On this episode of Random Encounter: - It's a full house as former Random Encounter hosts Rob Steinman and Stephen Meyerink return (alongside veteran Caitlin Argyros) as special guests to discuss the season's hottest releases! - Metroidvanias: We love 'em, but not every one gets the formula down pat. We discuss what makes Chasm crumble in the face of contemporaries like Hollow Knight. - We tackle the dragon in the room with a lengthy discussion of Dragon Quest XI, including Stephen's experience with the Japanese 3DS version. - Rob, herald of all things Yakuza, delves into what makes Kiwami 2 the best Yakuza game yet. - Does Prey's new Mooncrash DLC surpass the game it was built around? Rob thinks it just might. - Derek can't keep Pillars of Eternity II and Divinity: Original Sin II straight, but Stephen can. He explains why it's one of the best co-op RPG experiences out there. - In the shadow of so many huge games this year, a trio of Aksys visual novels released without making a blip on the radar, but Derek's here to remedy that with an introduction to Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly, 7'sCarlet, and Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk. - The Cyberpunk 2077 demo has the podcast crew feeling a few different ways, leading to a spirited discussion of where CD Projekt RED's heavy hitter is headed thematically. Featuring: Derek Heemsbergen, Caitlin Argyros Special Guest(s): Rob Steinman, Stephen Meyerink Questions? Comments? Spare Potions? Email us: podcast@rpgfan.com