Night in the Woods (Infinite Fall, 2017) challenges us in a lot of ways. The gameplay mechanics are a means to get you from one side of town to another and nothing more. The protagonist can be unlikable. The story is much more local than your standard "save the world" fare. And it's all the better for the direction it takes. Instead of a sweeping epic, we get a very emotional, personal, close-to-home look at a small slice of American life. And as a result, we get a very rich and interesting story, which is the main focus of this podcast.
\n\nGuest info: Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio podcast.
\n\nCorrection- In the episode I state that Charles Huettner and Sven Ruthner have music credits- they have animation credits, and I mixed up my notes. Oops!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\n\nYou can purchase the soundtrack here. Tracks used:
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) to discuss Infinite Fall's 2017 narrative adventure game, Night in the Woods.","date_published":"2024-11-20T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/fb11e291-f3c3-4a3a-8995-dd8445d66ff1.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87287902,"duration_in_seconds":8728}]},{"id":"15e36d91-04e5-428f-b8cc-bdbe55d4af57","title":"141: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (with Aaron Angle & Ryan Arrington)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/141","content_text":"Final Fantasy VII Remake started this epic remake project off with a bang, and it left us with a few questions, namely \"what will they do with Aerith?\" and \"how will they handle the more open world nature of the game post-Midgar?\". Both of those answers came in somewhat messy and/or convoluted forms, which I won't spoil here in the podcast description, but it's a good thing we have nearly 3 hours of podcast here to discuss it all!\n\nGuest info: Aaron Angle of [A Top 3 Podcast](atop3podcast.fireside.fm) & Ryan Arrington.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:24\nStory Setup 13:39\nStory, continued 32:51\nPresentation 49:24\nCombat/Open World 1:03:07\nMinigames 1:25:03\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:32:02\nSPOILER WALL/Patreon Thank-Yous 1:38:31\n\nMusic used in the episode:\nMain Theme of FFVII - Battle Edit (Nobuo Uematsu)\nNibelheim Train Graveyard Theme (Nobuo Uematsu)\nEager SOLDIER (Nobuo Uematsu, Shotaro Shima)\nThe Gold Saucer - Night Out with Tifa (Nobuo Uematsu)\nMidgardsormr (Nobuo Uematsu, Yoshitaka Suzuki)\nQueen's Blood (Mitsuto Suzuki, Junnosuke Usui)\nFiddle de Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu)\nCosmo Canyon - Sanctum of Planetology (Nobuo Uematsu)\nAerith's Theme - The White Materia (Nobuo Uematsu)\nJ-E-N-O-V-A - Tenacity (Nobuo Uematsu)\nAerith's Theme - Return to the Planet (Nobuo Uematsu)\n\nYou can purchase the soundtrack via Square Enix.\n\nCheck out Dave talking about Final Fantasy and modern RPGs on Fine Time and Crossplay Conversations podcasts this week!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Final Fantasy VII Remake started this epic remake project off with a bang, and it left us with a few questions, namely "what will they do with Aerith?" and "how will they handle the more open world nature of the game post-Midgar?". Both of those answers came in somewhat messy and/or convoluted forms, which I won't spoil here in the podcast description, but it's a good thing we have nearly 3 hours of podcast here to discuss it all!
\n\nGuest info: Aaron Angle of [A Top 3 Podcast](atop3podcast.fireside.fm) & Ryan Arrington.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:24
\nStory Setup 13:39
\nStory, continued 32:51
\nPresentation 49:24
\nCombat/Open World 1:03:07
\nMinigames 1:25:03
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:32:02
\nSPOILER WALL/Patreon Thank-Yous 1:38:31
Music used in the episode:
\nMain Theme of FFVII - Battle Edit (Nobuo Uematsu)
\nNibelheim Train Graveyard Theme (Nobuo Uematsu)
\nEager SOLDIER (Nobuo Uematsu, Shotaro Shima)
\nThe Gold Saucer - Night Out with Tifa (Nobuo Uematsu)
\nMidgardsormr (Nobuo Uematsu, Yoshitaka Suzuki)
\nQueen's Blood (Mitsuto Suzuki, Junnosuke Usui)
\nFiddle de Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu)
\nCosmo Canyon - Sanctum of Planetology (Nobuo Uematsu)
\nAerith's Theme - The White Materia (Nobuo Uematsu)
\nJ-E-N-O-V-A - Tenacity (Nobuo Uematsu)
\nAerith's Theme - Return to the Planet (Nobuo Uematsu)
You can purchase the soundtrack via Square Enix.
\n\nCheck out Dave talking about Final Fantasy and modern RPGs on Fine Time and Crossplay Conversations podcasts this week!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle (A Top 3 Podcast) and Ryan Arrington to discuss part 2 of Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. ","date_published":"2024-11-13T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/15e36d91-04e5-428f-b8cc-bdbe55d4af57.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":83243466,"duration_in_seconds":10405}]},{"id":"c358a371-ff8a-4d09-8f17-112317bf0a80","title":"...On Backlogs (with Matt aka Stormageddon & Marcus Stewart)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/backlogs","content_text":"To celebrate 3 years of Tales from the Backlog, I figured it was time to talk about the namesake of the show- The Backlog. Do we get FOMO as dozens of great games release every year? Do we feel pressure to complete the games we buy? What's the best approach to keep our habits healthy? All this and much more in this discussion episode!\n\nGuest info: \n\n\nMatt aka Stormageddon of \"Fun\" and Games and Reignite podcasts. \nMarcus Stewart of The Indie Informer. Find Marcus on Twitter and Twitch.\n\n\nMusic used in the episode: \n\n\nPandora's Place (Yakuza 0)- SEGA Sound Team\nFrozen Soul (Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere)- Tetsukazu Nakanishi\nYoga (Wii Fit)- Toru Minegishi, Manaka Tominaga\n\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Retro Hangover discussing System Shock 2!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"To celebrate 3 years of Tales from the Backlog, I figured it was time to talk about the namesake of the show- The Backlog. Do we get FOMO as dozens of great games release every year? Do we feel pressure to complete the games we buy? What's the best approach to keep our habits healthy? All this and much more in this discussion episode!
\n\nGuest info:
\n\nMusic used in the episode:
\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Retro Hangover discussing System Shock 2!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon (\"Fun\" and Games, Reignite) and Marcus Stewart (Game Informer, The Indie Informer) to discuss backlogs and the ever-expanding number of games that are worthy of our time.","date_published":"2024-11-06T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c358a371-ff8a-4d09-8f17-112317bf0a80.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94027650,"duration_in_seconds":7835}]},{"id":"7248a153-49da-4618-99da-e1c34e0a6625","title":"Games I Played at GDEX 2024","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/gdex2024","content_text":"Here are the games I played at GDEX 2024 gaming convention in Columbus, Ohio! Games mentioned in the episode: \nSkate Fish\nTales of Thisrea\nZakumba: Astraia\nDark Sky\nDerelict\nMole Maiden\nQuiet On Set\nRA RA BOOM\n\nIntro/Outro music composed by Bert Cole- check them out at bitbybitsound.com\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Here are the games I played at GDEX 2024 gaming convention in Columbus, Ohio! Games mentioned in the episode:
\nSkate Fish
\nTales of Thisrea
\nZakumba: Astraia
\nDark Sky
\nDerelict
\nMole Maiden
\nQuiet On Set
\nRA RA BOOM
Intro/Outro music composed by Bert Cole- check them out at bitbybitsound.com
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave recounts the games he played at GDEX Gaming Convention 2024.","date_published":"2024-11-01T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/7248a153-49da-4618-99da-e1c34e0a6625.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":65597648,"duration_in_seconds":1639}]},{"id":"af62a566-043b-4613-81c9-2bbe3dc08d9e","title":"140: Decarnation (with Jala Prendes - Jala-chan's Place, The Level & Dave Cox - Monster Dear Monster)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/140","content_text":"Have you ever thought to yourself, \"how scary could this pixel art horror game be? It's just pixels!\". If so, you and I are the same. And granted, Decarnation (Atelier QDB, 2023) isn't an in-your-face type of horror. It's more of a psychological, empathetic horror and dread for what your character is going through. And it's very, very effective! This is a really unique horror game with fantastic pixel art, sound design and music- highly recommended!\n\nGuest info: Jala Prendes of Jala-chan's Place and The Level podcasts & Dave Cox of Monster Dear Monster podcast. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:23\nStory Setup/Theme Introductions 13:35\nPresentation 31:32\nGameplay 42:05\nSPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous 1:08:06\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to fleur et bleue, Akira Yamaoka, ALT 236 & AL 9000. You can support the artists by buying the soundtrack, part 1 and part 2.Tracks used: fleur et bleue - Tout Depend de Toi, Decarnation, Grolia, Orfevre De La Nuit, The Cell, Cracks in the Mask, Lizzy et Marco\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Have you ever thought to yourself, "how scary could this pixel art horror game be? It's just pixels!". If so, you and I are the same. And granted, Decarnation (Atelier QDB, 2023) isn't an in-your-face type of horror. It's more of a psychological, empathetic horror and dread for what your character is going through. And it's very, very effective! This is a really unique horror game with fantastic pixel art, sound design and music- highly recommended!
\n\nGuest info: Jala Prendes of Jala-chan's Place and The Level podcasts & Dave Cox of Monster Dear Monster podcast.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:23
\nStory Setup/Theme Introductions 13:35
\nPresentation 31:32
\nGameplay 42:05
\nSPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous 1:08:06
Music used in the episode is credited to fleur et bleue, Akira Yamaoka, ALT 236 & AL 9000. You can support the artists by buying the soundtrack, part 1 and part 2.Tracks used: fleur et bleue - Tout Depend de Toi, Decarnation, Grolia, Orfevre De La Nuit, The Cell, Cracks in the Mask, Lizzy et Marco
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jala Prendes (Jala-chan's Place, The Level) and Dave Cox (Monster Dear Monster) to discuss Atelier QDB's 2023 psychological horror game, Decarnation.","date_published":"2024-10-30T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/af62a566-043b-4613-81c9-2bbe3dc08d9e.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98995200,"duration_in_seconds":9899}]},{"id":"de32e6cc-76e9-4c3b-aa9d-5d4dfcda0955","title":"139: Devotion (with Jill Grodt - The Indie Informer)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/139","content_text":"Stop me if you've heard this story before. A game that I once thought would be too scary for me to play, so I spoiled the entire story for myself only to realize that it sounded too good to not experience for myself. Add Devotion (Red Candle Games, 2019) to that list. Despite the controversy surrounding the game and subsequent delisting from all major storefronts, this one is worth seeking you. You can purchase and download it directly from the Red Candle Games website. \n\nGuest Info: Jill Grodt, editor-in-chief of The Indie Informer and podcaster on The Indie Council podcast. Find more from Jill on YouTube and Twitch.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:26\nStory Setup/Gameplay 14:32\nHorror/Presentation 37:02\nSPOILER WALL 53:15\n\nContent warnings for Devotion\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Vincent Yang. You can support them by purchasing the album directly from the Red Candle Games website. Tracks used: Devotion, Lady of the Pier (Gong Li Fang), Come on! Have a Bite, A Way of No Return, Lady of the Pier (Du Mei Shin)\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Stop me if you've heard this story before. A game that I once thought would be too scary for me to play, so I spoiled the entire story for myself only to realize that it sounded too good to not experience for myself. Add Devotion (Red Candle Games, 2019) to that list. Despite the controversy surrounding the game and subsequent delisting from all major storefronts, this one is worth seeking you. You can purchase and download it directly from the Red Candle Games website.
\n\nGuest Info: Jill Grodt, editor-in-chief of The Indie Informer and podcaster on The Indie Council podcast. Find more from Jill on YouTube and Twitch.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:26
\nStory Setup/Gameplay 14:32
\nHorror/Presentation 37:02
\nSPOILER WALL 53:15
Music used in the episode is credited to Vincent Yang. You can support them by purchasing the album directly from the Red Candle Games website. Tracks used: Devotion, Lady of the Pier (Gong Li Fang), Come on! Have a Bite, A Way of No Return, Lady of the Pier (Du Mei Shin)
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jill Grodt from The Indie Informer to discuss Red Candle Games' 2019 first-person horror narrative, Devotion.","date_published":"2024-10-23T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/de32e6cc-76e9-4c3b-aa9d-5d4dfcda0955.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98049462,"duration_in_seconds":7003}]},{"id":"6121bfa5-8f3b-4b1d-913e-0ccb03713aa6","title":"138: Silent Hill (with Stephanie Klimov - Boss Rush Network)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/138","content_text":"As a fan of Silent Hill 2 (episode 10 of Tales from the Backlog, by the way), I figured at some point I would need to go back and play the original. Silent Hill (Team Silent, Konami, 1999) was really interesting to go back and play, for a couple of reasons, most notably that I thought I knew what the game and town's whole deal was, but that was apparently not the case in the first game. The other surprise was that I found this pretty breezy from a mechanical perspective, which was welcome after really struggling through Resident Evil 1. It was an interesting trip back through history, and led to a great conversation!\n\nGuest Info: Stephanie Klimov, podcaster and editor for Boss Rush Network\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories with Silent Hill/Opening Thoughts 0:21\nStory Setup 12:58\nPresentation 26:48\nGameplay 43:48\nClosing Thoughts/Plugs/Housekeeping 59:42\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:12\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Akira Yamaoka. Tracks used: Silent Hill, Led Into Madness, Meeting Cybil, No Dream, Tears of Blood, Dr. Kaufmann, Killing Time\n\nContent Warnings for Silent Hill\n\nCatch Dave on the Gaming Memories Podcast!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"As a fan of Silent Hill 2 (episode 10 of Tales from the Backlog, by the way), I figured at some point I would need to go back and play the original. Silent Hill (Team Silent, Konami, 1999) was really interesting to go back and play, for a couple of reasons, most notably that I thought I knew what the game and town's whole deal was, but that was apparently not the case in the first game. The other surprise was that I found this pretty breezy from a mechanical perspective, which was welcome after really struggling through Resident Evil 1. It was an interesting trip back through history, and led to a great conversation!
\n\nGuest Info: Stephanie Klimov, podcaster and editor for Boss Rush Network
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories with Silent Hill/Opening Thoughts 0:21
\nStory Setup 12:58
\nPresentation 26:48
\nGameplay 43:48
\nClosing Thoughts/Plugs/Housekeeping 59:42
\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:12
Music used in the episode is credited to Akira Yamaoka. Tracks used: Silent Hill, Led Into Madness, Meeting Cybil, No Dream, Tears of Blood, Dr. Kaufmann, Killing Time
\n\nContent Warnings for Silent Hill
\n\nCatch Dave on the Gaming Memories Podcast!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Stephanie Klimov from the Boss Rush podcast network to discuss Konami's landmark 1999 survival horror game, Silent Hill. ","date_published":"2024-10-16T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/6121bfa5-8f3b-4b1d-913e-0ccb03713aa6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92679679,"duration_in_seconds":6619}]},{"id":"9bff8ed5-c095-49bc-99fe-ab61837b3801","title":"137: Deadly Premonition (with Patrick & James - Retro Spectives)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/137","content_text":"There has been a lot of talk about the cult classic \"7/10 game\" lately, and no game better exemplifies this than Deadly Premonition (Access Games, 2010). It's one of those games where the average might land on 7/10 because there will be a lot of 10's and a lot of 3's in the review score distribution. Memorable characters, poor graphics, lifelike town, terrible combat, fun mystery and rough performance combine to create a very interesting game, to say the least.\n\nGuest info: James Tuerlings and Patrick Arthur of Retro Spectives podcast. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:32\nStory Setup/Twin Peaks Influence 14:40\nGameplay 42:03\nMusic/Presentation 1:15:51\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs 1:28:18\nSPOILER WALL 1:46:39\n\nPolygon interview with Deadly Premonition director Swery65.\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Riyou Kinugasa, Takuya Kobayashi and Hiromi Mizutani. Tracks used: Greenvale, FBI Special Agent, Found You!, Underground, The Woods and the Goddess, Raincoat Killer, Red Tree, The Goddess\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"There has been a lot of talk about the cult classic "7/10 game" lately, and no game better exemplifies this than Deadly Premonition (Access Games, 2010). It's one of those games where the average might land on 7/10 because there will be a lot of 10's and a lot of 3's in the review score distribution. Memorable characters, poor graphics, lifelike town, terrible combat, fun mystery and rough performance combine to create a very interesting game, to say the least.
\n\nGuest info: James Tuerlings and Patrick Arthur of Retro Spectives podcast.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:32
\nStory Setup/Twin Peaks Influence 14:40
\nGameplay 42:03
\nMusic/Presentation 1:15:51
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs 1:28:18
\nSPOILER WALL 1:46:39
Polygon interview with Deadly Premonition director Swery65.
\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Riyou Kinugasa, Takuya Kobayashi and Hiromi Mizutani. Tracks used: Greenvale, FBI Special Agent, Found You!, Underground, The Woods and the Goddess, Raincoat Killer, Red Tree, The Goddess
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Patrick Arthur and James Tuerlings from Retro Spectives to discuss Access Games' surreal 2010 survival horror game, Deadly Premonition.","date_published":"2024-10-09T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9bff8ed5-c095-49bc-99fe-ab61837b3801.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":101064882,"duration_in_seconds":10106}]},{"id":"95c6d778-1758-442e-b907-a9b926ce1aa9","title":"136: Omori (with Aaron Angle - A Top 3 Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/136","content_text":"Sometimes a game has such striking and memorable art that one screenshot will implant that game into your head, even if you never play it. Omori (Omocat, 2020) was almost one of those games for me. A combination of thinking the game would be too scary and having tons of other games available kept Omori on the periphery for a long time, until today's guest, Aaron, played it and kept (lovingly) pestering me to play it. And while I can't say that I loved every aspect of the experience, the story and presentation of mental health struggles were good enough to see me through to its emotional conclusion. I'm very glad I took Aaron's recommendation seriously, for once. \n\nGuest info: Aaron Angle of A Top 3 Podcast \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:23\nStory Setup/Themes 11:36\nPresentation/Music 30:35\nGameplay/Combat 41:12\nSPOILER WALL 59:52\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Bo En, Jami Lynn and Pedro Silva. You can support them by purchasing the album on Steam or Bandcamp! Tracks used: Title, WHITE SPACE, By Your Side, Tussle Among Trees, Trees..., World's End Valentine, OMORI, DUET\n\nContent warnings for Omori\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Pages of Play podcast!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and other podcast platforms! ","content_html":"Sometimes a game has such striking and memorable art that one screenshot will implant that game into your head, even if you never play it. Omori (Omocat, 2020) was almost one of those games for me. A combination of thinking the game would be too scary and having tons of other games available kept Omori on the periphery for a long time, until today's guest, Aaron, played it and kept (lovingly) pestering me to play it. And while I can't say that I loved every aspect of the experience, the story and presentation of mental health struggles were good enough to see me through to its emotional conclusion. I'm very glad I took Aaron's recommendation seriously, for once.
\n\nGuest info: Aaron Angle of A Top 3 Podcast
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:23
\nStory Setup/Themes 11:36
\nPresentation/Music 30:35
\nGameplay/Combat 41:12
\nSPOILER WALL 59:52
Music used in the episode is credited to Bo En, Jami Lynn and Pedro Silva. You can support them by purchasing the album on Steam or Bandcamp! Tracks used: Title, WHITE SPACE, By Your Side, Tussle Among Trees, Trees..., World's End Valentine, OMORI, DUET
\n\n\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Pages of Play podcast!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and other podcast platforms!
","summary":"Dave is joined by one of his A Top 3 Podcast co-hosts, Aaron Angle, to discuss Omocat's 2020 RPG, Omori.","date_published":"2024-10-02T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/95c6d778-1758-442e-b907-a9b926ce1aa9.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86239347,"duration_in_seconds":8623}]},{"id":"6dfb76a7-f136-403c-827b-1f43d2288788","title":"135: Lost Odyssey (with Ryan Batie - Lightning Strikes Thrice)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/135","content_text":"Lost Odyssey, by Mistwalker and feelplus, is almost legendary at this point. A darker, sadder RPG by Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, with a moody yet eclectic soundtrack by Final Fantasy series composer Nobuo Uematsu and short stories interspersed throughout by famed Japanese author Kiyoshi Shigematsu, there is pedigree and talent behind the game, and perhaps most crucially- you probably can't buy it, unless you own an Xbox console. Situations like this tend to lead to inflation of a game's merits, not to mention all of the \"this is the real Final Fantasy 13\" memes out there. So does Lost Odyssey live up to its mythical reputation? Tune in to find out!\n\nGuest Info: Ryan Batie (they/them) of Lightning Strikes Thrice, a JRPG play along podcast. Check them out at their website or on your favorite podcast app, and support them via Patreon for bonus shows including Icons & Eikons, a Final Fantasy XIV play along podcast.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:35\nStory Setup 16:48\nPacing/Game Length 42:06\nPresentation/Music 53:24\nCombat/Gameplay 1:05:46\nSPOILER WALL 1:45:40\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Nobuo Uematsu. Tracks used: Prologue, Battlefield, Neverending Journey, A Formidable Enemy Appears!, The Gun Barrel Battle, Main Theme, Howl of the Departed, An Immortal Life\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Lost Odyssey, by Mistwalker and feelplus, is almost legendary at this point. A darker, sadder RPG by Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, with a moody yet eclectic soundtrack by Final Fantasy series composer Nobuo Uematsu and short stories interspersed throughout by famed Japanese author Kiyoshi Shigematsu, there is pedigree and talent behind the game, and perhaps most crucially- you probably can't buy it, unless you own an Xbox console. Situations like this tend to lead to inflation of a game's merits, not to mention all of the "this is the real Final Fantasy 13" memes out there. So does Lost Odyssey live up to its mythical reputation? Tune in to find out!
\n\nGuest Info: Ryan Batie (they/them) of Lightning Strikes Thrice, a JRPG play along podcast. Check them out at their website or on your favorite podcast app, and support them via Patreon for bonus shows including Icons & Eikons, a Final Fantasy XIV play along podcast.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:35
\nStory Setup 16:48
\nPacing/Game Length 42:06
\nPresentation/Music 53:24
\nCombat/Gameplay 1:05:46
\nSPOILER WALL 1:45:40
Music used in the episode is credited to Nobuo Uematsu. Tracks used: Prologue, Battlefield, Neverending Journey, A Formidable Enemy Appears!, The Gun Barrel Battle, Main Theme, Howl of the Departed, An Immortal Life
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Batie from Lightning Strikes Thrice to discuss Mistwalker's 2008 RPG for the Xbox 360, Lost Odyssey.","date_published":"2024-09-25T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/6dfb76a7-f136-403c-827b-1f43d2288788.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":83255796,"duration_in_seconds":10406}]},{"id":"5c8271b1-c99f-45ad-84ae-3bf9936dc51f","title":"134: A Space for the Unbound (with CGDannyB)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/134","content_text":"Friends of the show probably know that I love games (especially indie games) set in \"uncommon\" real world settings- those outside of the US, Japan and Western Europe. Mojiken Studio's 2023 title A Space for the Unbound is one of those, set in Indonesia. That was the draw for me- an emotional story set in a place that I've been in real life. I didn't quite know what kind of emotional story lay in wait for me though, and despite a bumpy road, the way this story pays off and executes on its promise was truly remarkable. In the podcast we discuss the highs and lows, how gameplay affects the pacing, and much more!\n\nGuest info: CGDannyB (he/him)- streamer on Twitch, YouTube creator and host of Playlog Podcast!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:35\nStory Setup/Pacing 11:41\nPresentation 33:19\nGameplay 41:53\nSPOILER WALL 1:02:13\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Masdito \"Ittou\" Bachtiar, Christabel Annora and Bambang Iswanto. You can support them by purchasing the OST on Steam. Tracks used: A Tales from Far Away, School Life, Inner World, Don't Have Much Choice, Tip of the Knife, The Girl on the Bridge, An Ode to Life\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on the King of Games 1996 semifinal match between Super Mario 64 and Quake!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Friends of the show probably know that I love games (especially indie games) set in "uncommon" real world settings- those outside of the US, Japan and Western Europe. Mojiken Studio's 2023 title A Space for the Unbound is one of those, set in Indonesia. That was the draw for me- an emotional story set in a place that I've been in real life. I didn't quite know what kind of emotional story lay in wait for me though, and despite a bumpy road, the way this story pays off and executes on its promise was truly remarkable. In the podcast we discuss the highs and lows, how gameplay affects the pacing, and much more!
\n\nGuest info: CGDannyB (he/him)- streamer on Twitch, YouTube creator and host of Playlog Podcast!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:35
\nStory Setup/Pacing 11:41
\nPresentation 33:19
\nGameplay 41:53
\nSPOILER WALL 1:02:13
Music used in the episode is credited to Masdito "Ittou" Bachtiar, Christabel Annora and Bambang Iswanto. You can support them by purchasing the OST on Steam. Tracks used: A Tales from Far Away, School Life, Inner World, Don't Have Much Choice, Tip of the Knife, The Girl on the Bridge, An Ode to Life
\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on the King of Games 1996 semifinal match between Super Mario 64 and Quake!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by streamer, YouTube creator and PlayLog Podcast host CGDannyB to discuss Mojiken Studios' 2023 suburban fantasy adventure narrative, A Space for the Unbound.","date_published":"2024-09-18T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/5c8271b1-c99f-45ad-84ae-3bf9936dc51f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89180473,"duration_in_seconds":7431}]},{"id":"6b336426-8734-43d3-a2cc-1ee446968ea2","title":"133: Final Fantasy IV (with Chris Coplien - Retro Hangover & Jenny E.)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/133","content_text":"Final Fantasy is one of the most well-represented series on this podcast, and its anthology structure means you can pick and choose which games you want to play without fear of playing out of order. So this year, I wanted to make sure I played a foundational one- Final Fantasy IV. I expected this to be the turning point where Square and the Final Fantasy team started to prioritize story and characters, and you can really see their attempts here, including some cool marriages of gameplay and narrative that later games no longer do. I really enjoyed my time with this one and was happy to bring together an all-star group of guests to chat about it!\n\nJoining me for the discussion are Chris Coplien of Retro Hangover podcast, which you should [check out](linktr.ee/retrohangover) for retro gaming podcasts as well as the yearly King of Games tournament, and Jenny E., who is a writer and podcaster. You can find her Final Fantasy IV fan fiction and other writing HERE, and check out her Wordlessly podcast as well!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:05\nStory Setup/Themes/Characters 17:09\nVisuals/Music 40:11\nCombat 52:18\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs 1:07:57\nSPOILER WALL 1:18:00\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Nobuo Uematsu and Square. Tracks used: The Prelude, Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV, Red Wings, Theme of Love, Mystic Mysidia, Fight 1, Chocobo-Chocobo, Prologue, Mt. Ordeals, The Final Battle, Fanfare\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Pixel Project Radio's series about 1000xRESIST!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Final Fantasy is one of the most well-represented series on this podcast, and its anthology structure means you can pick and choose which games you want to play without fear of playing out of order. So this year, I wanted to make sure I played a foundational one- Final Fantasy IV. I expected this to be the turning point where Square and the Final Fantasy team started to prioritize story and characters, and you can really see their attempts here, including some cool marriages of gameplay and narrative that later games no longer do. I really enjoyed my time with this one and was happy to bring together an all-star group of guests to chat about it!
\n\nJoining me for the discussion are Chris Coplien of Retro Hangover podcast, which you should [check out](linktr.ee/retrohangover) for retro gaming podcasts as well as the yearly King of Games tournament, and Jenny E., who is a writer and podcaster. You can find her Final Fantasy IV fan fiction and other writing HERE, and check out her Wordlessly podcast as well!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:05
\nStory Setup/Themes/Characters 17:09
\nVisuals/Music 40:11
\nCombat 52:18
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs 1:07:57
\nSPOILER WALL 1:18:00
Music used in the episode is credited to Nobuo Uematsu and Square. Tracks used: The Prelude, Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV, Red Wings, Theme of Love, Mystic Mysidia, Fight 1, Chocobo-Chocobo, Prologue, Mt. Ordeals, The Final Battle, Fanfare
\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Pixel Project Radio's series about 1000xRESIST!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Coplien (Retro Hangover) and writer Jenny E. to discuss Square's 1991 entry in its flagship series, Final Fantasy IV.","date_published":"2024-09-11T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/6b336426-8734-43d3-a2cc-1ee446968ea2.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87375412,"duration_in_seconds":8737}]},{"id":"9d3baac3-df4e-4a37-ae1e-a34f303840f9","title":"132: Pony Island (with Chris - 1H1D)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/132","content_text":"Do you ever feel like you missed the boat on a game? Maybe it was really influential and subsequent games used its \"trick\"? Maybe you wonder if that OG still has the juice even though you couldn't possibly go into the game completely blind? These were the thoughts running through my mind as I booted up Pony Island by Daniel Mullins Games for the first time in 2024. I'm happy to say that despite I'll never get the \"true\" experience, Pony Island has a lot more going for it than mere gimmicks. This is a game that actually has something to say, and I'm glad that I played it. \n\nJoining me for the discussion about Pony Island is Chris, one half of the 1 Hour, 1 Decision (1H1D) podcast. Along with his co-host Tom, Chris picks a random game on Xbox Game Pass, plays for an hour, and does a podcast about that experience and whether they want to keep playing. It's a good show, and you can find it on your favorite podcast app or HERE!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:51\nStory Setup/Themes 12:52\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 31:17\nSPOILER WALL 39:02\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Jonah Senzel. You can support them by purchasing the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Louey's Playhouse, Pony Island, Enter Pony, The Machine, Adventure Awry, The Island, Escape, Hop, Skip and a Neigh\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Pixel Project Radio about 1000xRESIST!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Do you ever feel like you missed the boat on a game? Maybe it was really influential and subsequent games used its "trick"? Maybe you wonder if that OG still has the juice even though you couldn't possibly go into the game completely blind? These were the thoughts running through my mind as I booted up Pony Island by Daniel Mullins Games for the first time in 2024. I'm happy to say that despite I'll never get the "true" experience, Pony Island has a lot more going for it than mere gimmicks. This is a game that actually has something to say, and I'm glad that I played it.
\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Pony Island is Chris, one half of the 1 Hour, 1 Decision (1H1D) podcast. Along with his co-host Tom, Chris picks a random game on Xbox Game Pass, plays for an hour, and does a podcast about that experience and whether they want to keep playing. It's a good show, and you can find it on your favorite podcast app or HERE!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:51
\nStory Setup/Themes 12:52
\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 31:17
\nSPOILER WALL 39:02
Music used in the episode is credited to Jonah Senzel. You can support them by purchasing the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Louey's Playhouse, Pony Island, Enter Pony, The Machine, Adventure Awry, The Island, Escape, Hop, Skip and a Neigh
\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on Pixel Project Radio about 1000xRESIST!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris (1 Hour, 1 Decision) to discuss Pony Island, the breakout meta comedy game by Daniel Mullins Games.","date_published":"2024-09-04T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9d3baac3-df4e-4a37-ae1e-a34f303840f9.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":71875656,"duration_in_seconds":5133}]},{"id":"f734b502-a3de-4020-aa07-de965dd946d1","title":"131: Animal Well (with Jenny Windom - Geeks & Grounds)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/131","content_text":"Animal Well, by Billy Basso/Shared Memory came out of nowhere. For me, and I think a lot of others, the initial announcement was more of a shock that videogamedunkey had started the BigMode publishing company than excitement about the game being published. Once people got their hands on Animal Well, however, all skepticism or publicity about dunkey publishing games went out the window- Animal Well is an absolute treat and captivated so many of us in the weeks following its launch. It's the kind of game that begs people to get together and share what they discovered, and luckily for me, I have a podcast where I can do just that!\n\nJoining me for the discussion is Jenny Windom, host of Geeks & Grounds podcast, organizer and host of Wholesome Games and much more around the industry. Geeks & Grounds is a games club podcast that is fun and insightful to play along with, which you should check out at their website, and keep up with Wholesome games by going to their website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:43\nStory Setup/Mysteries/Presentation 16:11\nGameplay/Exploration/Experimentation 35:13\nSPOILER WALL 1:05:26\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Shared Memory. Tracks used: Dawn Chorus, Animal Well, Flames, Burrows, Manticore, Rabbit Hole, Time Capsule\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Animal Well, by Billy Basso/Shared Memory came out of nowhere. For me, and I think a lot of others, the initial announcement was more of a shock that videogamedunkey had started the BigMode publishing company than excitement about the game being published. Once people got their hands on Animal Well, however, all skepticism or publicity about dunkey publishing games went out the window- Animal Well is an absolute treat and captivated so many of us in the weeks following its launch. It's the kind of game that begs people to get together and share what they discovered, and luckily for me, I have a podcast where I can do just that!
\n\nJoining me for the discussion is Jenny Windom, host of Geeks & Grounds podcast, organizer and host of Wholesome Games and much more around the industry. Geeks & Grounds is a games club podcast that is fun and insightful to play along with, which you should check out at their website, and keep up with Wholesome games by going to their website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:43
\nStory Setup/Mysteries/Presentation 16:11
\nGameplay/Exploration/Experimentation 35:13
\nSPOILER WALL 1:05:26
Music used in the episode is credited to Shared Memory. Tracks used: Dawn Chorus, Animal Well, Flames, Burrows, Manticore, Rabbit Hole, Time Capsule
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jenny Windom (Geeks & Grounds) to discuss Billy Basso's exploration and secret-focused metroidvania, Animal Well.","date_published":"2024-08-28T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f734b502-a3de-4020-aa07-de965dd946d1.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93294759,"duration_in_seconds":7774}]},{"id":"e14d5f19-6905-40c2-9fab-990f574e8058","title":"130: Dave the Diver (with Dave Cox - Monster Dear Monster)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/130","content_text":"Dave the Diver, despite clearly having a great character name, is not my kind of game. Mintrocket's dive-collect-sell-upgrade-dive loop is one that I'm not very motivated by, but Dave the Diver got such unanimous acclaim that I had to take note. And apparently the patrons of the show wanted me to play it as well, because it won one of the montly polls. And this was an interesting episode to make, because I absolutely despise this game. Part of a critic's challenge is articulating why something hits or misses, and usually I'm on the other side of that challenge. Today is a different story. Listen in and find out why!\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Dave the Diver is Dave Cox of Monster Dear Monster podcast. Monster Dear Monster is a monster- and horror-focused podcast covering all types of media and the monsters, history and folklore within. It's a great show, and you should check it out by finding it on your favorite podcast app or on their show website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:02\nStory Setup 19:53\nMusic/Visuals 42:14\nDiving/Restaurant Gameplay 51:39\nGameplay \"Shake Ups\"/Closing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:11:14\nSPOILER WALL 1:43:12\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Jukio Kallio and D'Anthoni Wooten. You can purchase the album as DLC on Steam. Tracks used: Deep, Ocean Peace, Diver, Serve Sushi Serve!, Darker Trenches, Restaurant Prep, Welcome to My Bistro\n\nCheck out Dave's appearance on the Final Fantasy Fantasy Draft over on Still Loading podcast!\n\nCheck out Dave's appearance on Jala-chan's Place, discussing weight and body image!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave the Diver, despite clearly having a great character name, is not my kind of game. Mintrocket's dive-collect-sell-upgrade-dive loop is one that I'm not very motivated by, but Dave the Diver got such unanimous acclaim that I had to take note. And apparently the patrons of the show wanted me to play it as well, because it won one of the montly polls. And this was an interesting episode to make, because I absolutely despise this game. Part of a critic's challenge is articulating why something hits or misses, and usually I'm on the other side of that challenge. Today is a different story. Listen in and find out why!
\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Dave the Diver is Dave Cox of Monster Dear Monster podcast. Monster Dear Monster is a monster- and horror-focused podcast covering all types of media and the monsters, history and folklore within. It's a great show, and you should check it out by finding it on your favorite podcast app or on their show website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:02
\nStory Setup 19:53
\nMusic/Visuals 42:14
\nDiving/Restaurant Gameplay 51:39
\nGameplay "Shake Ups"/Closing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:11:14
\nSPOILER WALL 1:43:12
Music used in the episode is credited to Jukio Kallio and D'Anthoni Wooten. You can purchase the album as DLC on Steam. Tracks used: Deep, Ocean Peace, Diver, Serve Sushi Serve!, Darker Trenches, Restaurant Prep, Welcome to My Bistro
\n\nCheck out Dave's appearance on the Final Fantasy Fantasy Draft over on Still Loading podcast!
\n\nCheck out Dave's appearance on Jala-chan's Place, discussing weight and body image!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Dave Cox (Monster Dear Monster) to discuss MintRocket's scuba diving/restaurant management hybrid, Dave the Diver.","date_published":"2024-08-21T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e14d5f19-6905-40c2-9fab-990f574e8058.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93787846,"duration_in_seconds":7815}]},{"id":"9fe62bf0-4d3e-4eea-8642-a4107fbdf9ee","title":"129: Pizza Tower (with Aaron Klaassen - Super Pod Saga)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/129","content_text":"Since Nintendo has apparently decided that Wario Land is a series not worth pursuing, we find ourselves telling that familiar story where an indie developer says \"ok, they're not making the game I want to play any more....guess it's up to me!\". Enter developer Tour De Pizza and their love letter to Wario Land, Sonic the Hedgehog and all manner of 1990s cartoons, Pizza Tower. That set of inspirations creates a high bar to reach, but Pizza Tower clears that bar by several pepperoni lengths. It's fast, it's fluid, it allows you to create your own level of challenge, the animation captures that older cartoon style, and the music is incredible. Pizza Tower was a treat to play.\n\nJoining me to discuss Pizza Tower is returning guest Aaron Klaassen of Super Pod Saga. Super Pod Saga is a topic-based gaming podcast, with lots of fun guests going through topics like favorite metroidvanias, console retrospectives, and much more. You can find all of the Super Pod Network's podcasts and writing on the network website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:31\nStory Setup/Visuals 10:02\nMusic 21:03\nGameplay 27:22\nGameplay, continued 36:21\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Closing Thoughts 46:29\nNO SPOILER SECTION\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Post Elvis, Ronan \"Mr. Sauceman\" de Castel and ClascyJitto. You can support the artists by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Pizza Deluxe, Time for a Smackdown, Dungeon Freakshow, It's Pizza Time!, Oregano Mirage, Hot Spaghetti, Mondays\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Since Nintendo has apparently decided that Wario Land is a series not worth pursuing, we find ourselves telling that familiar story where an indie developer says "ok, they're not making the game I want to play any more....guess it's up to me!". Enter developer Tour De Pizza and their love letter to Wario Land, Sonic the Hedgehog and all manner of 1990s cartoons, Pizza Tower. That set of inspirations creates a high bar to reach, but Pizza Tower clears that bar by several pepperoni lengths. It's fast, it's fluid, it allows you to create your own level of challenge, the animation captures that older cartoon style, and the music is incredible. Pizza Tower was a treat to play.
