Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast

This week, Kat and Nadia go massive on Mass Effect! USgamer alumni and absolute Mass Effect sage Eric Van Allen joins the podcast to have a long, involved talk about Mass Effect Legendary Edition. He also lends a sympathetic ear to Nadia's lament over how Wrex is not a romance option. Once their Krogan thirst is slaked, the crew then moves on to talking about Nier Replicant and Pokemon Snap. You will be shocked, shocked to learn Nadia uploaded a PG-13 picture and promptly received a rebuke email from Nintendo. Also in this episode: Neo The World Ends With You is making post-hardcore cool again, Skyrim discourse veers into cannibalism and Cinnabon, and congratulations Australia, Hideo Kojima's content is no longer illegal in your fair country! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Axe of the Blood God, Nadia and Kat talk all about ROMs. (To clarify, they have a discussion about modified game files. Rom the Space Knight does not enter into the picture.) Hacked ROMs have played, and continue to play, a major role in RPG accessibility and expression. Hacked ROMs are what gave us valuable fan translations of RPGs that were otherwise untouchable in the West, including Final Fantasy V, Bahamut Lagoon, and Mother 3. Hacked ROMs let us re-balance our favorite RPGs and fix nasty bugs. Hacked ROMs are also the basis of sprawling fan-made RPGs, much to game publishers' chagrin. It's a meaty topic that travels from the '90s all the way up to present day. A special thanks to $50 Patron Drew Waranis for both this great idea and their generous support! Also in this episode: Nadia has officially PS5, Yakuza is turn-based forever, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake is taking us to Fort Condor so we can play war games with Big Bird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Patron-requested topic approaches! This week, Kat and Nadia take on a very special request to talk about the semi-lost "in between" era of CD JRPGs. If you're an old person, you'll know all about said era: It was an awkward but interesting time when some 16-bit consoles received CD player add-ons. A host of one-of-a-kind RPGs followed from series like Lunar, Ys, and more. It was a time when 16-color anime cutscenes were king, and localization company Working Designs made sure not to skimp on the Bill Clinton jokes. Get your slap bracelets ready. Special thanks to $50 Patron Visa-Valtteri Pimiä for both their generous support and the great idea! Also in this episode: Monster Hunter Rise gets a Rathalos-sized update, Pokemon Snap seems lovely, Returnal is perfectly spooky, and Shin Megami Tensei 3's Matador seems really wild about Hanukkah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on a very special episode of Axe of the Blood God, we host our very first Patreon-sponsored guest! Giuseppe Spinella joins Kat and Nadia for a very thoughtful conversation about the women of the Final Fantasy series. They delve into how said women have contributed to the series' narrative with their strengths, their flaws, and in Garnet's case, their very, very yellow attire. Please enjoy this spirited exchange, and thanks as always to our Patrons for your invaluable support! Also in this episode: Nier Replicant's positive reception demonstrates how much the games industry has opened up in the past decade, and Nadia touches all of Loki's stuff and makes him mad in Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vita means Life — if your definition of “Life” is “Deader than vulture-stripped roadkill.” Yes, Axe of the Blood God pays its dues to the PlayStation Vita this week in the latest RPG Console Quest. Kat and Nadia mourn the powerful handheld’s all-too-early death and its subsequent abandonment by Sony. How did everything go so very wrong? More importantly, which RPGs were left orphaned on the system? Why do retro JRPG fans love the Vita so very, very much? Also in this episode: Kat and Nadia launch an entirely new segment, Nadia falls on her face while trying to understand SaGa Frontier Remastered, and Square Enix probably isn’t for sale, so put away your piggybank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new week, a new milestone! This time Kat and Nadia get to answer a question sent in by a generous Patron: How do we get into new RPGs without becoming so intimidated that we run in the opposite direction and back into the arms of the comforting RPGs we already know and love? It’s a great query that yields some deep discussion about overcoming personal discomforts to enrich our experience with the genre. Oh, and there are also tips galore about how to get into new RPGs. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, you had to send your parents’ phone bill through the roof to get this kind of primo game-playing advice. Also in this episode: Early Fantasian impressions, E3 will be E-Free (and online), Square Enix gets a bit of Outriders-brand salve to soothe its Avengers boo-boos, and we crown our RPG March Madness champion at last! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are there monsters under your bed? There are a whole bunch under ours, and we couldn’t be happier about it. Monster Hunter Rise is on the Nintendo Switch, and it’s a monster-whacking gem. Kat and Nadia review the game in-depth with the help of GamesBeat’s review editor, Mike Minotti, and Nerium Strom of Fanbyte. Also in this episode: CD Projekt Red is hard at work trying to salvage Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy alumni revealed a new game called Astria Ascending, and the Bravely Default soundtracks are now on Spotify, so dunk your head in that musical goodness and drink deep. Finally, a wee bit of news that flew by us as soon as we finished recording: Hironobu Sakaguchi’s new RPG, Fantasian, is out on Apple Arcade! We’ll have more about that next week, so please look forward to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for another Pantheon of the Blood God, and this month we're joined by former CGW Editor in Chief Jeff Green to explore System Shock 2! Join us for a special preview as we explore its history and talk about why this classic horror RPG is so significant. To hear the rest of the show as well as the rest of our exclusive content, head over to our Patreon and sign up at the $10 of the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the Dragonlord's pantaloons! Axe of the Blood God has hit episode 300, and we couldn't be prouder to bring it to you! Kat and Nadia hosted a live show, but if you missed out, here's the neat 'n clean audio for you. You can also watch a re-run at Kat's Twitch channel. This week, Nadia and Kat have a long leisurely talk with the Blood God audience about RPG "firsts." Which game gets the credit as the progenitor of the genre we love so much? Did Dragon Quest III introduce classes, or did Final Fantasy III beat the dragon to the punch? And did you know modern RPGs owe a heck of a lot to Hydlide, that primitive "bump-and-stab" action RPG that has the worst overworld music in gaming history? Life is full of surprises, and we love reminding you all of that fact. Also in this episode: Monster Hunter Rise is monstrously good, SMT 3 featuring Dante from Devil May Cry is coming to Switch in May, and Square Enix cancels a Final Fantasy XI remake that we had no idea was in the works. Thanks for your support! Here's to 300 more episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wowzers! Kat and Nadia are one episode away from the big 3-0-0! Despite being on the cusp of a momentous occasion, they decide to chill out this week and talk about action RPGs. What makes a good action RPG? How has the genre evolved from its earliest and most popular titles? Why are some RPG fans (Kat) a little salty about action RPGs’ very existence? The answers to these mysteries and more lie within. Also in this episode: There’s a whole lot of news about the state of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Nier: Automata is finally getting fixed on the PC, and the March Madness match-ups are getting real spicy in a real hurry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember when corporations really tried to make 3D media a permanent thing? Axe of the Blood God remembers. In fact, this week our RPG Console Quest takes us back to the Nintendo 3DS, a handheld that projected images in 3D without the need for goofy glasses. The glasses-free 3D gimmick wore out its welcome pretty quickly. In fact, the Nintendo 3DS had an infamously rocky start that led to a massive price cut. Things were looking pretty hairy for a little while, but in the end, the Nintendo 3DS was a strong, quiet triumph that gave us a lot of great RPGs. Also in this episode: Bethesda has officially merged with Microsoft (resistance is futile), Fantasian might be composer Nobuo Uematsu’s swan song, and Kat has Final Fantasy 14 mount envy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two highly-anticipated games, Bravely Default 2 and Persona 5 Strikers, had the gall to come out simultaneously. Kat and Nadia are determined to give both titles equal attention, but that’s a lot of work for just two gals, awesome as they might be. That’s why freelance writer and very special guest Samantha Nelson joins us to gab about braving, defaulting, and why Yusuke is still Persona 5’s best boy. Also in this episode: Kat gets caught up on all the major Pokemon news, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is in a lot of bloody trouble, and March Madness: RPG Edition (the only edition worth following) kicks off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Kat out romping with faeries or whatever people do on vacation, Nadia is left to host an entire episode all by her lonesome. Or is she? This week, Nadia calls on a very old friend, Andrew Vestal, the former proprietor of the very first Final Fantasy site she visited when she connected to the internet in 1995. Nadia and Andrew ramble down memory lane and recall how RPG fandom was so