The RPG Treasure Chest

For the ‘Tales of' series 25th Anniversary, YouTuber MadKaiser (@MadKaiser98) released a series retrospective with contributions from ‘Tales of…' and RPG enthusiasts around the world. I had the privilege of contributing the segment for ‘Tales of Eternia', and it ended up inspiring me to develop the RPG Treasure Chest podcast. For the holiday season, here … Continue reading Minisode! From Here to Eternia – Tales of Eternia (2000) →

Starting as a spinoff of post apocalyptic, dungeon crawler Shin Megami Tensei, Persona was a series with a long established cult following. After the success of its fourth entry, publisher Atlus decided to take the franchise into the mainstream without compromising its vision. But in a case of “stranger-than-fiction”, real world events–and financial setbacks–began bleeding … Continue reading Steal the Spotlight – Persona 5 (2016) →

Today we look at one of the Playstation 2's best RPGs, an unsung masterpiece–and sequel–called Shadow Hearts Covenant. Using the atypical setting of World War as a backdrop, Shadow Hearts mixes Lovecraftian lore with a fair dose of anime humor, resulting in a truly unforgettable experience. I talk to Twitch streamer C3nric about Shadow Hearts … Continue reading Dark Shadows – Shadow Hearts: Covenant (2004) →

RPG Treasure Chest's spoooooky Halloween special is an entry in the horror RPG subgenre. Sweet Home was supposed to be Japan's answer to Hollywood's “Poltergeist”. A humble gaming studio called Capcom would turn it into so much more, as what started as a media tie-in would go on to influence one of the most famous … Continue reading Home is Where the Haunt Is – Sweet Home (1989) →

In the mid 90s, writer Shigesato Itoi set out to create a sequel to eccentric, lovable RPG, “Earthbound”. What happened next was one of the most turbulent gaming developments of all time, spanning three consoles. I also talk to Twitch streamer Graysonsyd about emulation and gaming accessibility for those of us who grew up gaming … Continue reading Mother of Reinvention – Mother 3 (2006) →

In 2000, Sega created a game for the new millennium. It was a fable among the stars that players could play around the globe. Sadly, that fairy tale ended just a few years later. But one talented man–with some equally talented help–managed to keep the story alive. In this episode of JRPG, I talk to … Continue reading Sweet, Sweet Phantasy – Phantasy Star Online (2000) Featuring Sodaboy →

How did a struggling real estate company end up giving birth to the entire JRPG genre? A murder mystery, Dragon Ball Z, and so much more… Music Attributions: Aerosol Of My Love by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7013-aerosol-of-my-love License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Thatched Villagers by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4481-thatched-villagers License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Procession of the King by Kevin MacLeod … Continue reading From Texas to Tokyo Part 2 – Dragon Quest (1986) →

The inaugural episode of RPG Treasure Chest takes us back to the beginning. Before the Final Fantasies and the Dragon Quests, there was just a wizkid genius in the Houson suburbs with a love of D&D, an astronaut for a dad, and a plan… Music Attributions: Adventures In Adventureland by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/8287-adventures-in-adventureland License: … Continue reading From Texas to Tokyo Part 1 – Ultima (1981) →