\n\nJoining me to discuss Pizza Tower is returning guest Aaron Klaassen of Super Pod Saga. Super Pod Saga is a topic-based gaming podcast, with lots of fun guests going through topics like favorite metroidvanias, console retrospectives, and much more. You can find all of the Super Pod Network's podcasts and writing on the network website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:31
\nStory Setup/Visuals 10:02
\nMusic 21:03
\nGameplay 27:22
\nGameplay, continued 36:21
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Closing Thoughts 46:29
\nNO SPOILER SECTION
Music used in the episode is credited to Post Elvis, Ronan "Mr. Sauceman" de Castel and ClascyJitto. You can support the artists by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Pizza Deluxe, Time for a Smackdown, Dungeon Freakshow, It's Pizza Time!, Oregano Mirage, Hot Spaghetti, Mondays
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Klaassen from Super Pod Saga to discuss Tour de Pizza's frenetic, cartoony platformer, Pizza Tower.","date_published":"2024-08-14T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9fe62bf0-4d3e-4eea-8642-a4107fbdf9ee.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96360594,"duration_in_seconds":3441}]},{"id":"4104c078-20d5-45f2-af0b-24c0b8599e13","title":"128: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (with Deadbeatpunk - WTFDYW!?)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/128","content_text":"I am FINALLY caught up with Ryu Ga Gotoku and Sega's Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, and let me tell you, it feels great to play the games as they release now. This time, in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Ichiban, Kiryu and friends take on the streets of Honolulu. This episode talks about the new story, the unique logistical challenge that the non-Japanese setting presented, giant sharks, baby fetish men making snow, and much more. \n\nJoining me for the discussion is DeadbeatPunk, the nicest man on the internet and host of WTFDYW?! podcast. Each episode of WTFDYW?! is a half hour topic discussion about something in particular that the guest wants, whether it be talking about a particular game or type of game, a TV show or a band. It's always a fun listen and it respects your time, and you can find it by going to this website.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49\nStory Setup 13:50\nPresentation 42:42\nGameplay/Combat 45:58\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:04:13\nSPOILER WALL 1:09:06\n\nMusic featured in the episode is credited to Chihiro Aoki, Keitaro Hanada, Hyd Lunch, Hidenori Shoji, Yuri Fukuda, Saori Yoshida, 83key, and Rintaro Soma. Tracks used: Hawaiian Sunshine, Yokohama Sunset, Crashing Waves, Judgement -Shinpan- Hero Spec Edition, The Oncoming Storm, Dondoko Island, Apathy 2, Eternal Warrior, The Endless World, The Epic Remains, Vacation Ends\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on the Boss Rush Podcast!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"I am FINALLY caught up with Ryu Ga Gotoku and Sega's Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, and let me tell you, it feels great to play the games as they release now. This time, in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Ichiban, Kiryu and friends take on the streets of Honolulu. This episode talks about the new story, the unique logistical challenge that the non-Japanese setting presented, giant sharks, baby fetish men making snow, and much more.
\n\nJoining me for the discussion is DeadbeatPunk, the nicest man on the internet and host of WTFDYW?! podcast. Each episode of WTFDYW?! is a half hour topic discussion about something in particular that the guest wants, whether it be talking about a particular game or type of game, a TV show or a band. It's always a fun listen and it respects your time, and you can find it by going to this website.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49
\nStory Setup 13:50
\nPresentation 42:42
\nGameplay/Combat 45:58
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:04:13
\nSPOILER WALL 1:09:06
Music featured in the episode is credited to Chihiro Aoki, Keitaro Hanada, Hyd Lunch, Hidenori Shoji, Yuri Fukuda, Saori Yoshida, 83key, and Rintaro Soma. Tracks used: Hawaiian Sunshine, Yokohama Sunset, Crashing Waves, Judgement -Shinpan- Hero Spec Edition, The Oncoming Storm, Dondoko Island, Apathy 2, Eternal Warrior, The Endless World, The Epic Remains, Vacation Ends
\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on the Boss Rush Podcast!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Deadbeatpunk from WTFDYW!? to discuss Ryu Ga Gotoku's latest in the long running Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.","date_published":"2024-08-07T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4104c078-20d5-45f2-af0b-24c0b8599e13.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86205649,"duration_in_seconds":8620}]},{"id":"cdda9405-31e8-46ec-8b9d-9976e69e46ce","title":"127: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (with Katie Lesperance - Left Behind Game Club)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/127","content_text":"Continuing along my journey of playing Konami and Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series, next up is Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This is the one that is most often held up as the greatest in the series, and I can absolutely see why. It's not without flaws- it's still clunky to play and continues the trend of no Metal Gear Solid game having normal pacing, but I greatly enjoyed my experience with it. We also discussed some things we would like to see in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta remake.\n\nJoining me for this discussion is Katie Lesperance of Left Behind Game Club and Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie & TV Podcast. Both of those shows are worth your time if you like the pitch, and you can find them both on your favorite podcast app or by following these links: Left Behind Game Club Cutscenes\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:52\nStory Setup/Theme Intros/Male Gaze/Pacing 14:49\nPresentation 41:17\nStealth/Survival Gameplay 48:18\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:17:38\nSPOILER WALL 1:26:17\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Harry Gregson-Williams and Norihiko Hibino. Tracks used: Battle in the Jungle, Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid Main Theme, Virtuous Mission, Battle in the Jungle, Salty Catfish, The Boss \"Snake Eater\", Debriefing, Metal Gear Solid Main Theme \"Reprise\"\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Continuing along my journey of playing Konami and Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series, next up is Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This is the one that is most often held up as the greatest in the series, and I can absolutely see why. It's not without flaws- it's still clunky to play and continues the trend of no Metal Gear Solid game having normal pacing, but I greatly enjoyed my experience with it. We also discussed some things we would like to see in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta remake.
\n\nJoining me for this discussion is Katie Lesperance of Left Behind Game Club and Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie & TV Podcast. Both of those shows are worth your time if you like the pitch, and you can find them both on your favorite podcast app or by following these links: Left Behind Game Club Cutscenes
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:52
\nStory Setup/Theme Intros/Male Gaze/Pacing 14:49
\nPresentation 41:17
\nStealth/Survival Gameplay 48:18
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:17:38
\nSPOILER WALL 1:26:17
Music used in the episode is credited to Harry Gregson-Williams and Norihiko Hibino. Tracks used: Battle in the Jungle, Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid Main Theme, Virtuous Mission, Battle in the Jungle, Salty Catfish, The Boss "Snake Eater", Debriefing, Metal Gear Solid Main Theme "Reprise"
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Katie Lesperance (Left Behind Game Club) to discuss Konami and Hideo Kojima's highly acclaimed 2004 stealth action game, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. ","date_published":"2024-07-31T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/cdda9405-31e8-46ec-8b9d-9976e69e46ce.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88957388,"duration_in_seconds":8895}]},{"id":"83d006e6-138b-4caa-a7f3-0aafb6cc1b74","title":"126: Cocoon (with Brenden Groom - Pass the Controller)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/126","content_text":"Every now and then, I want to take a break from story-focused games and just play a puzzle-ass puzzle game. Geometric Interactive's Cocoon was just what the doctor ordered, from that perspective. But Cocoon's world hinted at a deeper story, one that seems inaccessible yet present, and that left me with a feeling of want, despite how great the puzzle experience was. Listen to the episode for more! And also a big shoutout to patron Matt aka Stormageddon for submitting this game into the poll it ended up winning! Thanks Matt!\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Cocoon is Brenden Groom from Pass the Controller. Pass the Controller is a great spot for chat about what's going on in the world of video games and other nerd culture, as well as interesting cocktail mixes to pair with your favorite games. You can check them out at their website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:53\nStory Setup/Puzzle Gameplay 11:16\nVisuals/Music 37:14\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 48:14\nSPOILER WALL 58:42\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Jakob Schmid. You can purchase the soundtrack on Steam to support the artist! Tracks used in the episode: Signal, Cosmic Mystery, A Dance in Phases, Leviathan, Journey II, Spheres\n\nCheck out friend of the show Flora Merigold's written review of Cocoon on Epilogue Gaming!\nListen to Dave's appearance on Retro Hangover's [King of Games 1996](linktr.ee/retrohangover)!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Every now and then, I want to take a break from story-focused games and just play a puzzle-ass puzzle game. Geometric Interactive's Cocoon was just what the doctor ordered, from that perspective. But Cocoon's world hinted at a deeper story, one that seems inaccessible yet present, and that left me with a feeling of want, despite how great the puzzle experience was. Listen to the episode for more! And also a big shoutout to patron Matt aka Stormageddon for submitting this game into the poll it ended up winning! Thanks Matt!
\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Cocoon is Brenden Groom from Pass the Controller. Pass the Controller is a great spot for chat about what's going on in the world of video games and other nerd culture, as well as interesting cocktail mixes to pair with your favorite games. You can check them out at their website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:53
\nStory Setup/Puzzle Gameplay 11:16
\nVisuals/Music 37:14
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 48:14
\nSPOILER WALL 58:42
Music used in the episode is credited to Jakob Schmid. You can purchase the soundtrack on Steam to support the artist! Tracks used in the episode: Signal, Cosmic Mystery, A Dance in Phases, Leviathan, Journey II, Spheres
\n\nCheck out friend of the show Flora Merigold's written review of Cocoon on Epilogue Gaming!
\nListen to Dave's appearance on Retro Hangover's [King of Games 1996](linktr.ee/retrohangover)!
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Brenden Groom (Pass the Controller) to discuss Geometric Interactive's mind-bending 2023 puzzle game, Cocoon.","date_published":"2024-07-24T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/83d006e6-138b-4caa-a7f3-0aafb6cc1b74.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":90655869,"duration_in_seconds":4532}]},{"id":"1a9d1f52-6896-4b71-81f3-364ff568dc7b","title":"Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (Preview) (with Charlie Young)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/eldenringsote","content_text":"In this bonus episode, I'm joined by returning guest Charlie Young to discuss FromSoftware's Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The public feed includes roughly the first half of the episode, and all paid members at [patreon.com/realdavejackson](patreon.com/realdavejackson) will get the entire discussion.\n\nThis is a full spoiler discussion, though the spoilers really start flying at about the 22:00 mark.\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In this bonus episode, I'm joined by returning guest Charlie Young to discuss FromSoftware's Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The public feed includes roughly the first half of the episode, and all paid members at [patreon.com/realdavejackson](patreon.com/realdavejackson) will get the entire discussion.
\n\nThis is a full spoiler discussion, though the spoilers really start flying at about the 22:00 mark.
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"In this bonus episode of Tales from the Backlog, Dave and guest Charlie Young discuss Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. FromSoftware have done it again (take that as you may)! ","date_published":"2024-07-21T14:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/1a9d1f52-6896-4b71-81f3-364ff568dc7b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":100751568,"duration_in_seconds":4197}]},{"id":"9a147aca-be79-42cf-a374-b8c1709e113f","title":"125: Gris (with Eric Gess - The Unlockables)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/125","content_text":"I was convinced to try out Gris after seeing a single screenshot, but in true gamer fashion, I bought it a few years before finally playing it. It took the backlog resolutions challenge in our Discord server to finally get me to play it, and unsurprisingly, I was hooked by what Nomada Studio had created immediately. The marriage of art, music, gameplay and color take you on a journey through the main character's struggle in a way that only a video game can do.\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Gris is Eric Gess, host of The Unlockables, which he bills as \"The story of video games, the people who play them, and the memories we make along the way\". You can check out his podcast and YouTube channel for interviews with creators, monologues about the industry, a long-running story breakdown of the Kingdom Hearts series, and much more. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:09\nStory Setup/Gameplay 13:20\nVisuals/Music 29:31\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 38:31\nSPOILER WALL 48:31\n\nMusic used in the podcast is credited to Berlinist. You can support them by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Gris, pt. 1, Debris, Perseverance, Komorebi, Chiasm, Opaque, Karasu, Gris, pt. 2, In Your Hands\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"I was convinced to try out Gris after seeing a single screenshot, but in true gamer fashion, I bought it a few years before finally playing it. It took the backlog resolutions challenge in our Discord server to finally get me to play it, and unsurprisingly, I was hooked by what Nomada Studio had created immediately. The marriage of art, music, gameplay and color take you on a journey through the main character's struggle in a way that only a video game can do.
\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Gris is Eric Gess, host of The Unlockables, which he bills as "The story of video games, the people who play them, and the memories we make along the way". You can check out his podcast and YouTube channel for interviews with creators, monologues about the industry, a long-running story breakdown of the Kingdom Hearts series, and much more.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:09
\nStory Setup/Gameplay 13:20
\nVisuals/Music 29:31
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 38:31
\nSPOILER WALL 48:31
Music used in the podcast is credited to Berlinist. You can support them by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Gris, pt. 1, Debris, Perseverance, Komorebi, Chiasm, Opaque, Karasu, Gris, pt. 2, In Your Hands
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Eric Gess (The Unlockables) to discuss Nomada Studio's 2018 emotional journey of a platformer, Gris.","date_published":"2024-07-17T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9a147aca-be79-42cf-a374-b8c1709e113f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89798321,"duration_in_seconds":7483}]},{"id":"e12429f3-542a-4a7e-b586-b43bff8d209a","title":"124: Lisa: The Painful (with Rick Firestone - Pixel Project Radio)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/124","content_text":"For any lover of RPGs, and especially \"weird RPGs\", as former guest on the show Rebekah Valentine termed them, Lisa: The Painful, by Dingaling Productions, will probably jump out at you. From its art style, non-pretty boy protagonist to its serious themes and punishing gameplay, this is not a game for the faint of heart. However, if you are willing to engage with the game and its premise on its terms, what you'll find is a thoughtful tale of hero syndrome, toxic masculinity and free will...AND legitimately one of the funniest games I've ever played.\n\nJoining me for this discussion is Rick Firestone, host of Pixel Project Radio. Rick is one of the most frequent guests on Tales from the Backlog, for good reason. He always brings a thoughtful perspective to the show, and you'll find more of that on Pixel Project Radio, which you can find on your favorite podcast app or by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:58\nStory Setup 13:46\nPresentation 30:38\nWork Harder/Music 37:03\nGameplay 43:42\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:46\nSPOILER WALL 1:15:28\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Widdly 2 Diddly. You can support the artist by purchasing the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Praise Wally, Summer Love, God's Call, Men's Hair Club, Work Harder, The Highway King, Go Home Johnny, Big Boy's Call, I Am Satan, Salvation!, Devil's Bath Boys, Summer Love\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"For any lover of RPGs, and especially "weird RPGs", as former guest on the show Rebekah Valentine termed them, Lisa: The Painful, by Dingaling Productions, will probably jump out at you. From its art style, non-pretty boy protagonist to its serious themes and punishing gameplay, this is not a game for the faint of heart. However, if you are willing to engage with the game and its premise on its terms, what you'll find is a thoughtful tale of hero syndrome, toxic masculinity and free will...AND legitimately one of the funniest games I've ever played.
\n\nJoining me for this discussion is Rick Firestone, host of Pixel Project Radio. Rick is one of the most frequent guests on Tales from the Backlog, for good reason. He always brings a thoughtful perspective to the show, and you'll find more of that on Pixel Project Radio, which you can find on your favorite podcast app or by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:58
\nStory Setup 13:46
\nPresentation 30:38
\nWork Harder/Music 37:03
\nGameplay 43:42
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:46
\nSPOILER WALL 1:15:28
Music used in the episode is credited to Widdly 2 Diddly. You can support the artist by purchasing the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Praise Wally, Summer Love, God's Call, Men's Hair Club, Work Harder, The Highway King, Go Home Johnny, Big Boy's Call, I Am Satan, Salvation!, Devil's Bath Boys, Summer Love
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) to discuss Dingaling Productions' 2014 RPG, Lisa: The Painful.","date_published":"2024-07-10T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e12429f3-542a-4a7e-b586-b43bff8d209a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97706841,"duration_in_seconds":9770}]},{"id":"d5eb268d-4140-4bb3-8cf4-ee128db35922","title":"123: 1000xRESIST (with Michael Higham)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/123","content_text":"Sunset Visitor's 1000xRESIST came out of nowhere for me. Releasing on May 9th, 2024 meant it faced stiff indie competition on its day of release, and it wasn't until others were shouting from the rooftops that I found myself drawn to try it out (and a big thank you to Sunset Visitor and Fellow Traveler for the review code!). What I found was a story that had all the hallmarks of the best sci-fi: a high concept with cool sci-fi ideas that was firmly rooted in the real world and real, modern day experiences. I was absolutely blown away by its narrative and themes, so I needed to include it on the podcast.\n\nJoining me for the discussion about 1000xRESIST is Michael Higham from IGN. Michael wrote IGN's review for this game, which you can read HERE, and his insights were invaluable to the discussion. You can follow him on Twitter and check out more of his work!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:27\nStory Setup/Themes/Gameplay 18:00\nPresentation 40:08\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 53:25\nSPOILER WALL 1:00:04\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Line Katcho, Drew Redman, Alex Mah and Sunset Visitor. You can support the artists by purchasing the OST on Bandcamp. \nTracks used: Year Unknown, Watcher, The Orchard -At Peace-, Day of the Dance, Urgency, I Killed Her, The Youngest Looks, A Future Worthwhile\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Sunset Visitor's 1000xRESIST came out of nowhere for me. Releasing on May 9th, 2024 meant it faced stiff indie competition on its day of release, and it wasn't until others were shouting from the rooftops that I found myself drawn to try it out (and a big thank you to Sunset Visitor and Fellow Traveler for the review code!). What I found was a story that had all the hallmarks of the best sci-fi: a high concept with cool sci-fi ideas that was firmly rooted in the real world and real, modern day experiences. I was absolutely blown away by its narrative and themes, so I needed to include it on the podcast.
\n\nJoining me for the discussion about 1000xRESIST is Michael Higham from IGN. Michael wrote IGN's review for this game, which you can read HERE, and his insights were invaluable to the discussion. You can follow him on Twitter and check out more of his work!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:27
\nStory Setup/Themes/Gameplay 18:00
\nPresentation 40:08
\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 53:25
\nSPOILER WALL 1:00:04
Music used in the episode is credited to Line Katcho, Drew Redman, Alex Mah and Sunset Visitor. You can support the artists by purchasing the OST on Bandcamp.
\nTracks used: Year Unknown, Watcher, The Orchard -At Peace-, Day of the Dance, Urgency, I Killed Her, The Youngest Looks, A Future Worthwhile
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Michael Higham from IGN to discuss sunset visitor's memory hopping science fiction adventure, 1000xRESIST.","date_published":"2024-07-03T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d5eb268d-4140-4bb3-8cf4-ee128db35922.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96681690,"duration_in_seconds":6905}]},{"id":"89f98072-afca-4b4f-81cd-f92e63945a6d","title":"122: Mother 3 (with Rebekah Valentine)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/122","content_text":"Famously never localized for an English-speaking audience, HAL Laboratory and Brownie Brown's Mother 3 has almost become a meme at this point. So much so that I wondered if it could live up the inflated expectations that I unwittingly put on games that are unavailable or difficult to find, a kind of forbidden fruit syndrome. So I made sure to put Mother 3 on my Backlog Resolutions list for 2024 and hey! It's pretty good! It's a lot like Earthbound in good and bad ways, and I like the story of Mother 3 for different reasons than I liked Earthbound's story. Looks like I'm gonna need an all-star guest to dig into this one...\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Mother 3 is Rebekah Valentine! Reb is an award winning investigative reporter for IGN, reporting on the inner workings of the industry, how the games we love get made, and giving a voice to workers who are laid off or otherwise mistreated. You can find her work by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories with Mother 3/Opening Thoughts 2:03\nStory Setup 14:58\nQuestionable/Offensive Content 32:32\nVisuals/Music 42:00\nGameplay/Combat 53:14\nCombat, continued 1:03:14\nClosing Thoughts/Plugs/Housekeeping 1:11:01\nSPOILER WALL 1:19:06\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Shogo Sakai. Tracks used: Fun Naming, Welcome!, Alec's Log House, Mag**** Party, Homely Yado Inn, Mr. Batty Twist, Fate, Mr. Saturn Theme Z, Mom's Hometown, Happy Town, Sorrowful Tazmily, Mother 3 Love Theme (Arr.), Mother 3 Love Theme, You Won!\n\nFind Dave's TWO guest appearances on the Retro Hangover podcast on your favorite podcast app or by clicking here!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Famously never localized for an English-speaking audience, HAL Laboratory and Brownie Brown's Mother 3 has almost become a meme at this point. So much so that I wondered if it could live up the inflated expectations that I unwittingly put on games that are unavailable or difficult to find, a kind of forbidden fruit syndrome. So I made sure to put Mother 3 on my Backlog Resolutions list for 2024 and hey! It's pretty good! It's a lot like Earthbound in good and bad ways, and I like the story of Mother 3 for different reasons than I liked Earthbound's story. Looks like I'm gonna need an all-star guest to dig into this one...
\n\nJoining me for the discussion about Mother 3 is Rebekah Valentine! Reb is an award winning investigative reporter for IGN, reporting on the inner workings of the industry, how the games we love get made, and giving a voice to workers who are laid off or otherwise mistreated. You can find her work by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories with Mother 3/Opening Thoughts 2:03
\nStory Setup 14:58
\nQuestionable/Offensive Content 32:32
\nVisuals/Music 42:00
\nGameplay/Combat 53:14
\nCombat, continued 1:03:14
\nClosing Thoughts/Plugs/Housekeeping 1:11:01
\nSPOILER WALL 1:19:06
Music used in the episode is credited to Shogo Sakai. Tracks used: Fun Naming, Welcome!, Alec's Log House, Mag**** Party, Homely Yado Inn, Mr. Batty Twist, Fate, Mr. Saturn Theme Z, Mom's Hometown, Happy Town, Sorrowful Tazmily, Mother 3 Love Theme (Arr.), Mother 3 Love Theme, You Won!
\n\nFind Dave's TWO guest appearances on the Retro Hangover podcast on your favorite podcast app or by clicking here!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rebekah Valentine (IGN) to discuss Brownie Brown and HAL Laboratory's 2006 RPG, Mother 3. ","date_published":"2024-06-26T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/89f98072-afca-4b4f-81cd-f92e63945a6d.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96763820,"duration_in_seconds":9676}]},{"id":"87f95ef0-43a3-405d-8fd3-eaa18ec57e70","title":"121: The Last Guardian (with Chris - Franchise Festival)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/121","content_text":"Fumito Ueda's trilogy of Playstation games- Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian- are idiosyncratic, minimalist art pieces. The final game in the trilogy, before the unfortunate dissolution of Japan Studio, was The Last Guardian, showcasing the uneasy partnership between an unnamed boy and a large, fearsome beast named Trico. The Last Guardian pushes back on the idea that games need to be responsive and frictionless, instead forcing you to rely on your shaky communication with an animal to progress through the game. Your mileage may vary with how willing you are to put up with this, but for me, this was a beautiful experience that I love with my entire heart. \n\nJoining me to discuss The Last Guardian is Chris, one of the hosts of the Franchise Festival podcast. It is a podcast that is well-thought out and worth your time, and you can find it on your favorite podcast app or listen for free on their Patreon page!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:07\nStory Setup 15:39\nCooperation with Trico 31:43\nVisuals/Animation 48:56\nMusic 1:01:27\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:06:51\nSPOILER WALL 1:18:52\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Takeshi Furukawa:\nHomeward, Overture - Lore, Forest, Courtyard, Falling Bridge, The Tower, Victorious, Finale II, End Titles\n\nFind Dave's appearance on the Retro Spectives podcast on their website! \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Fumito Ueda's trilogy of Playstation games- Ico, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian- are idiosyncratic, minimalist art pieces. The final game in the trilogy, before the unfortunate dissolution of Japan Studio, was The Last Guardian, showcasing the uneasy partnership between an unnamed boy and a large, fearsome beast named Trico. The Last Guardian pushes back on the idea that games need to be responsive and frictionless, instead forcing you to rely on your shaky communication with an animal to progress through the game. Your mileage may vary with how willing you are to put up with this, but for me, this was a beautiful experience that I love with my entire heart.
\n\nJoining me to discuss The Last Guardian is Chris, one of the hosts of the Franchise Festival podcast. It is a podcast that is well-thought out and worth your time, and you can find it on your favorite podcast app or listen for free on their Patreon page!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:07
\nStory Setup 15:39
\nCooperation with Trico 31:43
\nVisuals/Animation 48:56
\nMusic 1:01:27
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:06:51
\nSPOILER WALL 1:18:52
Music used in the episode is credited to Takeshi Furukawa:
\nHomeward, Overture - Lore, Forest, Courtyard, Falling Bridge, The Tower, Victorious, Finale II, End Titles
Find Dave's appearance on the Retro Spectives podcast on their website!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris from Franchise Festival podcast to discuss Japan Studio and GenDesign's 2016 adventure game, The Last Guardian.","date_published":"2024-06-19T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/87f95ef0-43a3-405d-8fd3-eaa18ec57e70.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94902230,"duration_in_seconds":7908}]},{"id":"60459854-89ec-486d-b6d8-92a9146d7614","title":"120: Roadwarden (with Bryan Skursha - Pixelated Playgrounds)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/120","content_text":"From the first screenshot I saw of Roadwarden (Moral Anxiety Studio), I knew that I needed to check the game out. The art is simple, yet striking, and any screenshot will convey the quality of writing. Once I booted up the game, I found that the choose-your-adventure writing, the confident RPG mechanics and the music wrapped this into a rich total package. \n\nJoining me in this episode is returning guest Bryan Skursha of Pixelated Playgrounds podcast. Pixelated Playgrounds is a gaming book club style podcast, similar to Tales from the Backlog. It is worth your time, and you can check them out on your favorite podcast app or by visiting their website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts: 1:57\nStory/World Setup 10:32\nStory, continued 27:35\nVisuals/Music/Sound Design 44:09\nRPG/Choose Your Adventure Gameplay 55:21\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:21:46 \nSPOILER WALL 1:28:07\n\nSoundtrack is credited to Nick Roder. You can support them by purchasing the Roadwarden OST on Bandcamp. Music used in this episode: Roadwarden, Pelt of the North, Howler's Dell, Creeks, Heart of the Woods, Foggy Lake, The Spirits, Hovlaven, Roadwarden Reprise\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"From the first screenshot I saw of Roadwarden (Moral Anxiety Studio), I knew that I needed to check the game out. The art is simple, yet striking, and any screenshot will convey the quality of writing. Once I booted up the game, I found that the choose-your-adventure writing, the confident RPG mechanics and the music wrapped this into a rich total package.
\n\nJoining me in this episode is returning guest Bryan Skursha of Pixelated Playgrounds podcast. Pixelated Playgrounds is a gaming book club style podcast, similar to Tales from the Backlog. It is worth your time, and you can check them out on your favorite podcast app or by visiting their website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts: 1:57
\nStory/World Setup 10:32
\nStory, continued 27:35
\nVisuals/Music/Sound Design 44:09
\nRPG/Choose Your Adventure Gameplay 55:21
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:21:46
\nSPOILER WALL 1:28:07
Soundtrack is credited to Nick Roder. You can support them by purchasing the Roadwarden OST on Bandcamp. Music used in this episode: Roadwarden, Pelt of the North, Howler's Dell, Creeks, Heart of the Woods, Foggy Lake, The Spirits, Hovlaven, Roadwarden Reprise
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Bryan Skursha to discuss Moral Anxiety Studio's choose-your-adventure RPG, Roadwarden. ","date_published":"2024-06-12T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/60459854-89ec-486d-b6d8-92a9146d7614.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96857025,"duration_in_seconds":8071}]},{"id":"2c7e2095-0830-4e13-882b-6a1e3872ed12","title":"119: Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty (with Adam Gumbert - Respawn Aim Fire)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/119","content_text":"Cyberpunk 2077 has had quite a journey. From the disastrous launch, the warranted criticism, and years more work by the developers at CD Projekt Red, the game is finally in proper working condition, fine tuned into a magnificent experience. Add in the Phantom Liberty expansion, and you have some of the most compelling storytelling in AAA gaming.\n\nJoining me for the discussion is Adam Gumbert of Respawn Aim Fire, a gaming variety show, and Isle of Misfit Rolls, a D&D actual play podcast. You can check out Adam on Respawn Aim Fire and Isle of Misfit Rolls! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49\nStory Setup 11:46\nStory Pacing 42:30\nMusic 50:52\nGameplay 1:06:01\nExploration/Driving 1:20:02\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:29:34\nSPOILER WALL 1:34:40\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to P.T. Adamczyk, Marcin Przybyłowicz and Paul Leonard-Morgan. Tracks used: V (Przybyłowicz), Extraction Action (Leonard-Morgan), Never Looking Back (Adamczyk), Wushu Dolls (Przybylowicz), The Rebel Path (Adamczyk), Never Fade Away (Samurai - Refused), You Shall Never Have to Forgive Me Again (Adamczyk), Scavengers (Adamczyk), I'm a Netrunner (Adamczyk), Been Good to Know Ya (Przybyłowicz), Test of Loyalty (Adamczyk). You can support the artists by purchasing the album on Bandcamp.\n\nCheck out the King of Games 1996 tournament on Retro Hangover podcast!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Cyberpunk 2077 has had quite a journey. From the disastrous launch, the warranted criticism, and years more work by the developers at CD Projekt Red, the game is finally in proper working condition, fine tuned into a magnificent experience. Add in the Phantom Liberty expansion, and you have some of the most compelling storytelling in AAA gaming.
\n\nJoining me for the discussion is Adam Gumbert of Respawn Aim Fire, a gaming variety show, and Isle of Misfit Rolls, a D&D actual play podcast. You can check out Adam on Respawn Aim Fire and Isle of Misfit Rolls!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49
\nStory Setup 11:46
\nStory Pacing 42:30
\nMusic 50:52
\nGameplay 1:06:01
\nExploration/Driving 1:20:02
\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:29:34
\nSPOILER WALL 1:34:40
Music used in the episode is credited to P.T. Adamczyk, Marcin Przybyłowicz and Paul Leonard-Morgan. Tracks used: V (Przybyłowicz), Extraction Action (Leonard-Morgan), Never Looking Back (Adamczyk), Wushu Dolls (Przybylowicz), The Rebel Path (Adamczyk), Never Fade Away (Samurai - Refused), You Shall Never Have to Forgive Me Again (Adamczyk), Scavengers (Adamczyk), I'm a Netrunner (Adamczyk), Been Good to Know Ya (Przybyłowicz), Test of Loyalty (Adamczyk). You can support the artists by purchasing the album on Bandcamp.
\n\nCheck out the King of Games 1996 tournament on Retro Hangover podcast!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adam Gumbert from Respawn Aim Fire to discuss CD Projekt Red's ambitious open world RPG, Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty expansion.","date_published":"2024-06-05T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/2c7e2095-0830-4e13-882b-6a1e3872ed12.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96375535,"duration_in_seconds":12046}]},{"id":"752bbeac-d19d-4a24-8123-919e6ce0bf01","title":"118: God Hand (with Derek Van Dyke - Super Deluxe GamesCast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/118","content_text":"Sometimes you hear about a game and you know you're going to love it. God Hand, released by Clover Studio and Capcom in 2006, is one of those games. Despite hearing about its difficulty (which was true, my hands still hurt), I loved playing this game and it deserves its resurging cult status. Now if only someone could convince Capcom that this is worth remastering. We can dream, can't we?\n\nI'm joined in this episode by the wonderful Derek Van Dyke of Super Deluxe Gamescast and Castle Bravo podcasts, which you should check out for your video games and Godzilla media needs, respectively. Follow these links for Super Deluxe Gamescast and Castle Bravo or search on your favorite podcast app!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:59\nStory Setup/Campy Tone/Humor 16:09\nSoundtrack 38:25\nCombat 49:34\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:41\nSPOILER WALL 1:16:21\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Masafumi Takada and Jun Fukuda: Peek-a-Boo!, Be Ready, Gene's Rock-a-Bye, Smoking Roll, Top of the Humans, Sunset Heroes, It's a Smile World, Broncobuster, God Hand \n\nMazinger Z Theme by Ichirou Muzuki\n\nListen to the King of Games 1996 over on Retro Hangover!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Sometimes you hear about a game and you know you're going to love it. God Hand, released by Clover Studio and Capcom in 2006, is one of those games. Despite hearing about its difficulty (which was true, my hands still hurt), I loved playing this game and it deserves its resurging cult status. Now if only someone could convince Capcom that this is worth remastering. We can dream, can't we?
\n\nI'm joined in this episode by the wonderful Derek Van Dyke of Super Deluxe Gamescast and Castle Bravo podcasts, which you should check out for your video games and Godzilla media needs, respectively. Follow these links for Super Deluxe Gamescast and Castle Bravo or search on your favorite podcast app!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:59
\nStory Setup/Campy Tone/Humor 16:09
\nSoundtrack 38:25
\nCombat 49:34
\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:41
\nSPOILER WALL 1:16:21
Music used in the episode is credited to Masafumi Takada and Jun Fukuda: Peek-a-Boo!, Be Ready, Gene's Rock-a-Bye, Smoking Roll, Top of the Humans, Sunset Heroes, It's a Smile World, Broncobuster, God Hand
\n\nMazinger Z Theme by Ichirou Muzuki
\n\nListen to the King of Games 1996 over on Retro Hangover!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Derek Van Dyke from Super Deluxe GamesCast to discuss Clover Studios and Capcom's cult hit brawler, God Hand.","date_published":"2024-05-29T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/752bbeac-d19d-4a24-8123-919e6ce0bf01.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":90919130,"duration_in_seconds":6494}]},{"id":"059e0854-9f80-45c7-bf5c-bca8e58800ec","title":"117: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (with Jared - Play Along Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/117","content_text":"As the Legend of Zelda series has pivoted to free-flowing and creativity-focused open words, \"The Zelda Formula\" has fallen by the wayside, left in the memories of those who grew up with it. That's certainly the case for me, as I welcomed the change that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom brought to the series. However, the old ways still hold a place in my heart, and I was happy to revisit The Minish Cap for this episode. This marks an interesting period in the series, where Capcom worked with Nintendo to develop the handheld Zelda games, and they knocked this one out of the park. Thank you to the patrons for voting this game on to the show!\n\nI'm joined in this episode by Jared Moss from Play Along Podcast to discuss it. Jared is a Zelda head and was the perfect guest for this episode. You can and should check out everything that he is doing over at Play Along Podcast by using this link or on your favorite podcast app!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:31\nStory Setup 15:11\nVisuals/Music 23:40\nGameplay 38:41\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:10:25\nSPOILER WALL 1:23:29\n\nMusic used in the episode is credited to Mitsuhiko Takano: File Select, Title Theme, Hyrule Field, Picori Festival, Hyrule Town, Mt Crenel, Dungeon Boss, Minish Woods, Vaati's Wrath\n\nDave's guest appearance on \"Fun\" and Games podcast\nListen to the King of Games 1996 over on Retro Hangover!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"As the Legend of Zelda series has pivoted to free-flowing and creativity-focused open words, "The Zelda Formula" has fallen by the wayside, left in the memories of those who grew up with it. That's certainly the case for me, as I welcomed the change that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom brought to the series. However, the old ways still hold a place in my heart, and I was happy to revisit The Minish Cap for this episode. This marks an interesting period in the series, where Capcom worked with Nintendo to develop the handheld Zelda games, and they knocked this one out of the park. Thank you to the patrons for voting this game on to the show!
\n\nI'm joined in this episode by Jared Moss from Play Along Podcast to discuss it. Jared is a Zelda head and was the perfect guest for this episode. You can and should check out everything that he is doing over at Play Along Podcast by using this link or on your favorite podcast app!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:31
\nStory Setup 15:11
\nVisuals/Music 23:40
\nGameplay 38:41
\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:10:25
\nSPOILER WALL 1:23:29
Music used in the episode is credited to Mitsuhiko Takano: File Select, Title Theme, Hyrule Field, Picori Festival, Hyrule Town, Mt Crenel, Dungeon Boss, Minish Woods, Vaati's Wrath
\n\nDave's guest appearance on "Fun" and Games podcast
\nListen to the King of Games 1996 over on Retro Hangover!
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jared Moss from Play Along Podcast to discuss Nintendo and Capcom's The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. ","date_published":"2024-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/059e0854-9f80-45c7-bf5c-bca8e58800ec.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94974902,"duration_in_seconds":6783}]},{"id":"4547d67c-e512-462e-b418-08096b85df47","title":"How Gaming Has Influenced Our Taste in Music (with Ryan Juengling - List Off! and Jon Haig)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/musictaste","content_text":"Video games have the power to connect with players to tell stories, but have you ever considered the role that video games had in shaping your taste in music? From sports games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Madden and FIFA to rhythm games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band and Fuser, and even non-licensed soundtracks like Mega Man, The Last of Us and Final Fantasy...video games have had a big role in shaping the type of music we like. That's what this discussion episode is all about!\n\nMy guests for this episode were Ryan Juengling from List Off!, where you can get measured and informed takes on the latest gaming news, and Jon Haig, formerly of Video Game Lounge podcast. You can find List Off! and Video Game Lounge by searching on your favorite podcast apps or by following those links. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Guitar Hero/Rock Band 1:26\nTony Hawk's Pro Skater/Sports Games 25:56\nChiptunes/Orchestrated Music/Others 54:23\n\nMusic used in this episode:\n-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Main Menu (Brian Bight)\n-\"Hey You\" (The Exies cover - performed by WaveGroup Sound)\n-Gamebreaker 1 from NBA Street Vol 2 (Jeff Mair)\n-Metal Man from Mega Man 2 (Takashi Tateishi)\n-WVBA Champion from Punch-Out!! (Koji Kondo)\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Video games have the power to connect with players to tell stories, but have you ever considered the role that video games had in shaping your taste in music? From sports games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Madden and FIFA to rhythm games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band and Fuser, and even non-licensed soundtracks like Mega Man, The Last of Us and Final Fantasy...video games have had a big role in shaping the type of music we like. That's what this discussion episode is all about!