very different in the ‘90s, when sites were hosted on bare motherboards cooled by oscillating fans. And yet, so much was familiar: Arguments over game localization, rampant rumor mongering, and blind character worship. There is truly nothing new under the sun. Also in this episode: RIP Anthem, Bravely Default 2 is out and about, and holy moly, there is a lot going on with Pokemon in the near future. We’re very excited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's once again time for Axe of the Blood God to evaluate a classic RPG for induction into the Pantheon of the Blood God, and this entry is one of the most controversial (and underrated!) games of them all. This month our $10+ Patreon subscribers get to hear us talk about Final Fantasy VIII! In this free preview, Kat, Nadia, and special guest Alex Donaldson talk about the "cloud" hanging over the series in the form of Final Fantasy VII, the subtle storytelling around Laguna, and much more. The full is available now and can be accessed via our Patreon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a tough, tough world out there right now, and we hope you’re keeping well, Blood God listeners. This week, we take things Ys-y (HAH!) as Game Informer’s Kimberly Wallace joins Nadia in a lengthy discussion about Ys 9: Monstrum Nox. Does it live up to the lofty standards set by 2016’s Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana? Sit and listen before you inevitably drift down the road to your next adventure. Also in this episode: Nadia and Kat deconstruct the recent Nintendo Direct and get excited over Project Triangle Strategy, an awesome-looking strategy RPG with a dumb working title. Finally, Kat begins her journey into Final Fantasy XIV as an Elezen and offers her first impressions of Square Enix’s hit MMORPG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Axe of the Blood God’s noble Console RPG Quest continues, and this week we dissect the RPG legacy of a very interesting system: The PlayStation 3. Sony’s first HD console was hobbled right from the start thanks to derisive memes, awkward accessories, programming troubles, and good old fashioned arrogance. To make things worse, the popularity of game consoles was on a major downswing in Japan, and JRPGs were regarded as tragically uncool in the west. How did everything turn out for Sony in the end? We break it all down. Also in this episode: We talk about the trailer for the next Final Fantasy 14 expansion, Endwalker, Persona 5 Strikers is about to take your heart, and CD Projekt Red is dealing with a massive cyberattack at the worst possible time. Well, there’s never a good time to deal with a cyberattack, but in this particular instance... yeah. It’s bad. Enjoy the pod? Check out our Patreon! New episodes are available a week early and ad free to subscribers at the $5 level and up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadia and Kat host a live discussion with the Axe of the Blood God community! They share plans for an exciting community event for March, where Television of the Blood God stands following the conclusion of The Witcher, and plans for the next Pantheon pick. Plus, we take questions from the community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What an eventful week. Nadia's wayward Xbox Series X showed up on her doorstep (well, it showed up in the Walmart pick-up area), and we have a very special guest: Austin Walker of Waypoint and Friends at the Table! He talks to us about his one true love, Mass Effect, and gives us his thoughts on the upcoming remaster (23:20). He also talks about the different feelings JRPGs evoke versus Western RPGs (32:40), and goes over the joys and disappointments of Final Fantasy XV (35:00). There is also a Final Fantasy XIV discussion featuring a rant by Nadia (37:10), a debate about RPG systems versus story (42:00), a talk about the importance of good character development (45:30), another debate over whether or not Nioh 2 is an RPG (49:00), a chat about how gaming discourse has changed over the past five years alone (51:40), and an observation about how modern politics can alter game stories (1:00). Finally, our meeting with Austin wraps up with discourse on tabletop RPGs (1:04), and an all-important discussion about robots and Super Robot Wars. (1:10). Whew! It's a meaty episode, all right. Meatier than Castlevania's walls. Enjoy the pod? Check out our Patreon! New episodes are available a week early and ad free to subscribers at the $5 level and up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time to dish out some hugs and kisses to indie RPGs. This week, Kat and Nadia talk about the independently-developed RPGs they’re most excited for in 2021, including She Dreams Elsewhere, Cris Tales, Darkest Dungeons 2, and—dare we hope—Eastward. Also on the docket: Nadia has Ys IX impressions, Mass Effect’s alien sex is beautiful, and we have no idea what’s going on with the GameStop stock fiasco. That doesn’t stop us from trying to sound smart about it, however. Enjoy