344 - Life is Strange: Carmageddon

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 LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Life is Strange: Reunion ReviewLife is Strange Remastered Collection ReviewAether & 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 LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Pokémon Pokopia ReviewScott 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 LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse ReviewParanormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo ReviewUnder 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 LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Ys X: Proud Nordics ReviewYs X: Nordics ReviewInfinity ReviewYakuza 3 ReviewYakuza 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 LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Code Vein IITR-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 LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Lies of P ReviewAmerzone - The Explorer's Legacy ReviewThe Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II ReviewTrails in the Sky 1st Chapter ReviewOctopath Traveler 0 ReviewCitizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector ReviewAvowed ReviewDigimon Story: Time Stranger ReviewUrban Myth Dissolution Center ReviewClair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review

In our final Random Encounter of 2025, it's time to take a look ahead to the biggest games of 2026!With the holidays in the rear view mirror, RPGFan is now building our annual most anticipated for the coming year feature. And there is no better way to wrap up 2025 than having the Random panel give everyone a preview of those titles we’re looking forward to as we wait for the calendar to turn.From Dragon Quest VII Reimagined to Mina the Hollower, it’s time to spread the spirit of the season by sharing our excitement for what 2026 has in store!Featuring: Jono Logan, Noah Leiter, Paul Skevington, and Zek Lu; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:RPGFan's 30 Most Anticipated Games of 2026So you want to get into the Souls Series…The Adventures of Elliot: Millennium TalesAlabaster DawnBeast of ReincarnationThe Blood of DawnwalkerCode Vein IICoffee Talk TokyoDeltarune: Chapter 5Directive 8020Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Hands-On PreviewExodusFable (Reboot)Fire Emblem: Fortune's WeaveThe Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the HorizonMina the HollowerNioh 3People of NotePetal RunnerPokémon PokopiaSacriFireStarbitesTales of Berseria RemasterWitchbrookYakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark TiesYs X: Proud Nordics

On this week's Random Encounter, we're chatting about gaming's biggest night: The Game Awards 2025!But before we get to all the reveals (and actual awards, I guess), we want to talk to Zek about the new Octopath Traveler game that was just released, Octopath Traveler 0! This entry, adapted from the mobile-only gacha game Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, turns a lot of the conventions of Octopath on their heads, featuring over 30 characters instead of eight and including a massive town-building mechanic.After that, it's all about The Game Awards! There were some big announcements this year, including a long-awaited sequel to Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic. We also have Larian Studios revealing their follow-up to Baldur's Gate III, Divinity, with one of the more disturbing trailers in recent memory. There is so much news, but our panel is ready to chat about it all (and Jono is ready to talk about how Blue Prince was robbed)!Featuring: Jono Logan, Hilary Andreff, Mike Salbato, and Zek Lu; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:Octopath Traveler 0 ReviewStar Wars: Fate of the Old Republic AnnouncedLarian Studios Reveals New Divinity GameLords of the Fallen II Gets First Gameplay TrailerClair Obscur: Expedition 33 Drops ‘Thank You’ Update

On this week's Random Encounter, we're taking a look at two very different narrative adventures!Back in the 2010s, Telltale Games reinvented the point-and-click adventure game with The Walking Dead, introducing new multiple paths and lasting choices. Unfortunately, they spread themselves a little too thin, and the studio closed. Thankfully, many of those developers went off to create their own studios, and that is how we got Dispatch, the new episodic superhero adventure game! Tom has played the entire season and can confidently say that it reaches, and maybe even exceeds, the heights of Telltale's output at its prime.Then, Audra is here with an indie narrative visual novel inspired by Nintendo DS Japanese adventure games like Ace Attorney and Hotel Dusk: Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved. This looks to be a classic case of, "Well, if the developer won't make any more of the games we like, we're going to do it ourselves!" In this detective game, you and your investigative partner explore crime scenes and interrogate witnesses to uncover the perpetrators of a shocking murder (maybe, you'll have to follow the clues to find out)Featuring: Jono Logan, Audra Bowling, and Tom Naylor; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:DispatchDetective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved Review

On this week's Random Encounter, it's time to uncover some mysteries in two adventure games!The Séance of Blake Manor has been making waves the last few weeks as one of the best mystery deductive games of the last few years. From the same devs that created the adventure game series, The Darkside Detective, Blake Manor drops the point-and-click interface and moves into the first person! Did Caitlin have an amazing time solving the mystery of why this game has been getting so much buzz? And then we have a remaster of a classic early-2000s point-and-click adventure game, Syberia - Remastered. Known for its immaculate vibes and engaging story, the original Syberia has become a cult favourite among adventure game fans (at least for those who can forgive the less-than-sensitive portrayal of a mentally challenged character). Syberia - Remastered brings the same art style, story, music, voice work, and  720p pre-rendered cutscenes, but introduces a new control interface and re-imagines the entire world space in 3D. Does the remaster/remake live up to the original?Featuring: Jono Logan, Caitlin Argyros, and Matt Wardell; Edited by Jono LoganGet in Touch:RPGFan.comRPGFan ShopEmail us: [email protected]: @rpgfancomBluesky: @rpgfan.bsky.socialInstagram: @rpgfancomThreads: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links:The Séance of Blake Manor ReviewSyberia - Remastered ReviewAmerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy ReviewSyberia Review