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Articles by Mario García
Fallout 76 at Summer Game Fest 2026 – Interview with Creative Director Jon Rush and Production Director Bill LaCoste
In the wake of Fallout 76’s recent Infestations update, with its challenging enemies and boss fight content across Appalachia, I got the chance to speak with Creative Director Jon Rush and Production Director Bill LaCoste about their hopes for the update, the process of balancing reward systems this deep into the game’s lifespan, and worldbuilding across the broader Fallout franchise.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok at Summer Game Fest 2026: Building on an Engaging Action RPG
Action RPG Granblue Fantasy: Relink is about to get even bigger with its Endless Ragnarok expansion! Thanks to the team at Cygames, I was able to hear from Creative Director Tetsuya Fukuhara and Director Sanshiro Hidaka about the new features of the expansion, their vision for the title, and more. I then got to play some of the upcoming content myself, including Chaos level missions, experimenting with the new playable characters, and diving into a new roguelike mode called The Conflux.
Summer Game Fest 2026 Round-Up: A Strong Showing for RPGs with Aniimo, Grave Seasons, and Crimson Moon
This year’s Summer Game Fest had plenty of titles in our coverage here at RPGFan, and you may have read some of our hands-on impressions — If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out Sea of Remnants, Stranger Than Heaven, and Petal Runner.
Petal Runner Impressions at Summer Game Fest 2026 – A Charming Cyberpunk Adventure with Heart
Last year, I had the chance to play an early demo of slice-of-life RPG Petal Runner at Summer Game Fest 2025, and it was a highlight of the show for me! From iam8bit and developer Nano Park Studios, this gorgeously pixelated adventure follows Cali and their foxy sidekick Kira as they explore the four districts of Sapphire Valley in their dream job as Petal Runners, motorcycle carriers who deliver digital pets called Hanapets.
Stranger Than Heaven Impressions at Summer Game Fest 2026 – Fast-Paced Combat Soars with Potential in Historic Japan
Thanks to the teams at SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, I got the chance to play Stranger Than Heaven at Summer Game Fest! This upcoming action RPG follows protagonist Makoto Daito through five different Japanese cities in five different eras, promising an epic journey through the criminal underworld spanning a half century of Japanese history.
Final Fantasy X | RPGFan
Podcasts Episode Date Retro Encounter 450 – Thank You, Good Night, and Good Luck Retro Encounter 429 – Final Fantasy Series Tier List Rhythm Encounter 134 – Masashi Hamauzu Spotlight Random Encounter 280 – The All-Star Lineup in RPGFan’s GOTY Bracket Battle Rhythm Encounter 117 – Underrated Final Fantasy Music Retro Encounter 376 – Rollercoaster of Emotion: The RPG Moments That Moved Us Rhythm Encounter 109 – Character World: RPG Character Themes II Retro Encounter 359 – RPGFan’s Guide to...
Digimon Story: Time Stranger Hands-On Impressions at Summer Game Fest 2025
I’ve heard great things about the Digimon Story series, but unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to check these games out yet. Digimon Story: Time Stranger is making me want to rectify that, as I had a fantastic time with the title during Summer Game Fest. From developer Media.Vision and publisher Bandai Namco, this turn-based monster-collecting RPG is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam on October 3rd. The title takes place in the human world and the Digital World called Iliad.
Summer Game Fest 2025 Demo Round-Up: Petal Runner, Blighted, and More
Summer news season is in full swing, and I had the chance to get hands-on with some fantastic upcoming titles at Summer Game Fest! From an adorable, pixelated Game Boy Color throwback to a cozy mix of dungeon-crawling and shopkeeping, there was no shortage of creativity on display in this year’s line-up of RPGs. Let’s begin! Having grown up on the Game Boy Color as my first gaming console, I have many a cherished memory with its library: from Mario Tennis’s RPG story mode to the first...
TOEM 2 Hands-On Impressions at Summer Game Fest 2025
Adorable environments, a neat black-and-white aesthetic, endearing characters, and some cozy photography are all par for the course in upcoming adventure title TOEM 2! From developers Something We Made and co-publishers popagenda, this sequel to 2021’s TOEM: A Photo Adventure is slated for release in 2026 on PC and unspecified consoles. I got the chance to play a demo during Summer Game Fest 2025.
Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy at Summer Game Fest 2025
The highly anticipated Magic: The Gathering and Final Fantasy collaboration has been a lovely thing to witness. It’s brought some fantastic energy into both these franchises and absolutely oozes passion for the worlds within them. With that context, I was stoked to get the opportunity to speak with Dillon Deveney, the Final Fantasy Narrative Lead of the project, during Summer Game Fest 2025.
Dosa Divas Hands-On Impressions at Summer Game Fest 2025
From Outerloop Games, the developers of Thirsty Suitors, Dosa Divas left quite the impression on me during my time with it at this year’s Summer Game Fest. Its combat felt intuitive, its writing was witty, and I already started to get invested in the characters and world in the short time I played it. The demo covered an introductory section of the game, as sisters Samara and Amani reunite after years apart and explore a fishing village with their spirit-mech named Goddess.
Code Vein II First Look at Summer Game Fest 2025
During Summer Game Fest 2025, I got to sit in on a gameplay presentation of Bandai Namco’s upcoming action RPG Code Vein II, a follow-up to their 2019 hit Code Vein! From the looks of it, the developers have truly expanded on the first game, building on its co-op gameplay systems, character customization, weapon types, and more to create an elevated experience. The developers began the session with an overview of Code Vein II’s post-apocalyptic narrative and lore.
Retro Encounter Final Thoughts - Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX is definitely up there as one of the entries of the series I’ve played the most. Everything about this game says comfort, nostalgia and adventure to me, and I canāt see myself ever tiring of it. Gaia (and Terra) is a land unlike any other in Final Fantasy, an aesthetic I donāt think has been matched. Saying this, it is wonderful how this world comes together from so many inspirations from earlier entries, whilst still forging its own strong identity.
Retro Encounter 452 – Final Fantasy IX Part II | RPGFan
Article / Highlight · Podcast · Retro Encounter by , , and on January 30, 2025 Bring my beloved Retro Encounter to me. This week we dive into the second half of Final Fantasy IX, chatting about the emotional story beats, rooster men, and terrible card games that some of us somehow enjoy. Does it still hold up all these years later?
Retro Encounter 451 - Final Fantasy IX Part I
Article / Highlight · News · Podcast · Retro Encounter by , , and on January 16, 2025 Doesn’t it feel nice to listen to Retro Encounter under the stars? This week, the new host and a few huge fans dive into the first half of Final Fantasy IX. How does this classic hold up? Do we like the combat? Which monster doesn’t like Vivi very much?
Rhythm Encounter 146 - Spooky Edition 2024
Somehow it’s been four years since Rhythm Encounter’s last Halloween episode, back in 2020’s episode 56. Well, it’s time we rectified that. A sequel to that episode and a spiritual successor to our previous episode about the works of Michiru Yamane, our panel dug into our gaming experiences to find music for the most spooky time of year. You’ll find one of Pok√©mon‘s most iconic themes, and everything from old PC adventures to SNES, PS4, and more.
Phantom Blade Zero Hands-On Preview at Summer Game Fest
Article / Highlight · Preview by on June 11, 2024 With impressive trailers that spotlight the game’s eye-catching combat, sick-looking combos, and ruthless action, Phantom Blade Zero piqued my interest in experiencing how the game actually feels to play. Does the gameplay hold up to the intensity of its visuals? After checking out a demo at Summer Game Fest, I can happily report that the combat does feel pretty darn cool and responsive.
Path of Exile 2 Impressions at Summer Game Fest
My time with Path of Exile 2 at Summer Game Fest began with the age-old question: among warriors, archers, casters, and the like, what character class would I choose to play? To help with my decision, the menu came with nifty previews of the skills that each of the twelve classes would unlock down the line. I chose the Sorceress, and had a great time spamming fire, lightning, and ice spells at hordes of enemies.
Rhythm Encounter 135 - Super Mario RPGs
It’s-a-us, the Rhythm Encounter crew! With the impending launch of the remaster for the beloved sequel, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, we decided it was high time to talk about Mario’s illustrious RPG career.
Most Dangerous River in the World
If you live in here in the south chances are you have traveled over the Red River and probably not even given it one thought as to how big the river is and just how dangerous. In Texarkana, the Red River divides the state border of Texas and Arkansas. Most Dangerous River in the World The Red River is 1,360 miles long and serves as the boundary between Texas and Oklahoma. According to the website, Far & Wide the Red River has just been named the 25th Most Dangerous River in the World in 2024.
