JRPGs and Me

In this episode of JRPGs and Me, Austin is discussing Pokémon Yellow Special Pikachu Edition, which released on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color in the U.S. back in 1999 and kicked off a decades-long love of the Pokémon franchise.

On this episode of JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking about one of his favorite games of the past few years - Scarlet Nexus, which released in 2021.

This time on JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking about Trinity Trigger, the 2023 game from xSeed games and Three Rings that's part RPG and part dungeon crawler. 99% spoiler-free.

This time on JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking about Final Fantasy IX! So if you love Vivi (and you should) and all the rest of the FF9, gang be sure to check out this episode! Want to hear about Tetra Master, Chocobo Hot & Cold, and why ATEs make the game SO much better? That's included here as well.

This week on JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking about Yakuza: Like a Dragon and how this seventh entry in the series leaves behind the beat 'em up gameplay from previous games and turns Yakuza 7 into one of the best JRPGs of all time! As usual, story spoilers are kept to a minimum. So even if you haven't played the game yet, you can still enjoy the episode!

Season Two of JRPGs and Me is kicking off with Bravely Default, a 3DS title that started off as a Final Fantasy spin-off before becoming its own successful series. This was a long time coming, since Austin started the game back in 2017 before finally finishing it up over the 2020 holidays. From characters to crystals, there's a lot to cover!

In this episode of JRPGs and Me, Austin is raving about Blue Dragon, the turn-based fantasy RPG from Final Fantasy's Hironobu Sakaguchi and Dragon Quest/ Dragon Ball's Akira Toriyama. With a great soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu and some interesting gameplay mechanics, Blue Dragon is one of the standout video games on the Xbox 360.

From Marumaro's LOUD talking to Mechat fights and more, Austin gives a spoiler-free rundown of Blue Dragon - and highly recommends checking it out for yourself if you haven't play it yet.

This time on JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking about Breath of Fire II, which released on the SNES. From the diversity of the playable characters (dog people, cat people, frog people, planet people...) to the town-building mechanic that makes the game so much fun, Austin discusses it all. So, whether you've played this Super Nintendo classic a million times or never before, there's still something to enjoy.

This time on JRPGs and Me: Austin is raving about Skies of Arcadia, which celebrated its 20th Anniversary this week!

From four-member parties to turn-based combat, this game has everything Austin loves in a JRPG. It also has a TON of exploration, which is yet another reason he loves it so much. Austin also talks about why there hasn't been a remake or remaster for Skies of Arcadia (yet, anyway) and why he hopes we'll get one soon. Plus, sky pirates!

In this episode of JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking about Level-5's Rogue Galaxy. It's one of the best (and few) standalone JRPGs on the PS2. Despite having some serious flaws, Austin enjoyed it a lot. The biggest question, though: Does 40 hours of fun get ruined by a terrible ending? Or can the game still be enjoyed regardless. Whether it's weird bug catching mini-games, or an buff dude with a bulldog's head, Austin's got Rogue Galaxy covered.

It's JRPGs and Me!

In this episode, Austin discusses the first Trails of Cold Steel in the long-running Legend of Heroes series. From sharing his favorite characters, talking about the turn-based combat, and why Laura is infinitely better than Alisa, and why Machias is a turd, this episode has it all! Like usual, the story portions are spoiler free, so even if you've never played the game, you can listen to Austin talk about it without having the plot ruined.

In this episode of JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking all about Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. From stand-up comedian fairies, riding purple dragons, an Animal Farm-inspired city, and a Christmas village named Yule, let's talk about one of the best JRPGs to ever release! Austin also explores the history of the growing series, explores the game's relationship to Kingdom Hearts and a Stephen King novel, and raves about Mr. Drippy! Everyone should love Mr. Drippy!

This time on JRPGs and Me, Austin is talking about Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. 

Austin talks about the history behind the Xeno series, the lengths it took to get Xenoblade Chronicles in the West, and how the Definitive Edition differs from the original game on the Wii. Plus, at the end of the episode, he recounts all the things he loved about Future Connected, the new epilogue to the game that's brand new to the Definitive Edition. 

It's JRPGs and Me!

In today's episode, Austin is talking all about Tales of Vesperia, the 10th entry in the mainline Tales series. Austin discusses why he missed the game the first time around on the Xbox 360 and why the Definitive Edition that came out in 2019 is really great. As usual, there's plenty of background info on the game and personal experiences to share!

It's JRPGs and Me!

This time around, the JRPG is Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, which came out for GameCube in 2004. Austin starts the episode by talking about the history of the series, Super Mario RPG and Squaresoft, and the Golden Age of the Paper Mario series. Then it's straight into discussing plot highlights, characters like Goombella and Koops, and favorite moments like the classic whodunit aboard the Excess Express!

It's episode four of JRPGs and Me!

This episode is all about Fantasy Life, the game from Level-5 that's equal parts life simulator and fantasy RPG. During the cast, Austin discusses Level-5, Fantasy Life's "Life" class system, Bliss Points, getting two dogs to match his irl ones, and buying a house in Port Puerto! And will we ever get a true sequel? Maybe on on Switch?

It's episode three of JRPGs and Me!

In this episode, Austin experiments (see what I did there?) with his first Atelier game, which focuses on alchemy through crafting and gathering. There's also plenty of combat, which Austin talks about quite a bit, too. Early in the episode, Austin shares some fun facts about the game and the series, and then he's recapping his experiences with the game. Toward the end, Austin discusses why he thinks Atelier Ryza makes a great game to play if you're completely new to the series like he was.

It's episode two of JRPGs and Me!

This time around, Austin is discussing one of his favorite JRPGs of ALL TIME: The Legend of Dragoon, which originally released on the Playstation in 2000 in the U.S. In the beginning, we explore the big names associated with the game and some behind-the-scenes fun facts that go along with Sony pushing to get a successful new IP.

During the personal experiences part of the show, Austin talks about the way The Legend of Dragoon pulled bits from other, more famous JRPGs to make a nice Greatest Hits album for JRPGs in the 1990s. He also shares his personal feelings on robots in legislature, getting lost in the desert, feeling cocky at school after beating a boss, and some of the ways the dialogue feels outdated.

Plus, are we ever getting a remake or sequel? Ehhhhh...maybe?

It's the first episode of JRPGs and Me!

In this episode, Austin talks all about Final Fantasy III on the Nintendo DS. After starting it in 2006, he finally bought the game again and played it this year. 

First Facts

Let's talk about the big names associated with FF3, as well as some of the behind-the-scenes info. Austin also talks about some of the differences between the original Famicom version and the DS remake, and a little bit of the history around the series in the U.S.

What's It All About?

Trying to keep spoilers to a minimum, this is where you get the rundown on the story. We'll explore tidbits like collecting crystals, changing jobs, and taking on challenging bosses.

Personal Experience

This is the bulk of the episode, where Austin talks about his personal experiences with the game. You'll find some candid commentary on characters like Doga and Unei, bosses like Hein and the Nepto Dragon, and dungeons like the Crystal Tower.