RPGFan's Random Encounter

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono and Hilary geek out over a fantastic book focusing on the localization of beloved indie RPG, Undertale.

Video game localizations have come a long way since the days of spoony bards. When we usually think about game localization, we think Japanese to English. But what about the other way around?

Legends of Localization is a book series written by professional video game and anime translator Clyde Mandelin. In his latest volume, Legends of Localization Book 3: Undertale, Mandelin walks us through the incredible process of taking Undertale, a Western love letter to JRPGs, and localizing it for Japanese audiences. The book is absolutely loaded with amazing insights, entertaining anecdotes, and fascinating tidbits about the monumental effort it takes to translate and localize this uniquely quirky game. Join Jono and Hilary as they take a deep dive into this fascinating tome! 

Featuring: Jono Logan and Hilary Andreff; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Undertale Review
Link to Purchase Legends of Localization Book 3: Undertale

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're talking politics! Well, no, not really, but there are some jokes about politics in here...

First up, Izzy has played the first new Mana game since 2020's Trials of Mana remake, Visions of Mana! With spiky hair, lush landscapes, and real-time RPG action, it's undeniably a Mana game, but does it live up to the heights of the series' golden age on the SNES?

Then, Jerry reviews what's been described as the first AAA video game ever developed in China, Black Myth: Wukong. Does this stunning Souls-like portend the rise of the AAA Chinese gaming industry, or is it a missed opportunity in the politics of soft power (See, jokes about politics! Whee!)?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Izzy Parsons, and Jerry Williams; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Visions of Mana Review
Collection of Mana Review
Trials of Mana Review
Black Myth: Wukong Review

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're chatting about some of video game history's most prolific anthropomorphic animal crimefighters!

First up, Jono binge-plays the brand-new remaster of the third season of Telltale Games' Sam & Max series: The Devil's Playhouse. Lovingly remastered by Skunkape Games, does this remaster bring the 2010 point-and-click up to speed? Or is it left as roadkill on the highway of history?

Then, Hilary chats about the recent demo of the eagerly awaited revival of the Mana series: Visions of Mana. Coming out on August 29th, does this demo deliver that classic Mana taste?   

Finally, Abe teams up with the turtles-in-a-half-shell to rescue Master Splinter in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Spintered Fate. Rather than the tried-and-true, beat-em-up genre, Splintered Fate pulls its inspiration from Hades. And boy, it pulls a LOT of inspiration! Is this Hades-like worth playing, or is it better left in the sewers?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Hilary Andreff, and Abraham Kobylanski; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered Review
Visions of Mana Hands-On: A Beautiful Return to Form Preview
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate Review

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re chatting about heisting steam-powered robots and the foggiest post-apocalyptic city you've ever seen.

First up, Ben embraces his inner robot pirate with the sequel to 2015's TRPG, Steamworld Heist, Steamworld Heist II. The latest entry in the multi-genre Steamworld series, Heist II delivers a side-scrolling, turn-based spin on XCOM-style gameplay with a healthy dose of adorable steam-powered robots. Does it live up to the first game and the rest of the series? 

Then, did the hit Amazon series leave you craving a new Fallout game? Well, as usual, the modders are doing what Bethesdon't with the astonishing full Fallout 4 conversion mod, Fallout London. This mod completely recreates London, England and its boroughs, giving the famous city a post-nuclear apocalypse vibe. Yes, it was made by fans, but can it deliver a New Vegas-style experience to Fallout 4?

Featuring: Jono Logan and Ben Love; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Steamworld Heist II Review
Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review
Fallout 4 Review
Fallout 76 Review
Fallout Season One Review

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re diving into a magical alpine journey and revisiting a classic RPG.

First up, Abe joins us to discuss Dungeons of Hinterberg. This action RPG with Zelda and Persona-like elements is set in a beautiful Austrian resort town, combining combat, puzzles, and social interactions. How do these elements come together to create a memorable adventure (and vacation)?