\n\nMy guests for this episode were Ryan Juengling from List Off!, where you can get measured and informed takes on the latest gaming news, and Jon Haig, formerly of Video Game Lounge podcast. You can find List Off! and Video Game Lounge by searching on your favorite podcast apps or by following those links.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Guitar Hero/Rock Band 1:26
\nTony Hawk's Pro Skater/Sports Games 25:56
\nChiptunes/Orchestrated Music/Others 54:23
Music used in this episode:
\n-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Main Menu (Brian Bight)
\n-"Hey You" (The Exies cover - performed by WaveGroup Sound)
\n-Gamebreaker 1 from NBA Street Vol 2 (Jeff Mair)
\n-Metal Man from Mega Man 2 (Takashi Tateishi)
\n-WVBA Champion from Punch-Out!! (Koji Kondo)
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Juengling (List Off!) and Jon Haig to discuss how our many years of gaming have influenced and shaped our taste in music.","date_published":"2024-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4547d67c-e512-462e-b418-08096b85df47.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":90226101,"duration_in_seconds":5639}]},{"id":"3b5615d7-e97c-4dc7-a020-35474989ce86","title":"116: Transistor (with Alex - Low Five Gaming)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/116","content_text":"Transistor, by Supergiant Games, is an interesting game to go back to after playing Hades. You can see a lot of ideas that started here in Transistor and made their way all the way to Hades, with Transistor still being a really engaging and strategic game in its own right. I loved revisiting this game, and am glad it won the poll on Patreon to appear on the show!\n\nJoining me to discuss Transistor is Alex from Low Five Gaming! Low Five Gaming is a monthly backlog book club podcast that Alex runs with his brother Luke. It's a great time, and you should check it out by heading to their website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:40\nStory Setup 14:30\nVisuals/Music 28:03\nCombat 39:00\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:00:26\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:15\n\nMusic used in the episode is written, recorded and produced by Darren Korb, with vocals by Ashley Barrett. You can support them by purchasing the album on BandCamp. Tracks used: Old Friends, Traces, Water Wall, Heightmap, Coasting, The Spine, Apex Beat, Paper Boats\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Transistor, by Supergiant Games, is an interesting game to go back to after playing Hades. You can see a lot of ideas that started here in Transistor and made their way all the way to Hades, with Transistor still being a really engaging and strategic game in its own right. I loved revisiting this game, and am glad it won the poll on Patreon to appear on the show!
\n\nJoining me to discuss Transistor is Alex from Low Five Gaming! Low Five Gaming is a monthly backlog book club podcast that Alex runs with his brother Luke. It's a great time, and you should check it out by heading to their website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:40
\nStory Setup 14:30
\nVisuals/Music 28:03
\nCombat 39:00
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:00:26
\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:15
Music used in the episode is written, recorded and produced by Darren Korb, with vocals by Ashley Barrett. You can support them by purchasing the album on BandCamp. Tracks used: Old Friends, Traces, Water Wall, Heightmap, Coasting, The Spine, Apex Beat, Paper Boats
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Alex (Low Five Gaming) to discuss Transistor, the 2014 action/turn-based strategy hybrid by Supergiant Games.","date_published":"2024-05-08T00:30:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/3b5615d7-e97c-4dc7-a020-35474989ce86.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91743816,"duration_in_seconds":6553}]},{"id":"7fc397fd-1869-432e-ade1-45aeff969fb4","title":"115: Xenogears (with Michael Berger - Bits of Time)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/115","content_text":"Xenogears, by Square, is one of the big RPGs of this era that I wanted to check off. As a fan of the Xenoblade Chronicles games and JRPGs in general, going back to the root of the series felt like an interesting trip back through history. A few things had initially put me off, like all of the talk about an unfinished second disc and heavy use of religious and philosophical material that I would have to research outside of the game. And I'm happy to report that both worries were unfounded- the second disc is great, and I actually did feel compelled to go learn things outside of the game! This is a fantastic, flawed game, and it was a joy to record about it. \n\nJoining me to discuss Xenogears is Michael Berger, co-host of Bits of Time. You can check out Bits of Time on their podcast and their YouTube channel! You can also check out Michael's books, Ayla: A Science Fiction Novella and The Consumed.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:06\nStory Setup 14:29\nStory Pacing/Characters/Religious & Philosophical Themes 27:56\nVisuals/Music 42:07\nGameplay/Combat 53:32\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:04\nSPOILER WALL 1:16:53\n\nMusic used in the episode was composed by Yasunori Mitsuda. Tracks used: My Village is Number One, Bonds of Sea and Fire, Light from the Netherworld, Emotions, Shevat ~ The Wind is Calling, Steel Giant, Yggdrasil, Flight, Fuse, The Valley Where Wind is Born, The Treasure Which Cannot Be Stolen, The Beginning and the End, Small Two of Pieces (with vocals by Joanne Hogg)\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Xenogears, by Square, is one of the big RPGs of this era that I wanted to check off. As a fan of the Xenoblade Chronicles games and JRPGs in general, going back to the root of the series felt like an interesting trip back through history. A few things had initially put me off, like all of the talk about an unfinished second disc and heavy use of religious and philosophical material that I would have to research outside of the game. And I'm happy to report that both worries were unfounded- the second disc is great, and I actually did feel compelled to go learn things outside of the game! This is a fantastic, flawed game, and it was a joy to record about it.
\n\nJoining me to discuss Xenogears is Michael Berger, co-host of Bits of Time. You can check out Bits of Time on their podcast and their YouTube channel! You can also check out Michael's books, Ayla: A Science Fiction Novella and The Consumed.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:06
\nStory Setup 14:29
\nStory Pacing/Characters/Religious & Philosophical Themes 27:56
\nVisuals/Music 42:07
\nGameplay/Combat 53:32
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:04
\nSPOILER WALL 1:16:53
Music used in the episode was composed by Yasunori Mitsuda. Tracks used: My Village is Number One, Bonds of Sea and Fire, Light from the Netherworld, Emotions, Shevat ~ The Wind is Calling, Steel Giant, Yggdrasil, Flight, Fuse, The Valley Where Wind is Born, The Treasure Which Cannot Be Stolen, The Beginning and the End, Small Two of Pieces (with vocals by Joanne Hogg)
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Michael Berger (Bits of Time) to discuss Xenogears, Square's epic 1998 RPG. ","date_published":"2024-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/7fc397fd-1869-432e-ade1-45aeff969fb4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95014869,"duration_in_seconds":11876}]},{"id":"fc2bed10-284f-4b3d-a188-2c6bc485d118","title":"114: Baldur's Gate 3 NON-SPOILER SECTION (with Jim Rodeman & Chris Rettig)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/114","content_text":"Sometimes I try to write clever little descriptions about the games on the show, but this week's game doesn't feel like it needs it.** Baldur's Gate 3*, by **Larian Studios, excels in just about everything it sets out to do. It has impressive writing, almost unparalleled choice-based storytelling, memorable characters, a deep and engaging combat system, and tons of immersive sim elements that make each playthrough really feel like your own. It's one of the best games I've ever played, and I was joined by returning guests **Jim Rodeman* and Chris Rettig to discuss it! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:47\nStory Setup/Characters 19:57\nChoice-Based Storytelling/Quest Design 44:22\nVisuals/Presentation/Music 59:05\nGameplay/Combat 1:12:41\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:57:40\nSPOILER SECTION IS IN ITS OWN EPISODE THIS TIME\n\nCharity Streaming Event: We are doing a charity streaming event from April 20th-28th 2024 to benefit Suicide Awareness Voices of Education in honor of a friend we lost. Please check out the stream schedule HERE and consider donating HERE.\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Sometimes I try to write clever little descriptions about the games on the show, but this week's game doesn't feel like it needs it.** Baldur's Gate 3*, by **Larian Studios, excels in just about everything it sets out to do. It has impressive writing, almost unparalleled choice-based storytelling, memorable characters, a deep and engaging combat system, and tons of immersive sim elements that make each playthrough really feel like your own. It's one of the best games I've ever played, and I was joined by returning guests **Jim Rodeman* and Chris Rettig to discuss it!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:47
\nStory Setup/Characters 19:57
\nChoice-Based Storytelling/Quest Design 44:22
\nVisuals/Presentation/Music 59:05
\nGameplay/Combat 1:12:41
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:57:40
\nSPOILER SECTION IS IN ITS OWN EPISODE THIS TIME
Charity Streaming Event: We are doing a charity streaming event from April 20th-28th 2024 to benefit Suicide Awareness Voices of Education in honor of a friend we lost. Please check out the stream schedule HERE and consider donating HERE.
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jim Rodeman and Chris Rettig to discuss Baldur's Gate 3, the much-decorated 2023 RPG by Larian Studios.","date_published":"2024-04-24T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/fc2bed10-284f-4b3d-a188-2c6bc485d118.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91206426,"duration_in_seconds":7600}]},{"id":"aaa96d21-8b3e-44b1-a7f0-aec675fd9859","title":"Baldur's Gate 3 SPOILER SECTION (with Jim Rodeman & Chris Rettig)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/bg3spoilers","content_text":"Our Baldur's Gate 3 recording ran so long, I had to split it up into two episodes. This is the full-spoiler discussion, where we talk about the decisions we made, how we solved our quests, how things turned out in our games, and much more. In particular, Jim's evil and Dark Urge playthroughs brought about some wild results that you'll love to hear about! You can find the non-spoiler portion of this episode in Episode 114!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nAct 1 2:48\nAct 2 26:22\nAct 3 46:55\nLate Game Bosses/Endings 1:14:43\n\nCharity Streaming Event: We are doing a charity streaming event from April 20th-28th 2024 to benefit Suicide Awareness Voices of Education in honor of a friend we lost. Please check out the stream schedule HERE and consider donating HERE.\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Our Baldur's Gate 3 recording ran so long, I had to split it up into two episodes. This is the full-spoiler discussion, where we talk about the decisions we made, how we solved our quests, how things turned out in our games, and much more. In particular, Jim's evil and Dark Urge playthroughs brought about some wild results that you'll love to hear about! You can find the non-spoiler portion of this episode in Episode 114!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nAct 1 2:48
\nAct 2 26:22
\nAct 3 46:55
\nLate Game Bosses/Endings 1:14:43
Charity Streaming Event: We are doing a charity streaming event from April 20th-28th 2024 to benefit Suicide Awareness Voices of Education in honor of a friend we lost. Please check out the stream schedule HERE and consider donating HERE.
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined once again by Jim Rodeman and Chris Rettig for part 2 of our Baldur's Gate 3 discussion, full spoilers this time. ","date_published":"2024-04-24T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/aaa96d21-8b3e-44b1-a7f0-aec675fd9859.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89981701,"duration_in_seconds":7498}]},{"id":"0823e27a-624a-4359-8923-7d2131b7b5c7","title":"CRPG History & The Breakout Success of Baldur's Gate 3 (with Felipe Pepe - The CPRG Book)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/crpgswithfelipe","content_text":"During the first few months after Baldur's Gate 3 released, I heard a similar refrain coming from my friends and people on social media- people would say something like \"I normally don't play RPGs like this, but I love Baldur's Gate 3! Flash forward 6 months and now Baldur's Gate 3 has swept the major award shows and broken into the top 10 most-played list on Steam. How did a game from such a niche genre break into the mainstream?\n\nIn order to answer this, I invited CRPG historian and writer/editor for The CRPG Book, Felipe Pepe, on to the show to talk about all of this. Topics discussed include:\n\n\nHow he got into RPGs and why we love the genre\nThe state and role of CRPGs through history, including discussions about Fallout, Ultima, Wizardry, Baldur's Gate, Pillars of Eternity, Morrowind, Arx Fatalis, Skyrim, Disco Elysium, Wasteland, The Gold Box Series, Shadowrun, Dragon Age, and many more games. \nWhy Baldur's Gate 3 broke out in such a big way\nRecommendations for other CRPGs through history for new fans of the genre\nThe CRPG Book project\n\n\nYou can follow Felipe on Twitter, check out the free PDF version of The CRPG Book, or purchase a wonderful hardcover edition from Bitmap Books (all author's proceeds to go charity)!\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on the \"Fun\" and Games podcast, where we did an Xbox 360 retrospective!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"During the first few months after Baldur's Gate 3 released, I heard a similar refrain coming from my friends and people on social media- people would say something like "I normally don't play RPGs like this, but I love Baldur's Gate 3! Flash forward 6 months and now Baldur's Gate 3 has swept the major award shows and broken into the top 10 most-played list on Steam. How did a game from such a niche genre break into the mainstream?
\n\nIn order to answer this, I invited CRPG historian and writer/editor for The CRPG Book, Felipe Pepe, on to the show to talk about all of this. Topics discussed include:
\n\nYou can follow Felipe on Twitter, check out the free PDF version of The CRPG Book, or purchase a wonderful hardcover edition from Bitmap Books (all author's proceeds to go charity)!
\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearance on the "Fun" and Games podcast, where we did an Xbox 360 retrospective!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Felipe Pepe (editor and contributing writer for The CRPG Book) to discuss CRPG history and why Baldur's Gate 3 broke out of the relatively small niche that games of the genre generally occupy. ","date_published":"2024-04-17T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0823e27a-624a-4359-8923-7d2131b7b5c7.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":90629015,"duration_in_seconds":7552}]},{"id":"7b449084-65d0-4506-bee6-81d799a18920","title":"113: The Case of the Golden Idol (with NinaStruggles)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/113","content_text":"From the first time I saw a screenshot of The Case of the Golden Idol, by Color Gray Games, I was struck by these caricaturish portraits and knew I'd have to follow up on it someday. Then the comparisons to a favorite of mine, Return of the Obra Dinn, started rolling in and I knew I would have to play it sooner rather than later. And a big shoutout to community member Soccr for buying this for me in our Discord server Secret Santa! Yay!\n\nJoining me to discuss The Case of the Golden Idol is NinaStruggles, a streamer and YouTuber who plays all manner of games but has a particular love of puzzle and detective games! You can check her out by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:51\nStory Setup 9:51\nMusic/Visuals 18:15\nGameplay/Puzzles 28:25\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 51:26\nSPOILER WALL 57:50\n\nCheck out Dave's guest appearances on Left Behind Game Club and The Gaming Duo!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"From the first time I saw a screenshot of The Case of the Golden Idol, by Color Gray Games, I was struck by these caricaturish portraits and knew I'd have to follow up on it someday. Then the comparisons to a favorite of mine, Return of the Obra Dinn, started rolling in and I knew I would have to play it sooner rather than later. And a big shoutout to community member Soccr for buying this for me in our Discord server Secret Santa! Yay!
\n\nJoining me to discuss The Case of the Golden Idol is NinaStruggles, a streamer and YouTuber who plays all manner of games but has a particular love of puzzle and detective games! You can check her out by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:51
\nStory Setup 9:51
\nMusic/Visuals 18:15
\nGameplay/Puzzles 28:25
\nFinal Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 51:26
\nSPOILER WALL 57:50
Check out Dave's guest appearances on Left Behind Game Club and The Gaming Duo!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by streamer NinaStruggles to discuss The Case of the Golden Idol, the 2022 mystery/deduction game by Color Gray Games. ","date_published":"2024-04-10T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/7b449084-65d0-4506-bee6-81d799a18920.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98286079,"duration_in_seconds":7020}]},{"id":"0cc8f5f9-cd24-42fb-9fa0-c11e7b2f2180","title":"112: Sunset Overdrive (with Goohi)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/112","content_text":"Sunset Overdrive feels like a game that's been lost to time, doomed to a life of only being mentioned when a new game comes out that reminds people of it, despite being made by one of the industry's heavyweights (Insomniac Games) in the not so distant past. It's got a goofy tone, a bangin punk rock soundtrack, and an exquisite movement system that never gets old, but its mission design starts to wear thin long before the credits roll. Joining me to discuss Sunset Overdrive is streamer and YouTuber Goohi, and you can check out everything she is making by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:37\nStory Setup/Humor/Soundtrack 13:53\nGameplay/Movement 30:58\nGameplay/Combat 44:01\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs 1:12:12\nNO SPOILER SECTION\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Sunset Overdrive feels like a game that's been lost to time, doomed to a life of only being mentioned when a new game comes out that reminds people of it, despite being made by one of the industry's heavyweights (Insomniac Games) in the not so distant past. It's got a goofy tone, a bangin punk rock soundtrack, and an exquisite movement system that never gets old, but its mission design starts to wear thin long before the credits roll. Joining me to discuss Sunset Overdrive is streamer and YouTuber Goohi, and you can check out everything she is making by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:37
\nStory Setup/Humor/Soundtrack 13:53
\nGameplay/Movement 30:58
\nGameplay/Combat 44:01
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs 1:12:12
\nNO SPOILER SECTION
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by streamer/YouTube creator Goohi to discuss Sunset Overdrive, the 2014 free-flowing 3rd person action-adventure game by Insomniac Games. ","date_published":"2024-04-03T09:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0cc8f5f9-cd24-42fb-9fa0-c11e7b2f2180.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98621126,"duration_in_seconds":4931}]},{"id":"5cd39835-f91f-4d26-ba8d-ec37c42eb12a","title":"111: Balatro (with Matt aka Stormageddon & Aaron Klaassen)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/111","content_text":"SURPRISE! Balatro comes for us all. Developed by solo developer LocalThunk and published by Playstack, the poker-themed roguelike deckbuilder has singlehandedly caused productivity to drop by 7% worldwide since its 2024 release. Thank you to Playstack and LocalThunk for providing me with a review code so that I could become a statistic! Joining me to talk about the game, its strengths and weaknesses, our favorite strategies and beginner tips are Matt aka Stormageddon (\"Fun\" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark podcasts) and Aaron Klaassen (SuperPod Saga). Check their shows out, they are worth your time!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:43\nSICKO SHOP TALK WALL 56:01\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"SURPRISE! Balatro comes for us all. Developed by solo developer LocalThunk and published by Playstack, the poker-themed roguelike deckbuilder has singlehandedly caused productivity to drop by 7% worldwide since its 2024 release. Thank you to Playstack and LocalThunk for providing me with a review code so that I could become a statistic! Joining me to talk about the game, its strengths and weaknesses, our favorite strategies and beginner tips are Matt aka Stormageddon ("Fun" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark podcasts) and Aaron Klaassen (SuperPod Saga). Check their shows out, they are worth your time!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:43
\nSICKO SHOP TALK WALL 56:01
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon (\"Fun\" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark) and Aaron Klaassen (SuperPod Saga) to discuss LocalThunk's breakout deckbuilding roguelike hit, Balatro.","date_published":"2024-03-29T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/5cd39835-f91f-4d26-ba8d-ec37c42eb12a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96692767,"duration_in_seconds":4834}]},{"id":"9e308f39-a748-48a3-b326-448e35775b11","title":"PAX East 2024: Reflections & Games Played","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/paxeast2024","content_text":"This is the PAX East 2024 retrospective and run-through of all of the games I played! Woooo!\n\nGames featured:\nAnimal Well:\nThe Art of Flight\nDuck Paradox\nEnter the Chronosphere\nFallen Aces\nFretless\nLucid\nSo to Speak\nSorry, We're Closed\nTape to Tape\nThrone of Bone\n\nYouTube VoD of the Nintendo DS panel I participated in!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\nMusic composed by Bert Cole- find more music at [bitbybitsound.com](www.bitbybitsound.com)\nPatreon: patreon.com/bitbybitsound\nTwitter: @BitByBitSound\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"This is the PAX East 2024 retrospective and run-through of all of the games I played! Woooo!
\n\nGames featured:
\nAnimal Well:
\nThe Art of Flight
\nDuck Paradox
\nEnter the Chronosphere
\nFallen Aces
\nFretless
\nLucid
\nSo to Speak
\nSorry, We're Closed
\nTape to Tape
\nThrone of Bone
YouTube VoD of the Nintendo DS panel I participated in!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
\nMusic composed by Bert Cole- find more music at [bitbybitsound.com](www.bitbybitsound.com)
\nPatreon: patreon.com/bitbybitsound
\nTwitter: @BitByBitSound
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave reflects on the experience of going to and participating in PAX East 2024 and talks about the games he tried. ","date_published":"2024-03-27T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9e308f39-a748-48a3-b326-448e35775b11.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":83119542,"duration_in_seconds":2597}]},{"id":"cb3ec7c4-f2a4-4fcb-bf6b-cce5431c5931","title":"110: Titanfall 2 (with Adam & Cory - Half Tone Takes)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/110","content_text":"Titanfall 2, developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by EA, is one of those unfortunate games that seems to be universally beloved, but apparently didn't sell well enough for them to continue the series. Instead, Respawn is stuck in the Apex Legends and Star Wars mines for the foreseeable future, and we're left to replay this wonderful campaign (and multiplayer for some) and wonder what might have been. Titanfall 2 lives up to the hype, folks!\n\nMy guests for this episode are Adam Bucceri and Cory Revis, hosts of the Half Tone Takes podcast, which is a deep dive into one of the hosts' interests each episode. The conversations are fun and enriching, and the show is worth your time. Adam also designs video and tabletop games on his Itch.io page, and Cory makes a webcomic called Dawn of Time. Check out their work!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:13\nStory Setup 19:40\nGameplay/On-Foot Combat 28:41\nGameplay/Titan Combat 54:00\nVisual/Audio Design 1:13:02\nSPOILER WALL 1:32:04\n\nINFO ABOUT MY PAX EAST PANEL HERE\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Titanfall 2, developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by EA, is one of those unfortunate games that seems to be universally beloved, but apparently didn't sell well enough for them to continue the series. Instead, Respawn is stuck in the Apex Legends and Star Wars mines for the foreseeable future, and we're left to replay this wonderful campaign (and multiplayer for some) and wonder what might have been. Titanfall 2 lives up to the hype, folks!
\n\nMy guests for this episode are Adam Bucceri and Cory Revis, hosts of the Half Tone Takes podcast, which is a deep dive into one of the hosts' interests each episode. The conversations are fun and enriching, and the show is worth your time. Adam also designs video and tabletop games on his Itch.io page, and Cory makes a webcomic called Dawn of Time. Check out their work!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:13
\nStory Setup 19:40
\nGameplay/On-Foot Combat 28:41
\nGameplay/Titan Combat 54:00
\nVisual/Audio Design 1:13:02
\nSPOILER WALL 1:32:04
INFO ABOUT MY PAX EAST PANEL HERE
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adam Bucceri and Cory Revis, the hosts of Half Tone Takes, to discuss Respawn Entertainment's 2016 FPS, Titanfall 2. ","date_published":"2024-03-20T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/cb3ec7c4-f2a4-4fcb-bf6b-cce5431c5931.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92265274,"duration_in_seconds":9226}]},{"id":"265d4308-dea0-463c-8805-d7ef2fe45e48","title":"109: Resident Evil 2 Remake (with Gerry - Super Ghost Radio & Nick - Friday Night Gamecast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/109","content_text":"-\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"-
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Gerry (Super Ghost Radio) and Nick (Friday Night Gamecast) to discuss Capcom's remake of Resident Evil 2, released in 2019. ","date_published":"2024-03-13T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/265d4308-dea0-463c-8805-d7ef2fe45e48.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":84073533,"duration_in_seconds":10509}]},{"id":"e781c8aa-13ed-464b-b475-bf75344521e0","title":"108: Final Fantasy X-2 (with Adam - The Good, The Bad & The Backlog)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/108","content_text":"How do you follow up a story that ends the way that Final Fantasy X did? Well, Square decided that Final Fantasy X-2 needed to shake things up. Most sequels escalate, but that wasn't really an option here, and so the girlpower J-Pop Final Fantasy game was born. This game gets a lot of hate out there, but not for the reasons that I think deserve it. Joining me to discuss Final Fantasy X-2 is Adam from The Good, The Bad & The Backlog. You can and should check out his show by following this link! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:11\nStory Setup 16:34\nGameplay/Combat 48:45\nGameplay, continued 1:20:36\nMusic 1:33:25\nSPOILER WALL 1:47:26\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"How do you follow up a story that ends the way that Final Fantasy X did? Well, Square decided that Final Fantasy X-2 needed to shake things up. Most sequels escalate, but that wasn't really an option here, and so the girlpower J-Pop Final Fantasy game was born. This game gets a lot of hate out there, but not for the reasons that I think deserve it. Joining me to discuss Final Fantasy X-2 is Adam from The Good, The Bad & The Backlog. You can and should check out his show by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:11
\nStory Setup 16:34
\nGameplay/Combat 48:45
\nGameplay, continued 1:20:36
\nMusic 1:33:25
\nSPOILER WALL 1:47:26
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adam (The Good, The Bad & The Backlog) to discuss Square's first sequel in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy X-2. ","date_published":"2024-03-06T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e781c8aa-13ed-464b-b475-bf75344521e0.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97323886,"duration_in_seconds":9732}]},{"id":"3074ddd2-23a8-42e1-ad0b-80ea9d15f03e","title":"Evaluating Retro Games Roundtable ","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/retrogames","content_text":"In this discussion, Dave is joined by Chris Coplien (Retro Hangover podcast), Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio podcast) and Andre (Fine Time podcast) to discuss the challenges and our personal approaches to evaluating retro games. In this episode, we discuss our perspectives and some specific games like Rocket Knight Adventures, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Monkey Ball, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior and many more! \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In this discussion, Dave is joined by Chris Coplien (Retro Hangover podcast), Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio podcast) and Andre (Fine Time podcast) to discuss the challenges and our personal approaches to evaluating retro games. In this episode, we discuss our perspectives and some specific games like Rocket Knight Adventures, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Monkey Ball, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior and many more!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Coplien (Retro Hangover), Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) and Andre (Fine Time) to discuss the challenges and our personal approaches to evaluating retro games. ","date_published":"2024-02-28T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/3074ddd2-23a8-42e1-ad0b-80ea9d15f03e.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94803853,"duration_in_seconds":9480}]},{"id":"1c9fc217-1ad9-4a2c-8660-1ab65113f0a2","title":"107: Final Fantasy VII Remake (with Aaron Angle & Ryan Arrington)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/107","content_text":"How do you remake one of the most beloved games of all time? How do you fend off the masses who want to hold you to every decision made over 20 years ago? Well, in our opinion, Square Enix figured out the way with Final Fantasy VII Remake. This is a shining example of how a remake can update the graphics, completely revamp the gameplay, add voice acting, re-orchestrate the music....and still keep the heart and soul of the original game intact. It's a masterful game, and I was joined by returning guests Aaron Angle (A Top 3 Podcast) and Ryan Arrington to discuss it!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:08\nStory Setup 18:00\nThis Game as a Remake 37:40\nVisuals/Voice Acting/Music 49:06\nCombat 1:17:29\nSPOILER WALL 1:43:16\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"How do you remake one of the most beloved games of all time? How do you fend off the masses who want to hold you to every decision made over 20 years ago? Well, in our opinion, Square Enix figured out the way with Final Fantasy VII Remake. This is a shining example of how a remake can update the graphics, completely revamp the gameplay, add voice acting, re-orchestrate the music....and still keep the heart and soul of the original game intact. It's a masterful game, and I was joined by returning guests Aaron Angle (A Top 3 Podcast) and Ryan Arrington to discuss it!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:08
\nStory Setup 18:00
\nThis Game as a Remake 37:40
\nVisuals/Voice Acting/Music 49:06
\nCombat 1:17:29
\nSPOILER WALL 1:43:16
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII Remake. ","date_published":"2024-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/1c9fc217-1ad9-4a2c-8660-1ab65113f0a2.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":84530416,"duration_in_seconds":8453}]},{"id":"f0c791f5-687f-4d67-94a6-d70b6c4eb901","title":"106: This War of Mine (with Alex - First Five)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/106","content_text":"This War of Mine, by 11 Bit Studios is often labeled not only as a good game, but also as an important game, especially as countries are invaded and lives are turned upside down in the same ways, over and over again. Because of how forever relevant this game is, and with a little pushing from friend of the show Randall on our \"Games in Real-World Settings\" episode a few months back, I was eager to give this a try- and it ended up winning a poll on Patreon! I was also lucky enough to be joined by Alex, host of the First Five YouTube channel. You should check out his channel for wonderful gaming content, including The Time-Strapped Gamer's Guide to Life Sims, and helping you find what games you should try from that giant itch.io bundle you bought. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25\nStory Setup/Setting/Bleak Tone 14:36\nGameplay Mechanics 39:29\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:16:45 \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"This War of Mine, by 11 Bit Studios is often labeled not only as a good game, but also as an important game, especially as countries are invaded and lives are turned upside down in the same ways, over and over again. Because of how forever relevant this game is, and with a little pushing from friend of the show Randall on our "Games in Real-World Settings" episode a few months back, I was eager to give this a try- and it ended up winning a poll on Patreon! I was also lucky enough to be joined by Alex, host of the First Five YouTube channel. You should check out his channel for wonderful gaming content, including The Time-Strapped Gamer's Guide to Life Sims, and helping you find what games you should try from that giant itch.io bundle you bought.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25
\nStory Setup/Setting/Bleak Tone 14:36
\nGameplay Mechanics 39:29
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:16:45
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Alex, host of the First Five YouTube channel, to discuss 11 Bit Studios' war survival/simulation game, This War of Mine.","date_published":"2024-02-14T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f0c791f5-687f-4d67-94a6-d70b6c4eb901.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94068245,"duration_in_seconds":9406}]},{"id":"4a922c1a-e5c3-428b-b546-efcd65bb1e96","title":"105: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (with Gaming Memories)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/105","content_text":"Boy am I glad that I disregarded all of the \"Metal Gear Solid 2 is the worst one, just skip it\" chatter out there. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, by Hideo Kojima and Konami, is a step up in almost every way from the first Metal Gear Solid game, and does a ton of interesting things in the process. Its biggest issue is that it takes a long time setting up, and then the payoff hits you with too much all at once. But once I've had time to sit and process everything it's doing, I gain more and more appreciation for it. Joining me for this discussion is The Profit of Gaming Memories! He runs a podcast interviewing people about their gaming memories, as well as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube pages dedicated to retro gaming and emulation.\n\nMax Derrat's YouTube video as mentioned in the podcast\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:37\nStory Setup/Visuals 12:29\nGameplay/Music 39:09\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 57:53\nSPOILER WALL 1:12:00\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Boy am I glad that I disregarded all of the "Metal Gear Solid 2 is the worst one, just skip it" chatter out there. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, by Hideo Kojima and Konami, is a step up in almost every way from the first Metal Gear Solid game, and does a ton of interesting things in the process. Its biggest issue is that it takes a long time setting up, and then the payoff hits you with too much all at once. But once I've had time to sit and process everything it's doing, I gain more and more appreciation for it. Joining me for this discussion is The Profit of Gaming Memories! He runs a podcast interviewing people about their gaming memories, as well as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube pages dedicated to retro gaming and emulation.
\n\nMax Derrat's YouTube video as mentioned in the podcast
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:37
\nStory Setup/Visuals 12:29
\nGameplay/Music 39:09
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 57:53
\nSPOILER WALL 1:12:00
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by The Profit from Gaming Memories to discuss Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Konami's 2001 follow-up to the breakout hit Metal Gear Solid. ","date_published":"2024-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4a922c1a-e5c3-428b-b546-efcd65bb1e96.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98336914,"duration_in_seconds":9833}]},{"id":"ebdfc7bb-5ecb-4da0-ae56-954908d5d3f3","title":"104: South Park: The Stick of Truth (with Adam Rivera)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/104","content_text":"If you grew up alongside South Park like I did, and you loved video games, then you were probably let down by the licensed South Park games in the early years. All of that changed with 2013's South Park: The Stick of Truth by Obsidian Entertainment and South Park Studios. It looked like an episode of the show, it sounded like an episode of the show, the story was fun, and it introduced turn-based combat into the mix. It was a slam dunk back then, and I'm joined once again by Adam Rivera to discuss how it holds up today! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:15\nStory Setup/South Park Tone/Humor 16:52\nVisuals/Music/Voice Acting/\"Playable South Park Episode\" 29:12 \nGameplay 43:40\nSPOILER WALL 1:13:10\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"If you grew up alongside South Park like I did, and you loved video games, then you were probably let down by the licensed South Park games in the early years. All of that changed with 2013's South Park: The Stick of Truth by Obsidian Entertainment and South Park Studios. It looked like an episode of the show, it sounded like an episode of the show, the story was fun, and it introduced turn-based combat into the mix. It was a slam dunk back then, and I'm joined once again by Adam Rivera to discuss how it holds up today!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:15
\nStory Setup/South Park Tone/Humor 16:52
\nVisuals/Music/Voice Acting/"Playable South Park Episode" 29:12
\nGameplay 43:40
\nSPOILER WALL 1:13:10
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adam Rivera to discuss Obsidian and South Park Studios' South Park: The Stick of Truth. ","date_published":"2024-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/ebdfc7bb-5ecb-4da0-ae56-954908d5d3f3.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94950033,"duration_in_seconds":6782}]},{"id":"7b2289aa-548f-49cd-8c0c-dc1ac7b40a5e","title":"103: The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (PS2) (with Chris Dominguez- A Novel Console)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/103","content_text":"From a better era of licensed games comes The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (PS2, GameCube, Xbox version). No live service nonsense, no microtransactions, just good arcadey fun reliving the best action scenes from the movie, along with tons of little goodies for fans of the movies. This was a blast, and I hope you enjoy reliving this game with us. Joining me for this episode is Chris Dominguez, one of the hosts of A Novel Console, a weekly podcast about gaming, books and food that he does with his wife Karradyne. You can listen to A Novel Console by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:46\nStory Setup/Characters/Favorite Levels 18:11\nVisuals/Music 43:51 \nGameplay/Closing Thoughts/Plugs 49:26\nNO SPOILER SECTION- This is literally the story of the movie. \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord community!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"From a better era of licensed games comes The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (PS2, GameCube, Xbox version). No live service nonsense, no microtransactions, just good arcadey fun reliving the best action scenes from the movie, along with tons of little goodies for fans of the movies. This was a blast, and I hope you enjoy reliving this game with us. Joining me for this episode is Chris Dominguez, one of the hosts of A Novel Console, a weekly podcast about gaming, books and food that he does with his wife Karradyne. You can listen to A Novel Console by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:46
\nStory Setup/Characters/Favorite Levels 18:11
\nVisuals/Music 43:51
\nGameplay/Closing Thoughts/Plugs 49:26
\nNO SPOILER SECTION- This is literally the story of the movie.
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord community!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Dominguez from A Novel Console to discuss EA's Lord of the Rings: Return of the King adaptation for the PS2/GameCube/Xbox.","date_published":"2024-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/7b2289aa-548f-49cd-8c0c-dc1ac7b40a5e.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96994742,"duration_in_seconds":4849}]},{"id":"0e229882-0d09-495c-b73c-ff8b40c6de02","title":"102: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (with Matt aka Stormageddon & Flora Merigold)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/102","content_text":"The day a new Yakuza / Like a Dragon game drops is like a holiday for me. Imagine my surprise and delight when I realized that we don't have to wait years for new games in the series anymore, as we got the Like a Dragon Ishin! remaster earlier in 2023, and then the connecting game, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name to set up the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name didn't need to exist, but I think it does a lot of interesting character work with Kiryu, as well as just being plain old fun to play. I'm joined in this episode by Matt aka Stormageddon (\"Fun\" and Games, Screen Snark, Reignite podcasts) and Flora Merigold (Left Behind Game Club podcast) to discuss it all! You can check out Flora's writing on Epilogue Gaming, including this article about Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and you can check out Matt's writing over on the \"Fun\" and Games Patreon (free for all!)\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25\nStory Setup 20:00\nVisuals/Voice Acting 55:23\nGameplay 1:11:50\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs 1:42:06\nSPOILER WALL 2:01:10\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The day a new Yakuza / Like a Dragon game drops is like a holiday for me. Imagine my surprise and delight when I realized that we don't have to wait years for new games in the series anymore, as we got the Like a Dragon Ishin! remaster earlier in 2023, and then the connecting game, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name to set up the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name didn't need to exist, but I think it does a lot of interesting character work with Kiryu, as well as just being plain old fun to play. I'm joined in this episode by Matt aka Stormageddon ("Fun" and Games, Screen Snark, Reignite podcasts) and Flora Merigold (Left Behind Game Club podcast) to discuss it all! You can check out Flora's writing on Epilogue Gaming, including this article about Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and you can check out Matt's writing over on the "Fun" and Games Patreon (free for all!)