the pod? Check out our Patreon! New episodes are available a week early and ad free to subscribers at the $5 level and up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only thing you should fear more than the Blood God’s axe is the Blood God’s anime obsession. This week, Kat and Nadia talk to Bob Mackey and Henry Gilbert talk about how anime and RPGs uplift one another. They also look back at RPGs based on licensed anime properties, and recall the Mighty Struggle™ that shaped and molded anime fans who traded VHS tapes before digital distribution saved us all. Also in this episode: There’s a new Fallout New Vegas game (well, sort of), Twitter is playing Pokemon, and we’re not allowed to stop talking about Cyberpunk 2077 because at some point we must’ve died and gone to hell for our sins. Enjoy the show? Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get out of your chair and start waggling because it’s time for the Axe of the Blood God Wii Console Quest! This week, Nadia and Kat discuss the strange, often troubled RPG history of Nintendo’s revolutionary console. Relive Operation Rainfall and recall how the fan-based movement pressured Nintendo into finally giving North America the still-beloved Xenoblade Chronicles. Plus, EA no longer has a Star War (and we still don’t have KOTOR 3), Square Enix might be up to some Final Fantasy 7 Remake extended universe shenanigans, and Cyberpunk discourse is still throwing off heat as we get properly settled into 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first ever Community Update, Kat and Nadia get together for a live conversation with Axe of the Blood God's community! They talk about which RPGs they've been playing of late, share an update on what's been happening with the show and Discord, and take questions from the audience on the best Chrono Trigger party, Persona 5 Strikers, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's officially 2021, and the brand-new year already seems poised to keep on dishing out the same trials and tribulations that made 2020 so special. Kat and Nadia take a nice break from the plague and strife to talk about what's in store for RPGs in the new year. Will we get our hands on Elden Ring? Can we really expect Final Fantasy 16 in 2021? And what about the mythological The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2? Also in this episode: Nadia talks about the Ys 9 demo, Persona soundtracks are finally on Spotify, and Elder Scrolls 6 is probably going to Hammerfell instead of Black Marsh like it should. Enjoy the show? Consider subscribing to our Patreon for episodes that are a weekly early and ad free! https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Axe of the Blood's special quest to rank all of the numbered Final Fantasy games (and their direct sequels) continues with the Top 10! With the help of special guest Ash Paulsen of Good Vibes Games, we talk about why Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy IV, and yes, Final Fantasy X-2, deserve to be remembered as the finest games the series has to offer... and as some of the finest video games of all time. Enjoy the show? Subscribe to the Axe of the Blood God Patreon for episodes that are a week early and ad free: https://patreon.com/bloodgodpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nadia and Kat kick off their episode-by-episode exploration of The Witcher Season 1 with a discussion of how the show was made and a look at the first episode! Swords! Sorcery! A tower of naked women in a garden for some reason! Nadia and Kat break it all down while putting it into the context with the games. This episode is free to all listeners! If you enjoy it, subscribe and you will be able to access the rest of the season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Axe of the Blood God Patreon is officially live! Nadia and Kat get together to talk about where the show stands in 2021, what listeners to the free feed can expect going forward, and some of the exciting new bonus content that we'll be releasing now that we're officially independent! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bloodgodpod Twitter: https://twitter.com/bloodgodpod Instagram: bloodgodpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate the launch of the Axe of the Blood God Patreon (http://patreon.com/bloodgodpod), we are undertaking a massive quest: a two-part ranking all of the numbered Final Fantasy games, as well as their direct sequels! For Part 1 we're joined by Game Informer's Kim Wallace to talk about Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy II, and other entries that remain controversial to this day. It's not all bad, though! Some of these entries remain strong to this day, and deserve to celebrated, flaws and all. Want to listen to Part 2 immediately? Subscribe to the Patreon! Want to talk about this episode? Drop your thoughts in the comments and we may read them on the episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's closing time for USgamer. Mat and Eric, the site's last guardians, join Nadia and Kat on the last Blood God produced under the USgamer banner. They recall their time with the site and reminisce about the weird things that happened at the events they attended. Finally, they wind down with a discussion about their favorite games of 2020. Thanks for the memories, USgamer, and here's to the Blood God going independent! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The end of 2020 draws near! Command? Nadia and Kat look back on a turbulent year and consider everything that's happened: game delays caused by COVID-19, Microsoft's Bethesda acquisition, the Cyberpunk 2020 goat rodeo, and so very much more. They also reflect upon the biggest RPGs of the year, from Final Fantasy 7 Remake to Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Polygon and RPG Site reviewers Carolyn Petit and Alex Donaldson join the show to analyze the biggest RPG of 2020: Cyberpunk 2077! They talk about the ways that it does (and doesn't) push the cyberpunk genre forward, its technical problems, and whether its handling of trans issues is as poor as it seems. [No spoilers!] Also, breaking down the Mass Effect reveal and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Cyberpunk 2077 finally due out this week, it's time to take a harder look at the studio that is CD Projekt. Where did it come from? How did it rise to the top of the RPG heap over the past generation? And what are some potential stumbling blocks it faces in the future? Nadia and Kat delve into all this, with additional chatter about Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light, Atelier Ryza 2, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're taking a break and trying something new at Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Quiz Show! Kat plays host as Nadia, Eric, and Mathew Olson compete to see who knows the most about the role-playing genre (or can at least come up with the most amusing answers). It's RPG fun for the whole family! Plus, breaking down the follow-up to The World Ends With You, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're firmly in the teeth of the 2020 release season, and the RPGs are arriving fast. Kat and Nadia circle back on some of the RPGs they missed, including Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, WoW: Shadowlands, Godfall, and more. Plus: Cyberpunk's performance on current-gen consoles, The Game Awards RPG nominations, and more thoughts on Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia bid farewell to Mike Williams the only way they know how—with a lengthy conversation about Final Fantasy 14. They also welcome back old friend Ash Paulsen, who joins the group to talk about Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory and more. Finally, Kat and Nadia have an announcement about the future of Axe of the Blood God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are out this week, and we've got the whole gang to break it all down over the course of a two hour mega-pod extravaganza! Kat, Mike, Nadia, and Eric are here to compare the PS5 and Xbox Series X, look at the launch lineup, and break down all the pros and cons for early adopters. Also in this episode, we review Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and lots of cats appear! Don't miss out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a continuation of their look back on the most recent console generation, Kat and Nadia examine the outsized impact of the PlayStation 4 on RPGs. From the return of Japan to the "mainstreaming" of RPGs, to VR and "service games," the pair talk about all the way that RPGs have changed over the past seven years. Also in this episode: Cyberpunk 2077's delay, Trails of Cold Steel 4 impressions, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the next generation of consoles mere weeks away, we're jumping ahead in the Console RPG Quest to the Xbox One! While at first glance the Xbox One's RPG legacy is quite weak, there's more to it than meets the eye. Kat and Nadia talk about the importance of backward compatibility, the possibilities afforded by streaming, and lessons learned as they delve into the Xbox One's console history. Also, Torchlight 3 reviews, Crown Tundra impressions, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia take a break from the grind of the RPG release schedule to talk about how some of today's most popular genres can be combined with the wonders of role-playing, including battle royale, Among Us, and more. Plus, we talk about Phil Spencer's recent comments concerning Bethesda, Yakuza 7, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larian founder Swen Vincke returns to the podcast to discuss the initial feedback on Baldur's Gate 3's early access release, turn-based vs. real-time with pause, dice rolls, and more! (Starts around 26:20) Plus, Kat and Nadia share their impressions on Genshin Impact, the Monster Hunter movie trailer, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Console RPG Quest officially arrives in the HD era with the Xbox 360 RPG Quest! Nadia and Kat talk about the impact of online, the waning fortunes of the Japanese industry, the super success of Oblivion, and much more! Plus, USgamer Reviews Editor Mike Williams is here to talk about Genshin Impact, the new free-to-play open-world RPG that's already a hit on PC, iOS, and PS4! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia are joined by USgamer News Editor Eric Van Allen to sing the praises of Hades, the amazing roguelite by Supergiant Games that is now out of Early Access. The trio discuss its relationship to Diablo; how Supergiant is beating Blizzard at its own game, and why RPG fans should play this excellent dungeon crawler. Plus, all of this week's RPG news, the Track of the Week, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a move with enormous implications for the games industry as a whole, but especially for RPGs, Microsoft has acquired Bethesda, the publisher responsible for Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and Starfield. What will this mean for role-playing games? How will this impact the next-gen race? And how will Sony react? Kat and Nadia are joined by special guests Mike Williams and Reb Valentine to break it all down! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat and Nadia react to a huge week for RPG announcements, breaking down Avalanche's Harry Potter game, Monster Hunter Rise, and the PS5 price announcement. Then it's time to talk Final Fantasy XVI, as Kat and Nadia analyze its announcement trailer, its connections to Final Fantasy 14, and its place in the long history of Final Fantasy announcements that have kicked off each new generation. It's a busy week for RPG news, so strap on your armor and join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fall release season is officially upon us, and that means it's time to preview all of the big RPGs that will carry us to the end of the year. Kat and Nadia sit down to preview Cyberpunk 2077, Trails of Cold Steel 4, Yakuza 7, World of WarCraft Shadowlands, and all the rest of this fall's most interesting role-playing games. Plus: Reactions to the Xbox Series S price and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest edition of the Console RPG Quest explores the legacy of Sony's initial foray into the handheld space: the PlayStation Portable! Kat and Nadia recall Sony's attempt to create "the Walkman for the 21st century," the rise of Monster Hunter and its impact on RPGs, the strange saga of Persona 2, and much more as they continue their quest to catalog the RPG legacy of every major console! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1997, a small group of former devs from Konami and Square got together to make Moon: RPG Remix Adventure, an affectionate parody and tribute to the role-playing genre. More than 20 years later, it's finally out for Nintendo Switch, and Kat and Nadia dig into the legacy of this curious creation by Love-de-lic. Plus: Wasteland 3 impressions, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles online woes, Dragon Age 4 teasers, and reactions to rumors of a "Switch Pro." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kat Bailey is on vacation, so hapless co-host Nadia Oxford takes over the Axe of the Blood God with help from USgamer news editor, Eric Van Allen. The duo put out out the small fires that invariably crop up when Kat's out of town while they discuss Baldur's Gate 3, new RPGs coming to Nintendo Switch, and the troubles bogging down Bloodlines 2. Then developer Davionne Gooden joins in to talk about his upcoming RPG, She Dreams Elsewhere, as well as the challenges of putting an RPG on the Switch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was the year 2000, and Square was pushing three big RPGs on the Sony PlayStation. The games themselves—Chrono Cross, Threads of Fate, and Legend of Mana—met with a mixed reception, but the Summer of Adventure 2000 said more about where Square stood in that particular moment in history. Kat and Nadia remember this unique period in gaming history, the RPGs it spawned, and Back to the Future 2 (?) in this look back on the mythical summer of 2000. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest entry in the Console RPG Quest series takes on the Nintendo DS, the legendary "third pillar" that did its part to carry Nintend for more than a decade. From Etrian Odyssey to Dragon Quest IX, Kat and Nadia discuss its remarkable RPG library, and why it was so important to Japanese gaming in the late 2000s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the next generation of consoles nearly upon us, Kat is joined by Reviews Editor Mike Williams and Senior Editor Caty McCarthy to discuss the future of the genre. What surprises do the PS5 and Xbox Series X hold for RPGs? Will it all be Destiny-likes and Witcher 3 clones? Or will we be treated to new settings, A.I. innovations, and other fascinating changes? We discuss! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices