Retrograde Amnesia: Comprehensive JRPG Retrospective

Never take your hands off the wheel until we have come to a complete stop. And before you decelerate, listen to us forgetting Blackbeard was a real guy, trying to remember orally recited directions, trying our very best to figure out ship battles, determining what sort of code a black pirate has, applying the Captain's Stripe, forgetting critical game mechanics, ramming the Little Jack into a canyon wall, jamming moonfish into a bird, vomiting eggs, learning Doc and Maria's lore, suffering through outrageous animations, darkening the world map sky, and throwing corpses off the island. Let's rip 'em to shreds, sir. 00:00:00 Radically Dreaming 00:01:57 Intro 00:04:41 World Mapping 00:08:34 Baltor 00:24:02 Nasr Merchant Escort 00:30:10 Moonfish Dump 00:40:49 Approaching Valua 00:47:35 Real Net 00:53:04 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

May the moons guide you in your journey. If that doesn't work, we'll guide you into figuring out Eric is attracted to ladies with green elbow-length gloves, receiving a blown kiss, facing Justice Under God, bestowing merchants with names, learning of the Harpoon Cannon, stealing a guy's money, wearing a dumb guy hat, projecting big dreams on such a little fellow, finding a message in a bottle on a balloon, flipping a mustache, decoding a dirty sock, bargaining with Drachma, seeking a Valuan passport, wondering if Polly is recruitable, cutting a risky deal with a Nasr merchant, and realizing Sailors' Island is just Buc-ee's. All of the stuff from The Temple of Doom is at Hobby Lobby. 00:00:00 Chris Vision 00:01:30 Intro 00:03:55 Sailors' Island Item Shop 00:08:29 Sailors' Island Ship Parts Store 00:13:11 Sailors' Island Armory 00:21:06 Lighthouse 00:23:10 Sailors' Island Inn 00:28:52 Telling Drachma About The Big Gun 00:37:04 Return to Sailors' Guild 00:44:03 Real Net 00:49:17 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

I can already tell, this place is lots of fun. If podcasts can be places, we're consulting the large map, meeting a GameCube doctor without borders, mixing pirate fiction with anime, picking up a game-spanning collection initiative, browsing the list of criminals, leaning like an asshole, rolling on the floor laughing, discovering oddities for money, talking about various things, including background tavern commotion, feasting like there's no tomorrow, feeling welcome in a new community, and realizing the old man hates us. How in the Six Moons am I supposed to catch them? 00:00:00 Nintendo Game 00:02:58 Intro 00:05:19 Doc & Maria 00:20:00 Sailors' Island (outdoors) 00:30:32 Sailors' Guild 00:37:10 Polly's Place 00:45:28 Real Net 00:51:13 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

I pray that the moons watch over you everywhere you go. I also pray that you listen to us talking to the walls that are falling apart, losing Ben the Lookout, making sure we keep knitting, letting Alan fix everything, yearning to topple an empire with a tiny boat, driving my shitboat into danger, dropping in a sky whale, remembering how Chris feels about whales, absorbing a mechanical gut punch, picking up boxes and then putting them back down, and then adding an old man to our party before bringing him home to mom. Stand tall, my son. 00:00:00 Podcaster 00:01:12 Intro 00:02:45 Pirate Island. Again. 00:07:00 Pirate Underground. Again. 00:09:49 Departure Island 00:17:06 World Map / Sudden Storm 00:28:47 Shipwrecked On Another Ship 00:32:54 Moving Boxes 00:46:12 Return to Pirate Island Yet Again 00:48:21 Real net 00:56:05 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

When I die, I want to die in my own home. Ideally while listening to podcasts hosts wondering if piracy is "work," loosening up a little, letting the bodies rot in the sun, measuring a league, donning the quarterback coat, relating Alfonso to Rowd, leaving Granny in the house, polluting vase water, going through Jessica's drawers, thanking the Moons, taking daddies away, punishing piracy with death, fearing Dyne may be a coward, and developing silver moon lore. Mom rarely ever lets this fire go out. 00:00:00 New Studio 00:01:21 Intro 00:03:07 Invasion 00:10:09 The Serpent 00:15:43 Return to Pirate Isle 00:23:49 Pirate Underground 00:38:20 Back at The Serpent 00:45:13 Real Net 00:50:02 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

No one in their right mind would go near the place. This explains why we're climbing a ladder to watch the sunset, aspiring to sail beyond that sunset, debating the moons' effect on brain chemical water, witnessing a shooting star that is also a moon, god blessing the xylophone, wasting Chris' time with crystals, denying ice the color purple, playing with perspective, yearning to shove water out of doors, filling in the map, taking a wild swing with Looper lore, discovering stairs, differing on grinding strategies, and executing a cool hand shake celebration. Be careful, there are all sorts of monsters out there. 00:00:00 The Last Episode (Recorded In This Basement) 00:02:46 Intro 00:04:39 Lookout Island Campfire 00:19:23 Sky Pirate Isle - The Next Day 00:30:22 World Map 00:32:38 Shrine Island 00:44:04 Sentinel 00:53:20 Real Net 01:00:00 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

People will notice how you behave in certain situations, which is why we're slandering Nancy Reagan, rifling through our dad's office, accessing the secret bookshelf, learning how to be a swashbuckler, raiding the emergency supplies, freshening up to reboot the day, yup'n it up, having a Vector-off, playing hide-and-seek, seeking a pervert hole, wondering if we have electricity, consuming pickled turnips, dressing up the set, knitting on the bed upstairs, realizing this kid is granny, eating berries so we can know something, leaving papers all over the place, and drinking alone at the tavern. My dad always takes the good stuff. 00:00:00 Where Did You Come From 00:02:07 Intro 00:03:24 Exploring Dad's/Dyne's Office 00:13:50 Outside on Sky Pirate Isle 00:32:07 Pirate Isle Houses 00:47:28 Mom's House 00:50:08 Dusk 00:56:42 Real net 01:01:31 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

If you believe anything that I say, please believe these topics of discussion: stomping in through the dirt door, admiring all of our booty, coming to count and value belts, sliding down the pole, yearning for the home port, turning that bottle upside down, being a good-for-nothing husband, buying crystals from a crystal lady, seeking dad's back door, having night-water on standby, realizing Mom has no name, forcing the mystery woman to meet my dad, and "just testing" someone with the threat of death. There's nothing wrong with drinking with friends after a hard day's work. 00:00:00 Trade In Value 00:01:55 Intro 00:03:01 Pirate Isle Underground 00:14:26 Pirate Isle Underground - Second Level 00:17:43 Tavern 00:28:41 The Rest Of Pirate Isle Underground 00:33:44 Dyne's Office 00:43:31 Real Net 00:47:23 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

You don't have to worry about us, we're Blue Rogues. Free yourself from your anxieties as we're disconnecting our sleeves at the elbow, further refining the Codes of the Blue Rogues, telling a lady her name sucks, wearing weirdass clothes, waking up in Solaris, experiencing a concussed vision, connecting advanced texture patterns to apocalyptic scenarios, sucking in the year 2000, explaining Air Pirate factions, utilizing the speaking tube, calling dad "dad," yearning for Deep Sky's embrace, charting territory in real time, yearning to nap on the ship, and touching fish for numbers. That's what separates us Blue Rogues from the Black Pirate. 00:00:00 Life's About Having Things 00:03:55 Intro 00:06:35 Alfonso's Escape 00:13:28 Mystery Flashback Scene 00:16:57 Wake Up, Fina 00:29:55 Exploring the Albatross 00:32:52 Albatross Bridge 00:37:09 World Map 00:47:52 Approaching Sky Pirate Isle 00:52:19 Real Net 01:00:38 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

Where there's treasure, there will be Air Pirates. And there we'll be, loading boot screens, gathering the juggalos, indicating the implications of mismatched beard and hair, propelling an airship with magic, dramatically floofing hair, issuing a concussive blast, swinging across ships like Tarzan, changing weapon colors, bringing a gun to a sword fight, taking inventory or JRPG Dynes, roping in from off screen, hating the cherished son, misusing a ladder (non-pervert), killing a guy to cover our tracks, and looking straight into Antonio's eyeballs. To keep my glorious reputation from being tarnished, you must be sacrificed. # 00:00:00 Lizard Man 00:03:15 Intro 00:05:00 Power On 00:13:13 Title Screen 00:15:00 Air Pirates To The Rescue 00:35:10 Standoff 00:38:39 Dungeon of Military Facilities 00:47:40 Alfonso: Motherboy 00:53:24 Real Net 01:00:35 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