Mystery of Bright Object Spotted Over Texarkana Solved
There were many reports across the U.S. including the Texarkana area where a bright moving light was spotted over the sky Sunday evening. Did you happen to see it? The bright object was seen across the area around sunset and had social media buzzing about what exactly it was. My friend Greg Hagood saw it and shared the video on his Facebook page and people started commenting immediately. Of course, with everything going on in the world today you can never be too cautious.
Hands-On with 6 Games at Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Edition
Day of the Devs has come and gone, and with it, I got the chance to try several upcoming indie titles! From a cinematic car racer with Mass Effect inspirations to a psychedelic visual novel that takes a trip through an SNES-era RPG, this year had no shortage of unique and promising titles on display. Let’s dive into the demos that I got to play! My day started off with RESISTOR, a stylish, narrative-focused racer.
Catch The Halloween Spirit in the Most Haunted Town in Texas
Pumpkin spice and everything nice is filling the air in one of the most haunted towns in Texas historic Jefferson, Texas during the month of October. Jefferson just so happens to be the 5th Oldest Town in Texas so you know it has to be haunted. This is the month the Halloween Spirits begin to stir in this beautiful East Texas town, especially at the historic Jefferson Hotel featured on several ghost reality TV shows.
Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2023: Adventures in Las Vegas
Thanks to the folks at Square Enix, I had the opportunity to attend Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest 2023 in Las Vegas! This year was the first in-person iteration of the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival since 2019. In addition, the event served as a celebration for the MMO’s upcoming tenth anniversary of its relaunch as A Realm Reborn. The energy was infectious.
2023-2024 Farmers' Almanac Predicts Frigid Winter Season in Texas
This summer in Texas has been one of the hottest on record and now thanks to El Nino the winter season is not looking any better. Texans better bundle up and get ready for possibly one of the coldest winters in decades. According to the Farmers' Almanac snow, sleet, and ice are predicted this winter in various regions throughout Texas in the latter part of January 2024. Very frigid cold temperatures are forecasted around the end of the year heading into the new year.
Yoshi-P Talks Dawntrail at Final Fantasy XIV Press Conference
At the end of day one of the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival, Producer & Director Naoki Yoshida answered questions about Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail and FFXIV in general with a selection of press in attendance.
Rhythm Encounter 113 - Dragon Quest: Symposium of Sound
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Largest Indoor Water Park in Texas is Like a Tropical Paradise
Vacation season is here! Have you heard about the Largest Indoor Water Park in North Texas? Epic Waters Indoor Water Park The word epic doesn't even come close to describing Epic Waters Indoor Water Park in Grand Prarie, Texas. It's more like massive! This water park boasts 11 mind-blowing waterslides that will take your breath away at every turn and twist before you plunge into the cool waters below.
What is the Longest Drive in Texas? You Might be Surprised!
Texas is the second-largest state in the United States by area and population but do you know how wide Texas is if you were to drive North to South across the Lone Star State? The answer is nearly 1,000 miles and from east to west in Texas 773 miles, according to the Texas Almanac. But what is the longest drive in Texas?
Abandoned Historic Home in Arkansas Looks Hauntingly Beautiful
WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property. When traveling through Arkansas I am always amazed at how many historical homes are just left abandoned. Such is the case of an unknown location of what was once a beautiful old historic home of a prominent town doctor that still looks somewhat hauntingly beautiful.
The Meaning Behind Cowboy Boots on Fence Posts in Texas
So, last week while on vacation I found myself on some rural backroads in Texas enjoying the countryside and the scenery when I noticed some cowboy boots turned upside down on a fence line. I have always this is nothing strange if you live in Texas, at some point you are bound to see some old weather and tattered boots along someone's property.
Alabama's Most Haunting Unsolved Murder Cases
Law enforcement agencies and investigators hope and work towards all crimes and homicides being solved. Sadly that is not always the case. Currently, according to the Office of the Attorney General in Alabama, there are 9 open and 3 pending cold cases. That one tip or piece of information even years later could help agencies solve open and pending cases. This could make a difference for many families right here in Alabama who don't have closure about their loved ones.
Final Fantasy XV
Once advertised as “a fantasy based on reality,” Final Fantasy XV launched in 2016 following a troubled development cycle. The game was distinctive from its predecessors for being set in a huge open world for the first half of the game, and embracing an action-style combat system that no numbered game before it had implemented.
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