RPGamer

This week in Q&A Quest, we talk all things Falcom. We also discuss how the 4K era has negatively impacted the gaming industry.

In this week’s Q&A Quest, we sift through the seemingly unending stream of bad news in the game industry. We also attempt to find some hope for the future.

Is it the end of the podcast?  No, just the end of a long story-line in Final Fantasy XIV that was set up several expansions ago. Grab your Sages, sharpen your scythes, and get ready for the best MMO expansion ever (supposedly) on this week’s RPG Backtrack. Featuring Guests: Robert and Noodle (Sarah)

In this episode, we discuss the end of new content for Destiny 2. We also discuss the recent Nintendo Direct.

This year’s Atelier April finally brings us to the Mysterious Quadrilogy, with this week’s episode discussing Atelier Atelier Firis and Atelier Lydie & Suelle. The real mystery is if we will ever get sick of talking about magical girls and alchemy. Given this episode will have a part two, probably not.

On RPG Backtrack, we strive to bring a positive message about video games to the world.  There are times when we play a game so terrible, we just have to complain about it.  After all, sometimes you have to play a bad game to appreciate the good ones.  At least that’s what we tell ourselves to lessen the suffering. Featuring Guests: Ryan C, Ryan R, Jahwon, and Wheels  

What happens when you combine Vanillaware’s eye-catching art style with the tactical combat of the Ogre Battle series? You get Unicorn Overlord, the topic of this week’s episode. Here is the real question: where are the unicorns? Featuring Guests: Ryan C., Ryan M., Cassandra, and Elena

Many video game Kickstarter projects come, but most of them go up in smoke. One Kickstarter project in particular was the vision of producer Yoshitaka Murayama, famous for the Suikoden series. Does Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes live up to its spiritual predecessor? Find out on this week’s RPG Backtrack. Featuring Guests: Ryan R., Robert A.

It’s a double birthday bash on this week’s Backtrack.  We are celebrating Pokémon Gold/Silver‘s 25th birthday (a bit belated) and the entire franchise’s 30th birthday at the same time. This puts our podcast in the top percentage of all Pokémon podcasts! Featuring Guests: Ryan C., Cassandra, and Elena

Once upon a time, a strange man in a cave handed a boy a sword. One iconic line and 40 years later, we have Nintendo’s most popular franchise right next to the plumber himself. So how did this legendary series impact our RPG Backtrack guests? Tune in this week, as we celebrate 40 years of Zelda!  Oh, and that guy in the green too.  What is his name? Loink? Featuring guests: Pascal, Cassandra, Ryan M, and Wheels.

The Tale that started it all celebrated its 30th birthday last month.  While we are a little late to the party, we do have a round of guests, featuring Cassandra and Leogrim, to chat about Tales of Phantasia.

The 2026 season of RPG Backtrack kicks off with a big, fat vacation in ancient Greece. Join us, with guests Sam, Pascal, and Josh, as we climb the butts of multiple statues in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

As the year comes to a close, we wrap up with a round table of bite-sized independently developed RPGs for your playing pleasure.  After all, an indie game a day keeps the triple A trash away. Enjoy some passion projects with guests Sam and Ryan Costa. Games covered: 8-bit Adventures 2, Cat Quest, Get in the Car, Loser!, Healer’s Quest, OFF, Rise of the Third Power, Sun Haven, Terra Memoria

On this week’s backtrack, we go back to Dragon Quest with two recent entries in the Monsters sub-series. Technically, one of them isn’t a Monsters title, but started as one, so we counted it anyway. This time we feature a special guest from the Slime Time podcast, Bluestar, along with our regulars Robert and Wheels.

The Yakuza Kiwami series continues, remaking Yakuza 2 with an extreme coat of paint. We have a crazy construction crew for this show, featuring Josh, Sam, Pascal, and David. Ripping the shirt off for a fight is mandatory.

Have you ever wondered what Sakamoto Ryoma’s life was like, but need more wackiness in your Japanese history lesson? What about racing chickens or playing baseball with cannon balls? This week, Josh, David, Ryan M., and Pascal talk about a period piece with a touch of that Yakuza/Like a Dragon charm.

WARNING! KEMCO ALERT! WARNING! Kemco RPGs have breached the Backtrack! The hazmat containment unit with Matt, Kelley, Robert, and Ryan C. have been called for clean-up! Be prepared for mediocrity while listening to this podcast.  You have been warned!

Who could have guessed that the classic Carlo Collodi children’s novel would be become the inspiration for an amazing soulslike game? This week’s show features Pascal, Ryan M., and Wheels, where we discuss Lies of P. One thing is for sure, it’s not like the Disney movie.

Bioware tried to strike gold again with Mass Effect: Andromeda. The results were less than stellar. This week’s glitch compilation includes Pascal, Robert, and Josh. So many glitches…

If your favorite part of the RPG experience is reading, then we have an RPG for you. Think of this episode featuring Disco Elysium as a book club meeting, with guests Jahwon, David, and Pascal. Talking neckties are optional.

With its memorable characters, classic setting, and questionable romance scenes, Baldur’s Gate III took the world by storm in 2023. We have Pascal and Jahwon at our camp tonight to talk about our journey through the Forgotten Realms.  Just don’t ask about the squirrel.  That poor critter has seen things…

Diablo IV may not be as colorful as its predecessor, but it did bring back some fun classes.  Stay a while and listen to this week’s show, as Kelley and Chris ask, “How much more dark could this game be?”  The answer is: None.  None more dark.

