About the show
A video games podcast where Dave Jackson and guests break down and discuss the games they play. Each episode looks at one game in depth, focusing on mechanics, story, music and other aspects, with no spoilers until a clearly marked spoiler wall in the middle.
Tales from the Backlog on social media
Episodes and Blog Entries
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122: Mother 3 (with Rebekah Valentine)
Episode | June 26th, 2024 | Season 1 | 2 hrs 41 mins
game review, jrpg, mother, nintendo
Dave is joined by Rebekah Valentine (IGN) to discuss Brownie Brown and HAL Laboratory's 2006 RPG, Mother 3.
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121: The Last Guardian (with Chris - Franchise Festival)
Episode | June 19th, 2024 | Season 1 | 2 hrs 11 mins
game review, team ico
Dave is joined by Chris from Franchise Festival podcast to discuss Japan Studio and GenDesign's 2016 adventure game, The Last Guardian.
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120: Roadwarden (with Bryan Skursha - Pixelated Playgrounds)
Episode | June 12th, 2024 | Season 1 | 2 hrs 14 mins
game review, indie games, rpg
Dave is joined by Bryan Skursha to discuss Moral Anxiety Studio's choose-your-adventure RPG, Roadwarden.
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119: Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty (with Adam Gumbert - Respawn Aim Fire)
Episode | June 5th, 2024 | Season 1 | 3 hrs 20 mins
cd projekt red, game review, rpg
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.
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118: God Hand (with Derek Van Dyke - Super Deluxe GamesCast)
Episode | May 29th, 2024 | Season 1 | 1 hr 48 mins
action games, capcom, clover studio, game review
Dave is joined by Derek Van Dyke from Super Deluxe GamesCast to discuss Clover Studios and Capcom's cult hit brawler, God Hand.
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117: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (with Jared - Play Along Podcast)
Episode | May 22nd, 2024 | Season 1 | 1 hr 53 mins
capcom, game review, nintendo, the legend of zelda
Dave is joined by Jared Moss from Play Along Podcast to discuss Nintendo and Capcom's The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.
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How Gaming Has Influenced Our Taste in Music (with Ryan Juengling - List Off! and Jon Haig)
Episode | May 15th, 2024 | Season 1 | 1 hr 33 mins
break from the backlog, roundtable
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.
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116: Transistor (with Alex - Low Five Gaming)
Episode | May 8th, 2024 | Season 1 | 1 hr 49 mins
game review, indie games, supergiant games
Dave is joined by Alex (Low Five Gaming) to discuss Transistor, the 2014 action/turn-based strategy hybrid by Supergiant Games.
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115: Xenogears (with Michael Berger - Bits of Time)
Episode | May 1st, 2024 | Season 1 | 3 hrs 17 mins
game review, jrpg, square enix, xeno series
Dave is joined by Michael Berger (Bits of Time) to discuss Xenogears, Square's epic 1998 RPG.
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114: Baldur's Gate 3 NON-SPOILER SECTION (with Jim Rodeman & Chris Rettig)
Episode | April 24th, 2024 | Season 1 | 2 hrs 6 mins
baldur's gate, crpg, game review, larian studios
Dave is joined by Jim Rodeman and Chris Rettig to discuss Baldur's Gate 3, the much-decorated 2023 RPG by Larian Studios.
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Baldur's Gate 3 SPOILER SECTION (with Jim Rodeman & Chris Rettig)
Episode | April 24th, 2024 | Season 1 | 2 hrs 4 mins
baldur's gate, crpg, game review, larian studios
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.
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CRPG History & The Breakout Success of Baldur's Gate 3 (with Felipe Pepe - The CPRG Book)
Episode | April 17th, 2024 | Season 1 | 2 hrs 5 mins
baldur's gate, break from the backlog, crpgs, discussion
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.
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113: The Case of the Golden Idol (with NinaStruggles)
Episode | April 10th, 2024 | Season 1 | 1 hr 57 mins
game review, indie games, puzzle games
Dave is joined by streamer NinaStruggles to discuss The Case of the Golden Idol, the 2022 mystery/deduction game by Color Gray Games.
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112: Sunset Overdrive (with Goohi)
Episode | April 3rd, 2024 | Season 1 | 1 hr 22 mins
game review, insomniac games
Dave is joined by streamer/YouTube creator Goohi to discuss Sunset Overdrive, the 2014 free-flowing 3rd person action-adventure game by Insomniac Games.
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111: Balatro (with Matt aka Stormageddon & Aaron Klaassen)
Episode | March 29th, 2024 | Season 1 | 1 hr 20 mins
deckbuilder, game review, roguelike
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.
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PAX East 2024: Reflections & Games Played
Episode | March 27th, 2024 | Season 1 | 43 mins 17 secs
break from the backlog, convention
Dave reflects on the experience of going to and participating in PAX East 2024 and talks about the games he tried.