Join Dave and guest Travis Colenutt on their language-learning journey up the tower in Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc, Focus Entertainment, 2023). What do our languages say about our culture, and how can learning another language change the way we see the world? All of this and more in the discussion!

Guest info: Travis Colenutt (he/him)

• Check out Left Behind Game Club https://leftbehindgame.club/
• Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/traviscolenutt.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:21 Introductions
• 4:53 Why Did We Play Chants of Sennaar?
• 9:50 Top-Level Thoughts About Chants of Sennaar
• 16:06 Story and Language Learning Setup
• 28:00 Using Language to Make Progress
• 33:40 Learning About Culture Via Languages
• 39:04 Making Connections Via Languages
• 48:02 Stealth In My Puzzle Game?
• 53:58 Visuals, Music and Sound
• 1:08:31 Do We Recommend?
• 1:11:17 Left Behind Game Club
• 1:15:10 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:17:34 Spoilers- The Devotees & Warriors
• 1:40:05 Spoilers- The Bards & Alchemists
• 1:55:32 Spoilers- The Anchorites & Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Thomas Brunet. Tracks used: The Call, Out of the Cavern and into the Light, Catch Me!, Envers, Bonds Reforged

Catch Dave on Nostalgium Arcanum talking about Rocky https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Join Dave and guest Bryan Skursha as they deep dive Death Howl (The Outer Zone, 11 Bit Studios, 2025) on their journey through the underworld to find out what the hell a soulslike deckbuilder even is. Brutal turn-based combat, a story about grieving and a mother's love, and all the fucked up guys a gamer could ask for. Listen in to find out more!

Guest info: Bryan Skursha (he/him)

• Check out Pixelated Playgrounds https://www.pixelatedplaygrounds.com/
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/bsushi.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:18 Introductions
• 5:39 Our Histories with Death Howl
• 10:50 Top-Level Thoughts
• 15:42 Story Setup
• 23:58 Dreamy, Hazy Visuals and Sound
• 40:01 Combat Basics and Deckbuilding Strategy
• 54:58 Is It Soulslike?
• 1:05:00 Open-Ended Structure and Side Quests
• 1:10:22 Combat Depth
• 1:16:40 Who Should Play Death Howl?
• 1:19:00 Pixelated Playgrounds
• 1:22:55 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:24:58 Spoilers- Favorite Areas, Bosses, Decks
• 1:41:00 Spoilers- Final Area and Final Bosses
• 1:55:46 Spoilers- Story Discussion

Music used in the episode is credited to Chris Bjørumslet & Malte Burup. Tracks used: Death Howl, Olvi, Shadows of Rot, Cantharsis, Meadows of Delusion, Moon Eel, Ever Since Your Heart Stopped Beating

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Join Dave and special guest Josh Leslie as they discuss Skate Story, developed by Sam Eng and published by Devolver Digital in 2025. How does the skating compare to touchstone games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater or skate.? How does its poetic storytelling land? How do the aesthetics enhance other aspects of the game? All this and more- enjoy!

Guest info: Josh Leslie (he/him)

• Check out IndieQuest podcast https://indiequest.buzzsprout.com/
• Check out The Monthly Mishap podcast https://monthlymishap.buzzsprout.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:21 Introductions
• 5:00 Our Histories with Skate Story
• 9:05 Top-Level Thoughts
• 16:00 Story Setup and Poetic Storytelling
• 23:42 Open Zones and City Life
• 27:58 Visuals and Music
• 41:00 Skating and Downhill Sections
• 50:48 Boss Encounters and Challenges
• 59:43 Plan and Perform
• 1:03:30 Recommendations
• 1:07:13 Josh's Work- IndieQuest and The Monthly Mishap
• 1:11:34 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:13:21 Spoilers- Eating the Moons
• 1:31:08 Spoilers- Emotional Arc & Interpretations
• 1:50:20 Spoilers- Final Boss and Ending
• 1:56:32 Spoilers- We Still Exist

Music used in the episode: Collapsing, Like Clouds Into Smoke (Blood Cultures), Where the City Can't See (Blood Cultures), Redvoid (John Fio), Lyceum (John Fio), Alcian Blue (Blood Cultures), Hole in the Sun (Blood Cultures), Godhook (John Fio)

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Bioshock is a title that carries weight, nearly 20 years after its 2007 release by 2K Boston and 2K Australia, and it feels like one that every gaming podcast eventually talks about. And hey, it's our turn this time- Bioshock has long been a favorite of mine that I've revisited through the years. But when put under the Tales from the Backlog microscope, does it hold up under pressure or does it spring a leak? Listen in to find out.

Guest info: Joseph Hooper (he/him)

• Check out Crossplay Conversations https://www.youtube.com/@crossplayconvos
• Check out Can't Pause on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@cantpause
• Check out Player Player https://playerplayerpod.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:26 Introductions
• 5:25 Our Histories with Bioshock
• 9:20 Top-Level Thoughts
• 14:25 Story Setup
• 21:30 Learning Backstory Via Audio Logs
• 26:40 Rapture and Ideology
• 35:18 Big Daddies, Little Sisters and Moral Choices
• 44:24 Combat Mechanics
• 54:00 Some Immersive Sim DNA
• 1:03:29 Combat Balance & Difficulty
• 1:13:26 Visual Design and Music/Sound
• 1:22:27 Who Do We Recommend Bioshock To?
• 1:24:38 Joseph's Podcasts and YouTube Channel
• 1:28:26 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:30:13 Spoilers- Would You Kindly? and Fontaine
• 1:44:48 Spoilers- Rapture's Downfall
• 2:01:37 Spoilers- Other Major Players
• 2:14:00 Spoilers- Big Daddy and Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Garry Schyman unless otherwise noted. Tracks used: Under the Sea (Bobby Darin), Welcome to Rapture, Mr. Bubbles - Little Sister, Dancers on a String (Reprise), Through the Docks, Cohen's Masterpiece, Leaving Rapture