Then, Neal is here to chat about the modern remaster of Vay, a classic RPG from the Sega CD era. This re-release aims to bring the nostalgic experience to modern platforms, maintaining the original charm while enhancing the graphics and gameplay with quality-of-life features. Does this remaster capture the magic of the original, or does it fall short of today's RPG expectations?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Neal Chandran, and Abraham Kobylanski; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Dungeons of Hinterberg Review
Vay (2024)
Vay (2008) Review
Vay Review

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're celebrating our 300th episode with a special draft!

Four years is a long time in the video game industry, so we’re making predictions about what things will be like when we record our 400th episode in April 2028. Jono has gathered all the hosts from the RPGFan podcasts to make their picks. Whoever gets the most predictions right in four years will win a video game! It's time to draft to the future!

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

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This Episode's Related Links:
Retro Encounter
Rhythm Encounter

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're breaking down all the RPG news from the June 2024 Nintendo Direct and chatting about the recent re-release of Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel!

As usual, Nintendo's latest showcase brought the house down with a flurry of surprises. Far from the Switch going out with a whisper, this Direct made it clear that Nintendo intends to go out with a bang! Did Nintendo manage to outshine the Not-E3 presentations the previous week, or were fans left wanting more?

Then, we're diving into the Monster Hunter Stories series with Abe and Audra. We'll explore the recent re-release of the original Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. Abe and Audra, who reviewed these titles respectively, join us to discuss the unique charm of these spin-offs, their place in the broader Monster Hunter universe, and how they've evolved the formula for a new generation of hunters.

Featuring: Jono Logan, Abraham Kobylanski, and Audra Bowling; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
YouTube - We Played Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake - First Gameplay Look!
Monster Hunter Stories Review
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we're all in on Not-E3 2024!

For video game fans, this is one of the biggest weekends of the year, with nonstop announcements, trailers, and demos to fill your every waking hour! They've sure been filling ours, and that's why we've assembled an expert panel to break down the biggest RPG news from the shows for you. From Summer Game Fest to the Xbox Showcase, it's Not-E3 time!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Kyle Cantelon, Noah Leiter, and Zach Wilkerson; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Demonschool Orientation Week: Demo Preview
Metaphor: ReFantazio Hands-On at Summer Game Fest

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're chatting about the early access release of one of the most anticipated games in recent memory: Hades II.

In October 2020, Supergiant Games' roguelike masterpiece Hades finally exited early access and entered the Steam and Epic libraries of countless gamers. And now, its direct sequel, Hades II, has entered early access. But this isn't a barebones experience. There is already more content in Hades II than in many completed games. Jerry and Tin have been fighting their way through the underworld and beyond to deliver their thoughts about this already incredible experience and where it might go in the future.

And then, it's Not-E3 preview time! The next episode of Random will be breaking down the biggest news from Summer Game Fest, various developer directs, and other presentations, but for now, enjoy our absolutely baseless predictions of what we might expect from video games' Christmas in June!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Jerry Williams, and Tin Manuel; Edited by Jono Logan

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

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono invites two of the folks behind the recent indie game Lil' Guardsman onto the show to chat about its development.

Back in the early days of the pandemic, Toronto-based composer Scott Christian and his business partner Artiom Komarov made the remarkable decision to leave their successful careers and jump into the indie dev scene. Recruiting a small but passionate team of programmers, designers, and writers, they founded Hilltop Studios and successfully launched their first title, Lil' Guardsman, in January 2024. But it wasn't an easy road to get there!

As Jono happens to be very old friends with both Scott and Lil' Guardsman co-writer Jeremy Lapalme, this seems like a perfect opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of indie game dev. What's it like to build an indie studio and develop your dream game from scratch? And is that dream within reach of anyone? Let's talk about what it's like being an indie developer in 2024!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Scott Christian, and Jeremy Lapalme; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Lil' Guardsman Review
Hilltop Studios Homepage
Lil' Guardsman Steam Page