Hi. For our third and final Background Information Episode, Ty and Aidan, the hosts of Fun Factor , join us for an hour to flip through magazine reviews of Skies of Arcadia! All four of us are capping out RPG visuals at 8/10, receiving Golden Man location information, misunderstanding Duke Nukem's wants and needs, running the triple negative olympics, borrowing ideas from Final Fantasy, gibbering like mad fools, doing british accents, lamenting 128 bits, harkening back to early days, forecasting typos signaling prestige, disenchanting sourpusses, teetering on magnificence, creating Scott Steiner, and wondering if Nintendo Power was on the take. The remainder of the episode features your normal hosts hacking out random battles, cameoing in other games, teasing a modern release, learning some optimization tricks, sharing memories, laying out expectations, counting stuff, and wondering if Nintendo Power was on the take. Skies of Arcadia was easily the best RPG in the year 2000 for Dreamcast. Please check out Ty and Aidan's podcast Fun Factor, either here (https://funfactorpod.com) or wherever fine podcasts can be downloaded to the telephone. 00:00:00 Meeting New People 00:02:52 Intro 00:04:30 Contemporary Reviews (Featuring Fun Factor) 01:04:48 Modern Takes 01:07:11 Fan Fiction 01:08:23 MODS 01:12:17 Sequels & Cameos 01:21:44 Memories 01:23:53 Expectations 01:26:32 How Are We Playing This In 2026? 01:30:32 What Are We Counting? 01:34:09 Acknowledgements 01:34:38 Real Net 01:43:38 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

Well, it's time for part two (of three!) of our background information blast for Skies of Arcade. To become legends, we're detailing Skies of Arcadia's promotional media, finding a romantic and unreadable font, changing our reputation, kicking ass by the boatload, debating the pronunciation of "Valuan," riddling the skies with danger, adapting the story into manga, producing a $460 figurine, selling an elaborate music box, desiring a Skies of Arcadia candle, recruiting up to 22 crew members, censoring content for the ESRB, and begging you not to put this Dreamcast disc into your CD player. Everyone will respect you. 00:00:00 Patreon Promo 00:01:19 Intro 00:03:14 Commercials 00:06:20 Print Ads 00:14:57 Strategy Guide + Manga 00:20:17 Light Novel 00:22:47 Radio Drama 00:25:25 Toys 00:27:10 Soundtrack(s) 00:29:00 Demo Disc 00:31:52 Dreamcast Game Box 00:39:24 GameCube Game Box 00:43:41 Cut Content 00:49:25 Real Net 00:54:01 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

Hello and welcome to season nine of Retrograde Amnesia, featuring Skies of Arcadia. In the first (of three) background/information episodes, we'll be talking about the game as it relates to shipping on two GD-ROMs, refusing to appear on modern digital storefronts, becoming crushed by reality, combining World War I & II military ships with the Age of Discovery, communicating with wind, citing influence from Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Dragon Quest III, building the world around six colors, refusing a travel budget, blatantly referencing Moby Dick and Robinson Crusoe, forming the Hottie Production Committee, dynamically adjusting the music, eliminating baby talk, "throwing away the Japanese text," and un-mysterying the misdirection. Realism may not be acceptable for an RPG just yet. 00:00:00 Lost Time 00:01:55 Intro 00:02:54 What Is This 00:04:47 Release Information 00:09:31 How to acquire and play Skies of Arcadia in 2026 00:12:13 Atsushi Seimiya 00:18:15 Shuntaro Tanaka 00:27:20 Reiko Kodama 00:49:31 Soundtrack 00:53:37 Localization 01:03:28 Unsubstantiated Claims 01:09:04 Real Net 01:14:09 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

This is it! Now we determine Algo's future... our future! Before we sleep in peace, we'll be jumping into the hole, replicating a sick 1994 screensaver, appreciating an efficient end game dungeon, fighting differently colored jobbers, producing a disgusting sound, inventing Lavos, predicting a god-christ form, blowing it all at once, breathing in sword dust, entering a protective bubble, speculating the genesis of Phantasy Star V, demanding a hopeful ending, saying everyone's name, and deciding to stay home. And now the curtain rises on a new age. Join us next week for season nine: Skies of Arcadia. 00:00:00 Is This it 00:01:01 Intro 00:03:09 The Edge 00:09:45 The Profound Darkness Phase I 00:16:07 The Profound Darkness Phase II 00:18:15 The Profound Darkness Phase III 00:20:37 Victory 00:28:49 A More Promising Future 00:34:54 Epilogue 00:38:57 Staff Roll 00:46:39 Real Net Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

Wouldn't I be of some help to you? It wouldn't hurt to listen to us talking about taking party members to new planets, auditioning the fifth friend, "holding space" for a suicide pill, pinning the latest civilizational blight on the Black Energy Wave, rockin' with Raja, performing the inaugural Sad Battle, beating up my dead mentor, wailing and lamenting for an illusion, refusing to seek the power in an obvious test of morality, thinking of the biggest hole, making Only Fans content, and talking to dead people. Done-in people. I'm not going to be a nuisance. 00:00:00 Fun Factor 00:01:36 Intro 00:03:05 Motavia Spaceport Greetings 00:09:20 The Fifth Party Member 00:14:23 Anger Tower 00:27:22 WORLD TOUR Piata 00:33:02 WORLD TOUR Piata Academy 00:36:17 WORLD TOUR Krup 00:36:40 WORLD TOUR Tonoe 00:37:15 WORLD TOUR AIEDO 00:37:46 WORLD TOUR Monsen 00:38:06 WORLD TOUR Mile 00:40:31 Real Net Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