Gameplay footage used with permission from World of Longplays on YouTube, gameplay by Spazbo4. www.longplays.org

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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I always tend to take note when a game from previous generations gets a remaster and the general consensus is "hell yeah, finally!", which just so happened to be the case when Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (Capcom, 2010) got the HD treatment in 2023. The DS is a real blind spot for me, as are the works of ShuTakumi, so this has been on my backlog list for a while now. Listen in to find out how my guest and I felt about it!

Guest info: Steve aka Blinkoom (he/him)

• Check out IndieQuest podcast https://polymedianetwork.com/indiequest
• Check out Polykill podcast https://polymedianetwork.com/podcast
• Check out Steve's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Blinkoom
• Follow Steve on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/blinkoom

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:21 Introductions
• 5:37 Our Histories with Ghost Trick
• 9:20 Top-Level Thoughts About Ghost Trick
• 13:26 Story Setup
• 19:11 Ghost Tricks and Puzzles
• 37:16 Where Does the Charm Come From?
• 49:35 Handheld Console Pacing
• 55:09 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:01:10 Steve's Work
• 1:04:54 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:06:38 Spoilers- Favorite Levels/Puzzles
• 1:22:50 Spoilers- More Story Thoughts
• 1:34:15 Spoilers- Big Mysteries and Reveals
• 1:43:21 Spoilers- Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Masakazu Sugimori. Tracks used: Ghost Trick, Prologue, Cabanela, Lynn ~ A Targeted Redhead, 4 Minutes Before Death, The Last Desperate Struggle, Epilogue ~ The End of the "Night"

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Ghost of Tsushima (2020) was one of my favorite games of that year, and happens to be episode 2(!!) of this podcast, an early game that screamed to me "you should talk about this into a microphone for 2+ hours). That being the case, Sucker Punch's follow-up, Ghost of Yotei, was an instant day-one buy. And while the things I expected to impress were great, there were certain aspects of the game that felt worse to me than Tsushima's version. Did I change over the past five years? Did the game adjust to industry trends? A secret third answer? All of this is part of the discussion, so I hope you enjoy it!

Guest info: Jacob Price (he/him)

• Check out The Pre-Order Bonus podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/747596
• Check out Jake's reviews at So Many Games https://somanygames.co.uk/
• Follow on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/chipdip18
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/chipdip.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:23 Introductions
• 5:18 Our Histories With This Series/Game
• 9:24 Opening Thoughts About Ghost of Yotei
• 18:50 Story Setup, Atsu and Revenge Stories
• 26:59 Presentation and Comparisons to Westerns
• 35:24 A Well-Made Known Commodity and Further Worldbuilding
• 49:51 Open World Design and Reward Structure
• 1:10:23 Stealth and Clearing Camps
• 1:16:33 Duels and Boss Fights
• 1:31:45 Closing Thoughts
• 1:37:34 The Pre-Order Bonus and So Many Games
• 1:42:12 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:44:02 Spoiler Section- The Onryo and Ghost Connections
• 1:57:56 The Snake, The Oni and The Kitsune
• 2:14:46 The Spider, The Dragon and Saito

Music used in the episode is credited to Toma Otowa: Ghost of Yotei, The Yotei Six, The Wrath of the Ghost, The Wilds of Ezo, Battle No.3, Battle No.1, Atsu's Theme

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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The Pokémon franchise got a long-awaited shakeup with 2022's Legends: Arceus, changing the game structure, catching and battling mechanics and setting. But now that Legends has become its own subseries with 2025's Legends: Z-A, all eyes were on its own innovations and changes, such as the new real-time battle system and one-city setting. Check out the discussion for our thoughts on all of it!

Guest info: Kenneth Shepard (he/him)

• Check out Ken's work at Kotaku https://kotaku.com/author/kennethshepard
• Check out Normandy FM podcast https://soundcloud.com/normandyfm
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/shepardcdr.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:22 Introductions
• 4:15 Our Histories with Pokémon
• 7:10 Opening Thoughts about Pokémon Legends Z-A
• 16:56 Story Setup & Connections to X&Y
• 21:29 Our Starter Pokémon, Wild Zones & Lumiose City
• 43:04 New Battle System, Mega Battles and Battle Zones
• 1:02:47 Ken's Work at Kotaku and Normandy FM
• 1:05:52 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:08:26 Spoiler Section- Our Final Teams & Connections to Certain Pokémon
• 1:13:52 Dungeons and Story Chat
• 1:29:57 Endgame and Ending

Music used in the episode has a large ensemble of composers and no individualized credits at this time. All credits to Game Freak and The Pokémon Company. Tracks used: Lumiose City (Day), Battle Zone, Trainer Battle, Lumiose City (Night), Hotel Z, Battle! Vs Trainer (Z-A Royale)

Check out Dave on Pages of Play for "The Meeting of the Makers"- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mom-the-meeting-of-makers/id1755937349?i=1000749250884
Chekc out Dave on Underplayed for Hollow Knight: Silksong- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/underplayed/id1606954029

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Goodnight Universe had a lot to live up to as the spiritual successor to Before Your Eyes, utilizing the same innovative webcam-based gameplay mechanics to tell a story...about a psychic baby? Well, the premise sounded weird but these creators had earned my trust, and it turns out that this might be the perfect way to play as a baby in a video game. Goodnight Universe turned out to be interesting, if not great, and won me over in a few key ways. Check out the discussion for more!

