RPGFan's Random Encounter

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're digging for some sweet, sweet caffeine!

First up, Bob is here to chat about Yacht Club Games' newest title, Mina the Hollower. Yacht Club struck gold a decade ago with their retro side-scroller Shovel Knight and its various campaigns, but since then, they've apparently been on the bubble financially. Well, that doesn't seem to be a problem anymore because Mina the Hollower appears to be a hit! This top-down, Link's Awakening-esque and Castlevania-esque soulslike currently has everyone talking, and Bob and Jono certainly can't stop chatting about it! Spoiler alert: it's absolutely fantastic!

Next, Audra and Mike are here for a steaming cup of Coffee Talk Tokyo. As the third entry in this lo-fi, relaxing visual novel series, the game moves its setting from rainy Seattle to neon Tokyo. Does the charm of Coffee Talk successfully make the jump across the Pacific?

Oh, and we also chat about our hopes for next week's Not-E3 (and be sure to stay tuned for our 2026 Not-E3 Extravaganza episode)!

Featuring: Jono Logan, Audra Bowling, Mike Salbato, and Jerry Williams; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Mina the Hollower
Coffee Talk Tokyo
Coffee Talk Review
Coffee Talk 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly Review
Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams

On this episode of Random Encounter, it's all about the aliens!

First up, Directive 8020. The latest game in Supermassive Games' The Dark Pictures Anthology series, 8020 brings choice-based horror movie vibes into space. Pulling from the classic horror sci-fi films The Thing and Alien, did this interactive space adventure have Paul hiding behind the couch?

Then, Radical Fish Games, the maker of the retro darling CrossCode, is back with the first taste of its latest retro-looking adventure, Alabaster Dawn. Featuring stunning 2.5D pixel-art visuals, bullet-hell-inspired combat, and compelling characters, all set in a world that appears to have been invaded by aliens, Alabaster Dawn has already impressed the heck out of Bob, and it is only in early access! Is it worth picking up, even if the game is still in development?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Jerry Williams, and Paul Skevington; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Directive 8020 Review
Alabaster Dawn Hands-On: Modern Retro Done Right

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're talking all about two older games that have recently been revitalized with new gameplay!

First up, Starfield. When it was released in 2023, it was divisive, to put it mildly. Some said it was one of the best games ever, some said it was the worst game ever, but most greeted it with a disappointed "meh." Now, Bethesda has finally released the game on PS5, along with its last expansion: the story DLC Terran Armada and the space flight gameplay revamp, Free Lanes. So, does Zek think this DLC improves the game, or is the game just as buggy as ever?

Then, one of the greatest CRPGs of all time, Pillars of Eternity, has been given a brand-new gameplay mode: turn-based combat! Originally released with real-time-with-pause combat, the addition of turn-based combat brings the game back to the very roots of its genre. Mark is a massive fan of the classic turn-based games that inspired Pillars of Eternity, such as Baldur's Gate, so what does he make of this unexpected addition to this brilliant RPG?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Mark Roddison, and Zek Lu; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Starfield Review
Starfield: Shattered Space Review
Pillars of Eternity Review
Solasta II Early Access Review

On this episode of Random Encounter, we're talking all about some of the RPGs and adventure games found at this year's PAX East!

Originally known as the Penny Arcade Expo, both PAX East and West have become long-running institutions in the video game industry. This year, our fearless editor-in-chief braved the masses and delivered a ton of articles about the event! And we have him right here on Random to chat about some of the most interesting indie games that will be coming to us in 2026 and 2027! Want to find the best of the show? Listen on (or read the articles at RPGFan.com)!

Featuring: Jono Logan and Mike Salbato; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
PAX East 2026 – Disgaea Mayhem Hands-On: Frenetic Fan Service
PAX East 2026 – High Times: Crafting Donuts & Moods
Aether & Iron Dev Interview – PAX East 2026
PAX East 2026 – Brigandine Abyss Hands-On: Hexagonal Strategy
PAX East 2026 – Spirit Rancher’s Spirit-Fueled Farming is a Refreshing Change of Pace
PAX East 2026 – Terra Nova: Legend of the Runes is a Retro JRPG to Watch
PAX East 2026 Roundup & 9 More Games to Watch

On this episode of Random Encounter, we talk about cars ramming one another and time travel. And no, for once, this isn't a Back to the Future reference (although it could be)!

First up is Matt chatting about the big grand finale of the Life is Strange franchise, Life Is Strange: Reunion (although we're sure there will be another one coming out in a few years). After the disappointment of the previous game in the series, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, fan anxiety went through the roof when it was announced the next game would be the long-awaited reunion between Chloe and Max. Does this reunion deliver?

And then Jerry is here to talk about the noir-soaked decopunk atmosphere of the new strategy RPG, Aether & Iron. It's time to explore a massive, floating version of 1930s New York as you save a dame, throw back a drink, and hit the road in strategic car combat! For the first game from the developer Seismic Squirrel, Aether & Iron absolutely punches above its weight! 