But what use is an invisible planet? It's not like material planets could aid us in realizing the lore is a Piccolo Situation, sealing off dimensions, returning a secret planet every 1000 years, referencing other ages of heroes, determining who/what has been "born," refusing to accept reality, realizing our hero is out over his skis, depending on Chaz to fight, rejecting an order from god, accessing Luts' memory piece-meal, meeting another talking sword, referencing past protagonists, and creating a future free of terror. To tell you the truth, I don't know what's going on. 00:00:00 XCOM 2 00:02:27 Intro 00:04:20 The Age of Fables 00:33:59 Esper Mansion 00:37:18 Elsydeon 00:43:55 Dezolis Spaceport 00:44:58 Real Net 00:51:02 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

It looks like we're really free from any problems now. And yet we still find ourselves fondly recalling Syphon Filter, completing phase 2 of the Reshel Revival, confusing asteroids with islands, marveling at fluorescent alien geography, hiding a planet for a thousand years, stirring the hand of darkness toward a planet, orbiting like a comet, getting a fetch quest from god, feeling trapped in inventory hell, watching jobbers get blown away, submitting protector qualifications, and receiving jewelry that appears to be named after planets. Beloved ones, I await your return. 00:00:00 What's Up Dog 00:03:27 Intro 00:07:50 Reshel Revisted 00:14:27 Heading to Rykros 00:18:09 Silence Temple Tower 00:27:21 Rykros World Map 00:29:08 Strength Tower 00:39:41 Courage Tower 00:43:03 Return to Silence Temple Tower 00:43:58 Real Net 00:49:39 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

The things we do seem to have consequences all over the place. One day, we will pay for the sins of slaughtering servants, traumatizing the traumatized kids with robots, blowing up mermen, getting behind the circuit, indiscriminately destroying all AI systems, realizing Rune does not acknowledge computer guys, deleting life, arguing with computer daughter, meeting a curious late game party member, lighting the path to Rykros, transforming the badguy into a bad guy, stealing Sonic 2 sound effects, and wondering if you can be a scenario guy ignorant of the scenario. There is a fundamental error in your self awareness. 00:00:00 Banned Words 00:02:11 Intro 00:03:30 Guild Quest: Silver Soldier 00:04:58 Back To Zema 00:09:40 Vahal Fort 00:31:14 Return to Zema 00:34:13 Who The Hell Is Seth 00:38:15 The Soldier's Temple 00:41:18 Aeroprimsers 00:50:54 Real Net 00:54:25 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

My son is convinced that he is going to die. But you, you must live and listen to us cleaning a dirty kitchen, making wild assumptions about rice farming, comparing geographical educations, eatin' up fields, getting ate up (personally), locating porn on the bookshelf, further developing Hunters Are A Joke theory, demanding a toy sword to cure a fake illness, realizing the non-humans are the most human, deeming a large bird to be a Head Honcho, loving big bird butt, eating over one thousand birds, and enacting a flawed bird conspiracy. I had no idea you guys would be so strong. 00:00:00 Hot Button Turnaround 00:01:45 Intro 00:03:17 Dirty Pitstop 00:05:00 Guild Quest: Dying Boy 00:07:42 Exploding Torinco 00:16:56 Torinco Houses 00:22:45 Imagined Sickness 00:31:37 Guild Quest: Man With Twist 00:47:16 Real Net 00:50:24 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com

If you're happy, try everything. Everything we tried to make us happy includes getting close to feet, seeming downhearted, reducing the cost of sleeping, refusing an apology, not wanting to get involved, assaulting a temple with powerful waves of pure hate, owing thanks to a bishop, suppressing Rykros information, receiving a free speedboat from our girlfriend, shipping a three way, embracing happiness, pretending to hate our idiot daughters, spending our youth in prison, and ripping off Sailor Moon. This is no time for niceties. 00:00:00 Becoming A Father 00:02:05 Intro 00:05:05 WORLD TOUR Esper Mansion 00:09:00 WORLD TOUR Jut 00:15:44 WORLD TOUR Motavia 00:17:01 Return to Gumbious Temple 00:27:01 Return to Motavia 00:30:39 Guild Quest: Stain in Life 00:32:28 Exploring Uzo 00:39:11 Jail Girls 00:49:39 Real Net 00:52:38 Outro Patreon: patreon.com/retroam Bluesky : @retrogradeamnesia.bsky.social YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RetrogradeAmnesia E-Mail: podcast@retrogradeamnesia.com Website: www.retrogradeamnesia.com