give the recent remaster of the CRPG classic Neverwinter Nights 2 an updated look! Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition follows many other enhanced editions of classic CRPGs like Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. Does this new version live up to his fond memories of the original?

Then, Sean is here to chat about the newest entry in the AI: The Somnium Files series, No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files. Does it live up to his expectations of the series so far, or did it lull him to sleep unlike poor Kaname Date?

Oh, and then we talk about an insane horse-girl-gacha game for a while because I honestly can't believe this thing exists!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Mark Roddison, and Sean Cabot; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition Review
No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files Review

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 follow-up to Undertale, Deltarune! Chapters 1+2 released in 2018 and 2021 respectively, so for folks out there starved for Fox's trademark meta-narratives and ear-delighting music, these new chapters are a balm to the SOUL.

Then, Zek is here to talk about the new remaster of the PS2-era Atlus action RPG, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner – Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army, now titled RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army! Now with improved graphics, a revamped combat system, and a slightly shorter title, will fans of Atlus' modern output like Persona 5 and Metaphor: ReFantazio find anything to love in this film-noir, detective-styled world?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Aleks Franiczek, and Zek Lu; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Deltarune (Chapters 1+2) Review
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Review
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner – Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we've finally recovered from Not-E3, so now it's time to talk about the Switch 2!

Nintendo's long-awaited follow-up to the Switch has finally released and, surprise, it's still the Switch! The Nintendo Switch 2 is burning up the sales charts and already consuming countless hours of folks' time. That said, there has been some controversy, including limited launch titles, 'digital' physical game cards, and major battery issues. Tune in as Jono chats with Tom and Paul about their experiences with the Switch 2 thus far and where they hope the console will go in the future!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Tom Cox, and Paul Skevington; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Random Encounter 324 – Not-E3 2025 Extravaganza!
RPGs Coming This Week, 6/1/25