Featuring: Jono Logan, Jerry Williams, and Matt Wardell; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Life is Strange: Reunion Review
Life is Strange Remastered Collection Review
Aether & Iron Review

On this episode of Random Encounter, it’s the end of the world as we know it, and Ditto feels fine!

First up, Ben is here to chat about the latest Pokémon spin-off, Pokémon Pokopia. Man is dead, and the Pokémon rule. We don’t think that anyone expected that we’d get a post-apocalyptic Pokémon game, but it turns out that it may have been the delightful life sim we were all waiting for! Ben certainly enjoyed it!

And then Matt is here to take us to the mysterious land of Toronto, Canada, in 20XX with Scott Pilgrim EX. The sequel to the beloved 2010 beat-em-up, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World: The Game, EX brings us back to the classic video-game coded world of Scott Pilgrim and Toronto, along with the amazing chiptunes of Anamanaguchi. Mixing RPG mechanics and progression with classic beat-em-up gameplay, Scott Pilgrim EX looks to stand alongside its PS3-era predecessor. Does it live up to those high expectations? 

Featuring: Jono Logan, Ben Love, and Matt Wardell; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Pokémon Pokopia Review
Scott Pilgrim EX Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we're talking about two new games that both take place on very different islands!

First, Bob is here to chat about the standalone sequel to 2023's Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo, Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse. This visual novel brilliantly mixes real-world history with folklore to create a compelling tale with a tinge of 80s nostalgia (and a CRT filter throughout)! Did Bob enjoy it as much as he enjoyed the original?

Next, Ben is here to talk about a new indie 2D Zelda-like, Under the Island. This adorable game pulls a lot from A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening while doing its own thing with a modern island setting and a hockey stick as your primary weapon (this Canadian approves). Does Ben feel like it lived up to its inspirations, or does it fall a bit short?

Finally, Jono beat Hollow Knight: Silksong, which we don't cover, but it is Silksong and he REALLY wanted to talk about it, so…

Featuring: Jono Logan, Ben Love, and Jerry Williams; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse Review
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo Review
Under the Island Review

On this week's Random Encounter, we're talking about two "old" games (though one is significantly older than the other)!

First up, Audra is here to share her thoughts on Ys X: Proud Nordics. But wait, didn't Ys X: Nordics just release in 2024? Yes, it did! But now, an even more complete version is here! Is it worth the upgrade if you bought the original? And if you are a Ys fan who hasn't played it yet, which one should you get?

Next, Patrick is here to chat about a brand-new Game Boy Color game, Infinity! But wait, didn't Nintendo stop releasing Game Boy Color games in 2003? Yes, they did! However, back in 2001, this highly anticipated tactical JRPG was cancelled by its developer because of disinterest in the old console. Thankfully, an unfinished version of the game was found in 2016, making the ROM available to everyone. And now, Incube8 Games has finally finished developing the title and has released it in the form of an actual GBC cartridge! Is Infinity a brand-new classic of yesteryear, or should it have been left in the past?

Finally, Jono shares his thoughts about the Yakuza 3 remake, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, and those thoughts are... not good.

Featuring: Jono Logan, Audra Bowling, and Patrick Gann; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Ys X: Proud Nordics Review
Ys X: Nordics Review
Infinity Review
Yakuza 3 Review
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Review

On this week's Random Encounter, it's all about games featuring cause and effect!

First up, Audra is here to chat with us about the time-travelling, Souls-like sequel to 2019's Code Vein: Code Vein II. Though it can occasionally feel like being trapped in a time loop while playing against a Souls-like boss, here the time travel is very literal as you travel back to the past to change the present. Audra has had some mixed opinions on it, so is it worth the time for Souls-like fans?

And then Hilary is here to explore inkle’s newest game, TR-49. From Overboard! to 80 Days, No two inkle games are alike, and that's certainly the case here. In this narrative deduction game/audio play, you delve through the files of a World War II-era computer to find a book that could save the UK from all-out war. inkle’s incredibly detailed writing is fully on display here, but do the gameplay and presentation live up to the narrative?

Featuring: Jono Logan, Audra Bowling, and Hilary Andreff; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Code Vein II
TR-49 Review

In our first Random Encounter of 2026, we're taking a look back at 2025!

While many would describe 2025 as a mixed bag (at best), there is no disputing that it was a banner year for video games. Not only did we finally get two of the most anticipated sequels of all time in Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades II, but also brand-new original games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, and Avowed. And that isn't even mentioning the several remakes and remasters of classics like the Lunar Remastered Collection, Suikoden I & II HD Remaster, and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles.

So, join the panel as we reminisce about the best games we experienced in 2025!

Featuring: Zach Wilkerson, Aleks Franiczek, Audra Bowling, Matt Wardell and Paul Skevington; Edited by Jono Logan

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This Episode's Related Links:
Lies of P Review
Amerzone - The Explorer's Legacy Review
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II Review
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Review
Octopath Traveler 0 Review
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Review
Avowed Review
Digimon Story: Time Stranger Review
Urban Myth Dissolution Center Review
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review