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25
\nStory Setup 20:00
\nVisuals/Voice Acting 55:23
\nGameplay 1:11:50
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs 1:42:06
\nSPOILER WALL 2:01:10
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon (\"Fun\" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark) and Flora Merigold (Epilogue Gaming, Left Behind Game Club) to discuss Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios. ","date_published":"2024-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0e229882-0d09-495c-b73c-ff8b40c6de02.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88645589,"duration_in_seconds":11080}]},{"id":"6c3ee232-bff7-48b0-bf9e-40ee7b4619a0","title":"101: Rain World (with soccr)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/101","content_text":"Rain World, developed by Videocult, is the true definition of a cult hit. If you look on review aggregator websites, you'll see extremely mixed reviews. However, if you ask in Discord servers, subreddits, etc you'll find so many people with feverish praise. It was only a matter of time before I had to try it out for myself, and this was the winner of a Patreon poll! Shoutout to everyone who voted for it, and shoutout to my wonderful guest soccr for joining me to discuss!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:00\nStory Setup/Game World 13:00\nGameplay 23:12\nOvercoming the Challenge 36:27\nVisuals/Music 57:30\nSPOILER WALL 1:11:54\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Rain World, developed by Videocult, is the true definition of a cult hit. If you look on review aggregator websites, you'll see extremely mixed reviews. However, if you ask in Discord servers, subreddits, etc you'll find so many people with feverish praise. It was only a matter of time before I had to try it out for myself, and this was the winner of a Patreon poll! Shoutout to everyone who voted for it, and shoutout to my wonderful guest soccr for joining me to discuss!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:00
\nStory Setup/Game World 13:00
\nGameplay 23:12
\nOvercoming the Challenge 36:27
\nVisuals/Music 57:30
\nSPOILER WALL 1:11:54
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by community member extraordinaire soccr to discuss VideoCult's 2D platformer/survival cult hit, Rain World.","date_published":"2024-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/6c3ee232-bff7-48b0-bf9e-40ee7b4619a0.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87659833,"duration_in_seconds":7304}]},{"id":"74f52411-86a5-42c6-9995-8dbc3bc0042c","title":"100: Killer7 (with Andre - Fine Time)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/100","content_text":"GAME NUMBER 100 ON THE PODCAST! And what a unique game to talk about for #100! Killer7, by Suda51's Grasshopper Manufacture and Capcom, is a game unlike any other. An unholy mashup of rail shooter, adventure game, crime fantasy and political drama, you'll never play another game quite like this. Joining me for this episode is Andre from Fine Time podcast, which you can check out HERE or on your favorite podcast app. I highly recommend starting with their great two part series on the Capcom Five (Killer7, Resident Evil 4, Viewtiful Joe, P.N.03 and Dead Phoenix)!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:11\nStory Setup/Characters 13:16\nVisuals/Music 44:33\nGameplay 1:01:22\nSPOILER WALL 1:40:21\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"GAME NUMBER 100 ON THE PODCAST! And what a unique game to talk about for #100! Killer7, by Suda51's Grasshopper Manufacture and Capcom, is a game unlike any other. An unholy mashup of rail shooter, adventure game, crime fantasy and political drama, you'll never play another game quite like this. Joining me for this episode is Andre from Fine Time podcast, which you can check out HERE or on your favorite podcast app. I highly recommend starting with their great two part series on the Capcom Five (Killer7, Resident Evil 4, Viewtiful Joe, P.N.03 and Dead Phoenix)!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:11
\nStory Setup/Characters 13:16
\nVisuals/Music 44:33
\nGameplay 1:01:22
\nSPOILER WALL 1:40:21
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Andre from Fine Time to discuss Grasshopper Manufacture and Capcom's FPS/Adventure game, Killer7. ","date_published":"2024-01-03T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/74f52411-86a5-42c6-9995-8dbc3bc0042c.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":84281992,"duration_in_seconds":8428}]},{"id":"1eaa6869-dc34-4b46-96c5-e06bc8eeb058","title":"2023 In Review","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/2023inreview","content_text":"2023 has been absolutely packed with great games, and now is the time to reflect on the new games I played over the past year. Despite missing a lot of popular releases like Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Wonder, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, Armored Core VI, Lies of P and many more, I still played so many good games that it was tough to make a top 10! But alas, this is the podcaster's curse, so I present to you- 2023 in Review. From anticipated megahits like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Resident Evil 4 Remake and Baldur's Gate 3, to indie gems like Blasphemous 2, Jusant and Bleak Sword DX, here are the best games that I played this year. Also touched on are games like Coffee Golf, Final Fantasy 16, Sea of Stars, Redfall and more! Enjoy! You can also find the Top Non-2023 Games episode over on Patreon!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Games on the Outside Looking In 0:09\nHonorable Mentions (Alphabetical) 12:55\nGame #5 32:35\nGame #4 37:06\nGame #3 41:28\nGame #2 46:13\nGame #1 52:05\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"2023 has been absolutely packed with great games, and now is the time to reflect on the new games I played over the past year. Despite missing a lot of popular releases like Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Wonder, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, Armored Core VI, Lies of P and many more, I still played so many good games that it was tough to make a top 10! But alas, this is the podcaster's curse, so I present to you- 2023 in Review. From anticipated megahits like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Resident Evil 4 Remake and Baldur's Gate 3, to indie gems like Blasphemous 2, Jusant and Bleak Sword DX, here are the best games that I played this year. Also touched on are games like Coffee Golf, Final Fantasy 16, Sea of Stars, Redfall and more! Enjoy! You can also find the Top Non-2023 Games episode over on Patreon!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Games on the Outside Looking In 0:09
\nHonorable Mentions (Alphabetical) 12:55
\nGame #5 32:35
\nGame #4 37:06
\nGame #3 41:28
\nGame #2 46:13
\nGame #1 52:05
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave wraps up the year that was and talks through his favorite games that released in 2023. ","date_published":"2023-12-27T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/1eaa6869-dc34-4b46-96c5-e06bc8eeb058.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93398203,"duration_in_seconds":3891}]},{"id":"24962bab-c3a8-4412-a7d4-e440918a6bbf","title":"99: Final Fantasy X (with Ryan Batie & Chris Taylor - Lightning Strikes Thrice)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/99","content_text":"This is an important one for me. Final Fantasy X has been one of my favorite games ever since I played it for the first time almost 20 years ago. Square really made a complete game here- story setup, characters, combat, music...total package. Joining me to discuss it are Ryan Batie and Chris Taylor from JRPG games club podcast Lightning Strikes Thrice. You can find them and all of the other things on the Pitch Drop network by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:48\nStory Setup/Characters/Voice Acting 14:25\nMusic/Visuals 38:50\nCombat 52:31\nMore Combat/Sphere Grid 1:08:24\nOther Gameplay/Blitzball 1:22:45\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:36:35\nSPOILER WALL 1:46:01\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"This is an important one for me. Final Fantasy X has been one of my favorite games ever since I played it for the first time almost 20 years ago. Square really made a complete game here- story setup, characters, combat, music...total package. Joining me to discuss it are Ryan Batie and Chris Taylor from JRPG games club podcast Lightning Strikes Thrice. You can find them and all of the other things on the Pitch Drop network by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:48
\nStory Setup/Characters/Voice Acting 14:25
\nMusic/Visuals 38:50
\nCombat 52:31
\nMore Combat/Sphere Grid 1:08:24
\nOther Gameplay/Blitzball 1:22:45
\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:36:35
\nSPOILER WALL 1:46:01
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Batie and Chris Taylor, both of Lightning Strikes Thrice, to Square’s 2001 entry in the long-running RPG series, Final Fantasy X. ","date_published":"2023-12-20T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/24962bab-c3a8-4412-a7d4-e440918a6bbf.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96557976,"duration_in_seconds":9655}]},{"id":"c14bde8b-bf6b-43fc-8df3-9ea6d47bff73","title":"98: Blasphemous 2 (with Chris Nelson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/98","content_text":"Blasphemous 2, by The Game Kitchen, is a straight putt as far as sequels go, but that turned out to be a great thing. The Game Kitchen seemingly took lots of feedback into account, smoothed out some rough edges and greatly improved the metroidvania design of Blasphemous 2. The result is one of my favorite games of the year, and one that I was happy to invite longtime friend and frequent podcast guest Chris Nelson back for! Chris was a guest on episode 20 about the original Blasphemous, so go check that one out if you'd like! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25\nStory Setup 11:20\nVisuals/Music 22:13\nMetroidvania Gameplay 38:43\nCombat 49:29\nClosing Thoughts 1:05:09\nSPOILER WALL 1:10:32\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Blasphemous 2, by The Game Kitchen, is a straight putt as far as sequels go, but that turned out to be a great thing. The Game Kitchen seemingly took lots of feedback into account, smoothed out some rough edges and greatly improved the metroidvania design of Blasphemous 2. The result is one of my favorite games of the year, and one that I was happy to invite longtime friend and frequent podcast guest Chris Nelson back for! Chris was a guest on episode 20 about the original Blasphemous, so go check that one out if you'd like!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25
\nStory Setup 11:20
\nVisuals/Music 22:13
\nMetroidvania Gameplay 38:43
\nCombat 49:29
\nClosing Thoughts 1:05:09
\nSPOILER WALL 1:10:32
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Nelson to discuss Blasphemous 2, The Game Kitchen's 2023 Catholic-horror metroidvania follow-up.","date_published":"2023-12-13T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c14bde8b-bf6b-43fc-8df3-9ea6d47bff73.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":90470033,"duration_in_seconds":6462}]},{"id":"ec764531-33e5-41f5-ae21-f79c75ba6f4b","title":"97: Sea of Stars (with Aaron Angle & Ryan Arrington)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/97","content_text":"After playing The Messenger, I could not wait for what Sabotage Studio would make next, so I looked them up, found the Sea of Stars kickstarter page and backed it while the credits for The Messenger were still rolling. To say I was excited would be an understatement. In reality....Sea of Stars is a disappointment. Not a bad game, but not a great game either. I'm joined in this episode by two many time guests on the show, Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington, to break it all down. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:00\nStory Setup 16:41\nVisuals/Music 31:59\nCombat 44:48\nOther Gameplay/Final Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:08:11\nSPOILER WALL 1:34:02\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"After playing The Messenger, I could not wait for what Sabotage Studio would make next, so I looked them up, found the Sea of Stars kickstarter page and backed it while the credits for The Messenger were still rolling. To say I was excited would be an understatement. In reality....Sea of Stars is a disappointment. Not a bad game, but not a great game either. I'm joined in this episode by two many time guests on the show, Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington, to break it all down.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:00
\nStory Setup 16:41
\nVisuals/Music 31:59
\nCombat 44:48
\nOther Gameplay/Final Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:08:11
\nSPOILER WALL 1:34:02
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss Sabotage Studio's 2023 retro-throwback RPG, Sea of Stars. ","date_published":"2023-12-06T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/ec764531-33e5-41f5-ae21-f79c75ba6f4b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":99782008,"duration_in_seconds":8315}]},{"id":"96d22cf2-dacd-46b8-b47b-3a003da4f68a","title":"\"Uncommon\" Real-World Settings in Video Games (with Ozzy Garcia & Randall Quiggle)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/realsettings","content_text":"From Assassin's Creed to Spider-Man, Yakuza, Persona and Grand Theft Auto, video games can take us on a sort of virtual tourism journey. But hiding in the background, there are tons of other** games set in real-world locations outside of The United States, Western Europe and Japan*. **Randall Quiggle* and Ozzy Garcia join me to shine a light on some games that might teach you a little bit about culture while you take in the sights. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Our Examples 1:13\nCommunity Examples 1:13:32\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"From Assassin's Creed to Spider-Man, Yakuza, Persona and Grand Theft Auto, video games can take us on a sort of virtual tourism journey. But hiding in the background, there are tons of other** games set in real-world locations outside of The United States, Western Europe and Japan*. **Randall Quiggle* and Ozzy Garcia join me to shine a light on some games that might teach you a little bit about culture while you take in the sights.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Our Examples 1:13
\nCommunity Examples 1:13:32
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ozzy Garcia and Randall Quiggle to discuss games set in real, yet uncommon locations and what we can learn from them. ","date_published":"2023-11-29T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/96d22cf2-dacd-46b8-b47b-3a003da4f68a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86459245,"duration_in_seconds":6175}]},{"id":"77e7da74-7c95-4262-b3d0-e6bad2becfce","title":"96: Final Fantasy XVI (with Rick Firestone & Eric Gess)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/96","content_text":"This one is a spicy meatball. Few game series inspire the amount of praise, vitriol and everything in between as Final Fantasy does, and the latest entry, Final Fantasy XVI is no different. A series famous for continuous reinvention reinvents itself once again as a dark fantasy action game, and I knew I had to get a couple of great guests on the show to talk about it. This week I'm joined by Eric Gess (The Unlockables) and Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) to discuss it all. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:50\nStory Setup 20:31\nGame of Thrones Comparisons 47:11\nVisuals/Music 1:01:54\nGameplay 1:22:41\nRecommendations/Closing Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:37:56\nSPOILER WALL 1:49:03\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"This one is a spicy meatball. Few game series inspire the amount of praise, vitriol and everything in between as Final Fantasy does, and the latest entry, Final Fantasy XVI is no different. A series famous for continuous reinvention reinvents itself once again as a dark fantasy action game, and I knew I had to get a couple of great guests on the show to talk about it. This week I'm joined by Eric Gess (The Unlockables) and Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) to discuss it all.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:50
\nStory Setup 20:31
\nGame of Thrones Comparisons 47:11
\nVisuals/Music 1:01:54
\nGameplay 1:22:41
\nRecommendations/Closing Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:37:56
\nSPOILER WALL 1:49:03
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) and Eric Gess (The Unlockables) to discuss Square Enix's Final Fantasy XVI. ","date_published":"2023-11-22T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/77e7da74-7c95-4262-b3d0-e6bad2becfce.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97967020,"duration_in_seconds":9796}]},{"id":"d08394ac-6c55-4055-b96a-90c6e7830161","title":"95: F-Zero X (with Dave Pietrangelo - Remember 64)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/95","content_text":"To my knowledge, this is the only podcast ever recorded at over 1000 km/h. F-Zero X, by Nintendo EAD for the Nintendo 64 features hyperspeed racing, buttery smooth gameplay and an absolutely incredible shredding speed metal soundtrack. Joining me on this high-speed podcast is Dave Pietrangelo of Remember 64, Back in My Day, Creature Cast and Console Creatures. You can find everything Dave is doing by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:57\nStory Setup/Character Backstories 19:27\nSoundtrack/Visuals 39:43\nGameplay 53:52\nGameplay, continued/Closing Thoughts 1:15:32\nNO SPOILER WALL\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"To my knowledge, this is the only podcast ever recorded at over 1000 km/h. F-Zero X, by Nintendo EAD for the Nintendo 64 features hyperspeed racing, buttery smooth gameplay and an absolutely incredible shredding speed metal soundtrack. Joining me on this high-speed podcast is Dave Pietrangelo of Remember 64, Back in My Day, Creature Cast and Console Creatures. You can find everything Dave is doing by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:57
\nStory Setup/Character Backstories 19:27
\nSoundtrack/Visuals 39:43
\nGameplay 53:52
\nGameplay, continued/Closing Thoughts 1:15:32
\nNO SPOILER WALL
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Dave Pietrangelo from Remember 64 and Back in My Day podcasts to discuss F-Zero X, Nintendo's hyperspeed space racer from the Nintendo 64. ","date_published":"2023-11-15T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d08394ac-6c55-4055-b96a-90c6e7830161.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94535261,"duration_in_seconds":5908}]},{"id":"ab23ed36-345e-4b35-aaf9-a6617bea584a","title":"94: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (with Mick Arcade)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/94","content_text":"Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR for those in the know) was, for many of us longtime fans, the Star Wars game that we had always dreamed of- a game that let you explore famous planets from the movies, become a jedi, befriend wookiees and play through an acclaimed story. But that was 20 years ago, and Star Wars games have come a long way. How well did KOTOR hold up along the years? Its story is still famous, but is it a one-trick pony if you've played before? Joining me for this special episode is friend of the show, voice actor, twitch streamer and much more, Mick Arcade! You can find Mick on Twitch, on various Playotic channels, Doorway to Nightmare, and many more places around the internet! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories with Star Wars & KOTOR/Opening Thoughts 1:42\nStory Setup/Characters 16:48\nVisuals/Music/Sound 43:36\nCombat/Gameplay 56:54\nClosing Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:10:31\nSPOILER WALL 1:23:29\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR for those in the know) was, for many of us longtime fans, the Star Wars game that we had always dreamed of- a game that let you explore famous planets from the movies, become a jedi, befriend wookiees and play through an acclaimed story. But that was 20 years ago, and Star Wars games have come a long way. How well did KOTOR hold up along the years? Its story is still famous, but is it a one-trick pony if you've played before? Joining me for this special episode is friend of the show, voice actor, twitch streamer and much more, Mick Arcade! You can find Mick on Twitch, on various Playotic channels, Doorway to Nightmare, and many more places around the internet!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories with Star Wars & KOTOR/Opening Thoughts 1:42
\nStory Setup/Characters 16:48
\nVisuals/Music/Sound 43:36
\nCombat/Gameplay 56:54
\nClosing Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:10:31
\nSPOILER WALL 1:23:29
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Mick Arcade to discuss BioWare's Star Wars role-playing game, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. ","date_published":"2023-11-08T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/ab23ed36-345e-4b35-aaf9-a6617bea584a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93215138,"duration_in_seconds":7767}]},{"id":"56dadc1d-b463-4d3a-b0ea-4d2ecb4149e4","title":"2nd Birthday Mailbag!","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/2ndbirthday","content_text":"Tales from the Backlog is 2 years old! To celebrate, I am doing the yearly mailbag episode! I answer your questions about my favorite episodes of the show, how I choose the games for the show, podcasting and much more!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Tales from the Backlog is 2 years old! To celebrate, I am doing the yearly mailbag episode! I answer your questions about my favorite episodes of the show, how I choose the games for the show, podcasting and much more!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Tales from the Backlog is 2 years old! To celebrate, I am doing the yearly mailbag episode!","date_published":"2023-11-01T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/56dadc1d-b463-4d3a-b0ea-4d2ecb4149e4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97789292,"duration_in_seconds":2951}]},{"id":"aa9ddf00-a171-4c82-8b23-13d195c2dca4","title":"93: Signalis (with Chris Coplien & Shane Koski)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/93","content_text":"Signalis, by rose-engine is a game that seems to inspire everybody who plays it to jump at every chance to talk about it (or record nearly 3 hour podcasts about it, in our case). From its undeniable aesthetics calling back to the 32-bit era of Resident Evil and Silent Hill to its dreamlike story about android replikas in a cosmic horror/space sci-fi setting, Signalis leaves an impact. Luckily for me, Chris Coplien and Shane Koski of Retro Hangover were kind enough to join me for a theorycrafting session for the ages. You should check out their podcast for some fantastic retro gaming episodes, including some of the games that inspired Signalis!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:41\nStory Setup 14:49\nVisuals/Music 33:32\nGameplay/Combat/Puzzles 48:24\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:17:39\nSPOILER WALL 1:28:27\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Signalis, by rose-engine is a game that seems to inspire everybody who plays it to jump at every chance to talk about it (or record nearly 3 hour podcasts about it, in our case). From its undeniable aesthetics calling back to the 32-bit era of Resident Evil and Silent Hill to its dreamlike story about android replikas in a cosmic horror/space sci-fi setting, Signalis leaves an impact. Luckily for me, Chris Coplien and Shane Koski of Retro Hangover were kind enough to join me for a theorycrafting session for the ages. You should check out their podcast for some fantastic retro gaming episodes, including some of the games that inspired Signalis!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:41
\nStory Setup 14:49
\nVisuals/Music 33:32
\nGameplay/Combat/Puzzles 48:24
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:17:39
\nSPOILER WALL 1:28:27
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Coplien and Shane Koski from Retro Hangover to discuss rose-engine's dreamlike survival horror throwback, Signalis.","date_published":"2023-10-25T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/aa9ddf00-a171-4c82-8b23-13d195c2dca4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96199314,"duration_in_seconds":9619}]},{"id":"91ec8af7-6cee-4309-80e1-1d6909c46203","title":"92: Dead Space (2023) (with Chris aka Vertigo2Hell)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/92","content_text":"Put another tally in the \"Dave is covering a game on the podcast that he swore he'd never play\" list- life came at me fast, I suppose. Dead Space (2023), Motive Studio and EA's remake of the original Dead Space from 2008 is an incredible visual upgrade on already great gameplay, though it does wear out its welcome as it seems to run out of novel gameplay ideas well before the story has wrapped up. Joining me to discuss Dead Space is Chris aka Vertigo2Hell, a Twitch streamer who specializes in horror game streams. You should give him a follow on Twitch and check out his streams!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:45\nStory Setup/Visuals/Music/Was it Scary? 13:00\nGameplay/Combat/Boss Fights 43:30\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:11:52\nSPOILER WALL 1:21:05\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Put another tally in the "Dave is covering a game on the podcast that he swore he'd never play" list- life came at me fast, I suppose. Dead Space (2023), Motive Studio and EA's remake of the original Dead Space from 2008 is an incredible visual upgrade on already great gameplay, though it does wear out its welcome as it seems to run out of novel gameplay ideas well before the story has wrapped up. Joining me to discuss Dead Space is Chris aka Vertigo2Hell, a Twitch streamer who specializes in horror game streams. You should give him a follow on Twitch and check out his streams!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:45
\nStory Setup/Visuals/Music/Was it Scary? 13:00
\nGameplay/Combat/Boss Fights 43:30
\nClosing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:11:52
\nSPOILER WALL 1:21:05
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by horror games streamer Chris aka Vertigo2Hell to discuss Motive Studio and EA's 2023 remake of Dead Space.","date_published":"2023-10-18T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/91ec8af7-6cee-4309-80e1-1d6909c46203.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97020708,"duration_in_seconds":6930}]},{"id":"f9fa5638-657b-4ab6-803a-de6f95376571","title":"91: Iron Lung (with Gary Butterfield & Kole Ross)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/91","content_text":"Iron Lung, developed and published by David Szymanski in 2022, was a game I was sure I would never play. Frequently topping \"Scariest Games Ever\" lists around the internet, mixing thalassophobia, claustrophobia, rustophobia and more, I always figured I would just hear about it from afar. But as a convert to horror games, I liked the idea of giving this one a go. After all, a $6, 1 hour game is a good pitch if you're looking for that final push. It turns out that Iron Lung is really great! And I was lucky enough to be joined by two incredible guests, Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross, the two founders and main hosts of the Duckfeed.tv podcast network that encompasses such shows as Watch Out for Fireballs!, Bonfireside Chat and many more. You can check out all of their shows at their website or on your favorite podcast app, and you can support them on Patreon!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:44\nStory Setup/How Iron Lung Creates Tension/Gameplay 18:01\nSPOILER WALL 48:29\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Iron Lung, developed and published by David Szymanski in 2022, was a game I was sure I would never play. Frequently topping "Scariest Games Ever" lists around the internet, mixing thalassophobia, claustrophobia, rustophobia and more, I always figured I would just hear about it from afar. But as a convert to horror games, I liked the idea of giving this one a go. After all, a $6, 1 hour game is a good pitch if you're looking for that final push. It turns out that Iron Lung is really great! And I was lucky enough to be joined by two incredible guests, Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross, the two founders and main hosts of the Duckfeed.tv podcast network that encompasses such shows as Watch Out for Fireballs!, Bonfireside Chat and many more. You can check out all of their shows at their website or on your favorite podcast app, and you can support them on Patreon!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:44
\nStory Setup/How Iron Lung Creates Tension/Gameplay 18:01
\nSPOILER WALL 48:29
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross (Duckfeed.tv - Watch Out For Fireballs!, Bonfireside Chat and many more!) to discuss David Szymanski's first-person submarine horror game, Iron Lung.","date_published":"2023-10-11T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f9fa5638-657b-4ab6-803a-de6f95376571.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93488587,"duration_in_seconds":4674}]},{"id":"c4df18d5-4b95-41c0-8046-e8f110c22675","title":"90: Resident Evil (2002) (with Adelaide Lohkamp)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/90","content_text":"Ahhh....another October brings another spooky month of games, and another guest appearance by all-star Adelaide Lohkamp. This time, she's joining me to talk about the game that popularized an entire genre. Well, the remake. That's right, we're talking about Capcom's 2002 remake of Resident Evil, originally released for the GameCube in 2002. You can check out Adelaide's YouTube Channel and Twitch page for more great stuff from her!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:55\nStory Setup/Campy Tone 12:56\nVisuals/Music/Sound Design/Horror Stuff 24:16 \nGameplay/Inventory & Save Limits 35:13\nCombat/Puzzles/Closing Thoughts 49:53 \nSPOILER WALL 1:08:27 \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Ahhh....another October brings another spooky month of games, and another guest appearance by all-star Adelaide Lohkamp. This time, she's joining me to talk about the game that popularized an entire genre. Well, the remake. That's right, we're talking about Capcom's 2002 remake of Resident Evil, originally released for the GameCube in 2002. You can check out Adelaide's YouTube Channel and Twitch page for more great stuff from her!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:55
\nStory Setup/Campy Tone 12:56
\nVisuals/Music/Sound Design/Horror Stuff 24:16
\nGameplay/Inventory & Save Limits 35:13
\nCombat/Puzzles/Closing Thoughts 49:53
\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:27
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adelaide Lohkamp to discuss Resident Evil, the 2002 remake of Resident Evil, the 1996 original by Capcom.","date_published":"2023-10-04T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c4df18d5-4b95-41c0-8046-e8f110c22675.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94575908,"duration_in_seconds":6755}]},{"id":"56db69bf-ae1f-43f9-9fb0-0108198a48fe","title":"Getting Into Horror Games (with Adam Bucceri - Half Tone Takes, Gerry - Super Ghost Radio, & Dog Faced Gamer)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/horror","content_text":"Longtime listeners of Tales from the Backlog will have heard me say something to the effect of \"I don't like horror games and I will never play one\", but as they say- life comes at you fast. I've become a big fan of horror games, and so I wanted to make a discussion episode asking \"how did we get here?\". To help me discuss the notion of \"geting into horror games\", I've assembled a 4-piece band of true horror sickos- Adam Bucceri (Enter the Survival Horror, Half Tone Takes), Matty aka The Dog Faced Gamer (Twitch) and Gerry Thomas (Super Ghost Radio). You should check out all of the wonderful things that they make and do! \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Longtime listeners of Tales from the Backlog will have heard me say something to the effect of "I don't like horror games and I will never play one", but as they say- life comes at you fast. I've become a big fan of horror games, and so I wanted to make a discussion episode asking "how did we get here?". To help me discuss the notion of "geting into horror games", I've assembled a 4-piece band of true horror sickos- Adam Bucceri (Enter the Survival Horror, Half Tone Takes), Matty aka The Dog Faced Gamer (Twitch) and Gerry Thomas (Super Ghost Radio). You should check out all of the wonderful things that they make and do!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adam Bucceri (Half Tone Takes pocast), Gerry (Super Ghost Radio) and Dog Faced Gamer to discuss how we all got into horror games. ","date_published":"2023-09-27T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/56db69bf-ae1f-43f9-9fb0-0108198a48fe.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92823405,"duration_in_seconds":6630}]},{"id":"d89ce3c0-b806-4595-af20-a36d2211cfff","title":"89: Kid Icarus: Uprising (with TripleSMoon)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/89","content_text":"Ah yes, another series and character that I had never heard of before they appeared in Super Smash Bros. Kid Icarus: Uprising and its main character, Pit, made an impression on me through the Smash Bros. series, but I had never played a game in the series....until now! Project Sora and Nintendo put out a respectable, but flawed rail shooter/3rd person action hybrid, and I'm joined by action game master TripleSMoon to discuss it! You can find Moon at his YouTube channel for longplays and highlights from all kinds of action games. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:44\nStory Setup/Characters/Voice Acting 15:50\nVisuals/Music 33:37\nGameplay 42:13\nSPOILER WALL 1:37:11\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Ah yes, another series and character that I had never heard of before they appeared in Super Smash Bros. Kid Icarus: Uprising and its main character, Pit, made an impression on me through the Smash Bros. series, but I had never played a game in the series....until now! Project Sora and Nintendo put out a respectable, but flawed rail shooter/3rd person action hybrid, and I'm joined by action game master TripleSMoon to discuss it! You can find Moon at his YouTube channel for longplays and highlights from all kinds of action games.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:44
\nStory Setup/Characters/Voice Acting 15:50
\nVisuals/Music 33:37
\nGameplay 42:13
\nSPOILER WALL 1:37:11
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by TripleSMoon to discuss Kid Icarus: Uprising- Project Sora and Nintendo's 3rd person action/rail shooter hybrid for the 3DS.","date_published":"2023-09-20T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d89ce3c0-b806-4595-af20-a36d2211cfff.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87273952,"duration_in_seconds":7272}]},{"id":"f01e5f2a-4486-4540-85b1-d55e453fdb27","title":"88: Wario World (with Thrak - The 3DO Experience)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/88","content_text":"Wario World, developed by Treasure and published by** Nintendo*, feels like a forgotten game. People still talk about the **Wario Land* series from the Game Boy era, and everyone loves WarioWare, but did you know that Wario had a 3D platformer/beat 'em up on the GameCube? Thrak (The 3DO Experience) joins me on this patron-voted episode to discuss it!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:26\nStory Setup/Characterization of Wario/Voice Acting 21:21\nGameplay 37:57\nBoss Fights/Closing Thoughts 1:00:52\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Wario World, developed by Treasure and published by** Nintendo*, feels like a forgotten game. People still talk about the **Wario Land* series from the Game Boy era, and everyone loves WarioWare, but did you know that Wario had a 3D platformer/beat 'em up on the GameCube? Thrak (The 3DO Experience) joins me on this patron-voted episode to discuss it!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:26
\nStory Setup/Characterization of Wario/Voice Acting 21:21
\nGameplay 37:57
\nBoss Fights/Closing Thoughts 1:00:52
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Thrak from The 3DO Experience to discuss Treasure and Nintendo's 3D Wario platformer, Wario World.","date_published":"2023-09-13T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f01e5f2a-4486-4540-85b1-d55e453fdb27.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":84104671,"duration_in_seconds":5256}]},{"id":"c3e7e578-e10a-4b66-b715-09bb56726e20","title":"87: The Secret of Monkey Island (with Doug Lief - Nostalgium Arcanum)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/87","content_text":"I got into gaming in the 1990s, but my introduction to gaming was handheld consoles like the Game Gear and Game Boy, not PC games (aside from whatever my schools had in the computer labs), so the golden era of PC point-and-click adventure games completely missed me. Luckily, through the power of technology, I'm able to go back and revisit some of the formative classics that shaped many childhoods. The Secret of Monkey Island, by Lucasfilm Games is one of those classics, and I was happy to take my first swig of Grog and jump in with my special guest Doug Lief from Nostalgium Arcanum podcast. Nostalgium Arcanum is a nostalgia celebration podcast, discussing games, pop culture trends, tv shows, books, movies and much more. You can find the show on your favorite podcast app or by going to the website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:35\nStory Setup/Humor/Writing/Music 17:23\nGameplay/Puzzles 40:21\nGameplay, continued 59:41 \nSPOILER WALL 1:08:34\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"I got into gaming in the 1990s, but my introduction to gaming was handheld consoles like the Game Gear and Game Boy, not PC games (aside from whatever my schools had in the computer labs), so the golden era of PC point-and-click adventure games completely missed me. Luckily, through the power of technology, I'm able to go back and revisit some of the formative classics that shaped many childhoods. The Secret of Monkey Island, by Lucasfilm Games is one of those classics, and I was happy to take my first swig of Grog and jump in with my special guest Doug Lief from Nostalgium Arcanum podcast. Nostalgium Arcanum is a nostalgia celebration podcast, discussing games, pop culture trends, tv shows, books, movies and much more. You can find the show on your favorite podcast app or by going to the website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:35
\nStory Setup/Humor/Writing/Music 17:23
\nGameplay/Puzzles 40:21
\nGameplay, continued 59:41
\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:34
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Doug Lief (Nostalgium Arcanum podcast) to discuss LucasFilm Games' seminal point-and-click adventure, The Secret of Monkey Island. ","date_published":"2023-09-06T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c3e7e578-e10a-4b66-b715-09bb56726e20.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94495816,"duration_in_seconds":6749}]},{"id":"ad6d2833-6af8-4454-84fe-5b148ee175bd","title":"86: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (with Andrew & Dylan - Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/86","content_text":"After the success of The Witcher 3, the second game in the Witcher franchise seems to have been instantly forgotten, despite garnering lots of acclaim back when it released in 2011. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is an incredibly ambitious game by CD Projekt Red, with a branching narrative that still puts modern AAA games to shame, but is severely hampered by outdated and inscrutable gameplay design. Joining me to discuss The Witcher 2 are Andrew Kimball & Dylan Wren, hosts of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers. Go check out their podcast and YouTube channel, it's awesome! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49\nSetting/Story Intro 21:36\nVisuals/Voice Acting/Music 53:08\nGameplay 59:19\nSPOILER WALL 1:30:50\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"After the success of The Witcher 3, the second game in the Witcher franchise seems to have been instantly forgotten, despite garnering lots of acclaim back when it released in 2011. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is an incredibly ambitious game by CD Projekt Red, with a branching narrative that still puts modern AAA games to shame, but is severely hampered by outdated and inscrutable gameplay design. Joining me to discuss The Witcher 2 are Andrew Kimball & Dylan Wren, hosts of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers. Go check out their podcast and YouTube channel, it's awesome!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49
\nSetting/Story Intro 21:36
\nVisuals/Voice Acting/Music 53:08
\nGameplay 59:19
\nSPOILER WALL 1:30:50
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Andrew Kimball and Dylan Wren from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to discuss The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, the 2011 RPG by CD Projekt Red.","date_published":"2023-08-30T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/ad6d2833-6af8-4454-84fe-5b148ee175bd.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92806269,"duration_in_seconds":9280}]},{"id":"778b8e10-ba03-4d9f-b0e0-ab054cb80c91","title":"85: The Three Versions of Metroid 2 (with Case Aiken, Matt Storm & Geoff Moonen)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/85","content_text":"The black sheep in the Metroid series, Metroid 2: Return of Samus, was originally developed and published by Nintendo for Game Boy in 1991, and has since seen two well-known remakes- the fan remake AM2R, developed by Milton Guasti and released for PC in 2016, as well as MercurySteam and Nintendo's official remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, released in 2017 for the 3DS. This episode is a compare and contrast episode, featuring all three games. Joining me for this episode are three Metroid aficionados- Matt aka Stormageddon (\"Fun\" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark podcasts), Geoff Moonen (\"Fun\" and Games) and Case Aiken (Men of Steel, Another Pass podcasts). Check out all of their fantastic shows on your favorite podcast app or at certainpov.com!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories 1:16:15\nMetroid 2: Return of Samus 25:14\nMetroid 2 SPOILER WALL 1:01:47\nAM2R 1:12:26\nAM2R SPOILER WALL 1:45:11\nMetroid: Samus Returns 1:58:20\nSamus Returns SPOILER WALL 2:29:47 \nWrap-Up Thoughts/Recommendations 2:50:35\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The black sheep in the Metroid series, Metroid 2: Return of Samus, was originally developed and published by Nintendo for Game Boy in 1991, and has since seen two well-known remakes- the fan remake AM2R, developed by Milton Guasti and released for PC in 2016, as well as MercurySteam and Nintendo's official remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, released in 2017 for the 3DS. This episode is a compare and contrast episode, featuring all three games. Joining me for this episode are three Metroid aficionados- Matt aka Stormageddon ("Fun" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark podcasts), Geoff Moonen ("Fun" and Games) and Case Aiken (Men of Steel, Another Pass podcasts). Check out all of their fantastic shows on your favorite podcast app or at certainpov.com!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories 1:16:15
\nMetroid 2: Return of Samus 25:14
\nMetroid 2 SPOILER WALL 1:01:47
\nAM2R 1:12:26
\nAM2R SPOILER WALL 1:45:11
\nMetroid: Samus Returns 1:58:20
\nSamus Returns SPOILER WALL 2:29:47
\nWrap-Up Thoughts/Recommendations 2:50:35
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Case Aiken (Men of Steel, Another Pass), Matt Storm (\"Fun and Games\", Reignite, Screen Snark) and Geoff Moonen (\"Fun\" and Games) to discuss Metroid 2: Return of Samus and its two remakes- AM2R and Samus Returns.","date_published":"2023-08-23T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/778b8e10-ba03-4d9f-b0e0-ab054cb80c91.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88864390,"duration_in_seconds":11108}]},{"id":"778c3b0e-50a9-4c8f-9cfb-4758c62922f5","title":"Discovering Games Via Super Smash Bros. (with Kolby, Mikey Tabletop & Jim Rodeman)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/smashdiscovery","content_text":"In this Break from the Backlog, I'm joined by Jim Rodeman, Mikey Tabletop (Big Drink Energy) and Kolby (Switch It Up) to discuss one of my favorite underrated things about the Super Smash Bros. series- how it has introduced me to so many of my favorite characters, games and game series throughout the years. We talk about how without Super Smash Bros, we may not have played series like Fire Emblem, Metroid, Kid Icarus, Ice Climbers, Bayonetta, Xenoblade Chronicles and so many more. You should check out Jim on several past episodes of Tales from the Backlog, Mikey on Big Drink Energy, and Kolby on Switch It Up! \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In this Break from the Backlog, I'm joined by Jim Rodeman, Mikey Tabletop (Big Drink Energy) and Kolby (Switch It Up) to discuss one of my favorite underrated things about the Super Smash Bros. series- how it has introduced me to so many of my favorite characters, games and game series throughout the years. We talk about how without Super Smash Bros, we may not have played series like Fire Emblem, Metroid, Kid Icarus, Ice Climbers, Bayonetta, Xenoblade Chronicles and so many more. You should check out Jim on several past episodes of Tales from the Backlog, Mikey on Big Drink Energy, and Kolby on Switch It Up!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jim Rodeman, Kolby (Switch It Up) and Mikey Tabletop (Big Drink Energy) to discuss how we discovered games and series we came to love via Super Smash Bros.","date_published":"2023-08-16T00:45:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/778c3b0e-50a9-4c8f-9cfb-4758c62922f5.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88782888,"duration_in_seconds":5548}]},{"id":"9cf8a862-5aec-44de-940c-547606041c25","title":"84: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (with Jacob McCourt)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/84","content_text":"Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a teamup between PlatinumGames and Konami brings incredible action gameplay into the world of Metal Gear. This game is fantastic, memorable, memeable and so much more. I was lucky enough to be joined by Jacob McCourt for this episode, as we walk through its wild story and dismemberment-focused gameplay.\n\nYou should check out Jacob's podcasts, Left Behind Game Club, Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie & TV Podcast and Crossplay Conversations and follow him on Twitter and Bluesky!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:45\nStory Setup/Tone/Soundtrack 14:17\nCombat 34:16\nGameplay, continued 46:38\nSPOILER WALL 1:06:48\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a teamup between PlatinumGames and Konami brings incredible action gameplay into the world of Metal Gear. This game is fantastic, memorable, memeable and so much more. I was lucky enough to be joined by Jacob McCourt for this episode, as we walk through its wild story and dismemberment-focused gameplay.
\n\nYou should check out Jacob's podcasts, Left Behind Game Club, Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie & TV Podcast and Crossplay Conversations and follow him on Twitter and Bluesky!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:45
\nStory Setup/Tone/Soundtrack 14:17
\nCombat 34:16
\nGameplay, continued 46:38
\nSPOILER WALL 1:06:48
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jacob McCourt from Left Behind Game Club to discuss Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, by PlatinumGames.","date_published":"2023-08-09T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9cf8a862-5aec-44de-940c-547606041c25.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88555153,"duration_in_seconds":6325}]},{"id":"fa615b52-3622-4ce2-9939-8b8056987681","title":"83: Redfall (with Nick & Will - Friday Night Gamecast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/83","content_text":"Redfall, by Arkane Studios Austin released earlier this year to a slew of terrible reviews, clips showcasing its unfinished state, and general dunking as the internet does. But what was it that actually made it so bad? Is it actually as bad as people say? Can the Power of Friendship save Redfall? I'm joined by Nick and Will from Friday Night Gamecast to discuss. You can find all of FNGC's quality podcasts here!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:35\nStory Setup/Characters 16:16\nGameplay- What It's Not 41:03\nGameplay- What It Is 1:03:57\nSPOILER WALL 1:44:26\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Redfall, by Arkane Studios Austin released earlier this year to a slew of terrible reviews, clips showcasing its unfinished state, and general dunking as the internet does. But what was it that actually made it so bad? Is it actually as bad as people say? Can the Power of Friendship save Redfall? I'm joined by Nick and Will from Friday Night Gamecast to discuss. You can find all of FNGC's quality podcasts here!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:35
\nStory Setup/Characters 16:16
\nGameplay- What It's Not 41:03
\nGameplay- What It Is 1:03:57
\nSPOILER WALL 1:44:26
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Nick & Will from Friday Night Gamecast to discuss Arkane Studios Austin's 2023 co-op vampire shooter, Redfall.","date_published":"2023-08-02T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/fa615b52-3622-4ce2-9939-8b8056987681.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87515951,"duration_in_seconds":8751}]},{"id":"0d1bfa92-6fd7-4786-a9e7-9f2580afa423","title":"82: Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn & Throne of Bhaal (with Bryan Skursha - Pixelated Playgrounds)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/82","content_text":"Baldur's Gate 2, the second in BioWare's landmark RPG series, was always kind of \"the goal\", as it's usually said to be one of the best RPGs ever made, even more so than the first. And I do believe that it holds up in that way- the adventuring is unmatched, the characters are vivid and memorable, and you're able to see your character's arc come to a close, all the way from the beginning of Baldur's Gate 1. \n\nJoining me today is Bryan Skursha of Pixelated Playgrounds, a gaming book club podcast. Pixelated Playgrounds takes a very thoughtful and analytical approach to the games they cover, which I love. Check them out!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:33\nStory Setup/Storytelling/Characters/Role Playing 16:12\nVisuals/Music 51:34\nCombat/Gameplay 1:00:23\nSPOILER WALL 1:28:12\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Baldur's Gate 2, the second in BioWare's landmark RPG series, was always kind of "the goal", as it's usually said to be one of the best RPGs ever made, even more so than the first. And I do believe that it holds up in that way- the adventuring is unmatched, the characters are vivid and memorable, and you're able to see your character's arc come to a close, all the way from the beginning of Baldur's Gate 1.
