Zach Wilkerson

3 weeks ago | rpgfan.com | Zach Wilkerson

Article / Highlight &middot Podcast &middot Retro Encounterby , , , and on June 5, 2025You know, I tried to measure my charisma on Retro Encounter once. The microphone burst into flames. On this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, we’re chatting about the opening hours of the 2010 Obsidian classic Fallout: New Vegas. Can the host finally get his head around a WRPG? Do any of us actually do the main quest? Is Fisto the greatest character in an RPG?

1 month ago | rpgfan.com | Zach Wilkerson

At first, playing Elden Ring Nightreign is a lot like teaching. I know that’s an odd way to start the review, but for the first 15 hours or so, I kept thinking, “This is the most stressful game I’ve ever played.” That feeling drew me back to something I’d heard years before: teachers make roughly 1500 different decisions a day. I don’t remember where I saw this, but it gets at the stresses and pressures of the job regardless.

1 month ago | rpgfan.com | Zach Wilkerson

Article / Highlight &middot Podcast &middot Random Encounterby , , , and on May 26, 2025On this week’s episode of Random Encounter, we’re doing a deep dive into the game everyone is talking about: Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In this lengthy, full-blown spoilercast, we chat about the beautiful music, the combat, the story, and argue about who loves Esquie the most. Does the panel adore the game as much as the host?

1 month ago | rpgfan.com | Zach Wilkerson

Article / Highlight &middot Podcast &middot Retro Encounterby , , and on May 22, 2025This podcast are sick. This week on Retro Encounter, we do the impossible: try to create a top 10 list for 90s RPGs. Does the best game finish at the top? Do we have anything except JRPGs on our list? Did we leave out your favorites?

1 month ago | rpgfan.com | Zach Wilkerson

I’ve loved having the opportunity to replay Suikoden II and play Suikoden for the first time with the recent remaster. It has confirmed to me that Suikoden II is still a fantastic game that holds its own even by modern standards. The first game very much feels like a prototype for Suikoden II in multiple ways, using many of the same plot points and mechanics that are in its sequel, just not as fully fleshed out or as well realised. Is the first Suikoden also in my top 10 of all time? No, it’s not.