This week’s RPG Backtrack answers the question, “How many stars does it take to save a world?”  According to the Suikoden series, it’s no less than 108.  We only have four stars for this podcast though: Ryan R., Robert, David, and Michael.

On this week’s RPG Backtrack, we have a freshly hydrated, massively ripped Ganon ready to destroy the world.  What is a poor mute adventurer going to do?  Join us along with Pascal and Wheels as we talk about Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom while we try to build a Korok torture machine.

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is the game’s best expansion according to fans.  It bestowed the players with bunnies, lions, and dancers, but most important of all, it let people FINALLY live out their gun-sword fantasies like Squall.  This expansion is the topic of this week’s show, with guests Robert and Noodle.

World of Warcraft’s third expansion began with a bang when Deathwing emerged to change Azeroth forever.  RPG Backtrack goes back to the Cataclysm this week, with guests Andi, Pascal, and Robert. We really want to know if you are are you Team Goblin or Team Worgen?

With the final game in the trilogy releasing this week, the RPG Backtrack crew decided to squeeze in a show about Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2.  As fans of the Little Tail Bronx series, we are excited to re-live the sequel to the surprise hit from CyberConnect2.  Featuring guests Cassandra, Josh, and Ryan C.

Monster-Catching May continues this week on RPG Backtrack, where we chat about the Pokémon franchises’ first fully open-world game.  Cassandra, Wheels, and David fire up their lizard cycle to talk about Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, the most divisive game in the series.

Are you tired of the Pokémon series? Do you still crave the catching of cute little monsters? Then this week’s Backtrack is for you!  Join the cast along with Jahwon and Ryan C as we catch our favorite critters in various indie games and make them be our friends.

Atelier April concludes this week with a pair of direct sequels to Atelier Ryza.  Come join Sam and Ryan M. as we polish our alchemy skills in the royal capital and explore some new islands!

Atelier April kicks off with a trio of games set in dying worlds.  Josh, Sam, and Wheels all join the show to talk about the Atelier Dusk trilogy (Atelier Ayesha, Atelier Escha & Logy, and Atelier Shallie).

Sony’s machine-infested, open-world extravaganza came out with a sequel in 2022.  Sam, Pascal, and Josh join the show as we find out if Horizon Forbidden West lives up to its predecessor.  Let’s just hope that the haptic triggers on the PS5 controller didn’t give everyone carpal tunnel.

It was 30 years ago this week that RPG legends Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yuji Horii, and Akira Toriyama gave Japan (and the U.S. five months later) their legendary RPG, Chrono Trigger.  Does this beloved game hold up to the test of time?  Find out with guests Pascal, Ryan R, Wheels, and Jahwon.

We have a double dose of Final Fantasy sequels this week on Backtrack.  The party in these games may dwindle down to one, but at least there are plenty of guests; including Paul, Robert, Mike, and David.  By the way, there are thirteen days before the world ends.  Have fun!

The Final Fantasy series has come a long way since its roots on the NES. The latest entry brings a darker, more mature tone to this beloved franchise.  Our panel of hosts, including Ryan C, Paul, Pascal, Wheels, and David, all join the show to debate if the Final Fantasy XVI writers watched too much Game of Thrones.

Nintendo’s latest entry in the Fire Emblem series gave us a colorful cast of characters, along with some classics returning in the form of rings. Josh and Cassandra join the cast to talk about the fine art of polishing rings in the middle of combat.

Octopath Traveler II was RPGamer.com’s game of the year in 2023. This show has some our staff members, including Ryan M. and Sam, gushing about this game for an extended length of time.  We hope you like positivity!

Sabotage Studios, known for their retro-inspired games, gave us an RPG in 2023. Does Sea of Stars live up to its hype, or did it sink to the bottom of the ocean? Let’s kick off 2025 with a modern throwback to the classic JRPG with guests Leogrim and Pascal.

It’s time for RPG Backtrack’s season finale for 2024, so let’s go out with some retro-inspired fun.  Chained Echoes was touted as a throwback to RPG Classics when it released in 2022.  Pascal dons his Sky Armor with the rest of the gang to see if this indie game holds up to its 16-bit forefathers.

The XBox 360 was a JRPG treasure trove in its early days thanks to Microsoft’s attempt to appeal to the east. When they got Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of Final Fantasy to make a few games, we paid attention. On this week’s show, Pascal, Wheels, and Ryan M. gain immortality while discussing Lost Odyssey.

When Final Fantasy XIII released, it was the most divisive title in the series.  Now that fourteen years have passed, how does RPG Backtrack really feel?  Our guests Wheels, Pascal, Ryan M., and Leogrim can at least agree on one thing, Hope is still annoying.

The Special Support Section of Crossbell returns this week for part two of the acclaimed Trails duology. Josh and David come back to chat about going to Mishelam Wonderland for the second time.

The Kiseki series took fans to the countries of Librel and Erebonia, but the Crossbell region had been noticeably absent in the series’ official localizations. NIS America finally brought Trails from Zero to the west in 2022, to the joy of many Kiseki fans, and we have Josh, Sam, and David on the show with us for our own Special Support Squad.

Many RPGamers have a ROM labeled “Secret of Mana 2” in a long-forgotten floppy disk box in their closet. In 2019, it was finally time to give Square Enix money for the Mana series sequel we all wanted, now officially localized as Trials of Mana, and with a brand new HD remake. Wheels, Scar, and Pascal join the show to celebrate that dreams really do come true.