\n\nJoining me today is Bryan Skursha of Pixelated Playgrounds, a gaming book club podcast. Pixelated Playgrounds takes a very thoughtful and analytical approach to the games they cover, which I love. Check them out!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:33
\nStory Setup/Storytelling/Characters/Role Playing 16:12
\nVisuals/Music 51:34
\nCombat/Gameplay 1:00:23
\nSPOILER WALL 1:28:12
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Bryan Skursha of Pixelated Playgrounds to discuss BioWare's Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn and its expansion, Throne of Bhaal.","date_published":"2023-07-26T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0d1bfa92-6fd7-4786-a9e7-9f2580afa423.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97567347,"duration_in_seconds":9756}]},{"id":"6d3f8123-1358-48a7-8aae-6a848707d8e5","title":"What Makes a Good Remake? (with Dylan & Dave - Offshore Gamecast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/remakes","content_text":"Remakes are so hot these days. From 20+ year old influental titles like Metroid to games that were still available on modern platforms like The Last of Us, love em or hate em, remakes here to stay. So in this episode, Dave & Dylan from Offshore Gamescast join me to discuss when remakes are wanted, why some succeed and what we'd like to see in the future. You can find all things Offshore Gamescast at their website!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Remakes are so hot these days. From 20+ year old influental titles like Metroid to games that were still available on modern platforms like The Last of Us, love em or hate em, remakes here to stay. So in this episode, Dave & Dylan from Offshore Gamescast join me to discuss when remakes are wanted, why some succeed and what we'd like to see in the future. You can find all things Offshore Gamescast at their website!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Dave & Dylan from Offshore Gamescast to discuss video game remakes: when they are wanted, why some succeed and what we'd like to see in the future.","date_published":"2023-07-19T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/6d3f8123-1358-48a7-8aae-6a848707d8e5.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91418957,"duration_in_seconds":5713}]},{"id":"86882f54-71aa-4381-ab4b-a9bbd69f8de3","title":"81: Final Fantasy VI (with Aaron Angle - A Top 3 Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/81","content_text":"This episode has been a long time coming. One of my favorite games of all time, a game that I've played most of the way through several times, but never finished until now! Final Fantasy VI, Square's landmark Super Nintendo RPG brought us a wonderful cast of characters, an iconic villain, a bangin soundtrack, and an unforgettable story. How does it hold up today? Joining me to discuss is my longtime friend and my co-host on A Top 3 Podcast, Aaron Angle!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49\nStory Setup/Characters/Tone 14:10\nMusic 37:24\nVisuals 46:57\nCombat/Gameplay 52:01\n SPOILER WALL 1:14:25\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"This episode has been a long time coming. One of my favorite games of all time, a game that I've played most of the way through several times, but never finished until now! Final Fantasy VI, Square's landmark Super Nintendo RPG brought us a wonderful cast of characters, an iconic villain, a bangin soundtrack, and an unforgettable story. How does it hold up today? Joining me to discuss is my longtime friend and my co-host on A Top 3 Podcast, Aaron Angle!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49
\nStory Setup/Characters/Tone 14:10
\nMusic 37:24
\nVisuals 46:57
\nCombat/Gameplay 52:01
\n SPOILER WALL 1:14:25
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by one of his co-hosts on A Top 3 Podcast, Aaron Angle, to discuss Square's landmark ensemble JRPG, Final Fantasy VI.","date_published":"2023-07-12T01:30:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/86882f54-71aa-4381-ab4b-a9bbd69f8de3.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":85429029,"duration_in_seconds":8542}]},{"id":"6c08d166-49e1-4d95-a83b-91b0d0a322d6","title":"80: Ico (with Josh Covel - Still Loading)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/80","content_text":"Hope you're ready to hold hands as we discuss Ico, a supremely influential game from Japan Studio and Team Ico. Its influences spread wide throughout the industry, as its minimalist storytelling, cinematic approach, animation and sound design can still be felt throughout your favorite modern games. But how does it hold up today? Joining me to discuss is Josh Covel from the wonderful Still Loading podcast. You can find everything Still Loading by following this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:40\nStory Setup/Storytelling/Presentation/Gameplay Intro 21:44\nPuzzles/Combat 53:11\nSPOILER WALL 1:25:25\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Hope you're ready to hold hands as we discuss Ico, a supremely influential game from Japan Studio and Team Ico. Its influences spread wide throughout the industry, as its minimalist storytelling, cinematic approach, animation and sound design can still be felt throughout your favorite modern games. But how does it hold up today? Joining me to discuss is Josh Covel from the wonderful Still Loading podcast. You can find everything Still Loading by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:40
\nStory Setup/Storytelling/Presentation/Gameplay Intro 21:44
\nPuzzles/Combat 53:11
\nSPOILER WALL 1:25:25
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Josh Covel from Still Loading podcast to discuss Japan Studio and Team Ico's influential 2001 release....Ico! ","date_published":"2023-07-05T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/6c08d166-49e1-4d95-a83b-91b0d0a322d6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91044049,"duration_in_seconds":7587}]},{"id":"655ad321-d03f-4c6f-b573-2520584d3637","title":"79: Baldur's Gate (with Phil Morgan - Deleted Saves)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/79","content_text":"For as much as I love role playing games, and some later entries into the CRPG genre, I had never played the original Baldur's Gate, by BioWare....until now. This game largely holds up, despite being made with an antiquated Dungeons and Dragons ruleset, but my issues with the game were a bit more basic than deciphering THAC0 like I expected. I was joined for this episode by Phil Morgan from Deleted Saves, which is a highly recommended podcast. You can find Deleted Saves on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast app, on Twitter and on Instagram! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:26\nStory Setup/Setting 18:49\nVisuals/Voice Acting/Sound Design/Gameplay 38:49\nSPOILER WALL 1:17:32\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"For as much as I love role playing games, and some later entries into the CRPG genre, I had never played the original Baldur's Gate, by BioWare....until now. This game largely holds up, despite being made with an antiquated Dungeons and Dragons ruleset, but my issues with the game were a bit more basic than deciphering THAC0 like I expected. I was joined for this episode by Phil Morgan from Deleted Saves, which is a highly recommended podcast. You can find Deleted Saves on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast app, on Twitter and on Instagram!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:26
\nStory Setup/Setting 18:49
\nVisuals/Voice Acting/Sound Design/Gameplay 38:49
\nSPOILER WALL 1:17:32
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Phil Morgan from Deleted Saves to discuss Baldur's Gate, BioWare's first entry into the influential role-playing series.","date_published":"2023-06-28T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/655ad321-d03f-4c6f-b573-2520584d3637.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93031444,"duration_in_seconds":7752}]},{"id":"f816fc88-8ad8-4cb4-ac24-913252b34483","title":"78: The Last of Us Part II (with Flora Merigold - Epilogue Gaming, Left Behind Game Club)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/78","content_text":"The Last of Us Part II, by Naughty Dog is one of the most polarizing video games ever made. The sequel to a wildly successful, and some would say \"complete\", video game was bound to leave some feeling left behind, but this game quickly joined The Discourse....and I didn't hear any of it. So I came to this relatively fresh, and invited on Flora Merigold from Epilogue Gaming and Left Behind Game Club to discuss! Find out how we felt about this landmark, yet controversial game. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:21\nStory Setup/Tone/Visuals/Horror 12:09\nGameplay 43:41\nSPOILER WALL 1:10:42\n\nAs always, thank you to my patrons, and you can be like them- here's the link to support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The Last of Us Part II, by Naughty Dog is one of the most polarizing video games ever made. The sequel to a wildly successful, and some would say "complete", video game was bound to leave some feeling left behind, but this game quickly joined The Discourse....and I didn't hear any of it. So I came to this relatively fresh, and invited on Flora Merigold from Epilogue Gaming and Left Behind Game Club to discuss! Find out how we felt about this landmark, yet controversial game.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:21
\nStory Setup/Tone/Visuals/Horror 12:09
\nGameplay 43:41
\nSPOILER WALL 1:10:42
As always, thank you to my patrons, and you can be like them- here's the link to support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Flora Merigold from Epilogue Gaming and Left Behind Game Club to discuss Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II.","date_published":"2023-06-21T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f816fc88-8ad8-4cb4-ac24-913252b34483.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":81718333,"duration_in_seconds":10214}]},{"id":"938f6afd-1d74-4888-99ce-1ceb3b323298","title":"77: Hi-Fi RUSH (with Kevin Ainsworth - Save the Game Media)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/77","content_text":"Nobody saw this one coming. Hi-Fi RUSH, by Tango Gameworks shadow dropped during an Xbox showcase and took the gaming world by storm. A colorful and cartoonish art style, a rockin soundtrack and the friendliest rhythm action gameplay around all make this game an absolute joy to play. Joining me to discuss is Kevin Ainsworth from Save the Game Media! Check out all of the shows that Save the Game does by following this link! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:26\nStory Setup/Rhythm Gameplay 14:37\nBoss Fights 36:30\nSPOILER WALL 55:23\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Nobody saw this one coming. Hi-Fi RUSH, by Tango Gameworks shadow dropped during an Xbox showcase and took the gaming world by storm. A colorful and cartoonish art style, a rockin soundtrack and the friendliest rhythm action gameplay around all make this game an absolute joy to play. Joining me to discuss is Kevin Ainsworth from Save the Game Media! Check out all of the shows that Save the Game does by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:26
\nStory Setup/Rhythm Gameplay 14:37
\nBoss Fights 36:30
\nSPOILER WALL 55:23
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Kevin Ainsworth from Save the Game Media to discuss Tango Gameworks' 2023 surprise action-rhythm hit, Hi-Fi RUSH. ","date_published":"2023-06-14T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/938f6afd-1d74-4888-99ce-1ceb3b323298.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87938612,"duration_in_seconds":4396}]},{"id":"8566829a-97a0-4cc5-9e96-adba8740213f","title":"76: Resident Evil 4 Remake (with Jala Prendes - Jala-chan's Place, The Level and Adam Bucceri - Enter the Survival Horror, Half Tone Takes)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/76","content_text":"How do you remake a game that is: beloved by fans, acclaimed by critics, widely available on modern systems, AND still a blast to play? I don't have the answer, but Capcom sure as hell does. Resident Evil 4 (Remake) walks the line expertly: it modernizes mechanics while keeping the spirit of the original and it updates the story to make it a bit more modern. Joining me to discuss it are Jala Prendes (Jala-chan's Place, The Level) and Adam Bucceri (Boocherry Productions, Halftone Takes)! We had a great time talking about it, and we hope you enjoy it too!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:33\nStory Setup 21:57\nVisuals/Music/Horror Elements 35:28\nGameplay/Combat 51:09\nSPOILER WALL 1:36:06\n\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\n\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"How do you remake a game that is: beloved by fans, acclaimed by critics, widely available on modern systems, AND still a blast to play? I don't have the answer, but Capcom sure as hell does. Resident Evil 4 (Remake) walks the line expertly: it modernizes mechanics while keeping the spirit of the original and it updates the story to make it a bit more modern. Joining me to discuss it are Jala Prendes (Jala-chan's Place, The Level) and Adam Bucceri (Boocherry Productions, Halftone Takes)! We had a great time talking about it, and we hope you enjoy it too!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:33
\nStory Setup 21:57
\nVisuals/Music/Horror Elements 35:28
\nGameplay/Combat 51:09
\nSPOILER WALL 1:36:06
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\n\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jala Prendes (Jala-chan's Place, The Level) and Adam Bucceri (Enter the Survival Horror, Half Tone Takes) to discuss Capcom's 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4. ","date_published":"2023-06-07T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/8566829a-97a0-4cc5-9e96-adba8740213f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96350039,"duration_in_seconds":12043}]},{"id":"681ec70c-7dd5-4fc1-aa10-9e43686582a3","title":"Introducing...Tales from the WAY Backlog! + Super Mario World","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/waybacklog","content_text":"This just in- patrons at the Tube Backer ($5 tier) will get a new monthly series called Tales from the WAY Backlog, which will be shorter (20-30 minutes) reviews of retro games at least 30 years old. Retro is a huge hole in my gaming history and a source of frustration for me, so this is both a history tour and a challenge for me to experience these older games. This episode is available to all as a taste of what's to come. If you enjoyed this and want more, future episodes will be available to $5 and higher patrons HERE! \n\nIf Patreon isn't your jam, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"This just in- patrons at the Tube Backer ($5 tier) will get a new monthly series called Tales from the WAY Backlog, which will be shorter (20-30 minutes) reviews of retro games at least 30 years old. Retro is a huge hole in my gaming history and a source of frustration for me, so this is both a history tour and a challenge for me to experience these older games. This episode is available to all as a taste of what's to come. If you enjoyed this and want more, future episodes will be available to $5 and higher patrons HERE!
\n\nIf Patreon isn't your jam, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"The beginning of a new series, Tales from the WAY Backlog, where I will be diving into retro games for patrons of the show!","date_published":"2023-06-03T12:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/681ec70c-7dd5-4fc1-aa10-9e43686582a3.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":68580831,"duration_in_seconds":1714}]},{"id":"61427199-4fde-49a0-b853-481090747898","title":"75: Dredge (with Jill Grodt - The Indie Informer)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/75","content_text":"Dredge, the 2023 cosmic horror fishing game by Black Salt Games, marries the explore-gather-craft-explore gameplay loop with cosmic horror. You want to stay out late to gather as many materials as you can...but the night is dark and full of terrors. I'm joined by Jill Grodt, who helms The Indie Informer, a fantastic website for all things indie gaming. Check it out! \nThank you to Black Salt Games and Team17 for providing a review code!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:23\nStory Setup 13:18\nGameplay 21:30\nVisuals/Music/Closing Thoughts 48:15\nSPOILER WALL 1:01:43\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dredge, the 2023 cosmic horror fishing game by Black Salt Games, marries the explore-gather-craft-explore gameplay loop with cosmic horror. You want to stay out late to gather as many materials as you can...but the night is dark and full of terrors. I'm joined by Jill Grodt, who helms The Indie Informer, a fantastic website for all things indie gaming. Check it out!
\nThank you to Black Salt Games and Team17 for providing a review code!
TIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:23
\nStory Setup 13:18
\nGameplay 21:30
\nVisuals/Music/Closing Thoughts 48:15
\nSPOILER WALL 1:01:43
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by longtime sea captain and writer for The Indie Informer, Jill Grodt, to discuss Dredge, by Black Salt Games. ","date_published":"2023-05-31T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/61427199-4fde-49a0-b853-481090747898.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95234506,"duration_in_seconds":5952}]},{"id":"17f42e8c-e2ad-4bb1-95a5-63197037da64","title":"74: Like a Dragon: Ishin! (with Nave - Gaming Together)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/74","content_text":"For longtime fans of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a fun \"familiar faces in new places\" ride, almost like seeing your favorite characters putting on a play. Your favorite faces and voices take on the roles of historical figures in 1860s Japan, as rival forces compete for the rule of Japan and reshape society as we know it. Joining me in this episode is Nave from Gaming Together: A Cooperative Podcast, and you should check out the show, it's great!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:58\nStory Setup/Familiar Faces in New Places 11:14\nOpen World/Setting/Combat 32:08\nVisuals/Music/Closing Thoughts 1:03:02\nSPOILER WALL 1:17:25\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"For longtime fans of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a fun "familiar faces in new places" ride, almost like seeing your favorite characters putting on a play. Your favorite faces and voices take on the roles of historical figures in 1860s Japan, as rival forces compete for the rule of Japan and reshape society as we know it. Joining me in this episode is Nave from Gaming Together: A Cooperative Podcast, and you should check out the show, it's great!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:58
\nStory Setup/Familiar Faces in New Places 11:14
\nOpen World/Setting/Combat 32:08
\nVisuals/Music/Closing Thoughts 1:03:02
\nSPOILER WALL 1:17:25
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Nave from Gaming Together: A Cooperative Podcast to discuss Ryu Ga Gotoku's Like a Dragon: Ishin!, the game that takes the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series into historical Japan.","date_published":"2023-05-24T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/17f42e8c-e2ad-4bb1-95a5-63197037da64.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97228799,"duration_in_seconds":6944}]},{"id":"03e28e10-fdf5-4246-bbc9-8022d4f94e7d","title":"Why We Love the Yakuza/Like a Dragon Series (with Matt aka Stormageddon)- Producer's Choice","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/producerschoice3","content_text":"Dave is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon for another Producer's Choice episode, focusing on why we love the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. Ryu Ga Gotoku's long-running crime melodrama series has introduced us to some of our favorite protagonists, side characters and level 100 weirdos through the years, so we wanted to take some time and talk about it. You can find all of Matt's wonderful podcasts (\"Fun\" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark) on your favorite podcast app or at their website. \n\nProducer's Choice is a bonus series on Tales from the Backlog, where Patreon supporters at the \"Tube Producer\" level get to pick an episode topic and come on the show to chat about it. If that sounds cool to you, or you want to vote on games for the show, get patron-only episodes and have my everlasting love and respect, you can support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!. If Patreon isn't your jam, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon for another Producer's Choice episode, focusing on why we love the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. Ryu Ga Gotoku's long-running crime melodrama series has introduced us to some of our favorite protagonists, side characters and level 100 weirdos through the years, so we wanted to take some time and talk about it. You can find all of Matt's wonderful podcasts ("Fun" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark) on your favorite podcast app or at their website.
\n\nProducer's Choice is a bonus series on Tales from the Backlog, where Patreon supporters at the "Tube Producer" level get to pick an episode topic and come on the show to chat about it. If that sounds cool to you, or you want to vote on games for the show, get patron-only episodes and have my everlasting love and respect, you can support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!. If Patreon isn't your jam, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon for another Producer's Choice episode, focusing on why we love the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series.","date_published":"2023-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/03e28e10-fdf5-4246-bbc9-8022d4f94e7d.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89549165,"duration_in_seconds":6396}]},{"id":"e5c84f8c-23f6-402e-a4ba-528b369c7c83","title":"Do Video Games Need to Be Fun? (with Brad Gallaway - So...Videogames!, and Ryan Batie - Lightning Strikes Thrice)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/fun","content_text":"There's an extremely common refrain out there in Gaming Discourse Land that goes a little something like this- \"if you're not having fun with a game, why are you playing it?\" and it got me thinking....is that all games should offer? Do things like frustration, getting lost, tedium or even boredom have a place in video games? So I enlisted some all-star guests to discuss it- Brad Gallaway (gamecritics.com, So...Videogames! podcast) and Ryan Batie (Lightning Strikes Thrice podcast). Check out their work via those links! \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"There's an extremely common refrain out there in Gaming Discourse Land that goes a little something like this- "if you're not having fun with a game, why are you playing it?" and it got me thinking....is that all games should offer? Do things like frustration, getting lost, tedium or even boredom have a place in video games? So I enlisted some all-star guests to discuss it- Brad Gallaway (gamecritics.com, So...Videogames! podcast) and Ryan Batie (Lightning Strikes Thrice podcast). Check out their work via those links!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Brad Gallaway (Gamecritics.com, So...Videogames! podcast) and Ryan Batie (Lightning Strikes Thrice podcast) to discuss whether video games need to be fun, and if \"negative\" experiences have value.","date_published":"2023-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e5c84f8c-23f6-402e-a4ba-528b369c7c83.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91421988,"duration_in_seconds":6530}]},{"id":"e8d845c4-c040-4c74-956a-9b7fcd1d9579","title":"73: Pentiment (with TroytlePower - The Power Play-Throughs Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/73","content_text":"Pentiment, by Obsidian Entertainment, made an immediate impression on everybody who saw the art style, and then saw that this game wasn't made by an indie team with a dream, it was made by one of the most established and respected game studios out there. The incredible art is only the tip of the iceberg in this journey to the past. The music, writing, characters and plot all take you into 16 century Bavaria for a tale of murder, faith, tragedy and hope, and I was joined by the one and only TroytlePower to discuss it! You can find Troy on Twitter and check out Troy's writing and podcasts at his website!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:24\nStory Setup/Gameplay 15:39\n Art/Music 41:07\n SPOILER WALL 58:16\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Pentiment, by Obsidian Entertainment, made an immediate impression on everybody who saw the art style, and then saw that this game wasn't made by an indie team with a dream, it was made by one of the most established and respected game studios out there. The incredible art is only the tip of the iceberg in this journey to the past. The music, writing, characters and plot all take you into 16 century Bavaria for a tale of murder, faith, tragedy and hope, and I was joined by the one and only TroytlePower to discuss it! You can find Troy on Twitter and check out Troy's writing and podcasts at his website!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:24
\nStory Setup/Gameplay 15:39
\n Art/Music 41:07
\n SPOILER WALL 58:16
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by TroytlePower of TroytlePower Presents: The Power Play-Throughs Podcast with TroytlePower to discuss Pentiment, by Obsidian Entertainment.","date_published":"2023-05-10T00:30:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e8d845c4-c040-4c74-956a-9b7fcd1d9579.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94077492,"duration_in_seconds":7839}]},{"id":"8b3bdaea-30b2-4c18-9eb1-e05958349205","title":"72: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (with Cameron Warren and Jacob Price - The Pre Order Bonus)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/72","content_text":"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is many things. It was a giant risk. It is a joyous experience as an open world sandbox, but it alienated some longtime fans of the Zelda series. It is a callback to the original Legend of Zelda game. It's also the one single game that I can say brought me back into gaming in 2017. Jake and Cameron from the Pre-Order Bonus podcast (Website, Twitter) join me to discuss this landmark title. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:15\nStory Setup/Open World 20:38\nGameplay/Exploration 40:58\nEmergent Gameplay 1:03:18\nMusic/Final Thoughts 1:49:37\nSPOILER WALL 2:05:53\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is many things. It was a giant risk. It is a joyous experience as an open world sandbox, but it alienated some longtime fans of the Zelda series. It is a callback to the original Legend of Zelda game. It's also the one single game that I can say brought me back into gaming in 2017. Jake and Cameron from the Pre-Order Bonus podcast (Website, Twitter) join me to discuss this landmark title.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:15
\nStory Setup/Open World 20:38
\nGameplay/Exploration 40:58
\nEmergent Gameplay 1:03:18
\nMusic/Final Thoughts 1:49:37
\nSPOILER WALL 2:05:53
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Cameron Warren and Jacob Price from The Pre Order Bonus podcast to discuss Nintendo's shakeup of The Legend of Zelda series, 2017's Breath of the Wild. ","date_published":"2023-05-03T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/8b3bdaea-30b2-4c18-9eb1-e05958349205.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":83940622,"duration_in_seconds":10492}]},{"id":"9528be54-a400-4e87-bacd-6f12948b1b70","title":"71: Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin (with Eric Gess - The Unlockables, and Keith Gasper - The Main Quest)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/71","content_text":"The gaming landscape is so full of games aping what makes other games successful that we end up with a lot of games that are of good quality but otherwise unremarkable. And then on the other side of the room is Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Stranger of Paradise uses the setting of the first Final Fantasy game to give Jack space to cook, and cook he does. The result is a game that does swing and miss in some areas, but will leave a mark in your memory more than a lot of games that might be \"better\". So which of those would you rather play? Joining me to discuss Stranger of Paradise is Eric Gess of The Unlockables and Keith Gasper of The Main Quest, two podcasts that are great and worth your time. Click the links to check out their shows!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:12\nStory Setup/Jack 19:24\nCombat/Gameplay 34:16\nVisuals/Music 1:08:18\nSPOILER WALL 1:31:25\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The gaming landscape is so full of games aping what makes other games successful that we end up with a lot of games that are of good quality but otherwise unremarkable. And then on the other side of the room is Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Stranger of Paradise uses the setting of the first Final Fantasy game to give Jack space to cook, and cook he does. The result is a game that does swing and miss in some areas, but will leave a mark in your memory more than a lot of games that might be "better". So which of those would you rather play? Joining me to discuss Stranger of Paradise is Eric Gess of The Unlockables and Keith Gasper of The Main Quest, two podcasts that are great and worth your time. Click the links to check out their shows!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:12
\nStory Setup/Jack 19:24
\nCombat/Gameplay 34:16
\nVisuals/Music 1:08:18
\nSPOILER WALL 1:31:25
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Eric Gess (The Unlockables) and Keith Gasper (The Main Quest) to KILL CHAOS in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.","date_published":"2023-04-26T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9528be54-a400-4e87-bacd-6f12948b1b70.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92900728,"duration_in_seconds":7741}]},{"id":"f1de6a1d-cb26-4f7f-955f-e1e880305594","title":"70: Red Dead Redemption 2 (with Alex & Luke - Low Five Gaming)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/70","content_text":"We haaaave a plan! Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar's 2018 western open world mega hit tells the story of Arthur Morgan and the decline of the outlaw era of American history...when you can pull yourself away from the hunting and fishing. Alex and Luke join to discuss this masterpiece in storytelling. You can check out Low Five Gaming on every podcast app or by visiting their website. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:04\nStory Setup/Presentation 12:31\nMethodical Gameplay 35:21\nCombat/Closing Thoughts 1:11:36 \n SPOILER WALL 1:28:06\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](htt ps://patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"We haaaave a plan! Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar's 2018 western open world mega hit tells the story of Arthur Morgan and the decline of the outlaw era of American history...when you can pull yourself away from the hunting and fishing. Alex and Luke join to discuss this masterpiece in storytelling. You can check out Low Five Gaming on every podcast app or by visiting their website.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:04
\nStory Setup/Presentation 12:31
\nMethodical Gameplay 35:21
\nCombat/Closing Thoughts 1:11:36
\n SPOILER WALL 1:28:06
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](htt ps://patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Alex and Luke from Low Five Gaming to discuss Red Dead Redemption 2. Rockstar's 2018 western open world mega hit tells the story of Arthur Morgan...when you can pull yourself away from the hunting and fishing.","date_published":"2023-04-19T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f1de6a1d-cb26-4f7f-955f-e1e880305594.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93277518,"duration_in_seconds":9327}]},{"id":"d7a3d61d-608c-4ce6-bbda-559bb94f4fb6","title":"69: Catherine: Full Body (with Rick Firestone - Pixel Project Radio & Ryan Juengling - List Off!)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/69","content_text":"Catherine: Full Body, the 2019 re-release of the original Catherine from 2011, is one of the more unique games I've ever played. A mashup of life sim and watching an anime, all built around an interesting puzzle game. Themes of adultery, responsibility, relationships, indecision and social commentary on modern-day Japan are all parts of a story that really surprised me. I didn't know what to expect from this game before I played it, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I'm joined in this episode by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio and Ryan Juengling from List Off!, two good friends of mine from two of my favorite gaming podcasts. Check out Rick on Pixel Project Radio and Ryan on List Off!, and all three of us making appearances on each show!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:06\nStory Setup 15:38\nVisuals/Music/Voice Acting 35:30 \nGameplay/Final Thoughts 42:37\nSPOILER WALL 1:10:03 \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Catherine: Full Body, the 2019 re-release of the original Catherine from 2011, is one of the more unique games I've ever played. A mashup of life sim and watching an anime, all built around an interesting puzzle game. Themes of adultery, responsibility, relationships, indecision and social commentary on modern-day Japan are all parts of a story that really surprised me. I didn't know what to expect from this game before I played it, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I'm joined in this episode by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio and Ryan Juengling from List Off!, two good friends of mine from two of my favorite gaming podcasts. Check out Rick on Pixel Project Radio and Ryan on List Off!, and all three of us making appearances on each show!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:06
\nStory Setup 15:38
\nVisuals/Music/Voice Acting 35:30
\nGameplay/Final Thoughts 42:37
\nSPOILER WALL 1:10:03
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone (Pixel Project Radio) and Ryan Juengling (List Off!) to discuss Catherine: Full Body, the 2019 re-release of 2011's Catherine, by Atlus. ","date_published":"2023-04-12T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d7a3d61d-608c-4ce6-bbda-559bb94f4fb6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88913084,"duration_in_seconds":7409}]},{"id":"8a9fd651-5d63-4a36-afc4-4b313578b72f","title":"68: Silicon Dreams | cyberpunk interrogation (with Scott Danielson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/68","content_text":"Silicon Dreams, the product of two-person studio Clockwork Bird, has one hell of an elevator pitch- \"Blade Runner meets Papers, Please\". For the right type of person, that pitch should rocket this game straight up to the top of the to-play list. It is a text-based interrogation game, where you are tasked with getting to the root of problem behaviors in androids through a series of dialogue puzzles. Excellent writing and a new perspective on a not-so-new story lift Silicon Dreams above its elevator pitch, and it is absolutely worth a play if that elevator pitch sounds good to you at all. I'm joined by good friend and returning guest to the show Scott Danielson to discuss!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:01\nStory Setup 8:41\nDecision Making/Music/Final Thoughts 38:21\nSPOILER WALL 1:06:14\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Silicon Dreams, the product of two-person studio Clockwork Bird, has one hell of an elevator pitch- "Blade Runner meets Papers, Please". For the right type of person, that pitch should rocket this game straight up to the top of the to-play list. It is a text-based interrogation game, where you are tasked with getting to the root of problem behaviors in androids through a series of dialogue puzzles. Excellent writing and a new perspective on a not-so-new story lift Silicon Dreams above its elevator pitch, and it is absolutely worth a play if that elevator pitch sounds good to you at all. I'm joined by good friend and returning guest to the show Scott Danielson to discuss!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:01
\nStory Setup 8:41
\nDecision Making/Music/Final Thoughts 38:21
\nSPOILER WALL 1:06:14
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Scott Danielson to discuss Silicon Dreams | cyberpunk interrogation, by Clockwork Bird. Silicon Dreams is an android interrogation game, merging Blade Runner with Papers, Please. ","date_published":"2023-04-05T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/8a9fd651-5d63-4a36-afc4-4b313578b72f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93025175,"duration_in_seconds":7752}]},{"id":"88613b69-88d2-4061-a1fa-133032919da0","title":"67: Chained Echoes (with Aaron Angle - A Top 3 Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/67","content_text":"Chained Echoes, a solo project by developer Matthias Linda, might grab your attention with its elevator pitch- \"The JRPG classics like Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Suikoden, Secret of Mana and more get a modern makeover/love letter\", but to say that all Chained Echoes does is modernize those games would only be telling half of the story. Chained Echoes not only writes an effective love letter to the games that inspired it, but stands on its own merits as one of the best in the genre with its inventive combat system, satisfying story and great visuals and music. I'm joined by my A Top 3 Podcast co-host Aaron Angle to discuss it! \n\nChained Echoes OST was done by Eddie Marianukroh! You can support by purchasing this awesome OST here! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:11\nStory Setup 12:15\nCombat 33:35\nRPG Stuff 1:01:22\nVisuals/Music 1:16:07\nSPOILER WALL 1:32:09\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Chained Echoes, a solo project by developer Matthias Linda, might grab your attention with its elevator pitch- "The JRPG classics like Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Suikoden, Secret of Mana and more get a modern makeover/love letter", but to say that all Chained Echoes does is modernize those games would only be telling half of the story. Chained Echoes not only writes an effective love letter to the games that inspired it, but stands on its own merits as one of the best in the genre with its inventive combat system, satisfying story and great visuals and music. I'm joined by my A Top 3 Podcast co-host Aaron Angle to discuss it!
\n\nChained Echoes OST was done by Eddie Marianukroh! You can support by purchasing this awesome OST here!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:11
\nStory Setup 12:15
\nCombat 33:35
\nRPG Stuff 1:01:22
\nVisuals/Music 1:16:07
\nSPOILER WALL 1:32:09
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle from A Top 3 Podcast to discuss Matthias Linda's love letter to the JRPG classics of yesteryear, Chained Echoes. ","date_published":"2023-03-29T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/88613b69-88d2-4061-a1fa-133032919da0.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":100921155,"duration_in_seconds":8410}]},{"id":"5300e597-55b4-43b1-8eb8-2c63927940ce","title":"66: Nier: Replicant (with Brian Edwards- Character Issues, Cane and Rinse)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/66","content_text":"Dave is joined by Brian Edwards of Character Issues and Cane and Rinse podcasts to discuss Nier: Replicant. Yoko Taro's 2010 cult classic got a makeover in 2021, so let's find out how it is! Nier will do anything to save his sick sister Yonah, and along the way he meets a stellar supporting cast of characters, including the stuck-up talking book Grimoire Weiss, the scantily clad badass Kaine, and the lovable Emil. Joining me to discuss the story, characters and gameplay is none other than Brian Edwards! You may have heard Brian on the wonderful Character Issues and Cane and Rinse podcasts. Brian is a wonderful person and I loved this conversation with him- you should check out Character Issues and Cane and Rinse by following the links! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:23\nStory Setup/Characters/Repetition 16:09\nVisuals/Music/Atmosphere 54:01\nGameplay 1:09:21\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:24:33\nSPOILER WALL 1:30:46\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Brian Edwards of Character Issues and Cane and Rinse podcasts to discuss Nier: Replicant. Yoko Taro's 2010 cult classic got a makeover in 2021, so let's find out how it is! Nier will do anything to save his sick sister Yonah, and along the way he meets a stellar supporting cast of characters, including the stuck-up talking book Grimoire Weiss, the scantily clad badass Kaine, and the lovable Emil. Joining me to discuss the story, characters and gameplay is none other than Brian Edwards! You may have heard Brian on the wonderful Character Issues and Cane and Rinse podcasts. Brian is a wonderful person and I loved this conversation with him- you should check out Character Issues and Cane and Rinse by following the links!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:23
\nStory Setup/Characters/Repetition 16:09
\nVisuals/Music/Atmosphere 54:01
\nGameplay 1:09:21
\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:24:33
\nSPOILER WALL 1:30:46
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Brian Edwards of Character Issues and Cane and Rinse podcasts to discuss Nier: Replicant. Yoko Taro's 2010 cult classic got a makeover in 2021, so let's find out how it is! ","date_published":"2023-03-22T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/5300e597-55b4-43b1-8eb8-2c63927940ce.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":81822614,"duration_in_seconds":10227}]},{"id":"04be06db-7c18-4d42-9e8f-741c5dc37aa4","title":"Emergent Gameplay Roundtable (with Nave - Gaming Together, Alex - Please Don't Cast, and Moonborne -TripleSMoon)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/emergentgameplay","content_text":"Emergent gameplay- when simple gameplay mechanics interact to create unique and complex situations and solutions to problems, and it might be the secret sauce that takes your favorite games from good to great! I'm joined by Moonborne, Alex (Please Don't Listen) and Nave (Gaming Together) to talk about emergent gameplay and our favorite examples from games like Breath of the Wild, Hitman, Deus Ex, Rain World, Magic: The Gathering and more! You should also check out Moonborne's YouTube Channel, Please Don't Cast, and Gaming Together! \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Emergent gameplay- when simple gameplay mechanics interact to create unique and complex situations and solutions to problems, and it might be the secret sauce that takes your favorite games from good to great! I'm joined by Moonborne, Alex (Please Don't Listen) and Nave (Gaming Together) to talk about emergent gameplay and our favorite examples from games like Breath of the Wild, Hitman, Deus Ex, Rain World, Magic: The Gathering and more! You should also check out Moonborne's YouTube Channel, Please Don't Cast, and Gaming Together!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"In this Break from the Backlog, Dave is joined by Moonborne, Alex (Please Don't Cast) and Nave (Gaming Together) to discuss emergent gameplay.","date_published":"2023-03-15T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/04be06db-7c18-4d42-9e8f-741c5dc37aa4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88297012,"duration_in_seconds":4414}]},{"id":"8882ff0e-b440-4984-b374-c78f2369f507","title":"65: Eastward (with Chris Dominguez - A Novel Console)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/65","content_text":"Eastward (Pixpil) is a game that has a great elevator pitch- absolutely gorgeous pixel art, bopping music and gameplay/story that evoke The Legend of Zelda, Earthbound and Dragon Quest, but failed to live up to the heights of any of those games for me. Poor pacing and a baffling decision to have a silent protagonist dragged this game way down into the \"this feels like homework\" zone. And that's a shame, because a) we never want a game to feel like that, and b) this game won a patreon poll! I still love you, patrons!\n\nJoining me on the podcast to discuss Eastward is Chris Dominguez, one of the two hosts of A Novel Console, a podcast dedicated to video games, books and food. As I told them on the show- if you're not up for video games, books and food, I don't know what to tell you. You can check out their show by following this link, and I was also on their show last week to talk about The Lord of the Rings and all of the other Tolkien adaptations. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:16\nStory Setup 11:12\nAesthetics 34:02\nGameplay 40:49\nSPOILER WALL 1:07:42\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Eastward (Pixpil) is a game that has a great elevator pitch- absolutely gorgeous pixel art, bopping music and gameplay/story that evoke The Legend of Zelda, Earthbound and Dragon Quest, but failed to live up to the heights of any of those games for me. Poor pacing and a baffling decision to have a silent protagonist dragged this game way down into the "this feels like homework" zone. And that's a shame, because a) we never want a game to feel like that, and b) this game won a patreon poll! I still love you, patrons!
\n\nJoining me on the podcast to discuss Eastward is Chris Dominguez, one of the two hosts of A Novel Console, a podcast dedicated to video games, books and food. As I told them on the show- if you're not up for video games, books and food, I don't know what to tell you. You can check out their show by following this link, and I was also on their show last week to talk about The Lord of the Rings and all of the other Tolkien adaptations.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:16
\nStory Setup 11:12
\nAesthetics 34:02
\nGameplay 40:49
\nSPOILER WALL 1:07:42
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Dominguez from A Novel Console to talk about Pixpil's Eastward. ","date_published":"2023-03-08T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/8882ff0e-b440-4984-b374-c78f2369f507.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97879039,"duration_in_seconds":6991}]},{"id":"fe6dd82e-f1f0-4160-9ec0-df76b5c66026","title":"64: God of War: Ragnarök (with Ryan Juengling- List Off!)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/64","content_text":"Sequels are tricky! There are a few schools of thought, and God of War: Ragnarök is about as direct a sequel as you could imagine, especially for a video game. It takes the God of War reboot from 2018 and adds to it in every aspect...but were those additions productive? Or does this sequel sag under its own weight? Listen in to find out.\n\nJoining me to discuss God of War: Ragnarök is Ryan Juengling, host of the now-retired List Off! podcast. Brian and Ryan have tipped their hats and ridden off into the sunset, but they have 2 years of video game lists on their show List Off! that I highly recommend! You can find their show by searching in your favorite podcast app or by following this link! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:12\nStory Setup 11:38\nPresentation/Voice Acting 32:37\nGameplay 44:32\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:35\n\nGod of War: Ragnarök OST composed by** Bear McCreary**.\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Sequels are tricky! There are a few schools of thought, and God of War: Ragnarök is about as direct a sequel as you could imagine, especially for a video game. It takes the God of War reboot from 2018 and adds to it in every aspect...but were those additions productive? Or does this sequel sag under its own weight? Listen in to find out.
\n\nJoining me to discuss God of War: Ragnarök is Ryan Juengling, host of the now-retired List Off! podcast. Brian and Ryan have tipped their hats and ridden off into the sunset, but they have 2 years of video game lists on their show List Off! that I highly recommend! You can find their show by searching in your favorite podcast app or by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:12
\nStory Setup 11:38
\nPresentation/Voice Acting 32:37
\nGameplay 44:32
\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:35
God of War: Ragnarök OST composed by** Bear McCreary**.
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Juengling from List Off! to discuss God of War: Ragnarök.","date_published":"2023-03-01T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/fe6dd82e-f1f0-4160-9ec0-df76b5c66026.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95965518,"duration_in_seconds":7997}]},{"id":"08939193-0865-45a4-a045-8be6c91fb770","title":"63: Tunic (with Ryan Batie - Lightning Strikes Thrice)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/63","content_text":"Tunic is a game I respect more than I actually enjoyed playing, when it was all said and done. I respect the vision to rely almost completely on the player to do the extra work that other games do for them, and I had some struggles with this due to my goldfish brain. I respect the attempt to make a challenging game that is unlocked by piecing together opaque mechanics, but I found it to be too difficult at a base level. And I respect the hell out of the art design and music, even though....nevermind, the art and music are great throughout. And if you condensed this game's target demographic down to one person, it would be my guest for this episode, Ryan Batie of Lightning Strikes Thrice podcast. Lightning Strikes Thrice! is a book club style podcast for JRPGs- you can and should check it out HERE!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:03\nStory Setup/Discovery 17:11\nGameplay 34:27\nVisuals/Music 54:45 \nSPOILER WALL 1:06:51\n\nTunic's OST is by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan! \n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Tunic is a game I respect more than I actually enjoyed playing, when it was all said and done. I respect the vision to rely almost completely on the player to do the extra work that other games do for them, and I had some struggles with this due to my goldfish brain. I respect the attempt to make a challenging game that is unlocked by piecing together opaque mechanics, but I found it to be too difficult at a base level. And I respect the hell out of the art design and music, even though....nevermind, the art and music are great throughout. And if you condensed this game's target demographic down to one person, it would be my guest for this episode, Ryan Batie of Lightning Strikes Thrice podcast. Lightning Strikes Thrice! is a book club style podcast for JRPGs- you can and should check it out HERE!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:03
\nStory Setup/Discovery 17:11
\nGameplay 34:27
\nVisuals/Music 54:45
\nSPOILER WALL 1:06:51
Tunic's OST is by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Batie from Lightning Strikes Thrice to discuss Tunic.","date_published":"2023-02-22T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/08939193-0865-45a4-a045-8be6c91fb770.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96556616,"duration_in_seconds":6896}]},{"id":"b1bcf580-f7bd-4fac-be27-ffc5b7c8c4a3","title":"62: Spiritfarer (with Charlie & Lauren Young)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/62","content_text":"\"A cozy management game about dying\"- this elevator pitch tells you all you need to know about Spiritfarer, the 2020 indie darling by Thunder Lotus Games. Spiritfarer mixes addicting management/crafting gameplay with an exploration of death- the impact that people have on others, unfinished business and the idea of closure. I was extremely lucky to be joined by Charlie and Lauren Young for this episode- the spoiler section is one of my favorites in the history of the show thus far. NOTE Please check the content warning at the beginning of the episode, as this game and episode both deal heavily in personal experiences with death.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nContent Warning 1:05\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:08\nStory Setup/Characters/Exploration of Death 12:12\nGameplay 33:38\nMusic and Visuals 51:45\nSPOILER WALL 1:11:36\n\nSpiritfarer OST is by Max LL! Find his music HERE and support him!\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":""A cozy management game about dying"- this elevator pitch tells you all you need to know about Spiritfarer, the 2020 indie darling by Thunder Lotus Games. Spiritfarer mixes addicting management/crafting gameplay with an exploration of death- the impact that people have on others, unfinished business and the idea of closure. I was extremely lucky to be joined by Charlie and Lauren Young for this episode- the spoiler section is one of my favorites in the history of the show thus far. NOTE Please check the content warning at the beginning of the episode, as this game and episode both deal heavily in personal experiences with death.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nContent Warning 1:05
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:08
\nStory Setup/Characters/Exploration of Death 12:12
\nGameplay 33:38
\nMusic and Visuals 51:45
\nSPOILER WALL 1:11:36
Spiritfarer OST is by Max LL! Find his music HERE and support him!
\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Charlie and Lauren Young to discuss Spiritfarer, by Thunder Lotus Games.","date_published":"2023-02-15T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/b1bcf580-f7bd-4fac-be27-ffc5b7c8c4a3.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93530174,"duration_in_seconds":7794}]},{"id":"4bd49b01-1464-4f48-87f4-a0d89cc2f12e","title":"61: Metal Gear Solid (with Mick Arcade)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/61","content_text":"It may surprise everyone to know that I just played Metal Gear Solid for the first time! And it was....an experience! And adding onto the experience was doing this episode with pro voice actor Mick Arcade! This is one of the most entertaining episodes of the show so far, as we make our way through the hundreds of plot twists, and Mick provides so many great voice impressions. Check out everything that Mick is doing around the internet HERE! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:16\nStory Setup/Kojima-isms 19:44\nGameplay 42:13\nPresentation/Music 58:33\nSPOILER WALL 1:19:55\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"It may surprise everyone to know that I just played Metal Gear Solid for the first time! And it was....an experience! And adding onto the experience was doing this episode with pro voice actor Mick Arcade! This is one of the most entertaining episodes of the show so far, as we make our way through the hundreds of plot twists, and Mick provides so many great voice impressions. Check out everything that Mick is doing around the internet HERE!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:16
\nStory Setup/Kojima-isms 19:44
\nGameplay 42:13
\nPresentation/Music 58:33
\nSPOILER WALL 1:19:55
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by pro voice actor Mick Arcade to discuss Metal Gear Solid.","date_published":"2023-02-08T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4bd49b01-1464-4f48-87f4-a0d89cc2f12e.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":99231555,"duration_in_seconds":8269}]},{"id":"e1ff128f-7fb2-48e1-8b13-507227de793a","title":"60: Bayonetta 3 (with Matt aka Stormageddon - \"Fun\" and Games, Reignite, and more!)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/60","content_text":"Bayonetta 3 represents a turning point for the series. A new protagonist is introduced, story takes more of a center stage role, and the levels give you lots of optional content to do in between fights. But all of that raises the question...is all of that worth it? And even more crucially, did it enhance the game? Joining me to discuss it all is Matt aka Stormageddon, host of many great shows on the Certain POV Network, such as \"Fun\" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark and CPOV: Autographs. You can find all of Matt's shows and more by visiting djstormageddon.com!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:06\nStory Setup 20:20\nCombat/Gameplay 35:18\nLevel Exploration/Optional Gameplay/Final Thoughts 58:40\nSPOILER WALL 1:27:34\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Bayonetta 3 represents a turning point for the series. A new protagonist is introduced, story takes more of a center stage role, and the levels give you lots of optional content to do in between fights. But all of that raises the question...is all of that worth it? And even more crucially, did it enhance the game? Joining me to discuss it all is Matt aka Stormageddon, host of many great shows on the Certain POV Network, such as "Fun" and Games, Reignite, Screen Snark and CPOV: Autographs. You can find all of Matt's shows and more by visiting djstormageddon.com!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:06
\nStory Setup 20:20
\nCombat/Gameplay 35:18
\nLevel Exploration/Optional Gameplay/Final Thoughts 58:40
\nSPOILER WALL 1:27:34
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Matt aka Stormageddon to discuss Bayonetta 3.","date_published":"2023-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e1ff128f-7fb2-48e1-8b13-507227de793a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89967908,"duration_in_seconds":7497}]},{"id":"262a58ce-20cf-4ca2-ab40-85ce2810691a","title":"Top 3 Childhood Gaming Traditions (V.I.P. Producer's Choice with Jake aka Zulgeek)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/zulgeektop3","content_text":"Thank you Jake! In the second installment of the Tube V.I.P. Producer's Choice, longtime friend and patron of the show Jake aka Zulgeek joins me to talk about our top 3 childhood gaming traditions. This is a mini series on Tales from the Backlog where patrons at the Tube Producer level can join me for an episode about whatever they want! If you're interested, you can click the link below to check out the Patreon page! \nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Thank you Jake! In the second installment of the Tube V.I.P. Producer's Choice, longtime friend and patron of the show Jake aka Zulgeek joins me to talk about our top 3 childhood gaming traditions. This is a mini series on Tales from the Backlog where patrons at the Tube Producer level can join me for an episode about whatever they want! If you're interested, you can click the link below to check out the Patreon page!
\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"In the second installment of the Tube V.I.P. Producer's Choice, longtime friend and patron of the show Jake aka Zulgeek joins me to talk about our top 3 childhood gaming traditions.","date_published":"2023-01-29T10:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/262a58ce-20cf-4ca2-ab40-85ce2810691a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":84531199,"duration_in_seconds":2113}]},{"id":"28febfff-41f5-430e-bcdb-ba8780cbd344","title":"Long Games & Burnout (with Jared Moss - Play Along Podcast, Bill Barber - Gaming & Collecting, Aaron Klaassen - Super Pod Saga)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/longgames","content_text":"For this Break from the Backlog, we're doing a roundtable discussion on long games and why some keep us engaged into the triple-digit hour counts while some burn us out long before. I was joined by three wonderful guests, Jared Moss (Play Along Podcast), Bill Barber (Gaming and Collecting) and Aaron Klaassen (Super Pod Saga). You can, and should, check out their shows! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nLong Games We Loved 1:28\nLong Games that Burned Us Out 55:12\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"For this Break from the Backlog, we're doing a roundtable discussion on long games and why some keep us engaged into the triple-digit hour counts while some burn us out long before. I was joined by three wonderful guests, Jared Moss (Play Along Podcast), Bill Barber (Gaming and Collecting) and Aaron Klaassen (Super Pod Saga). You can, and should, check out their shows!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nLong Games We Loved 1:28
\nLong Games that Burned Us Out 55:12
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jared Moss (Play Along Podcast), Bill Barber (Gaming & Collecting) and Aaron Klaassen (Super Pod Saga) to discuss long games and why some of them entertain for 100+ hours while others burn us out long before the end.","date_published":"2023-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/28febfff-41f5-430e-bcdb-ba8780cbd344.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86202879,"duration_in_seconds":6157}]},{"id":"03721a2a-84c2-42c1-b1a2-71e3f00e50cb","title":"59: Final Fantasy IX (with Rick Firestone - Pixel Project Radio and Alejandro Ortiz - A Random Gamer's Corner)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/59","content_text":"Some other entries in the long running Final Fantasy series have more mainstream attention, but Square's Final Fantasy IX is the one that feels like the underground favorite. Hailed as a love letter to all of the games in the series that came before it, Final Fantasy IX returns the series to high fantasy and puts together a top-notch cast of characters. Joining me to discuss it is Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio and Alejandro Ortiz from A Random Gamer's Corner. You can, and should, check out their podcasts by following this link for Pixel Project Radio and this link for A Random Gamer's Corner. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:10\nStory Setup/\"Back to Basics\" 19:28\nVisuals 46:39\nMusic 54:09\nCombat/Gameplay 1:01:29\nTo Remake? 1:21:53\nSPOILER WALL 1:34:52\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Some other entries in the long running Final Fantasy series have more mainstream attention, but Square's Final Fantasy IX is the one that feels like the underground favorite. Hailed as a love letter to all of the games in the series that came before it, Final Fantasy IX returns the series to high fantasy and puts together a top-notch cast of characters. Joining me to discuss it is Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio and Alejandro Ortiz from A Random Gamer's Corner. You can, and should, check out their podcasts by following this link for Pixel Project Radio and this link for A Random Gamer's Corner.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:10
\nStory Setup/"Back to Basics" 19:28
\nVisuals 46:39
\nMusic 54:09
\nCombat/Gameplay 1:01:29
\nTo Remake? 1:21:53
\nSPOILER WALL 1:34:52
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio and Alejandro Ortiz from A Random Gamer's Corner to discuss Final Fantasy IX. ","date_published":"2023-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/03721a2a-84c2-42c1-b1a2-71e3f00e50cb.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92596506,"duration_in_seconds":9259}]},{"id":"72b648bb-94c8-4c3f-993c-2b43a7a86966","title":"58: Shovel Knight (with Mikey Tabletop - Big Drink Energy)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/58","content_text":"What happens when a game is created with the idea of re-capturing nostalgia for an age gone by, but you don't share that nostalgia? Turns out, if the game is as good as Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games), that doesn't matter! Shovel Knight is a masterpiece from front to back- it has tight gameplay, best-in-class tutorialization, fun boss fights, and a god-tier soundtrack. It is an absolute treat from start to finish, and I had the great pleasure of talking with Mikey Tabletop from Big Drink Energy about it in this episode. Find all things Big Drink Energy by following this link! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:45\nDevelopment History/Story Setup 18:24\nGameplay 26:54 \nBoss Fights/Visuals/Music 50:39 \nSPOILER WALL 1:12:45\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"What happens when a game is created with the idea of re-capturing nostalgia for an age gone by, but you don't share that nostalgia? Turns out, if the game is as good as Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games), that doesn't matter! Shovel Knight is a masterpiece from front to back- it has tight gameplay, best-in-class tutorialization, fun boss fights, and a god-tier soundtrack. It is an absolute treat from start to finish, and I had the great pleasure of talking with Mikey Tabletop from Big Drink Energy about it in this episode. Find all things Big Drink Energy by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:45
\nDevelopment History/Story Setup 18:24
\nGameplay 26:54
\nBoss Fights/Visuals/Music 50:39
\nSPOILER WALL 1:12:45
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Mikey Tabletop from Big Drink Energy podcast to discuss Yacht Club Games' landmark retro-styled platformer, Shovel Knight","date_published":"2023-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/72b648bb-94c8-4c3f-993c-2b43a7a86966.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89531610,"duration_in_seconds":6395}]},{"id":"64ce09f5-6c88-4a13-b106-4c9543e2413f","title":"57: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (with Kolby - Switch it Up)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/57","content_text":"I thought I knew what to expect from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 as a series fan, and in some ways, I was right. The gameplay, soundtrack, world design and combat were what I knew to expect from a Xenoblade game, to varying degrees of enjoyment. But the story and worldbuilding absolutely blew me away, in a series known for story and worldbuilding! And I was lucky enough to be joined by Kolby from Switch it Up podcast to discuss! You can find Switch it Up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Twitter! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:18\nStory Setup/Story Thoughts 15:37\nGameplay/Exploration 39:29 \nCombat 50:22\nMusic 1:02:35\nSPOILER WALL 1:16:34\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"I thought I knew what to expect from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 as a series fan, and in some ways, I was right. The gameplay, soundtrack, world design and combat were what I knew to expect from a Xenoblade game, to varying degrees of enjoyment. But the story and worldbuilding absolutely blew me away, in a series known for story and worldbuilding! And I was lucky enough to be joined by Kolby from Switch it Up podcast to discuss! You can find Switch it Up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Twitter!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:18
\nStory Setup/Story Thoughts 15:37
\nGameplay/Exploration 39:29
\nCombat 50:22
\nMusic 1:02:35
\nSPOILER WALL 1:16:34
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Kolby from Switch it Up to discuss Monolith Soft's third entry in the Xenoblade Chronicles series.","date_published":"2023-01-04T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/64ce09f5-6c88-4a13-b106-4c9543e2413f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94904947,"duration_in_seconds":9490}]},{"id":"732a36a3-f41b-4ecb-909c-557a11078cd6","title":"2022 in Review","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/2022inreview","content_text":"Per tradition, I end the year by talking about my favorite games that I played. This one focuses on 2022 releases, and if you'd like to hear me talk about the non-2022-release games that I loved this year, you can hear it by supporting Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Per tradition, I end the year by talking about my favorite games that I played. This one focuses on 2022 releases, and if you'd like to hear me talk about the non-2022-release games that I loved this year, you can hear it by supporting Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave breaks down his favorite 2022 releases of the year in gaming.","date_published":"2022-12-28T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/732a36a3-f41b-4ecb-909c-557a11078cd6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93076165,"duration_in_seconds":2908}]},{"id":"289cd3fc-928a-4940-80be-189e7e36c712","title":"56: The Forgotten City (with Chris - 1 Hour 1 Decision)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/56","content_text":"Of of 2021's surprise breakout favorites makes its way onto the podcast! Modern Storyteller's reimagining of a successful Skyrim mod, The Forgotten City, tells the story of a society that lives under a draconic \"Golden Rule\"- where if one person sins, everybody dies...and somebody is going to break the Golden Rule soon. What unfolds over the next 6-10 hours is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery, full of memorable characters, beautiful locations and some real pieces of shit that you just want to fill full of arrows....but you can't! \n\nI was joined in this episode by Chris from the 1 Hour 1 Decision podcast to discuss this one! They pick a random game on Xbox Game Pass, play the first hour, and discuss whether they want to continue playing or not! You can find the show by searching in your favorite podcast app or by clicking this link!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:33\nStory Setup 14:10\nGameplay/Visuals/Music 29:55\nFinal Thoughts 46:52\nSPOILER WALL 52:13\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Of of 2021's surprise breakout favorites makes its way onto the podcast! Modern Storyteller's reimagining of a successful Skyrim mod, The Forgotten City, tells the story of a society that lives under a draconic "Golden Rule"- where if one person sins, everybody dies...and somebody is going to break the Golden Rule soon. What unfolds over the next 6-10 hours is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery, full of memorable characters, beautiful locations and some real pieces of shit that you just want to fill full of arrows....but you can't!
\n\nI was joined in this episode by Chris from the 1 Hour 1 Decision podcast to discuss this one! They pick a random game on Xbox Game Pass, play the first hour, and discuss whether they want to continue playing or not! You can find the show by searching in your favorite podcast app or by clicking this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:33
\nStory Setup 14:10
\nGameplay/Visuals/Music 29:55
\nFinal Thoughts 46:52
\nSPOILER WALL 52:13
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris from 1 Hour, 1 Decision to discuss Modern Storyteller's 2021 narrative mystery, The Forgotten City.","date_published":"2022-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/289cd3fc-928a-4940-80be-189e7e36c712.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98572068,"duration_in_seconds":7040}]},{"id":"85972155-7bd7-427b-8f1d-535803c47155","title":"55: Inscryption (with John Rogers - Gaming in the Wild)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/55","content_text":"Some games are worth the wait! Inscryption was a game that I had to sit and listen to everyone say \"this is awesome! I can't tell you why though, but trust me!\" for a while before it finally came to a platform that I own. But again, worth the wait! And I deep dive on it with John Rogers from Gaming in the Wild, which can be found wherever you listen to podcasts or by following this link.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:28\nAesthetics 14:46\nCard Game/Deckbuilding 25:26\nEscape Room/Final Thoughts 53:53\nSPOILER WALL 1:01:12\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Some games are worth the wait! Inscryption was a game that I had to sit and listen to everyone say "this is awesome! I can't tell you why though, but trust me!" for a while before it finally came to a platform that I own. But again, worth the wait! And I deep dive on it with John Rogers from Gaming in the Wild, which can be found wherever you listen to podcasts or by following this link.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:28
\nAesthetics 14:46
\nCard Game/Deckbuilding 25:26
\nEscape Room/Final Thoughts 53:53
\nSPOILER WALL 1:01:12
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by John Rogers from Gaming in the Wild to discuss Inscryption, the 2021 horror deckbuilder by Daniel Mullins.","date_published":"2022-12-14T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/85972155-7bd7-427b-8f1d-535803c47155.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":99446074,"duration_in_seconds":9944}]},{"id":"a43f813f-7908-46c9-bdef-e376238d5678","title":"Top 3 Video Game Items That Are Too Good to Use (Tube V.I.P. Producer's Choice with Chris Nelson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/producerschoice1","content_text":"We have a new series running on The Tube- patrons at the \"Tube Producer\" level or higher get to pick a topic to talk about. OG supporter of the show Chris Nelson is the first up, and he chose to talk about the top 3 video game items that are too good to use. The items that we keep telling ourselves to \"wait until we REALLY need it\", and then the game is over. We discussed our top 3s and learned a little bit about ourselves along the way. \n\nIf you'd like to participate in an episode like this, you can [support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) at the \"Tube Producer\" level or higher. If that's too steep, there are lower tiers to support, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi or support in any other way you can!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"We have a new series running on The Tube- patrons at the "Tube Producer" level or higher get to pick a topic to talk about. OG supporter of the show Chris Nelson is the first up, and he chose to talk about the top 3 video game items that are too good to use. The items that we keep telling ourselves to "wait until we REALLY need it", and then the game is over. We discussed our top 3s and learned a little bit about ourselves along the way.
\n\nIf you'd like to participate in an episode like this, you can [support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) at the "Tube Producer" level or higher. If that's too steep, there are lower tiers to support, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi or support in any other way you can!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Nelson for the premiere of a new series on the Tube Network- the Tube VIP Producer's Choice.","date_published":"2022-12-11T11:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/a43f813f-7908-46c9-bdef-e376238d5678.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":55898487,"duration_in_seconds":2329}]},{"id":"f0cfd9cc-037b-4225-93b2-217a491cf1aa","title":"54: Pokemon Trading Card Game (GBC) (with Bill Barber - Gaming & Collecting Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/54","content_text":"In this episode, I go back to the nostalgia well for one of my favorite games from childhood- the Pokemon Trading Card Game, for Gameboy Color. I grew up collecting the cards but not really playing the actual card game, except with this handy game. And this game was still pretty fun to revisit, but got very frustrating to see all of my strategies reduced to \"Do you win the coin flips? If so, you win. If not, sucks to suck!\". Joining me for this episode is Bill Barber from the Gaming and Collecting podcast, as well as The 3DO Experience podcast. Check out everything that Bill is doing by following THIS LINK\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:08\nStory (lol)/Card Game 14:26\nVisuals/Music/Closing Thoughts 34:53\nSPOILER WALL 52:57\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In this episode, I go back to the nostalgia well for one of my favorite games from childhood- the Pokemon Trading Card Game, for Gameboy Color. I grew up collecting the cards but not really playing the actual card game, except with this handy game. And this game was still pretty fun to revisit, but got very frustrating to see all of my strategies reduced to "Do you win the coin flips? If so, you win. If not, sucks to suck!". Joining me for this episode is Bill Barber from the Gaming and Collecting podcast, as well as The 3DO Experience podcast. Check out everything that Bill is doing by following THIS LINK
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:08
\nStory (lol)/Card Game 14:26
\nVisuals/Music/Closing Thoughts 34:53
\nSPOILER WALL 52:57
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Bill Barber from Gaming & Collecting podcast to discuss the GameBoy Color adaptation of the Pokemon Trading Card game.","date_published":"2022-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f0cfd9cc-037b-4225-93b2-217a491cf1aa.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86319542,"duration_in_seconds":4315}]},{"id":"470f0253-3ea2-4471-8c98-7046bbf15a03","title":"53: Nier: Automata (with Andrew Kimball - Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers & Katie Shesko)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/53","content_text":"There are some games you never forget, and my first playthrough of Nier: Automata certainly fits that category. The marriage of story, gameplay and music makes this an emotional and impressive journey. Join me, Andrew Kimball (Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers) and Katie Shesko as we discuss this unforgettable game.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts: 1:20\nStory Setup 24:50\nGameplay Shakeups 35:39\nMusic/Final Thoughts 1:03:26\nSPOILER WALL 1:27:50 \n\nCheck out Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers at their website, YouTube Channel and wherever you listen to podcasts, and check out Katie's music on YouTube, [Twitch](www.twitch.tv/katieshesko) or Spotify! Katie's version of \"City Ruins\" was featured during the spoiler wall break in this episode!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"There are some games you never forget, and my first playthrough of Nier: Automata certainly fits that category. The marriage of story, gameplay and music makes this an emotional and impressive journey. Join me, Andrew Kimball (Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers) and Katie Shesko as we discuss this unforgettable game.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts: 1:20
\nStory Setup 24:50
\nGameplay Shakeups 35:39
\nMusic/Final Thoughts 1:03:26
\nSPOILER WALL 1:27:50
Check out Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers at their website, YouTube Channel and wherever you listen to podcasts, and check out Katie's music on YouTube, [Twitch](www.twitch.tv/katieshesko) or Spotify! Katie's version of "City Ruins" was featured during the spoiler wall break in this episode!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Andrew Kimball of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers and Katie Shesko to discuss Yoko Taro's breakout hit, Nier: Automata.","date_published":"2022-11-30T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/470f0253-3ea2-4471-8c98-7046bbf15a03.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":83060818,"duration_in_seconds":10382}]},{"id":"5fa49885-95d5-44f3-94af-293d08639787","title":"52: Prey: Mooncrash (with Adam & Kiaran - The Good, the Bad & the Backlog)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/52","content_text":"Prey (2017) is one of those widely acclaimed games that not many people seem to have played. Take that same idea, but take that up another level and you've got Prey: Mooncrash, the 2018 roguelike DLC for the aformentioned Prey, by Arkane Studios. Prey: Mooncrash got some increased buzz not when it released, but when Deathloop released and comparisons were drawn. And the verdict is in- for many people, myself included, Prey: Mooncrash is what Deathloop should have been. I was lucky enough to be joined by Adam and Kiaran from The Good, the Bad & the Backlog to discuss it! Pardon my voice in this one, I was beginning to come down with Covid! Fun! \n\nCheck out everything that Adam and Kiaran are doing by following this link! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:30\nStory/Gameplay Setup 22:17\nSPOILER WALL 1:14:53\n\nSupport Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Prey (2017) is one of those widely acclaimed games that not many people seem to have played. Take that same idea, but take that up another level and you've got Prey: Mooncrash, the 2018 roguelike DLC for the aformentioned Prey, by Arkane Studios. Prey: Mooncrash got some increased buzz not when it released, but when Deathloop released and comparisons were drawn. And the verdict is in- for many people, myself included, Prey: Mooncrash is what Deathloop should have been. I was lucky enough to be joined by Adam and Kiaran from The Good, the Bad & the Backlog to discuss it! Pardon my voice in this one, I was beginning to come down with Covid! Fun!
\n\nCheck out everything that Adam and Kiaran are doing by following this link!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:30
\nStory/Gameplay Setup 22:17
\nSPOILER WALL 1:14:53
Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adam and Kiaran from The Good, the Bad & the Backlog to discuss Prey's roguelike expansion, Mooncrash.","date_published":"2022-11-23T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/5fa49885-95d5-44f3-94af-293d08639787.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":69904980,"duration_in_seconds":6990}]},{"id":"a89ca818-e044-4b11-970b-8fa6ac6f685b","title":"51: Prey (2017) (with Nick & Will - Friday Night Gamecast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/51","content_text":"Prey (2017) takes the immersive sim worldbuilding, level design and freedom of expression that Arkane Studios had been honing through the years, transfers it to a sci-fi space station full of shapeshifting aliens, and sets you loose to figure out what the hell is going on. The result is....peak video game, as far as this host is concerned. And to help break it all down, I've enlisted the help of both hosts of Friday Night Gamecast, Nick and Will. This was a wonderful conversation, and we hope you enjoy it!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:35\nStory Setup 24:00\nImmersive Sim Gameplay 44:10\nCombat 1:07:20\nSPOILER WALL 1:36:22\n\nCheck out Friday Night Gamecast wherever you listen to podcasts, or by going through this link!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Prey (2017) takes the immersive sim worldbuilding, level design and freedom of expression that Arkane Studios had been honing through the years, transfers it to a sci-fi space station full of shapeshifting aliens, and sets you loose to figure out what the hell is going on. The result is....peak video game, as far as this host is concerned. And to help break it all down, I've enlisted the help of both hosts of Friday Night Gamecast, Nick and Will. This was a wonderful conversation, and we hope you enjoy it!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:35
\nStory Setup 24:00
\nImmersive Sim Gameplay 44:10
\nCombat 1:07:20
\nSPOILER WALL 1:36:22
Check out Friday Night Gamecast wherever you listen to podcasts, or by going through this link!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Nick and Will from Friday Night Gamecast to discuss Arkane Studios' 2017 sci-fi immersive sim, Prey.","date_published":"2022-11-16T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/a89ca818-e044-4b11-970b-8fa6ac6f685b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":81567032,"duration_in_seconds":10195}]},{"id":"fa73775d-fbd1-4173-8c68-a9e359905933","title":"50: Citizen Sleeper (with DeadbeatPunk - WTFDYW?!)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/50","content_text":"After playing In Other Waters, I knew that whatever Gareth Damian Martin put out next, I would have to play it. I had high expectations for Citizen Sleeper, and it absolutely blew me away. Citizen Sleeper explores a sci-fi capitalist dystopia in space, but the thing that sets this one apart from contemporaries like Prey and Hardspace: Shipbreaker is the absolute quality of the characters and writing. Citizen Sleeper ties that writing into its innovative dice system, and the finished product is a real treat. I was joined by DeadbeatPunk from WTFDYW?! to discuss it! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:56\nStory Setup/Characters 14:30\nRPG Systems 40:21\nSPOILER WALL 1:07:40\n\nCheck out WTFDYW?! at the show website HERE!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"After playing In Other Waters, I knew that whatever Gareth Damian Martin put out next, I would have to play it. I had high expectations for Citizen Sleeper, and it absolutely blew me away. Citizen Sleeper explores a sci-fi capitalist dystopia in space, but the thing that sets this one apart from contemporaries like Prey and Hardspace: Shipbreaker is the absolute quality of the characters and writing. Citizen Sleeper ties that writing into its innovative dice system, and the finished product is a real treat. I was joined by DeadbeatPunk from WTFDYW?! to discuss it!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:56
\nStory Setup/Characters 14:30
\nRPG Systems 40:21
\nSPOILER WALL 1:07:40
Check out WTFDYW?! at the show website HERE!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by DeadbeatPunk from WTFDYW?! podcast to discuss Gareth Damian Martin's 2022 sci-fi RPG, Citizen Sleeper.","date_published":"2022-11-09T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/fa73775d-fbd1-4173-8c68-a9e359905933.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":90255986,"duration_in_seconds":7521}]},{"id":"cc9f0ede-cdbf-4b4b-871d-a196c2b9ad40","title":"Happy Birthday to Tales from the Backlog! AMA + Reflections","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/1stbirthday","content_text":"Tales from the Backlog is one year old! It's been a great year for the show. I've met tons of great people, played a lot of awesome games (and a few bad ones), and learned a ton about all aspects of the podcasting experience. If you'll indulge me for a bit, I reflect and reminisce on the first year of the show, and answer your questions! Thanks for a great year, and I'm looking forward to year 2.\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Tales from the Backlog is one year old! It's been a great year for the show. I've met tons of great people, played a lot of awesome games (and a few bad ones), and learned a ton about all aspects of the podcasting experience. If you'll indulge me for a bit, I reflect and reminisce on the first year of the show, and answer your questions! Thanks for a great year, and I'm looking forward to year 2.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave reminisces about the first year of Tales from the Backlog and answers your questions!","date_published":"2022-11-02T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/cc9f0ede-cdbf-4b4b-871d-a196c2b9ad40.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86738023,"duration_in_seconds":2168}]},{"id":"3a238cad-640c-4452-8199-97ee49af663b","title":"49: The Quarry (with Liv Beyer - Between 2 Gamers)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/49","content_text":"After being bamboozled into playing Until Dawn earlier this year despite my dislike of scary games, I unexpectedly found myself a big fan of that game, so when The Quarry was released, it was an easy choice to play, and it didn't disappoint! Direct comparisons to Until Dawn are unavoidable, and this game improves on a lot while maybe missing some of the secret sauce, in my opinion. I was lucky enough to be joined by Liv from Between 2 Gamers to discuss our experiences! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:45\nStory Setup/Characters/Acting/Voice Acting/Choices 13:05\nGameplay/Final Thoughts/Housekeeping 38:16\nSPOILER WALL 54:55\n\nFind everything that Between 2 Gamers are doing HERE!\nIf you're a gaming podcaster and want to join the Co-op Discord Server, click here!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"After being bamboozled into playing Until Dawn earlier this year despite my dislike of scary games, I unexpectedly found myself a big fan of that game, so when The Quarry was released, it was an easy choice to play, and it didn't disappoint! Direct comparisons to Until Dawn are unavoidable, and this game improves on a lot while maybe missing some of the secret sauce, in my opinion. I was lucky enough to be joined by Liv from Between 2 Gamers to discuss our experiences!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:45
\nStory Setup/Characters/Acting/Voice Acting/Choices 13:05
\nGameplay/Final Thoughts/Housekeeping 38:16
\nSPOILER WALL 54:55
Find everything that Between 2 Gamers are doing HERE!
\nIf you're a gaming podcaster and want to join the Co-op Discord Server, click here!
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Liv Beyer from Between 2 Gamers to discuss Supermassive Games' 2022 horror adventure, The Quarry.","date_published":"2022-10-26T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/3a238cad-640c-4452-8199-97ee49af663b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98051656,"duration_in_seconds":7003}]},{"id":"0d974239-51eb-4ff8-b724-e3c43772d72c","title":"48: The Last Door (with Adelaide Lohkamp)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/48","content_text":"Two genres that I don't normally play mashed together- horror games and point-and-click adventures, with a heavy dose of Lovecraft. The Last Door was a game that wasn't on my radar until my special guest Adelaide Lohkamp (she/her) suggested it to me, and seeing that it was made by The Game Kitchen really got my attention. Some issues with gameplay aside, this game excels aesthetically and tells a story that really displays an understanding of why Lovecraftian horror continues to fascinate. \n\nNote- Adelaide was going by a different name at the time of recording, so that's why I refer to her as Jamie. Please respect her choices, as always\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:49\nStory Setup/Aesthetics 9:08\nGameplay 25:44\nSPOILER WALL 44:06\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Two genres that I don't normally play mashed together- horror games and point-and-click adventures, with a heavy dose of Lovecraft. The Last Door was a game that wasn't on my radar until my special guest Adelaide Lohkamp (she/her) suggested it to me, and seeing that it was made by The Game Kitchen really got my attention. Some issues with gameplay aside, this game excels aesthetically and tells a story that really displays an understanding of why Lovecraftian horror continues to fascinate.
\n\nNote- Adelaide was going by a different name at the time of recording, so that's why I refer to her as Jamie. Please respect her choices, as always
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:49
\nStory Setup/Aesthetics 9:08
\nGameplay 25:44
\nSPOILER WALL 44:06
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adelaide Lohkamp to discuss The Game Kitchen's point-and-click Lovecraftian horror adventure, The Last Door.","date_published":"2022-10-19T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0d974239-51eb-4ff8-b724-e3c43772d72c.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86770468,"duration_in_seconds":6197}]},{"id":"57f8755d-7868-4a68-ab0c-013dc564d28c","title":"47: Parasite Eve (with Michael Berger - Bits of Time)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/47","content_text":"The concept of a hybrid survival horror/JRPG has been fascinating to me ever since I first heard about Parasite Eve and Koudelka, and Parasite Eve blew my expectations out of the water. It's got a fun combat system, a goofy story that appeals to my biology background, and it looks great! This was a blast to play, and it was a blast to discuss with Michael from Bits of Time.\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:15\nStory Setup/MITOCHONDRIA/Visuals/Music 8:52\nCombat/RPG Systems 35:34\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 48:02\nSPOILER WALL 54:35\n\nCheck out Michael and his brother Larry on Bits of Time on your favorite podcast app, or find handy links HERE\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The concept of a hybrid survival horror/JRPG has been fascinating to me ever since I first heard about Parasite Eve and Koudelka, and Parasite Eve blew my expectations out of the water. It's got a fun combat system, a goofy story that appeals to my biology background, and it looks great! This was a blast to play, and it was a blast to discuss with Michael from Bits of Time.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:15
\nStory Setup/MITOCHONDRIA/Visuals/Music 8:52
\nCombat/RPG Systems 35:34
\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 48:02
\nSPOILER WALL 54:35
Check out Michael and his brother Larry on Bits of Time on your favorite podcast app, or find handy links HERE
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Michael Berger from the Bits of Time podcast to discuss Square's 1998 survival horror/JRPG mashup, Parasite Eve.","date_published":"2022-10-12T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/57f8755d-7868-4a68-ab0c-013dc564d28c.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97490650,"duration_in_seconds":6093}]},{"id":"42333f92-52fb-42b1-944e-14464bf5a2ac","title":"46: Resident Evil 4 (with Michael Mays)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/46","content_text":"Continuing the run of trying out critically and nostalgic...ally loved games way too late, this week it's Resident Evil 4! It took literal years of convincing to get me to play a Resident Evil game due to my horror game aversion, and I think I picked the best one for me. This game is barely even a horror game. What it actually is, is a kind of stepping stone between arcade shooters and modern 3rd person shooters with some of the goofiest characters and dialogue out there. I thought I would hate this, but this was an absolute blast, and I was lucky enough to be joined by Michael Mays to discuss it! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:10\nStory Setup/Gameplay 12:39\nMelee Combat/Escort Missions 42:56\nVisuals/Music/Remake 53:53\nSPOILER WALL 1:13:14\n\nMichael and I both agree, you should check out the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues and donate nationally HERE or find something more local here.\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Continuing the run of trying out critically and nostalgic...ally loved games way too late, this week it's Resident Evil 4! It took literal years of convincing to get me to play a Resident Evil game due to my horror game aversion, and I think I picked the best one for me. This game is barely even a horror game. What it actually is, is a kind of stepping stone between arcade shooters and modern 3rd person shooters with some of the goofiest characters and dialogue out there. I thought I would hate this, but this was an absolute blast, and I was lucky enough to be joined by Michael Mays to discuss it!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:10
\nStory Setup/Gameplay 12:39
\nMelee Combat/Escort Missions 42:56
\nVisuals/Music/Remake 53:53
\nSPOILER WALL 1:13:14
Michael and I both agree, you should check out the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues and donate nationally HERE or find something more local here.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Michael Mays to discuss Capcom's 2005 pillar of both survival horror and 3rd person shooters, Resident Evil 4.","date_published":"2022-10-05T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/42333f92-52fb-42b1-944e-14464bf5a2ac.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87809045,"duration_in_seconds":8780}]},{"id":"c172185f-97cc-4423-96ce-14764f728f3f","title":"45: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (with Rick Firestone - Pixel Project Radio)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/45","content_text":"If you're experiencing some audio skipping in the episode, please delete and re-download. Had a bit of an issue that I think should be cleared up now. Thanks! -Dave\n\nWant a cool sci-fi story that will keep you guessing and melt your brain? Want a nice beginner's intro to visual novels? Want a very, very mediocre and easy real-time strategy game? Look no further! 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim has you covered! Developed by Vanillaware and published by Atlus in 2019, 13 Sentinels is a game where I enjoyed the story a LOT, got through the RTS sections, and had some real bones to pick with aesthetic choices. And I was lucky to be joined once again by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio to discuss it!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:23\nStory Setup/Visuals/Music 12:18\nVisual Novel/RTS Gameplay 41:44\nSPOILER WALL 1:06:20\n\nYou can, and SHOULD, find everything Pixel Project Radio HERE!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"If you're experiencing some audio skipping in the episode, please delete and re-download. Had a bit of an issue that I think should be cleared up now. Thanks! -Dave
\n\nWant a cool sci-fi story that will keep you guessing and melt your brain? Want a nice beginner's intro to visual novels? Want a very, very mediocre and easy real-time strategy game? Look no further! 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim has you covered! Developed by Vanillaware and published by Atlus in 2019, 13 Sentinels is a game where I enjoyed the story a LOT, got through the RTS sections, and had some real bones to pick with aesthetic choices. And I was lucky to be joined once again by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio to discuss it!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:23
\nStory Setup/Visuals/Music 12:18
\nVisual Novel/RTS Gameplay 41:44
\nSPOILER WALL 1:06:20
You can, and SHOULD, find everything Pixel Project Radio HERE!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio to discuss Vanillaware's 2019 mind-bending sci-fi adventure, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim","date_published":"2022-09-28T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c172185f-97cc-4423-96ce-14764f728f3f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93549348,"duration_in_seconds":6682}]},{"id":"289480d1-2861-453c-beb2-a0f2e955c5d2","title":"44: Undertale (with Eric Gess - The Unlockables)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/44","content_text":"Another week, another game that I came to late, and did my best to understand why millions of screaming internet denizens love it. Undertale is the game this week, and I'm joined by Eric Gess, host of The Unlockables!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:29\nStory Setup/To Kill or Not to Kill? 19:51\nGameplay 31:13\nCombat 38:29\nSoundtrack/Recommend? 51:38\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:00\n\nYou can find The Unlockables by following this link! The Unlockables is Backlog Approved!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Another week, another game that I came to late, and did my best to understand why millions of screaming internet denizens love it. Undertale is the game this week, and I'm joined by Eric Gess, host of The Unlockables!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:29
\nStory Setup/To Kill or Not to Kill? 19:51
\nGameplay 31:13
\nCombat 38:29
\nSoundtrack/Recommend? 51:38
\nSPOILER WALL 1:08:00
You can find The Unlockables by following this link! The Unlockables is Backlog Approved!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Eric Gess from The Unlockables podcast to discuss Toby Fox's indie megahit, Undertale.","date_published":"2022-09-21T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/289480d1-2861-453c-beb2-a0f2e955c5d2.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":99542204,"duration_in_seconds":8295}]},{"id":"9b7ad128-aa28-4923-abeb-d5446fe66edf","title":"43: Chrono Trigger (with Josh Covel - Still Loading)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/43","content_text":"What happens when you miss out on childhood nostalgia for a game that seemingly everybody seems to love? Should you try to approach that game with the mindset of a mid-90s gamer? Or should you take all of the advancements (and dis..advancements? I'll find a word) of its genre in the past 30 years? Chrono Trigger was that game for me, and I'm happy to have gotten Josh Covel from Still Loading on the show to talk about it. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening thoughts 1:15\nA Focused JRPG 23:50\nStory Setup 52:11\nSoundtrack 1:18:52\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:36:12\nSPOILER WALL 1:47:17\n\nYou can find Still Loading on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Twitch.\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"What happens when you miss out on childhood nostalgia for a game that seemingly everybody seems to love? Should you try to approach that game with the mindset of a mid-90s gamer? Or should you take all of the advancements (and dis..advancements? I'll find a word) of its genre in the past 30 years? Chrono Trigger was that game for me, and I'm happy to have gotten Josh Covel from Still Loading on the show to talk about it.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros/Personal Histories/Opening thoughts 1:15
\nA Focused JRPG 23:50
\nStory Setup 52:11
\nSoundtrack 1:18:52
\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:36:12
\nSPOILER WALL 1:47:17
You can find Still Loading on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Twitch.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Josh Covel from Still Loading podcast to discuss Chrono Trigger.","date_published":"2022-09-14T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9b7ad128-aa28-4923-abeb-d5446fe66edf.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91950759,"duration_in_seconds":9195}]},{"id":"3dfbdf40-d9fd-40c0-be65-c91b90d5abf3","title":"42: Spec Ops: The Line (with Chris Coplien - Retro Hangover)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/42","content_text":"There are games with good stories, there are games with great gameplay, and there are games where gameplay directly feeds into the story to create an experience you'll never forget. Spec Ops: The Line (Yager Development, 2012) is one of those games. Chris Coplien from Retro Hangover joins Dave for a discussion about the incredible things that this game does. \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nIntros and Personal Histories 00:54\nStory Setup and Themes 14:49\nCombat and Gameplay 39:37\nFinal Thoughts 53:54\nSpoiler Wall 59:44\n\nCheck out Retro Hangover! It's a very entertaining and informative retro gaming podcast.\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"There are games with good stories, there are games with great gameplay, and there are games where gameplay directly feeds into the story to create an experience you'll never forget. Spec Ops: The Line (Yager Development, 2012) is one of those games. Chris Coplien from Retro Hangover joins Dave for a discussion about the incredible things that this game does.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nIntros and Personal Histories 00:54
\nStory Setup and Themes 14:49
\nCombat and Gameplay 39:37
\nFinal Thoughts 53:54
\nSpoiler Wall 59:44
Check out Retro Hangover! It's a very entertaining and informative retro gaming podcast.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Coplien from Retro Hangover to discuss Spec Ops: The Line.","date_published":"2022-09-07T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/3dfbdf40-d9fd-40c0-be65-c91b90d5abf3.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89467298,"duration_in_seconds":8946}]},{"id":"67dc20da-fdca-459c-8ab6-6cbd7fdc1629","title":"41: The Last of Us (with Ben Robinson - Play Along Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/41","content_text":"Some games are released, garner acclaim and fans, and fade into our Nostalgia centers. Some games, however, keep growing until they are something much bigger. The Last of Us is a trend-setter, influencing the direction of Sony's first-party titles of the past decade, while also being remastered AND remade before spinning out into a multimedia franchise. But does it deserve the hype and continuing obsession? Is it truly one of the greatest video games ever made?\n\nDave is joined by Ben Robinson of Play Along Podcast to discuss the original PS3 release and the PS4 remaster. \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories 1:03\nStory Setup/Stealth/Survival Gameplay 15:29\nCombat 47:43\nTo Remake?/Final Thoughts 1:06:18\nSPOILER WALL 1:26:31\n\nCheck out Play Along Podcast!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Some games are released, garner acclaim and fans, and fade into our Nostalgia centers. Some games, however, keep growing until they are something much bigger. The Last of Us is a trend-setter, influencing the direction of Sony's first-party titles of the past decade, while also being remastered AND remade before spinning out into a multimedia franchise. But does it deserve the hype and continuing obsession? Is it truly one of the greatest video games ever made?
\n\nDave is joined by Ben Robinson of Play Along Podcast to discuss the original PS3 release and the PS4 remaster.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories 1:03
\nStory Setup/Stealth/Survival Gameplay 15:29
\nCombat 47:43
\nTo Remake?/Final Thoughts 1:06:18
\nSPOILER WALL 1:26:31
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ben Robinson from Play Along Podcast to discuss The Last of Us. ","date_published":"2022-08-31T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/67dc20da-fdca-459c-8ab6-6cbd7fdc1629.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92185600,"duration_in_seconds":9218}]},{"id":"e7ecc244-8e35-4584-acd4-b93902e34644","title":"2022 Summer Retrolympics! (Hosted by Secret Levels podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/retrolympics","content_text":"The 2022 Summer Retrolympics are here, hosted by the Secret Levels podcast! It was originally posted on their feed, but I'm posting here for my listeners- this is a podcast collaboration like no other. The Retrolympics is a retro gaming trivia show featuring great podcasts from around the indie gaming podcast scene. \n\nCheck out all of the participants, they all have my highest recommendation!\nThe hosts, Secret Levels: Apple / Spotify\nPixel Project Radio: Apple / Spotify\nMain Quest Podcast: Apple / Spotify \nDeleted Saves: Apple / Spotify \nLow Five Gaming: Apple / Spotify \nList Off!: Apple / Spotify \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The 2022 Summer Retrolympics are here, hosted by the Secret Levels podcast! It was originally posted on their feed, but I'm posting here for my listeners- this is a podcast collaboration like no other. The Retrolympics is a retro gaming trivia show featuring great podcasts from around the indie gaming podcast scene.
\n\nCheck out all of the participants, they all have my highest recommendation!
\nThe hosts, Secret Levels: Apple / Spotify
\nPixel Project Radio: Apple / Spotify
\nMain Quest Podcast: Apple / Spotify
\nDeleted Saves: Apple / Spotify
\nLow Five Gaming: Apple / Spotify
\nList Off!: Apple / Spotify
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"This is the 2022 Summer Retrolympics, hosted by the Secret Levels podcast! ","date_published":"2022-08-27T15:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e7ecc244-8e35-4584-acd4-b93902e34644.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95326903,"duration_in_seconds":9198}]},{"id":"133c51b2-df04-4eaa-b85f-18f5b7646eed","title":"40: Outer Wilds (with Keith Gasper - The Main Quest)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/40","content_text":"Some games are fun to explore, some games create worlds that amaze you, some games tell stories you'll never forget...and some games do all of the above. Mobius Digital's 2019 space exploration sim Outer Wilds certainly qualifies. But was it all love all the time? Joining me to discuss it all is the great Keith Gasper from The Main Quest podcast!\n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:08\nSetting/Story Setup 23:08\nGameplay/Music/Sound Design 41:07\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:04:00\nSPOILER WALL 1:17:00\n\nNoclip documentary about the making of Outer Wilds\n\nThe Main Quest is Keith's personal journey to revisit and replay every game from his childhood through early adulthood, and you can find the podcast and all social media links by clicking here!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Some games are fun to explore, some games create worlds that amaze you, some games tell stories you'll never forget...and some games do all of the above. Mobius Digital's 2019 space exploration sim Outer Wilds certainly qualifies. But was it all love all the time? Joining me to discuss it all is the great Keith Gasper from The Main Quest podcast!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:08
\nSetting/Story Setup 23:08
\nGameplay/Music/Sound Design 41:07
\nFinal Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:04:00
\nSPOILER WALL 1:17:00
Noclip documentary about the making of Outer Wilds
\n\nThe Main Quest is Keith's personal journey to revisit and replay every game from his childhood through early adulthood, and you can find the podcast and all social media links by clicking here!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined once again by Keith Gasper from The Main Quest podcast to discuss Mobius Digital's 2019 open world space sim, Outer Wilds.","date_published":"2022-08-24T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/133c51b2-df04-4eaa-b85f-18f5b7646eed.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":90054792,"duration_in_seconds":9005}]},{"id":"afebbf8e-a559-4747-b026-18583f769dd5","title":"Tales from the Backlog V.I.P.- Top 25 Games (Preview)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/top25preview","content_text":"This is a preview of a patron-only Tales from the Backlog VIP episode about my top 25 games of all time. Want to hear the whole thing, higher-bitrate Tales from the Backlog episodes, and many more bonus episodes to come? Head over to the Patreon page- $5/month or higher gets you the VIP feed! Thanks for listening!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"This is a preview of a patron-only Tales from the Backlog VIP episode about my top 25 games of all time. Want to hear the whole thing, higher-bitrate Tales from the Backlog episodes, and many more bonus episodes to come? Head over to the Patreon page- $5/month or higher gets you the VIP feed! Thanks for listening!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"A preview of a patron-only top 25 games of all time episode.","date_published":"2022-08-20T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/afebbf8e-a559-4747-b026-18583f769dd5.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":40439430,"duration_in_seconds":1684}]},{"id":"f35d57c5-c933-4e67-86f9-f937d4b9c19e","title":"39: Deathloop (with Morgan Remington - Intergalactic Pinecone)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/39","content_text":"After years of making critically acclaimed games in a genre that doesn't historically sell, Arkane Studios jumped on the roguelike time loop trend with their flashy, stylish Deathloop. It should have been a home run, right? The marriage of Arkane Studios' best-in-class level design and aesthetics with a game concept that would require players to use their tools creatively, lest they need to start over from square one. But was it the harmonious marriage we were waiting for? In this episode, Dave was joined by Morgan Remington, captain of the Intergalactic Pinecone, to discuss. \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nIntros and Personal Histories\nVisuals and Sound Design 11:16\nRoguelite Design and Gameplay 35:10\nSpoiler Wall 1:14:00\n\nCheck out Morgan and all things Intergalactic Pinecone on Twitch, on YouTube, on Twitter, and on Instagram.\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"After years of making critically acclaimed games in a genre that doesn't historically sell, Arkane Studios jumped on the roguelike time loop trend with their flashy, stylish Deathloop. It should have been a home run, right? The marriage of Arkane Studios' best-in-class level design and aesthetics with a game concept that would require players to use their tools creatively, lest they need to start over from square one. But was it the harmonious marriage we were waiting for? In this episode, Dave was joined by Morgan Remington, captain of the Intergalactic Pinecone, to discuss.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nIntros and Personal Histories
\nVisuals and Sound Design 11:16
\nRoguelite Design and Gameplay 35:10
\nSpoiler Wall 1:14:00
Check out Morgan and all things Intergalactic Pinecone on Twitch, on YouTube, on Twitter, and on Instagram.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Morgan Remington from Intergalactic Pinecone to discuss Arkane Studios' time loop roguelike, Deathloop.","date_published":"2022-08-17T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f35d57c5-c933-4e67-86f9-f937d4b9c19e.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96376319,"duration_in_seconds":6884}]},{"id":"2cfbe350-9c2c-4ee5-b97d-c236ba240e3f","title":"38: Vampire Survivors (with Chris Rettig)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/38","content_text":"Vampire Survivors is a special game. There are no complicated mechanics to learn, no story to keep track of, no lore to uncover, no enemy attack patterns to learn, no crafting systems, and no loot tables, and despite this, we can't stop playing it. It is pure video game, and it is a breath of fresh air in an era where video games keep getting bigger and more complex. Dave is joined by good friend and milk resale extraordinaire Chris Rettig to discuss Vampire Survivors. Please note, as this was in **Early Access* at the time of recording, we are talking about the 0.6-0.7 patch range, though I'm confident that while things will be added on the road to 1.0, it will still be the same game at its core. \n\nCheck out Groove Coffee Roasters for the best coffee in the Eastern Hemisphere.\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Vampire Survivors is a special game. There are no complicated mechanics to learn, no story to keep track of, no lore to uncover, no enemy attack patterns to learn, no crafting systems, and no loot tables, and despite this, we can't stop playing it. It is pure video game, and it is a breath of fresh air in an era where video games keep getting bigger and more complex. Dave is joined by good friend and milk resale extraordinaire Chris Rettig to discuss Vampire Survivors. Please note, as this was in **Early Access* at the time of recording, we are talking about the 0.6-0.7 patch range, though I'm confident that while things will be added on the road to 1.0, it will still be the same game at its core.
\n\nCheck out Groove Coffee Roasters for the best coffee in the Eastern Hemisphere.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Chris Rettig to discuss an indie game that took the gaming world by storm, Vampire Survivors.","date_published":"2022-08-10T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/2cfbe350-9c2c-4ee5-b97d-c236ba240e3f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98803199,"duration_in_seconds":7057}]},{"id":"4a86dadf-0b93-4be5-a457-dbaebf4f568c","title":"37: Mega Man X (with Chris Nelson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/37","content_text":"Mega Man games have always been a bit of a struggle for me, since I didn't grow up playing the series (or the NES/SNES in general), but Mega Man X is often cited as one of the system's best, and a game that means a lot to a lot of people. So I had to get one of those people to compare our very different histories and experiences. Chris Nelson obliged, and we had a great chat about my experience, which was pretty rocky at times. \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Mega Man games have always been a bit of a struggle for me, since I didn't grow up playing the series (or the NES/SNES in general), but Mega Man X is often cited as one of the system's best, and a game that means a lot to a lot of people. So I had to get one of those people to compare our very different histories and experiences. Chris Nelson obliged, and we had a great chat about my experience, which was pretty rocky at times.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave and special guest Chris Nelson go back in time to discuss Capcom's 1993 classic, Mega Man X.","date_published":"2022-08-03T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4a86dadf-0b93-4be5-a457-dbaebf4f568c.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92204826,"duration_in_seconds":7683}]},{"id":"4742fec8-61d9-40ba-ae4a-bbe87d464ed4","title":"Tales from the Backlog V.I.P.- Stray (Preview)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/straypreview","content_text":"Tales from the Backlog's Patreon campaign has just launched, and I'd like to give people an idea of what kind of bonus content they can expect, so here is a little treat- a preview of a solo episode about Stray. You can hear the full episode, with many more to come, by [supporting the Patreon](patreon.com/realdavejackson) page at the $5 tier or higher. Thanks!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Tales from the Backlog's Patreon campaign has just launched, and I'd like to give people an idea of what kind of bonus content they can expect, so here is a little treat- a preview of a solo episode about Stray. You can hear the full episode, with many more to come, by [supporting the Patreon](patreon.com/realdavejackson) page at the $5 tier or higher. Thanks!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave gives a preview of a patron-only bonus episode covering Stray.","date_published":"2022-08-01T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4742fec8-61d9-40ba-ae4a-bbe87d464ed4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":31629060,"duration_in_seconds":790}]},{"id":"a666b028-28ce-41c4-9fd9-e23f0e8d2fb2","title":"Patreon Announcement","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/patreon","content_text":"Hello there! Tales from the Backlog is now listener-supported via Patreon! This is a short announcement and explanation of the current support tiers!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Hello there! Tales from the Backlog is now listener-supported via Patreon! This is a short announcement and explanation of the current support tiers!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Hello there! Tales from the Backlog is now listener-supported via Patreon! This is a short announcement and explanation of the current support tiers!","date_published":"2022-08-01T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/a666b028-28ce-41c4-9fd9-e23f0e8d2fb2.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":16391186,"duration_in_seconds":326}]},{"id":"f8445419-390f-43e5-ab2a-e3c8d738f25a","title":"Elden Ring Bosses Tier List (with Jim Rodeman)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/eldenringbosses","content_text":"Wrapping up Elden Ring month, as per tradition, Dave is joined by Jim Rodeman to tier-rank the Elden Ring bosses. TOGETHAAAAA we go through all of the bosses labelled as \"Great Enemy\" and above! \n\nDo the tier list yourself HERE and [Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Wrapping up Elden Ring month, as per tradition, Dave is joined by Jim Rodeman to tier-rank the Elden Ring bosses. TOGETHAAAAA we go through all of the bosses labelled as "Great Enemy" and above!
\n\nDo the tier list yourself HERE and [Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Wrapping up Elden Ring month, as per tradition, Dave is joined by Jim Rodeman to tier-rank the Elden Ring bosses.","date_published":"2022-07-27T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f8445419-390f-43e5-ab2a-e3c8d738f25a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95448646,"duration_in_seconds":6817}]},{"id":"0c1cc619-23a8-477e-bad1-efce5784544c","title":"Elden Ring for the FromSoftware Newbie (with Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/eldenringnewbies","content_text":"During the pre-release marketing cycle for Elden Ring, the game's director and FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki made comments to the effect that \"Elden Ring will be the most accessible FromSoftware game to date, and that we think that more people will finish Elden Ring than any of the previous games\". Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss one simple question- why is Elden Ring the most approachable FromSoftware game for new players? We also read some listener responses from first-time players! \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nPersonal Histories with FromSoftware, Why Elden Ring? 0:37\nBuild Variety and Choice 16:52\nSpirit Ashes, Summoning and Invasions 31:57\nGo Wherever, Do Whatever 45:28\nMoving Forward 55:27\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"During the pre-release marketing cycle for Elden Ring, the game's director and FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki made comments to the effect that "Elden Ring will be the most accessible FromSoftware game to date, and that we think that more people will finish Elden Ring than any of the previous games". Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss one simple question- why is Elden Ring the most approachable FromSoftware game for new players? We also read some listener responses from first-time players!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nPersonal Histories with FromSoftware, Why Elden Ring? 0:37
\nBuild Variety and Choice 16:52
\nSpirit Ashes, Summoning and Invasions 31:57
\nGo Wherever, Do Whatever 45:28
\nMoving Forward 55:27
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss one simple question- why is Elden Ring the most approachable FromSoftware game for new players? ","date_published":"2022-07-20T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0c1cc619-23a8-477e-bad1-efce5784544c.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":83321998,"duration_in_seconds":5207}]},{"id":"35a16ca8-b547-4aac-b947-f26f08fd7604","title":"FromSoftware and the Open World (with Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/openworldfromsoft","content_text":"Elden Ring Month continues! FromSoftware certainly didn't invent the open world, and they didn't really invent any of the open world design decisions that helped make Elden Ring a success. So what makes a good open world? In this Break from the Backlog, Dave is joined by Andrew and Dylan from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to discuss open-world games as a whole, as well as how FromSoftware learned from the best to make Elden Ring. \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nIntro, Personal Histories, Good Open Worlds 0:33\nCheckboxes and Map Markers- Eeevillll(?) 44:17\nDemerits 56:20\nElden Ring 1:14:25\nGoing Forward 1:51:28\n\nCheck out Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers on Youtube, your favorite podcast app, and Twitch! Easily found through a simple search, and all links can be found on their website. Highly recommended!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Elden Ring Month continues! FromSoftware certainly didn't invent the open world, and they didn't really invent any of the open world design decisions that helped make Elden Ring a success. So what makes a good open world? In this Break from the Backlog, Dave is joined by Andrew and Dylan from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to discuss open-world games as a whole, as well as how FromSoftware learned from the best to make Elden Ring.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nIntro, Personal Histories, Good Open Worlds 0:33
\nCheckboxes and Map Markers- Eeevillll(?) 44:17
\nDemerits 56:20
\nElden Ring 1:14:25
\nGoing Forward 1:51:28
Check out Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers on Youtube, your favorite podcast app, and Twitch! Easily found through a simple search, and all links can be found on their website. Highly recommended!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Andrew and Dylan from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to discuss open-world games as a whole, as well as how FromSoftware learned from the best to make Elden Ring.","date_published":"2022-07-13T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/35a16ca8-b547-4aac-b947-f26f08fd7604.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94356637,"duration_in_seconds":7863}]},{"id":"f3aaefa8-fb49-4575-bd18-63e1bcaa45ea","title":"36: Elden Ring (with Ryan Juengling- List Off!)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/36","content_text":"Elden Ring Month has begun on Tales from the Backlog! Up first, Dave is joined by Ryan Juengling from List Off! to discuss FromSoftware's game of the generation candidate, Elden Ring. With the elevator pitch of simply \"Open-world Dark Souls\" and wild expectations from fans, Elden Ring had a higher bar to clear than many new releases. Did it meet or even exceed expectations, or did it fall short? Listen in to find out! \n\nTIMESTAMPS\nIntros, Personal Histories, Opening Thoughts 00:46\nFirst Impressions, Approachability 13:20\nOpen World, Exploration 51:19\nPlatforming, Crafting 1:19:12\nStory, Boss Fights 1:38:41\nMusic, Final Thoughts 2:09:44\nSPOILER WALL 2:29:29\n\nCheck out List Off! for more of Ryan (and his awesome co-host Brian) and some great gaming lists and discussions! Find everything List Off! via this link! \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Elden Ring Month has begun on Tales from the Backlog! Up first, Dave is joined by Ryan Juengling from List Off! to discuss FromSoftware's game of the generation candidate, Elden Ring. With the elevator pitch of simply "Open-world Dark Souls" and wild expectations from fans, Elden Ring had a higher bar to clear than many new releases. Did it meet or even exceed expectations, or did it fall short? Listen in to find out!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS
\nIntros, Personal Histories, Opening Thoughts 00:46
\nFirst Impressions, Approachability 13:20
\nOpen World, Exploration 51:19
\nPlatforming, Crafting 1:19:12
\nStory, Boss Fights 1:38:41
\nMusic, Final Thoughts 2:09:44
\nSPOILER WALL 2:29:29
Check out List Off! for more of Ryan (and his awesome co-host Brian) and some great gaming lists and discussions! Find everything List Off! via this link!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Juengling from List Off! to discuss FromSoftware's game of the generation candidate, Elden Ring.","date_published":"2022-07-06T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f3aaefa8-fb49-4575-bd18-63e1bcaa45ea.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97238339,"duration_in_seconds":12154}]},{"id":"b6faf5fc-c6cd-482f-97c0-e1c0d7fec22d","title":"35: Half-Life 2 (with Jay Davis - Super Bracket Bros)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/35","content_text":"As someone who didn't grow up playing PC games in general, Half-Life 2 totally evaded me until I started seeing the Half-Life 3 desperation memes. So as I've attempted to get into PC gaming a bit more, or at least go back and play some of the classics, Half-Life 2 was always on the list. And the promise of doing a podcast with Jay Davis (Super Bracket Bros) was all the inspiration I needed to finally fire it up. But did it live up to its huge reputation? Or is this one best left in the nostalgia box? Hit play to find out. \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nPersonal Histories 10:19\nStory Setup, Game/Level Design 20:02\nCombat/Gameplay 48:45\nMusic/Sound Design 1:21:04\nFinal Thoughts 1:25:41\nSpoiler Wall 1:34:37\n\nFind Jay and Super Bracket Bros on their website, Instagram and Patreon!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"As someone who didn't grow up playing PC games in general, Half-Life 2 totally evaded me until I started seeing the Half-Life 3 desperation memes. So as I've attempted to get into PC gaming a bit more, or at least go back and play some of the classics, Half-Life 2 was always on the list. And the promise of doing a podcast with Jay Davis (Super Bracket Bros) was all the inspiration I needed to finally fire it up. But did it live up to its huge reputation? Or is this one best left in the nostalgia box? Hit play to find out.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nPersonal Histories 10:19
\nStory Setup, Game/Level Design 20:02
\nCombat/Gameplay 48:45
\nMusic/Sound Design 1:21:04
\nFinal Thoughts 1:25:41
\nSpoiler Wall 1:34:37
Find Jay and Super Bracket Bros on their website, Instagram and Patreon!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jay Davis (Super Bracket Bros podcast) to discuss Valve’s foundational FPS, Half-Life 2.","date_published":"2022-06-29T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/b6faf5fc-c6cd-482f-97c0-e1c0d7fec22d.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":100916904,"duration_in_seconds":8409}]},{"id":"c126d5f4-ef3b-4ea9-8938-5dcf335649a1","title":"34: Yakuza: Like a Dragon (with Rick Firestone - Pixel Project Radio)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/34","content_text":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio to discuss Ryu Ga Gotoku's refresh of the Yakuza franchise. Yakuza: Like a Dragon brings a new protagonist and turn-based combat into the franchise, so tune in to find out how Rick and Dave feel about it. \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nIntro, Personal Histories and Opening Thoughts 0:26\nStory Setup 13:34\nCombat 47:37\nSide Content and Final Thoughts 1:19:28\nSpoiler Wall 1:41:15\n\nFind Pixel Project Radio on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio to discuss Ryu Ga Gotoku's refresh of the Yakuza franchise. Yakuza: Like a Dragon brings a new protagonist and turn-based combat into the franchise, so tune in to find out how Rick and Dave feel about it.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nIntro, Personal Histories and Opening Thoughts 0:26
\nStory Setup 13:34
\nCombat 47:37
\nSide Content and Final Thoughts 1:19:28
\nSpoiler Wall 1:41:15
Find Pixel Project Radio on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone from Pixel Project Radio to discuss Ryu Ga Gotoku's refresh of the Yakuza franchise","date_published":"2022-06-22T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c126d5f4-ef3b-4ea9-8938-5dcf335649a1.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":97832376,"duration_in_seconds":9783}]},{"id":"d46f2646-8d7c-4f27-97b1-959be0f5d48a","title":"33: Unsighted (with Nave - Gaming Together Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/33","content_text":"Dave is joined by Nave from the Gaming Together Podcast to discuss Studio Pixel Punk's inventive action game, Unsighted. Unsighted merges a little bit of Zelda, a little bit of metroidvania, a little bit of Souls and a unique time mechanic- listen in to find out what we thought! \n\n*I experienced some recording issues that caused a sound quality drop in this episode- technology is a real pain sometimes! Thanks for understanding!\n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nIntro, Personal Histories and Opening Thoughts 0:52\nStory Setup, Time Mechanic and Map/Metroidvania 11:45\nCombat, Bosses, Crafting and Side Quests 49:12\nAesthetics and Final Thoughts 1:21:29\nSpoiler Wall 1:33:03\n\nFind Gaming Together Podcast on Twitter, Apple and Spotify! \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Nave from the Gaming Together Podcast to discuss Studio Pixel Punk's inventive action game, Unsighted. Unsighted merges a little bit of Zelda, a little bit of metroidvania, a little bit of Souls and a unique time mechanic- listen in to find out what we thought!
\n\n*I experienced some recording issues that caused a sound quality drop in this episode- technology is a real pain sometimes! Thanks for understanding!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nIntro, Personal Histories and Opening Thoughts 0:52
\nStory Setup, Time Mechanic and Map/Metroidvania 11:45
\nCombat, Bosses, Crafting and Side Quests 49:12
\nAesthetics and Final Thoughts 1:21:29
\nSpoiler Wall 1:33:03
Find Gaming Together Podcast on Twitter, Apple and Spotify!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Nave from the Gaming Together Podcast to discuss Studio Pixel Punk's inventive action game, Unsighted. ","date_published":"2022-06-15T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d46f2646-8d7c-4f27-97b1-959be0f5d48a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92838482,"duration_in_seconds":7736}]},{"id":"17bf5bdf-c4ae-4240-8d2f-1e504bb9643b","title":"32: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (with Alan Nichols - A Top 3 Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/32","content_text":"Dave is joined by Alan Nichols to discuss The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. What was once little brother to the much more popular Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask has begun to resonate with many of us who grew up with the N64 during our childhoods. Add in some things that hit a bit closer to home since the pandemic started, and we have a game worth revisiting. But did the gameplay hold up? Listen to find out what we think. \n\n*I experienced some technical issues wirh my track recording that affected sound quality. Hope it doesn't hinder your enjoyment of the episode! -Dave\n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nIntro and Opening Thoughts 0:43\nPersonal Histories, Masks and Time Loop 9:30\nStory and Setting, Music and \"Zelda Stuff\" 55:35\nSpoiler Wall 1:56:41\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Alan Nichols to discuss The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. What was once little brother to the much more popular Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask has begun to resonate with many of us who grew up with the N64 during our childhoods. Add in some things that hit a bit closer to home since the pandemic started, and we have a game worth revisiting. But did the gameplay hold up? Listen to find out what we think.
\n\n*I experienced some technical issues wirh my track recording that affected sound quality. Hope it doesn't hinder your enjoyment of the episode! -Dave
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nIntro and Opening Thoughts 0:43
\nPersonal Histories, Masks and Time Loop 9:30
\nStory and Setting, Music and "Zelda Stuff" 55:35
\nSpoiler Wall 1:56:41
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Alan Nichols to discuss The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. ","date_published":"2022-06-08T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/17bf5bdf-c4ae-4240-8d2f-1e504bb9643b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92988764,"duration_in_seconds":9298}]},{"id":"3430347d-8a5f-4987-9bda-e3d2e07ac15b","title":"31: Shadow of the Colossus (with Adam Bucceri)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/31","content_text":"Dave is joined by tabletop RPG developer Adam Bucceri to discuss Shadow of the Colossus. Originally released on the PS2 back in 2005, Shadow of the Colossus stands today as a truly unique experience in gaming, one that has yet to be replicated. Find out what we thought, plus a discussion on the merits of game remakes!\n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nIntro/Personal Histories 0:42\nStory and Presentation 18:12\nGameplay 40:20\nSoundtrack, Remakes, and Final Thoughts 1:09:43\nSpoiler Wall 1:41:30\n\nFollow Adam on Twitter and check out ENTER THE SURVIVAL HORROR on his itch.io page, and \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by tabletop RPG developer Adam Bucceri to discuss Shadow of the Colossus. Originally released on the PS2 back in 2005, Shadow of the Colossus stands today as a truly unique experience in gaming, one that has yet to be replicated. Find out what we thought, plus a discussion on the merits of game remakes!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nIntro/Personal Histories 0:42
\nStory and Presentation 18:12
\nGameplay 40:20
\nSoundtrack, Remakes, and Final Thoughts 1:09:43
\nSpoiler Wall 1:41:30
Follow Adam on Twitter and check out ENTER THE SURVIVAL HORROR on his itch.io page, and
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by tabletop RPG developer Adam Bucceri to discuss Shadow of the Colossus. ","date_published":"2022-06-01T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/3430347d-8a5f-4987-9bda-e3d2e07ac15b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":99943070,"duration_in_seconds":9994}]},{"id":"4cb5ccc8-91c3-47c3-9b02-d2b42e88cd80","title":"Dark Souls 3 Bosses Tier List (FULL SPOILERS) (with Jake Anderson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/ds3bosses","content_text":"(Full spoilers!) Dave is joined by returning guest Jake Anderson to tier-rank the bosses in Dark Souls 3. This is a game with some boss fights that are among the best in the whole series, and some that are straight up Not Fun. Find out where we're ranking bosses like Abyss Watchers, Dancer of the Boreal Valley, Slave Knight Gael and Sister Friede. \n\nMake your own Dark Souls 3 bosses tier list here \nAnd share it with us in the Discord!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"(Full spoilers!) Dave is joined by returning guest Jake Anderson to tier-rank the bosses in Dark Souls 3. This is a game with some boss fights that are among the best in the whole series, and some that are straight up Not Fun. Find out where we're ranking bosses like Abyss Watchers, Dancer of the Boreal Valley, Slave Knight Gael and Sister Friede.
\n\nMake your own Dark Souls 3 bosses tier list here
\nAnd share it with us in the Discord!
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by returning guest Jake Anderson to tier-rank the bosses in Dark Souls 3.","date_published":"2022-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4cb5ccc8-91c3-47c3-9b02-d2b42e88cd80.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":99732312,"duration_in_seconds":6233}]},{"id":"19cea649-b457-4642-a9c3-e4e4cbffe742","title":"30: Dark Souls 3 (with Adam Rivera)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/30","content_text":"Dave is joined once again by Adam Rivera to discuss the finale (for now) in the Dark Souls series. Dark Souls 3 combined the faster gameplay of Bloodborne with the usual Dark Souls gameplay, but was it a happy marriage? And what's going on with all the fan service? Find out how we feel in this episode! \n\n*Both Adam and I had some technical issues in this recording that affected the audio quality, but the conversation is worth it, I promise! Sorry! \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nStory and gameplay changes pt 1 12:52\nGameplay changes pt 2 42:22\nBosses and final thoughts 1:08:36\nSpoiler Wall 1:27:24\n\nFollow Adam on Twitter!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined once again by Adam Rivera to discuss the finale (for now) in the Dark Souls series. Dark Souls 3 combined the faster gameplay of Bloodborne with the usual Dark Souls gameplay, but was it a happy marriage? And what's going on with all the fan service? Find out how we feel in this episode!
\n\n*Both Adam and I had some technical issues in this recording that affected the audio quality, but the conversation is worth it, I promise! Sorry!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nStory and gameplay changes pt 1 12:52
\nGameplay changes pt 2 42:22
\nBosses and final thoughts 1:08:36
\nSpoiler Wall 1:27:24
Follow Adam on Twitter!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined once again by Adam Rivera to discuss the finale (for now) in the Dark Souls series. ","date_published":"2022-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/19cea649-b457-4642-a9c3-e4e4cbffe742.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95423877,"duration_in_seconds":9542}]},{"id":"a9e6d218-53e3-4e0a-9312-311a320e05b1","title":"29: Pokemon Legends: Arceus (with Jared Moss - Play Along Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/29","content_text":"Dave is joined by Jared Moss from Play Along Podcast to discuss Game Freak's 2022 hit, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Representing a major shakeup to the established Pokemon formula, Legends makes changes to nearly every core mechanic that we've all come to know as \"how Pokemon works\". Was it really the game that fans have been asking for for decades? Listen in to find out what Dave and Jared thought. \n\nTIMESTAMPS:\nPersonal histories 8:42\nStory, gameplay, catching Pokemon 34:13\nBattles 1:19:00\nFinal thoughts 1:40:58\nSpoiler Wall 1:50:42\n\nFind everything Play Along Podcast HERE!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Jared Moss from Play Along Podcast to discuss Game Freak's 2022 hit, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Representing a major shakeup to the established Pokemon formula, Legends makes changes to nearly every core mechanic that we've all come to know as "how Pokemon works". Was it really the game that fans have been asking for for decades? Listen in to find out what Dave and Jared thought.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS:
\nPersonal histories 8:42
\nStory, gameplay, catching Pokemon 34:13
\nBattles 1:19:00
\nFinal thoughts 1:40:58
\nSpoiler Wall 1:50:42
Find everything Play Along Podcast HERE!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jared Moss from Play Along Podcast to discuss Game Freak's 2022 hit, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. ","date_published":"2022-05-11T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/a9e6d218-53e3-4e0a-9312-311a320e05b1.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91836501,"duration_in_seconds":8849}]},{"id":"c6786c59-2dc2-4a0b-814c-3bcc3fb009fd","title":"28: It Takes Two (with Aaron Angle - A Top 3 Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/28","content_text":"Dave is joined by the author of the Book of Love, Aaron Angle, to discuss Hazelight Studio's 2021 Game of the Year winner, It Takes Two. This game has garnered a lot of attention, and Dave and Aaron agree that some parts of the game really deserve all of the accolades. The other parts, on the other hand? Listen in to find out. \n\nTimestamps:\nPersonal histories, story and gameplay 7:45\nSound design, music and final thoughts 59:50\nSpoiler wall: 1:18:35\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by the author of the Book of Love, Aaron Angle, to discuss Hazelight Studio's 2021 Game of the Year winner, It Takes Two. This game has garnered a lot of attention, and Dave and Aaron agree that some parts of the game really deserve all of the accolades. The other parts, on the other hand? Listen in to find out.
\n\nTimestamps:
\nPersonal histories, story and gameplay 7:45
\nSound design, music and final thoughts 59:50
\nSpoiler wall: 1:18:35
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by the author of the Book of Love, Aaron Angle, to discuss Hazelight Studio's 2021 Game of the Year winner, It Takes Two. ","date_published":"2022-05-04T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c6786c59-2dc2-4a0b-814c-3bcc3fb009fd.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88723259,"duration_in_seconds":7393}]},{"id":"d2968d33-78c9-460b-9aa4-7f8495433f76","title":"27: Returnal (with Ryan Delaney)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/27","content_text":"Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to talk about Housemarque's 2021 action roguelike hit, Returnal. Returnal brings bullet hell to 3D and adds an intriguing sci-fi story on the roguelike structure. Did this work for us on all fronts? Find out in the episode. \n\n*The Returnal: Ascension DLC was announced and release after this episode was recorded. I added a small section at the end about my story theories, but Ryan and I did not discuss it. It's fun though, you should try it!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to talk about Housemarque's 2021 action roguelike hit, Returnal. Returnal brings bullet hell to 3D and adds an intriguing sci-fi story on the roguelike structure. Did this work for us on all fronts? Find out in the episode.
\n\n*The Returnal: Ascension DLC was announced and release after this episode was recorded. I added a small section at the end about my story theories, but Ryan and I did not discuss it. It's fun though, you should try it!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to talk about Housemarque's 2021 action roguelike hit, Returnal. ","date_published":"2022-04-27T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d2968d33-78c9-460b-9aa4-7f8495433f76.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":100106583,"duration_in_seconds":8342}]},{"id":"f4b8f55f-7d0b-471f-999c-3583b22f6328","title":"26: Earthbound (with Keith Gasper - The Main Quest)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/26","content_text":"Dave is joined by Keith from the wonderful The Main Quest podcast to talk about 1994's cult classic JRPG, Earthbound.\n\nFind everything Main Quest HERE!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Keith from the wonderful The Main Quest podcast to talk about 1994's cult classic JRPG, Earthbound.
\n\nFind everything Main Quest HERE!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Keith Gasper from the wonderful The Main Quest podcast to talk about 1994's cult classic JRPG, Earthbound.","date_published":"2022-04-20T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f4b8f55f-7d0b-471f-999c-3583b22f6328.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94977806,"duration_in_seconds":11872}]},{"id":"f703cb33-1a81-4031-82b8-a7a611e0f2d0","title":"Bloodborne Bosses Tier List (FULL SPOILERS) (with Andrew & Dylan - Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/bloodbornebosses","content_text":"Dave is joined by Andrew Kimball and Dylan Wren from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to tier rank the Bloodborne bosses. This episode contains full spoilers for Bloodborne! \n\nFind Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers on your podcast platform of choice, YouTube, Twitch or their website and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Andrew Kimball and Dylan Wren from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to tier rank the Bloodborne bosses. This episode contains full spoilers for Bloodborne!
\n\nFind Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers on your podcast platform of choice, YouTube, Twitch or their website and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Andrew Kimball and Dylan Wren from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to tier rank the Bloodborne bosses. ","date_published":"2022-04-13T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f703cb33-1a81-4031-82b8-a7a611e0f2d0.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":82406660,"duration_in_seconds":10300}]},{"id":"4625b307-fa2b-402e-aca0-202afe96ab2f","title":"25: Bloodborne (with Moonborne & Jake Anderson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/25","content_text":"Dave is joined by Moonborne and Jake Anderson to take on FromSoftware's incredible gothic/Lovecraftian horror classic, Bloodborne. FromSoftware took a big swing with Bloodborne, a game marketed as a werewolf slaying game but with a decidedly cosmic twist. Did that big swing connect? Check out the episode to find out.\n\nFollow Moonborne on Twitter and on Youtube!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Moonborne and Jake Anderson to take on FromSoftware's incredible gothic/Lovecraftian horror classic, Bloodborne. FromSoftware took a big swing with Bloodborne, a game marketed as a werewolf slaying game but with a decidedly cosmic twist. Did that big swing connect? Check out the episode to find out.
\n\nFollow Moonborne on Twitter and on Youtube!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Moonborne and Jake Anderson to take on FromSoftware's incredible gothic/Lovecraftian horror classic, Bloodborne.","date_published":"2022-04-06T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/4625b307-fa2b-402e-aca0-202afe96ab2f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98929401,"duration_in_seconds":12366}]},{"id":"a015bd85-0a1e-4484-a81d-6e9e48be7133","title":"24: Metroid Dread (with Eric Gess - The Unlockables & Sidequesting Podcast)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/24","content_text":"Dave is joined by the wonderful Eric Gess to discuss Nintendo & MercurySteam's long-awaited entry in the beloved Metroid franchise, Metroid Dread. After a long wait, Metroid Dread released with smooth and snappy controls, upgraded combat, and a new gameplay challenge with the EMMI zones. Listen in to hear what we thought of everything!\n\nTIMESTAMPS OF NOTE: Spoiler Wall 1:48:30\n\nFor all things Eric and Unlockables, click here!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by the wonderful Eric Gess to discuss Nintendo & MercurySteam's long-awaited entry in the beloved Metroid franchise, Metroid Dread. After a long wait, Metroid Dread released with smooth and snappy controls, upgraded combat, and a new gameplay challenge with the EMMI zones. Listen in to hear what we thought of everything!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS OF NOTE: Spoiler Wall 1:48:30
\n\nFor all things Eric and Unlockables, click here!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by the wonderful Eric Gess to discuss Nintendo & MercurySteam's long-awaited entry in the beloved Metroid franchise, Metroid Dread.","date_published":"2022-03-30T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/a015bd85-0a1e-4484-a81d-6e9e48be7133.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96437428,"duration_in_seconds":8036}]},{"id":"2cea3220-2666-4b16-a909-f21a654f0c0a","title":"23: Persona 5 (with Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/23","content_text":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss both Persona 5 and its expansion, Persona 5 Royal, the latest in the long-running series by Atlus. Hailed as a modern JRPG classic, Persona 5 brings addictive life sim mechanics, snappy turn-based combat, stylish visual design and one hell of a soundtrack. Is there anything it can't do? Listen in to find out!\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Persona 5 11:52,\nSpoiler wall 2:10:33\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss both Persona 5 and its expansion, Persona 5 Royal, the latest in the long-running series by Atlus. Hailed as a modern JRPG classic, Persona 5 brings addictive life sim mechanics, snappy turn-based combat, stylish visual design and one hell of a soundtrack. Is there anything it can't do? Listen in to find out!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Persona 5 11:52,
\nSpoiler wall 2:10:33
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss both Persona 5 and its expansion, Persona 5 Royal, the latest in the long-running series by Atlus. ","date_published":"2022-03-23T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/2cea3220-2666-4b16-a909-f21a654f0c0a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95794557,"duration_in_seconds":9579}]},{"id":"1e80e739-86c3-413c-9402-972f7ce2968a","title":"22: Before Your Eyes (with Brian Edwards - Cane & Rinse)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/22","content_text":"Dave is joined by Brian Edwards from Cane & Rinse to discuss GoodbyeWorld Games' wonderful experiment with interactivity, Before Your Eyes.\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Before Your Eyes 10:55, Spoiler Wall and Content Warning, 1:00:41\n\nFind Brian on Twitter, at his blog, and on his Twitch channel.\nListen to Cane and Rinse on Apple, Spotify or wherever else you podcast, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and please consider supporting them on Patreon. You can also join their forums at their website. \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Brian Edwards from Cane & Rinse to discuss GoodbyeWorld Games' wonderful experiment with interactivity, Before Your Eyes.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Before Your Eyes 10:55, Spoiler Wall and Content Warning, 1:00:41
\n\nFind Brian on Twitter, at his blog, and on his Twitch channel.
\nListen to Cane and Rinse on Apple, Spotify or wherever else you podcast, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and please consider supporting them on Patreon. You can also join their forums at their website.
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Brian Edwards from Cane & Rinse to discuss GoodbyeWorld Games' wonderful experiment with interactivity, Before Your Eyes.","date_published":"2022-03-16T00:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/1e80e739-86c3-413c-9402-972f7ce2968a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":92188981,"duration_in_seconds":7682}]},{"id":"f5c82155-3839-4525-ac84-af5b168f9f8d","title":"21: King's Field: The Ancient City (with mysticreferee)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/21","content_text":"Dave is joined by mysticreferee to discuss part of FromSoftware's past, King's Field IV aka King's Field: The Ancient City. For everybody who has jumped on the FromSoftware train in recent years, whether it was back on the PS3 with Demon's Souls or even Elden Ring, here is a game from an older version of FromSoftware, but it still shows a lot of the world building, atmosphere and even early versions of some of the mechanics that we now strongly associate with From. \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by mysticreferee to discuss part of FromSoftware's past, King's Field IV aka King's Field: The Ancient City. For everybody who has jumped on the FromSoftware train in recent years, whether it was back on the PS3 with Demon's Souls or even Elden Ring, here is a game from an older version of FromSoftware, but it still shows a lot of the world building, atmosphere and even early versions of some of the mechanics that we now strongly associate with From.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by mysticreferee to discuss part of FromSoftware's past, King's Field IV aka King's Field: The Ancient City.","date_published":"2022-03-09T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/f5c82155-3839-4525-ac84-af5b168f9f8d.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89287427,"duration_in_seconds":10742}]},{"id":"6a847968-2c8a-4b02-8bad-8e3ddc2bcb29","title":"We're on Discord! Come join us! ","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/discord","content_text":"Announcing the Tales from the Backlog and A Top 3 Podcast Discord server! Come join us and chat about the shows and anything else! We have a cool group of people in there already and would love to have you too! \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Announcing the Tales from the Backlog and A Top 3 Podcast Discord server! Come join us and chat about the shows and anything else! We have a cool group of people in there already and would love to have you too!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Announcing the Tales from the Backlog and A Top 3 Podcast Discord server! ","date_published":"2022-03-07T22:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/6a847968-2c8a-4b02-8bad-8e3ddc2bcb29.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":3362480,"duration_in_seconds":84}]},{"id":"3b13592e-f106-4621-b75a-56a45dc71336","title":"20: Blasphemous (with Chris Nelson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/20","content_text":"Dave is joined by the ultimate penitent one, Chris Nelson, to discuss The Game Kitchen's 2019 metroidvania, Blasphemous. Blasphemous is much more on the \"vania\" side of the metroidvania genre, and it brings some truly stellar imagery and pixel art, as well as some simple but fun combat to the table. Find out how we feel in detail in the episode! \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Blasphemous 8:14, Spoiler Section 1:31:30\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by the ultimate penitent one, Chris Nelson, to discuss The Game Kitchen's 2019 metroidvania, Blasphemous. Blasphemous is much more on the "vania" side of the metroidvania genre, and it brings some truly stellar imagery and pixel art, as well as some simple but fun combat to the table. Find out how we feel in detail in the episode!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Blasphemous 8:14, Spoiler Section 1:31:30
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by the ultimate penitent one, Chris Nelson, to discuss The Game Kitchen's 2019 metroidvania, Blasphemous","date_published":"2022-03-02T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/3b13592e-f106-4621-b75a-56a45dc71336.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91567366,"duration_in_seconds":7630}]},{"id":"9058be2c-9d26-4c2f-bfe5-351f2d4910a1","title":"19: Darkest Dungeon (with Andrew Tavin - TV Nopes and House of House)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/19","content_text":"Dave is joined by Andrew Tavin, host of the TV Nopes and House of House podcasts to discuss Red Hook Studio's 2016 dungeon crawler, Darkest Dungeon. Darkest Dungeon brings pantheon-level turn-based combat, as well as heavy Lovecraft influence and some interesting mechanical ideas to the dungeon crawler genre. Find out how we feel in this thorough breakdown of the game! \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Darkest Dungeon 25:38, Spoiler Section 2:19:50\n\nFind TV Nopes on your favorite podcast app or at its homepage\nFollow TV Nopes on Twitter\nFind the House of House podcast on your favorite podcast app or its homepage\nFollow House of House on Twitter\nFollow Andrew on Twitter \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Andrew Tavin, host of the TV Nopes and House of House podcasts to discuss Red Hook Studio's 2016 dungeon crawler, Darkest Dungeon. Darkest Dungeon brings pantheon-level turn-based combat, as well as heavy Lovecraft influence and some interesting mechanical ideas to the dungeon crawler genre. Find out how we feel in this thorough breakdown of the game!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Darkest Dungeon 25:38, Spoiler Section 2:19:50
\n\nFind TV Nopes on your favorite podcast app or at its homepage
\nFollow TV Nopes on Twitter
\nFind the House of House podcast on your favorite podcast app or its homepage
\nFollow House of House on Twitter
\nFollow Andrew on Twitter
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Andrew Tavin, host of the TV Nopes and House of House podcasts to discuss Red Hook Studio's 2016 dungeon crawler, Darkest Dungeon. ","date_published":"2022-02-23T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9058be2c-9d26-4c2f-bfe5-351f2d4910a1.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":86695323,"duration_in_seconds":10836}]},{"id":"0e436fa1-e334-4bd2-b323-1bb9e85184f4","title":"18: Death's Door (with Brian and Ryan - List Off!)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/18","content_text":"Dave is joined by both of the hosts of the List Off! podcast to discuss Acid Nerve's 2021 indie darling, Death's Door. Death's Door was a surprise hit in 2021, bursting on the scene with a great art direction and soundtrack, and paying homage to 2D Zelda games of the past. But was it all as cool as a crow wielding a bright red lightsaber? Listen in to find out! \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Death's Door 12:39, Spoiler Section 1:18:18 \n\nClick here for everything List Off!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by both of the hosts of the List Off! podcast to discuss Acid Nerve's 2021 indie darling, Death's Door. Death's Door was a surprise hit in 2021, bursting on the scene with a great art direction and soundtrack, and paying homage to 2D Zelda games of the past. But was it all as cool as a crow wielding a bright red lightsaber? Listen in to find out!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Death's Door 12:39, Spoiler Section 1:18:18
\n\nClick here for everything List Off!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by both of the hosts of the List Off! podcast to discuss Acid Nerve's 2021 indie darling, Death's Door. ","date_published":"2022-02-16T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0e436fa1-e334-4bd2-b323-1bb9e85184f4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94248366,"duration_in_seconds":6732}]},{"id":"c35c41a4-92af-420d-acf1-050944b29f48","title":"Dark Souls Bosses Tier Rankings (with Jack Allen)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/dsbosses","content_text":"The Furtive Pygmy Jack Allen returns, as we put every boss in Dark Souls into a tier list. Do the tier list yourself and share it with Dave on the podcast socials! Let's compare! \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"The Furtive Pygmy Jack Allen returns, as we put every boss in Dark Souls into a tier list. Do the tier list yourself and share it with Dave on the podcast socials! Let's compare!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"The Furtive Pygmy Jack Allen returns, as we put every boss in Dark Souls into a tier list. ","date_published":"2022-02-14T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/c35c41a4-92af-420d-acf1-050944b29f48.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":69428596,"duration_in_seconds":5785}]},{"id":"66acc62d-e675-4198-a7d7-3a0af88bf485","title":"17: Dark Souls (with Jack Allen)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/17","content_text":"Dave is joined by Jack Allen to talk about the perfect Valentine's Day game- Dark Souls. Don't give up, skeleton! Dark Souls is a game that changed the way many people, your host included, look at video games, and specifically the way people look at difficulty in video games. Find out why we think this is truly worthy of that Game of the Decade title. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Dark Souls 10:50, Spoiler Section 2:21:47\n\nFind Jack and his artwork at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Jack Allen to talk about the perfect Valentine's Day game- Dark Souls. Don't give up, skeleton! Dark Souls is a game that changed the way many people, your host included, look at video games, and specifically the way people look at difficulty in video games. Find out why we think this is truly worthy of that Game of the Decade title.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Dark Souls 10:50, Spoiler Section 2:21:47
\n\nFind Jack and his artwork at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Jack Allen to talk about the perfect Valentine's Day game- Dark Souls. Don't give up, skeleton! ","date_published":"2022-02-09T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/66acc62d-e675-4198-a7d7-3a0af88bf485.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91707694,"duration_in_seconds":11463}]},{"id":"fd3ba3e3-e1b7-4067-bfaa-9b041ad540e8","title":"16: A Short Hike (with Ryan Delaney)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/16","content_text":"In the fourth edition of the Lazy Sunday Series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to discuss Adam Robinson-Yu's charming hiking game, A Short Hike. In a gaming landscape full of punishing action games, blockbuster AAA titles and promises of hundred of hours of content, sometimes all your soul needs is a short hike with some cute animal characters. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, A Short Hike 12:30, Spoiler Section 45:00\n\nThe making of A Short Hike GDC talk\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In the fourth edition of the Lazy Sunday Series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to discuss Adam Robinson-Yu's charming hiking game, A Short Hike. In a gaming landscape full of punishing action games, blockbuster AAA titles and promises of hundred of hours of content, sometimes all your soul needs is a short hike with some cute animal characters.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, A Short Hike 12:30, Spoiler Section 45:00
\n\nThe making of A Short Hike GDC talk
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"In the fourth edition of the Lazy Sunday Series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to discuss Adam Robinson-Yu's charming hiking game, A Short Hike. ","date_published":"2022-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/fd3ba3e3-e1b7-4067-bfaa-9b041ad540e8.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95482286,"duration_in_seconds":3410}]},{"id":"43b33b84-45e8-4e44-8fef-e87b2cd3113b","title":"15: Hitman 2 (with Scott Danielson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/15","content_text":"Dave is joined by Scott Danielson for part 2 of their own personal Hitman World of Long Podcasts Trilogy. Did you enjoy Hitman (2016)? You'll probably enjoy this game. Did you enjoy our episode about Hitman 1? Don't answer that, but you'll enjoy this episode as we dive deep into what makes this game, and this series, so good. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Hitman 2 14:50, Spoiler Section 1:45:43\n\nHitman Speedrun Explained- Tomatoanus\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Scott Danielson for part 2 of their own personal Hitman World of Long Podcasts Trilogy. Did you enjoy Hitman (2016)? You'll probably enjoy this game. Did you enjoy our episode about Hitman 1? Don't answer that, but you'll enjoy this episode as we dive deep into what makes this game, and this series, so good.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Hitman 2 14:50, Spoiler Section 1:45:43
\n\nHitman Speedrun Explained- Tomatoanus
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Scott Danielson for part 2 of their own personal Hitman World of Long Podcasts Trilogy. ","date_published":"2022-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/43b33b84-45e8-4e44-8fef-e87b2cd3113b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95892613,"duration_in_seconds":13698}]},{"id":"d95ca446-4c84-48c5-b583-d1728e267fc2","title":"14: The Messenger (with Alfredo - The Dukes of Gaming)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/14","content_text":"Dave is joined by the Duke of Education himself, Alfredo Takori of the Dukes of Gaming podcast to discuss Sabotage Studio's 2018 retreaux action platformer, The Messenger. This is a game that excels in its presentation and basic Ninja Gaiden-esque gameplay, but has a few big tricks up its sleeve. Does it pull them off? Listen in to find out.\n\nTIMESTAMPS: (0:00 intro, 15:09 The Messenger discussion, 1:35:47 spoiler wall)\n\nCheck out the Dukes of Gaming Podcast\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by the Duke of Education himself, Alfredo Takori of the Dukes of Gaming podcast to discuss Sabotage Studio's 2018 retreaux action platformer, The Messenger. This is a game that excels in its presentation and basic Ninja Gaiden-esque gameplay, but has a few big tricks up its sleeve. Does it pull them off? Listen in to find out.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: (0:00 intro, 15:09 The Messenger discussion, 1:35:47 spoiler wall)
\n\nCheck out the Dukes of Gaming Podcast
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by the Duke of Education himself, Alfredo Takori of the Dukes of Gaming podcast to discuss Sabotage Studio's 2018 retreaux action platformer, The Messenger.","date_published":"2022-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d95ca446-4c84-48c5-b583-d1728e267fc2.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":99935120,"duration_in_seconds":8327}]},{"id":"19529088-2d51-4f1b-8486-40abdb29eecc","title":"13: Disco Elysium (with Rick Firestone - Pixel Project Radio)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/13","content_text":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio to discuss ZA/UM's 2019 classic, Disco Elysium. Disco Elysium was a popular pick for 2019 Game of the Year, and Rick and Dave not only agree with that status, but would both put this game in their personal all-time pantheon of must-play games. Listen in to find out why! \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Disco Elysium 12:40, Spoiler Section 2:10:00\n\nNoah Caldwell-Gervais on Disco Elysium\n\nListen to Pixel Project Radio on Apple and Spotify\nFollow Pixel Project Radio on Instagram and Twitter\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio to discuss ZA/UM's 2019 classic, Disco Elysium. Disco Elysium was a popular pick for 2019 Game of the Year, and Rick and Dave not only agree with that status, but would both put this game in their personal all-time pantheon of must-play games. Listen in to find out why!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Disco Elysium 12:40, Spoiler Section 2:10:00
\n\nNoah Caldwell-Gervais on Disco Elysium
\n\nListen to Pixel Project Radio on Apple and Spotify
\nFollow Pixel Project Radio on Instagram and Twitter
[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio to discuss ZA/UM's 2019 classic, Disco Elysium.","date_published":"2022-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/19529088-2d51-4f1b-8486-40abdb29eecc.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":94280001,"duration_in_seconds":13468}]},{"id":"cd260bf7-856e-4849-b266-e46ce3bd4db9","title":"12: Florence (with Heather Siddiqui and Nick Greenberg)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/12","content_text":"In the 3rd edition of the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by Heather Siddiqui and Nick Greenberg to discuss the 2018 interactive visual novel by Mountains, Florence. Florence is a very short game that packs a huge emotional punch, brilliantly conveying emotions via color, music and simple gameplay mechanics. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Florence 10:50, Spoiler Section 41:50\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In the 3rd edition of the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by Heather Siddiqui and Nick Greenberg to discuss the 2018 interactive visual novel by Mountains, Florence. Florence is a very short game that packs a huge emotional punch, brilliantly conveying emotions via color, music and simple gameplay mechanics.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Florence 10:50, Spoiler Section 41:50
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Heather Siddiqui and Nick Greenberg to discuss the 2018 interactive visual novel by Mountains, Florence. ","date_published":"2022-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/cd260bf7-856e-4849-b266-e46ce3bd4db9.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":93771993,"duration_in_seconds":7814}]},{"id":"e3b1c86c-dafc-44aa-a244-23425d9859ff","title":"11: Hollow Knight (with Jim Rodeman)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/11","content_text":"Dave is joined by anthropomorphic centipede Jim Rodeman to discuss Team Cherry's legendary metroidvania, Hollow Knight. Standing alone at the top of Metroidvania Mountain is a surprise indie hit, one that marries the lonely atmosphere of Dark Souls with best-in-class map design and fun, expressive combat. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Hollow Knight 12:23, Spoiler Section 1:33:35\n\nGame Maker's Toolkit- The World Design of Hollow Knight\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by anthropomorphic centipede Jim Rodeman to discuss Team Cherry's legendary metroidvania, Hollow Knight. Standing alone at the top of Metroidvania Mountain is a surprise indie hit, one that marries the lonely atmosphere of Dark Souls with best-in-class map design and fun, expressive combat.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Hollow Knight 12:23, Spoiler Section 1:33:35
\n\nGame Maker's Toolkit- The World Design of Hollow Knight
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by anthropomorphic centipede Jim Rodeman to discuss Team Cherry's legendary metroidvania, Hollow Knight.","date_published":"2022-01-03T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e3b1c86c-dafc-44aa-a244-23425d9859ff.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96202640,"duration_in_seconds":8016}]},{"id":"dd2e3118-a511-4003-9efc-7de49bb3d758","title":"2021 In Review","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/review2021","content_text":"Dave discusses his year in gaming, including the top games he played for the first time in 2021, each game he played that was actually released in 2021, and eventually naming his top 3 games from 2021 in the process. Thank you all for listening as the show has gotten off the ground, and I look forward to continuing to grow and improve in 2022. \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave discusses his year in gaming, including the top games he played for the first time in 2021, each game he played that was actually released in 2021, and eventually naming his top 3 games from 2021 in the process. Thank you all for listening as the show has gotten off the ground, and I look forward to continuing to grow and improve in 2022.
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave discusses his year in gaming, including the top games he played for the first time in 2021, each game he played that was actually released in 2021, and eventually naming his top 3 games from 2021 in the process. ","date_published":"2021-12-31T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/dd2e3118-a511-4003-9efc-7de49bb3d758.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":71192380,"duration_in_seconds":4449}]},{"id":"0217430d-46cc-42a7-9ba6-6f50df99ab7d","title":"10: Silent Hill 2 (with Adelaide Lohkamp)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/10","content_text":"Dave is joined by Adelaide Lohkamp (she/her), who emerged from the endless fog to discuss Konami's pillar of the survival horror genre, Silent Hill 2. \nDave is NOT a horror game fan, and also has trouble playing older games with very outdated gameplay and/or mechanics....so what is it that automatically vaulted Silent Hill 2 onto his \"must-play\" list? Listen in to find out, and keep that radio handy.\n\n*Note I refer to Adelaide by another name in the episode, but as preferences have changed since the recording date, please use the name Adelaide when referring to them. Thanks! \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Silent Hill 2 11:51, Spoiler Section 1:01:10\n\nGreat story analysis on YouTube by TheGamingBritShow\n\nCheck out Jamie's YouTube channel! \n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Adelaide Lohkamp (she/her), who emerged from the endless fog to discuss Konami's pillar of the survival horror genre, Silent Hill 2.
\nDave is NOT a horror game fan, and also has trouble playing older games with very outdated gameplay and/or mechanics....so what is it that automatically vaulted Silent Hill 2 onto his "must-play" list? Listen in to find out, and keep that radio handy.
*Note I refer to Adelaide by another name in the episode, but as preferences have changed since the recording date, please use the name Adelaide when referring to them. Thanks!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Silent Hill 2 11:51, Spoiler Section 1:01:10
\n\nGreat story analysis on YouTube by TheGamingBritShow
\n\nCheck out Jamie's YouTube channel!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Adelaide Lohkamp (she/her), who emerged from the endless fog to discuss Konami's pillar of the survival horror genre, Silent Hill 2. ","date_published":"2021-12-27T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/0217430d-46cc-42a7-9ba6-6f50df99ab7d.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96114868,"duration_in_seconds":8009}]},{"id":"238ea0a1-87b9-4b24-a86a-352c68e84944","title":"9: Gone Home (with Jake Anderson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/9","content_text":"[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! In the second entry in the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined again by newly typecasted Walking Sim enthusiast Jake Anderson to talk about Fullbright's groundbreaking hit, Gone Home. \n\nGone Home is one of the OG Walking Sims, and may even be responsible for that genre name. But since the genre has evolved since Gone Home's release, what is it like playing it for the first time after playing some of the more recent hits in the genre? Listen in to find out what Dave and Jake think. And don't forget to turn all the lights on!\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Gone Home 12:43, Spoiler Section 45:18\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson)\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! In the second entry in the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined again by newly typecasted Walking Sim enthusiast Jake Anderson to talk about Fullbright's groundbreaking hit, Gone Home.
\n\nGone Home is one of the OG Walking Sims, and may even be responsible for that genre name. But since the genre has evolved since Gone Home's release, what is it like playing it for the first time after playing some of the more recent hits in the genre? Listen in to find out what Dave and Jake think. And don't forget to turn all the lights on!
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Gone Home 12:43, Spoiler Section 45:18
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson)
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"In the second entry in the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined again by newly typecasted Walking Sim enthusiast Jake Anderson to talk about Fullbright's groundbreaking hit, Gone Home. ","date_published":"2021-12-20T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/238ea0a1-87b9-4b24-a86a-352c68e84944.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":95161917,"duration_in_seconds":6797}]},{"id":"206b8c24-7c60-4aae-8379-290fb6bd9e6f","title":"8: Death's Gambit: Afterlife (with Moonborne)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/8","content_text":"Dave is joined by stylish combat enthusiast Moonborne to discuss White Rabbit's incredible entry into the 2D soulslike genre, Death's Gambit. Death's Gambit, with its Afterlife expansion, is more than worthy of a seat at the table of the best 2D soulslikes, and a fun metroidvania to boot. Throw in a story that takes some interesting turns, and some cool lore ideas, and this is one that's an easy recommendation for fans of soulslikes and/or metroidvanias. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Death's Gambit 8:27, Spoiler Secton 1:46:50\n\nMoonborne on Twitter\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by stylish combat enthusiast Moonborne to discuss White Rabbit's incredible entry into the 2D soulslike genre, Death's Gambit. Death's Gambit, with its Afterlife expansion, is more than worthy of a seat at the table of the best 2D soulslikes, and a fun metroidvania to boot. Throw in a story that takes some interesting turns, and some cool lore ideas, and this is one that's an easy recommendation for fans of soulslikes and/or metroidvanias.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Death's Gambit 8:27, Spoiler Secton 1:46:50
\n\nMoonborne on Twitter
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by stylish combat enthusiast Moonborne to discuss White Rabbit's incredible entry into the 2D soulslike genre, Death's Gambit.","date_published":"2021-12-13T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/206b8c24-7c60-4aae-8379-290fb6bd9e6f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":82439046,"duration_in_seconds":10304}]},{"id":"8b3baa08-3c8d-4164-8df7-c877b8399fcf","title":"7: Dragon's Dogma (with Adam Rivera)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/7","content_text":"Dave is joined by professional griffin rider Adam Rivera to discuss Capcom's uncanny western RPG, Dragon's Dogma. This is a game where the combat shines, and the story goes in some really weird places with some of gaming's strangest pacing. And did you know that wolves hunt in packs?\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Dragon's Dogma 8:15, 1:29:15\n\nFollow Adam on Twitter! And Twitch!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by professional griffin rider Adam Rivera to discuss Capcom's uncanny western RPG, Dragon's Dogma. This is a game where the combat shines, and the story goes in some really weird places with some of gaming's strangest pacing. And did you know that wolves hunt in packs?
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Dragon's Dogma 8:15, 1:29:15
\n\nFollow Adam on Twitter! And Twitch!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by professional griffin rider Adam Rivera to discuss Capcom's uncanny western RPG, Dragon's Dogma.","date_published":"2021-12-06T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/8b3baa08-3c8d-4164-8df7-c877b8399fcf.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":91143245,"duration_in_seconds":7595}]},{"id":"e01d2146-c13f-445b-a243-e990d670e53a","title":"Happy 20th Smash Melee + GameCube Games Tier List","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/melee","content_text":"In a very special bonus episode, Dave talks about good memories playing Smash Melee and then tier ranks 42 other GameCube games. Do the tier list yourself!\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In a very special bonus episode, Dave talks about good memories playing Smash Melee and then tier ranks 42 other GameCube games. Do the tier list yourself!
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"In a very special bonus episode, Dave talks about good memories playing Smash Melee and then tier ranks 42 other GameCube games. ","date_published":"2021-12-03T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/e01d2146-c13f-445b-a243-e990d670e53a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":83874556,"duration_in_seconds":2995}]},{"id":"9c334ccc-9368-431b-9646-740a25aa2f09","title":"6: SOMA (with Ryan Delaney)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/6","content_text":"Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to discuss Frictional Games' existential horror classic, SOMA. This is a game with an absolutely top-level story that simply has to be experienced, but does the simplistic gameplay drag down the overall experience? Listen to find out what we think. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, SOMA 9:40, Spoiler Section 41:50\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to discuss Frictional Games' existential horror classic, SOMA. This is a game with an absolutely top-level story that simply has to be experienced, but does the simplistic gameplay drag down the overall experience? Listen to find out what we think.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, SOMA 9:40, Spoiler Section 41:50
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Ryan Delaney to discuss SOMA.","date_published":"2021-11-29T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/9c334ccc-9368-431b-9646-740a25aa2f09.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":88176247,"duration_in_seconds":7348}]},{"id":"25440957-8c91-4e39-9c9a-9fb8100f89af","title":"5: Firewatch (with Jake Anderson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/5","content_text":"In the first in the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by climbing safety enthusiast Jake Anderson to discuss Campo Santo's hit walking sim, Firewatch. Firewatch is at the same time critically acclaimed and a bit of a lightning rod for criticism. Find out what Dave and Jake think in the episode. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Firewatch 12:15, Spoiler Section 44:47\n\nGDC Talk on making the world of Firewatch\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"In the first in the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by climbing safety enthusiast Jake Anderson to discuss Campo Santo's hit walking sim, Firewatch. Firewatch is at the same time critically acclaimed and a bit of a lightning rod for criticism. Find out what Dave and Jake think in the episode.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Firewatch 12:15, Spoiler Section 44:47
\n\nGDC Talk on making the world of Firewatch
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"In the first in the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined by Jake Anderson to discuss Campo Santo's hit walking sim, Firewatch. ","date_published":"2021-11-22T03:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/25440957-8c91-4e39-9c9a-9fb8100f89af.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":98867125,"duration_in_seconds":6179}]},{"id":"1a527f2d-61c5-4c88-afb0-07a1bfb9c34b","title":"4: Hades (with Aaron Angle and Jim Rodeman)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/4","content_text":"Dave is joined by Aaron \"The Minotaur\" Angle and nectar enthusiast Jim Rodeman to discuss Supergiant's latest hit, Hades. Hades brings some things to the table that will bring in players who don't normally play roguelites or fall off of them quickly. Listen to find out if it it was enough for us. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: (Intro 0:00, Hades 11:47, Spoiler Section 1:24:28)\n\nNoClip documentary series chronicling the making and release of Hades\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Aaron "The Minotaur" Angle and nectar enthusiast Jim Rodeman to discuss Supergiant's latest hit, Hades. Hades brings some things to the table that will bring in players who don't normally play roguelites or fall off of them quickly. Listen to find out if it it was enough for us.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: (Intro 0:00, Hades 11:47, Spoiler Section 1:24:28)
\n\nNoClip documentary series chronicling the making and release of Hades
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Jim Rodeman to discuss Supergiant's latest hit, Hades.","date_published":"2021-11-15T03:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/1a527f2d-61c5-4c88-afb0-07a1bfb9c34b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":81302335,"duration_in_seconds":8130}]},{"id":"d46641de-12a0-415c-9d56-302a26b8ecc1","title":"3: Hitman (2016) (with Scott Danielson)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/3","content_text":"Dave is joined by Helmut Kruger enthusiast Scott Danielson to discuss the 2016 reboot of the Hitman series. This is the first game in the truly wonderful World of Assassination Trilogy. Join us as we go in detail about what makes this game work, and our favorite memories of each level in the spoiler section. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: (Intro 0:00, Hitman 11:30, Spoiler Section 1:17:44)\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Helmut Kruger enthusiast Scott Danielson to discuss the 2016 reboot of the Hitman series. This is the first game in the truly wonderful World of Assassination Trilogy. Join us as we go in detail about what makes this game work, and our favorite memories of each level in the spoiler section.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: (Intro 0:00, Hitman 11:30, Spoiler Section 1:17:44)
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Helmut Kruger enthusiast Scott Danielson to discuss the 2016 reboot of the Hitman series. ","date_published":"2021-11-08T03:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/d46641de-12a0-415c-9d56-302a26b8ecc1.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":89698098,"duration_in_seconds":8969}]},{"id":"fe8374ba-a0cf-4034-a096-25c7345fc448","title":"2: Ghost of Tsushima (with Aaron Angle and Ryan Delaney)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/2","content_text":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Delaney to discuss Sucker Punch Productions' 2020 hit, Ghost of Tsushima. This is a stunningly beautiful open world game that does not quite transcend genre tropes, but does a great job to hide them and build immersion. Throw in a few fun new mechanics and some great story moments, and you've got a recipe for a damn good game. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Ghost of Tsushima 15:05, Spoiler Section 1:27:20)\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Delaney to discuss Sucker Punch Productions' 2020 hit, Ghost of Tsushima. This is a stunningly beautiful open world game that does not quite transcend genre tropes, but does a great job to hide them and build immersion. Throw in a few fun new mechanics and some great story moments, and you've got a recipe for a damn good game.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Ghost of Tsushima 15:05, Spoiler Section 1:27:20)
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Delaney to discuss Ghost of Tsushima.","date_published":"2021-11-01T03:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/fe8374ba-a0cf-4034-a096-25c7345fc448.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":87250910,"duration_in_seconds":7270}]},{"id":"01b08335-f999-4696-82c5-1d52c4404cf6","title":"1: Rocket League (with Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington)","url":"https://talesfromthebacklog.fireside.fm/1","content_text":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss Rocket League, one of the best modern sports games available. For this game to be the topic of the first episode of this show, you know it's a special one. Smooth controls, kinetic action, and all of the highs and lows that you get playing real sports- it's all here. \n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Rocket League 14:26, no spoiler section)\n\nNoclip documentary about the making of Rocket League\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!\nSocial Media:\nInstagram\nTwitter\nFacebook\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages\n\nListen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! ","content_html":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss Rocket League, one of the best modern sports games available. For this game to be the topic of the first episode of this show, you know it's a special one. Smooth controls, kinetic action, and all of the highs and lows that you get playing real sports- it's all here.
\n\nTIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Rocket League 14:26, no spoiler section)
\n\nNoclip documentary about the making of Rocket League
\n\n[Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon!](patreon.com/realdavejackson) or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
\nJoin the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
\nSocial Media:
\nInstagram
\nTwitter
\nFacebook
\nCover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages
Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
","summary":"Dave is joined by Aaron Angle and Ryan Arrington to discuss Rocket League, one of the best modern sports games available.","date_published":"2021-10-25T04:00:00.000-04:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/22f78a73-e050-4873-99ee-9baa9398fea5/01b08335-f999-4696-82c5-1d52c4404cf6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":96593130,"duration_in_seconds":4829}]}]}