Guest info: Jill Grodt (she/her)

• Read Jill's work at The Indie Informer https://the-indie-in-former.com/
• Find The Indie Council podcast here https://www.youtube.com/@theindieinformer

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:30 Introductions
• 8:01 Our Histories with Goodnight Universe
• 11:51 Opening Thoughts About Goodnight Universe
• 17:49 Story Setup, Characters and "The Cave"
• 31:28 Camera Tracking Tech & Gameplay
• 41:06 What Didn't Work?
• 52:28 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 55:36 The Indie Informer
• 59:27 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:01:00 Spoiler Section- Big Reveals
• 1:27:35 Spoiler Section- The Family

Music used in the episode is credited to Oliver Lewin. Tracks used: Homecoming, A New Channel, Normal Boy, Being Orson, Your Room

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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In the eyes of many football fans, 2004 was the greatest year for football games. It also happened to be the last year before EA secured the exclusive rights to the NFL license, leaving many fans wishing we could go back to the way things were back then, and we were left with two games that many consider to be some of the best sports games ever made- Madden 2005 (EA Tiburon) and ESPN NFL 2K5 (Visual Concepts). 20+ years later, which game stands on top? That's what we aim to decide in this episode!

Guest info: Chris Coplien (he/him) and Adam Gumbert (he/him)

• Check out Chris on all things Retro Hangover https://linktr.ee/retrohangover
• Check out Adam on The Tier List: A Video Game Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@AdamGumby
• Check out Adam on Respawn, Aim, Fire https://www.youtube.com/@respawnaimfire

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:16 Introductions
• 4:22 Personal Histories
• 12:51 Our Real-Life Football Fandom
• 24:15 Head-to-Head: Gameplay
• 48:40 Head-to-Head: Gameday Presentation
• 1:05:24 Head-to-Head: Game Modes
• 1:22:50 The Final Decision
• 1:33:28 Respawn Aim Fire, The Tier List: A Video Game Podcast, Retro Hangover
• 1:38:37 Patron Thank-Yous

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Every beloved series has its black sheep- Mario has Sunshine, Zelda has the DS games, and Dark Souls has Dark Souls 2. But to me, the things that make Dark Souls 2 divisive are the things that make it interesting. Not every new decision is a home run, but they're all ripe for discussion. And hey, good thing we have this podcast! And it's episode 200!

Guest info: Ryan Batie (they/them)

• Check out the Pitch Drop Network https://pitchdrop.net/
• Get bonus Pitch Drop shows via their Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/pitchdrop

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:15 Introductions
• 7:18 Our Histories with Dark Souls
• 11:19 Opening Thoughts about Dark Souls 2
• 18:51 Story and Themes Setup- Memory, Hollowing, World Design
• 30:26 More Theme Setup
• 35:51 Vibes, Atmosphere and Music
• 43:37 Examining Gameplay Changes
• 1:22:18 DLCs, Multiplayer and Comedy
• 1:31:42 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:34:25 Lightning Strikes Thrice Podcast & Pitch Drop Network
• 1:39:33 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:41:18 Spoiler Section- Trouble Areas
• 1:52:00 Spoiler Section- Vendrick's Story and Connections to Dark Souls
• 2:11:59 Spoiler Section- Aldia and The First Sin
• 2:21:56 Lucatiel and the Giants

Music used in the episode is credited to Motoi Sakuraba, unless otherwise noted. Tracks used: Main Menu, Majula, Ruins Sentinel (Yuka Kitamura), Milfanito, Fire Keepers, Fume Knight, Remains

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Very few games have ever had the hype cycle that Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry, 2025) had, so the question remained once the game was finally released- did it live up to the hype? Clown masks and Nintendo Direct comment section explosions quickly gave way to Discourse surrounding Silksong's difficulty and sometimes anti-QoL approach. So was the juice worth the squeeze? Listen in to find out.

Guest info: Jenny Windom (she/her)

• Check out Geeks & Grounds podcast https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
• Check out Jenny's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/kimchica

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:13 Introductions
• 9:06 Our Histories with Hollow Knight and Silksong
• 12:45 Opening Thoughts about Silksong
• 18:26 Difficulty and Accessibility
• 23:19 Story Setup and Visuals
• 27:31 The Pilgrimage, Characters and Voice Acting
• 36:25 The Pilgrimage and Anti-QoL Design
• 48:29 Challenge Ramp-Up and Difficulty Curve
• 57:53 Silksong- A Good Teacher & Overcoming Challenge
• 1:05:47 Metroidvania Design, Visuals and Music
• 1:14:18 Boss Fights, Combat Challenges and Runbacks
• 1:33:42 Crests, Tools, Customization
• 1:40:40 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:45:54 Geeks & Grounds and Jenny's Other Work
• 1:51:22 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:53:13 Spoiler Section- Favorite Boss Fights
• 2:18:22 Spoiler Section- The Citadel and Faith
• 2:27:46 Spoiler Section- Hornet's Growth, Sherma and Community
• 2:45:23 Spoiler Section- Motherhood and Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Christopher Larkin. Tracks used: Silksong, Bone Bottom, Trobbio, Cogwork Dancers, Bilewater, Far Fields, Lost Lace, Fleatopia

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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In the midst of so many games and podcasts with heavy story themes, sometimes it's nice to just play a video game-ass video game. And so here we have Crazy Taxi (Sega, 2000), plowing through a bunch of mailboxes on its way to the podcast schedule. This is a seminal game, especially for Dreamcast owners and arcade-goers, that I had somehow never played before. So what was it like playing for the first time in 2025? Listen in to find out!

Guest info: Darren Hupke (he/him)

• Find all of Darren's work https://pixelsandpolygons.net/
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/darrenhupke.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:11 Introductions
• 4:05 Our Histories with Crazy Taxi
• 9:56 Opening Thoughts About Crazy Taxi
• 13:50 Game Setup
• 23:34 Crazy Box Mode and Advanced Maneuvers
• 31:26 Sense of Humor, Future Crazy Taxis and Soundtrack
• 43:39 Real Life Crazy Taxis and Product Placement
• 49:40 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 55:00 Darren's Books and Pixels & Polygons
• 1:00:31 Announcements and Patron Thank-Yous

Music used in the episode: All I Want (The Offspring), Ten in 2010 (Bad Religion), Change the World (The Offspring)

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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With the world being the way it is, it's a rare treat to play a game that's just pure joy from start to finish, and that is exactly what Astro Bot (Team Asobi, Sony, 2024) brings. From the opening cutscene to the final boss, Astro Bot is both one of the greatest platformers ever made and a joyous celebration of 30 years of Playstation history. I treasure a game like this as a player, and almost even moreso as a critic. I hope you enjoy the discussion!

Guest info: Josh Covel (he/him)

• Check out Still Loading Podcast https://www.stillloadingpodcast.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:33 Introductions
• 6:11 Our Histories with Astro Bot
• 9:42 Opening Thoughts
• 13:06 Game Setup and Playstation History
• 23:08 Criticisms of The Playstation Tie-Ins
• 39:34 Gameplay & Powerups
• 49:20 Complexity and Difficulty
• 1:00:19 Collectibles and Secrets
• 1:08:15 Music and Sound Design
• 1:23:55 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:29:13 Still Loading Podcast
• 1:34:58 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:37:34 Spoiler Section- Playstation Themed Levels
• 2:01:43 Final Level and Miscellaneous Favorite Things

Music used in the episode is credited to Kenneth C M Young. Tracks used: I Am Astro Bot (ASTRO BOT Remix), Disco Tree, Big Wave, You Know What You've Got To Do, Drake's BOTtune, Bot of War

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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There is a certain type of atmospheric (usually) indie game that gets praised for its tone, vibes and emotional impact, but sometimes criticized for underbaked or limited gameplay mechanics. Walking sims used to get the brunt of this, but the same could also be said for games like Sword of the Sea director Matt Nava's most famous works, Journey and Abzu. Sword of the Sea may not be an intentional response to those criticisms, but it does add more "involved" gameplay into the fold, incorporating sand surfing and tricks into your verb set. It then begs the discussion- on paper, adding more involved gameplay is good, right? But is that always the case?

Guest info: AndresPlays (he/him)

• Twitch, Writing and More https://linktr.ee/andresplays93
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/andresplays.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:19 Introductions
• 4:50 Our Histories With Matt Nava's Games and Sword of the Sea
• 7:43 Opening Thoughts About Sword of the Sea
• 14:35 Game Setup and Visual Presentation
• 20:00 Speed and Sand Surfing
• 36:16 Music and Visual Presentation
• 39:54 Lack of Punch and Impact
• 56:01 Top-Level Story Thoughts
• 1:01:05 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:06:24 AndresPlays- Writing, Streaming and Little Victories
• 1:11:37 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:14:28 Spoiler Section- Story Interpretations
• 1:28:05 Hype Moments and Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Austin Wintory. Tracks used: From a drop, a flame, One drop remained, Unpredictable and joyous, Swimming in the sky, Sacred River, A city where none live

Check out Dave on Geeks & Grounds analyzing Final Fantasy X https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Check out Dave on Pixel Project Radio analyzing NieR: Automata https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio
Check out Dave on the King of Games 1999 https://linktr.ee/retrohangover

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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One of the best things about the thriving indie game scene is that dead genres come back to life, and nothing exemplifies that more than the return of the blobber/first-person dungeon crawler with Almost Human's Legend of Grimrock series. Combining the thrill of exploration in those old school games with modern sensibilities, Legend of Grimrock 2 is one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and I couldn't wait to discuss it on the show.

Guest info: Shane Selterre (he/him)

• Check out everything Retro Hangover! https://linktr.ee/retrohangover

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:24 Introductions
• 5:02 Our Histories with Legend of Grimrock 2
• 13:03 Opening Thoughts about Legend of Grimrock 2
• 17:04 Story Setup
• 21:18 Dungeon Crawling...Outside?
• 25:58 Party Creation and the Combat Dance
• 37:00 Situational Awareness
• 45:18 Exploration and Inventory
• 52:31 Puzzles and Traps
• 1:03:18 Character Building
• 1:27:19 Music and Sound Design
• 1:33:13 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:37:49 Retro Hangover Podcast
• 1:42:54 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:45:37 Spoiler Section- Favorite Stuff
• 2:02:29 Spoiler Section- Final Bosses and Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Scoring Helsinki: Main Theme, Prologue (The Isle), Battle Is On Pt. 1, Master and the Apprentice, Credits Theme

Check out Dave on Geeks & Grounds https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Check out Dave on Pixel Project Radio https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio
Check out the King of Games 1999 https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/episode/king-of-games-99-round-4-match-1-silent-hill-vs-tony-hawks-pro-skater

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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What could Nintendo possibly do to follow up the game that "saved gaming" for me? Well, they simply iterated on and evolved everything about Breath of the Wild to make one of the most creativity and freedom-focused games ever. It's simple, really- why don't more people think of this? Sarcasm aside, Tears of the Kingdom is an absolute wonder, and we're lucky to have it. Hope you enjoy the discussion!

Guest info: Michael Berger (he/him)

• Check out Bits of Time on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@bitsoftimemedia
• Check out the Bits of Time podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bits-of-time/id1616941089
• Check out everything else Michael is doing https://campsite.bio/matterofmichael

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:21 Introductions
• 5:35 Our Histories with Zelda and Tears of the Kingdom
• 8:49 Opening Thoughts About Tears of the Kingdom
• 16:39 Story Setup
• 20:26 Storytelling and Nonlinear Design
• 25:34 Emergent Story and the Adventure
• 29:52 Link's New Toys
• 48:58 Emergent Gameplay and the Magic of Scrounging
• 57:18 Dungeons and Boss Fights
• 1:03:15 Enemy and Boss Variety
• 1:08:07 The Depths and Exploration
• 1:16:33 Art Design and Music
• 1:23:20 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:31:31 Bits of Time
• 1:36:11 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:38:25 Spoiler Section- Favorite Temples and Backstory
• 2:03:11 Final Boss and Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Hajime Wakai, Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi and Tsukasa Usui. Tracks used: Title, Hyrule Castle - Upheaval, Shrine Battle, Seized Construct Battle, Skydive, Lookout Landing, Ganondorf's Theme, Final Dive

Check out Dave on Geeks & Grounds https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Check out Dave on Pixels & Polygons https://rss.com/podcasts/pixelspolygons/

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Some games just stand out from the pack, and with its episodic anime structure, QTE-heavy cutscenes and South Asian religious inspirations, there is nothing quite like Asura's Wrath (CyberConnect2, Capcom, 2012). A quintessential flawed game that everyone should try, Asura's Wrath overcomes its bad combat and dated approach to player engagement by just simply being cooler and more hype than basically every other game. Listen in to find out more!

Guest info: Nick (he/him) and Will (he/him) of Friday Night Gamecast

• Check out Friday Night Gamecast https://fridaynightgamecast.buzzsprout.com/
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/fngcpod.bsky.social
• Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fridaynightgamecast/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:27 Introductions
• 5:17 Our Histories with Asura's Wrath
• 11:16 Top-Level Thoughts
• 19:44 Story Setup and Worldbuilding
• 28:47 Episodic Anime Structure
• 37:03 Presentation and Spectacle
• 43:48 More QTEs Than You Can Shake a Stick At
• 51:33 Action Gameplay
• 1:14:00 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:17:26 Friday Night Gamecast
• 1:20:28 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:22:32 Spoiler Section- Hype Moments, The Gohma and the Demigods
• 1:46:55 Spoiler Section- Asura's Revenge & Epilogue

Music used in the episode is credited to Chikayo Fukuda. Tracks used: Main Theme, Furious, Orphan Wolf Legend - Fang, One Who Spins Ideas, Option, Asura's Wrath, In Your Belief, Trembling Belief

Catch Dave on Geeks & Grounds all of November and December for a deep dive into Final Fantasy X: https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Ever have one of those games that sits in your library, untouched for years, until something finally gives you the push to play it...and you end up kicking yourself for waiting so long? That's Heaven's Vault, and without our community Backlog Resolutions challenge, I would have missed out on one of the coolest games I think I've ever played. Listen in to find out why!

Guest info: Rebekah Valentine (she/her)

• Read Reb's work on IGN https://www.ign.com/person/duckvalentine
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/duckvalentine.bsky.social
• Check out Nintendo Voice Chat https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nintendo-voice-chat/id276268457

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:22 Intros
• 5:05 Our Histories with Heaven's Vault and Language Learning
• 9:43 Opening Thoughts
• 14:30 Story Setup and Reactive Storytelling
• 29:37 Aliyah and Six
• 35:52 Language Learning
• 50:22 Visuals and Music
• 55:40 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 58:13 Reb's Work at IGN
• 1:01:34 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:03:35 Spoiler Section- What Happened in Our Playthroughs?
• 1:35:53 Spoiler Section- Language Discoveries
• 1:44:40 Spoiler Section- The Wildest Turn of Events
• 2:03:54 Spoiler Section- Ending Discussion

Music used in the episode is credited to Laurence Chapman. Tracks used: An Ancient Language, The Desperate Ways, Before the Fall, The Nebula, Fantasia on One Good Moon, Heaven's Vault, An Ancient Language (Cello & Piano)

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Modern Pokémon games are divisive, but rarely due to technical performance. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Game Freak, 2022) released in an embarrassing state, and are hoping for a comeback with their recent Switch 2 editions. So now that the bugs are squashed and the framerate is stable, what kind of game was lurking under all of those issues? Listen in to find out.

Guest info: Kate Hunter (she/any) and Emily Merritt (she/her)

• Check out the No Small Games podcast and website https://nosmallgames.com/
• Follow Kate on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social
• Follow Emily on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:16 Intros
• 5:53 Our Personal Histories with Pokémon
• 12:52 Opening Thoughts About Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
• 21:44 World and Story Setup
• 36:07 Nonlinear Design
• 42:50 Is the Story Actually Good, or Are We Grading On a Curve?
• 54:25 Visuals/Presentation
• 1:01:37 Open World Design
• 1:17:28 New Quick Battle System
• 1:22:28 Combat, Team Building and Challenge?
• 1:41:08 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:47:16 No Small Games
• 1:54:07 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:56:55 Spoiler Section- Our Teams, Area Zero, Ending
• 2:28:06 Spoiler Section- DLCs

Music used in the episode:

• Title Screen (Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose)
• Home (Junichi Masuda)
• Poco Path (Junichi Masuda)
• Battle! (Trainer Battle) (Junichi Masuda)
• Area Zero (GAME FREAK)
• Pokémon Center (Junichi Masuda)
• Welcome to the Paldea Region! (Minako Adachi, Toby Fox)

Check out Dave on Geeks & Grounds in November and December- https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Check out Dave on the Character Issues podcast- https://www.buzzsprout.com/1306474
Check out Dave on Nostalgium Arcanum- https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Pseudoregalia (Rittzler, 2023) represents a few things that are either making a resurgence or breaking out within indie games lately- retro PS1/N64 style graphics, megastructures, and 3D platformers. Combining incredibly tight and expressive platforming with nonlinear Metroidvania design and a vibey soundtrack, Pseudoregalia is a very good snack of a game, though not without some critical discussion points.

Guest info: Beau aka Bo__Po (he/him)

• Check out Underplayed podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/3qRQdjTtDRE1GZbFHhSYgu
• Follow Beau on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/bo__po
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/bo-po.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:14 Introductions
• 5:02 Personal Histories with Pseudoregalia
• 11:21 Opening Thoughts
• 18:52 Story Setup
• 24:42 Movement and Creativity
• 38:10 Open-Ended Design
• 47:50 The Map and Getting Lost
• 58:01 Combat
• 1:04:41 Visual Aesthetic and Music
• 1:12:57 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:20:00 UnderPlayed podcast and Beau on Twitch
• 1:26:11 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:27:51 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode:

• Remnants of the Dream (potatoTeto)
• Revival (potatoTeto)
• Their Subdued History (potatoTeto)
• Outside the Castle Walls (potatoTeto)
• Delirious Acting (potatoTeto)
• Paramnesiac (still crisp)

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Nobody is more skeptical of a new Soulslike on the block than me. Too often, Soulslikes build around the superficial qualities of FromSoftware's hits and neglect the secret sauce (or miss it entirely). Luckily for me and those who feel the same way, Round8 Studio and Neowiz knocked it out of the park with their Pinocchio-inspired Soulslike, Lies of P. I felt right at home playing through this, and it turned into a really fun conversation.

Guest info: Rob Garcia (he/him) and Kelvin Rolon (he/him)

• Check out The Gaming Duo https://www.gamingduopod.com/
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/thegamingduo.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:28 Intros
• 5:40 Personal Histories with Soulsborne and Lies of P
• 11:50 Personal Histories with Pinocchio
• 15:40 Opening Thoughts About Lies of P
• 19:20 Story Setup and Adapting Pinocchio
• 34:33 Visual Design
• 41:14 Music
• 49:09 Difficulty and How to Succeed
• 58:56 Weapons and Tools
• 1:18:17 Level Design and Exploration
• 1:28:21 Boss Fights
• 1:33:45 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:38:14 The Gaming Duo Podcast
• 1:41:38 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:43:38 Spoiler Section- Top 3 Boss Fights
• 2:05:26 Story Discussion
• 2:19:47 Backstory, Comparisons to the Book and Post-Credits Scene

Music used in the episode is from the Lies of P OST. Tracks used:

• Main Menu (Round8 Studio Sound Team, YK Music)
• Divine Service (Electronic Boutique)
• Feel (DJ Mocha, Seo Ja Young)
• Dreadful March (Studio LAY-BACK)
• Judgement of Mourning (Studio LAY-BACK)
• Hotel Krat (Studio LAY-BACK)
• Quixotic (bermei.inazawa, foolen)
• Eventide Hotel (Silun Lee)

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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As I said way back in The Outer Wilds episode, I respect the hell out of that game and think it's a miracle, but I didn't love it as much as others, and I kind of wish I could Eternal Sunshine that game out of my mind and try again. But as it turns out, the Echoes of the Eye expansion gave me just that chance. Did lightning strike twice? Did the game that "you can only truly play once" work again? Listen in and find out.

Guest info: Rick Firestone (he/him)

• Check out Pixel Project Radio https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio
• Follow Rick on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/pixelprojectradio.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:23 Introductions
• 6:08 Thoughts About Outer Wilds
• 9:11 Thoughts About Echoes of the Eye
• 24:14 Pixel Project Radio Podcast
• 26:42 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
• 28:40 Spoiler Section- Initial Discoveries
• 48:05 Spoiler Section- A New World to Explore
• 1:24:00 Spoiler Section- Story Analysis and Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Andrew Prahlow. Tracks used: The River, River's End, Elegy for the Rings, Echoes of the Eye, Departure

Check out Dave on Retro Hangover's King of Games '99 series: https://linktr.ee/retrohangover
Check out Dave on The Tiny Game Chronicles: https://tinyurl.com/m5jhfat9

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Sometimes a game's reputation precedes it in a way that makes you question whether you want to play it at all, and Fear & Hunger (Miro Haverinen, 2018) certainly fits that bill. Punishing difficulty, harsh teaching, extreme content warnings and more put me off from playing the game for a while, but I'm glad to have played it now, and all of that made for a great conversation.

Content warnings for Fear & Hunger: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/17804

Guest info: Adam Bucceri (he/him)

• Check out Adam's games https://boocherry.itch.io/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:15 Intros
• 6:03 Our Histories with Fear & Hunger
• 9:55 Should We Play Fear & Hunger 1 or 2?
• 11:27 Opening Thoughts About Fear & Hunger
• 17:24 Content Warnings
• 26:15 Game Setup and Character Selection
• 31:15 Difficulty and Learning How to Play
• 44:55 Player-Hostile Design and Pressures
• 58:34 Immersive Sim Elements, Experimentation and Emergent Narrative
• 1:07:47 Combat
• 1:21:36 Visuals and Sound Design
• 1:27:20 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:34:20 Adam's Games and Creative Works
• 1:37:18 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:39:18 Spoiler Section- The Girl, Le'garde and Fun Discoveries
• 2:26:35 Spoiler Section- Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Miro Haverinen. Tracks used: Fear & Hunger, The Four Apostles, Pulse & Anxiety, Ancient City, Tomb of the Gods, Everyday Schoolday

Check out Dave's guest appearance on The Pre-Order Bonus about Rain World- https://www.patreon.com/c/preordercast

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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It's been a real joy working my way through the Silent Hill series alongside doing this show, starting all the way back in episode 10(!) with Silent Hill 2. Today, I'm playing the sequel to Silent Hill 1, which is NOT Silent Hill 2...it's Silent Hill 3, and I've brought on the perfect guest to discuss what many fans to agree to be the last truly good Silent Hill game for many years.

Guest info: Kaye Ross (she/her)

• Check out all of the wonderful Duckfeed podcasts https://duckfeed.tv/
• Check out Kaye's horror game streams https://www.twitch.tv/duckfeedtv

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:28 Intros
• 4:56 Our Histories with Silent Hill 3
• 10:35 Opening Thoughts About Silent Hill 3
• 14:51 Story Setup
• 21:53 Aesthetics and Horror
• 30:25 Sound Design and Music
• 37:14 Heather As a Protagonist
• 43:37 Puzzles and Riddles
• 50:32 Tank Controls and Combat
• 1:03:49 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:06:36 The Many Podcasts at Duckfeed.tv
• 1:11:09 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-You's
• 1:13:11 Spoiler Section- Heather & The Cult
• 1:36:39 Spoiler Section- Heather & Harry

Music used in the episode is credited to Akira Yamaoka. Tracks used: You're Not Here, End of Small Sanctuary, Breeze- In Monochrome Night, Something Long Forgotten, Sickness Unto Foolish Death, Hometown

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Support Tales from the Backlog

This year, we're kicking off horror month with a first- a visual novel! It's the first one I've covered on the show, though I enjoy them from time to time, and Slay the Princess (Black Tabby Games, 2023) is certainly an interesting one. It's a choose your adventure visual novel with memorable visuals and a very interesting opening choice- you were sent here to slay the princess, so...do you? Listen in to find out how we felt about it!

Guest info: Matt aka Stormageddon (they/them)

• Check out "Fun" and Games and Reignite podcasts https://linktr.ee/dj_stormagedddon
• Follow Matt on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/djstormageddon.com

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:22 Intros
• 4:33 Personal Histories with Slay the Princess and Visual Novels
• 8:21 Opening Thoughts About Slay the Princess
• 12:56 Story Setup and Choose Your Adventure Structure
• 27:53 Presentation
• 37:07 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 41:40 "Fun" and Games, Reignite Podcasts
• 46:59 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
• 48:39 Spoiler Section- Our Many Diverse Playthroughs
• 1:18:45 Spoiler Section- The Shifting Mound and Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Brandon Boone. Tracks used: The Princess, The World-Ender, Fragmentation, Reality Unwound, The Shifting Mound

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Sometimes, all it takes to grab your attention is a single screenshot, and Ultros (Hadoque, Kepler Interactive, 2024) is definitely one of those games. Every screenshot drips with color and is so rich with detail, it beckons you to come see what's going on. And once you're in, a beautiful soundtrack, lush soundscape and layered story grabs hold, but that's not all that's waiting for you. Ultros is a singular type of game, the type of game that I'm always thrilled to discuss on the podcast.

Guest info: John Rogers (he/they)

• Check out everything Gaming in the Wild https://gaminginthewild.carrd.co/
• Check out Lost in Cult's Ultros: Design Works, written by John! https://www.lostincult.co.uk/ultros

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:34 Intros
• 6:05 Our Histories with Ultros & Metroidvanias
• 9:06 Opening Thoughts About Ultros
• 13:55 Story/Setting Setup
• 15:01 Art and Visual Design
• 26:02 Music and Sound Design
• 38:00 Emergent Story
• 46:51 Gameplay- Combat and Plant Care
• 1:03:55 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:06:51 Gaming in the Wild and Lost in Cult's Design Works- Ultros
• 1:13:49 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-You's
• 1:15:57 Spoiler Section- Business As Usual
• 1:32:11 Spoiler Section- A Change
• 1:45:13 Spoiler Section- A New Course of Action

Music used in the episode is credited to Ratvader. Tracks used: Ouji Saint, Dark Sleep, Gärdner’s Pilgrimage, Dream Lament, But This Time It's Something Different, Ultros Ahimsa

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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There are more than enough sports games to go around out there, but the culture of sports does not begin and end on the field of play. There is an entire culture surrounding sports, and I've never played a game that tackles that culture quite like Despelote (Julián Cordero and Sebastián Valbuena, 2025) does. It also takes you back to a slice of childhood in a way that no other game can really claim- it's really something else. Tune in for the discussion!

Guest info: Moises Taveras (he/him)

• Check out the Despelote review that Moises wrote https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/despelote-review-miraculous-slice-of-life-soccer-game-pulls-a-hat-trick/
• Check out other writing by Moises on Endless Mode https://www.endlessmode.com/author/moises-taveras
• Follow Moises on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/platanoranger.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:16 Intros
• 4:11 Personal Histories with Despelote and Sports
• 15:21 Opening Thoughts About Despelote
• 20:01 Story Setup and Community Around Sports
• 38:14 Childhood and Visual Presentation
• 46:52 Taking You to a Time and Place and Sound Design
• 53:26 Gameplay
• 1:07:11 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:12:32 Moises' Writing and Where You Can Find It
• 1:15:06 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:16:27 Spoiler Section

Music and game ambiance used in the episode is credited to Sebastián Valbuena

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Sometimes a game you'd never heard of will break out with a 90+ on the review aggregator websites and immediately turn heads, and that's exactly what happened to me with Bionic Bay (Mureena Oy, Psychoflow Studio, 2025). One screenshot was all it took to make me want to check it out, and then a patron vote sealed the deal. Bionic Bay- cool game!

Guest info: Harry Loizides (he/him)

• Check out everything Six One Indie does https://www.sixoneindie.com/
• Get ready for the upcoming Six One Indie Showcase https://www.sixoneindie.com/showcase
• Check out Harry's writing for Geek Therapeutics https://geektherapeutics.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:32 Intros
• 4:36 Our Histories With Bionic Bay
• 7:33 Opening Thoughts About Bionic Bay
• 10:13 Story/Game Setup
• 15:57 Visual Presentation
• 22:20 Music
• 27:32 Platforming Abilities and Structure
• 40:33 Floaty Jumps, Ragdoll Physics and Comedy
• 49:17 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 53:45 Six One Indie and Geek Therapeutics
• 1:02:18 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:04:03 Spoiler Section- Favorite Levels, Gimmicks, and Theorycrafting

Music used in the episode is credited to Francisco Javier Pérez. Tracks used: Polarity, The Grand Egg, Swap, Polarity (Reprise), Bionic Bay

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Everybody has that game they played a hundred times as a kid and therefore can't be objective about anymore, and for us, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is NOT one of those! Both my guest Ty and I both tried the game at various points, but never quite got on with it. The podcast has now given us a chance to revisit Nintendo's landmark title and give it the deep dive treatment- so listen in to find out how we felt this time!

Guest info: Ty Schalter (he/him)

• Check out FunFactor podcast http://www.funfactorpod.com!/
• Follow Ty on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/tyschalter.com

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:15 Intros
• 6:03 Our Histories with Zelda and A Link to the Past
• 10:59 Opening Thoughts About A Link to the Past
• 18:11 Story Setup
• 27:58 Visuals
• 31:59 World/Map Design
• 35:44 Music
• 47:13 Combat
• 58:41 Difficulty Curve, Exploration and Secrets
• 1:10:00 "The Zelda Formula"
• 1:18:41 Dungeons
• 1:23:23 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
• 1:38:37 FunFactor Podcast and Ty's Work Online
• 1:45:24 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-You's
• 1:47:49 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode: Title, File Select, Opening Demo, Hyrule Castle, Dark World, Kakariko Village, Ending

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (Don't Nod, 2023) represents a different type of game that Don't Nod has been making alongside their popular choice-based narrative games like Life is Strange and Lost Records: Bloom and Rage. With 2018's Vampyr, Don't Nod took a swing a narrative, decisions-matter action RPG, and while I liked Vampyr a lot, the decisions-matter part of it left a lot to be desired. Five years later, they took another swing at that type of game with Banishers, and really righted that specific area. Decisions matter in Banishers in a way they don't matter in most games, and it led to one of the most effective stories I've played in a while.

Guest info: Erik (he/him)

• Listen to Pages of Play podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pages-of-play/id1755937349
• Check out Erik's written work on So Many Games https://somanygames.co.uk/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:32 Intros
• 5:03 Histories with Don't Nod and Banishers
• 8:29 Opening Thoughts
• 16:22 Story/World Setup and Characters
• 28:43 Inciting Plot Event and Choice/Morality System
• 37:51 Tough Choices
• 48:02 Presentation and Side Quest Writing
• 59:00 Combat
• 1:13:37 World Design and Vibes
• 1:22:50 Boss Fights
• 1:27:20 Recommendations
• 1:30:20 Pages of Play Podcast
• 1:36:38 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:38:06 Spoiler Section- Side Stories Tying Into the Main Story
• 2:17:10 Spoiler Section- The Nightmare
• 2:32:08 Spoiler Section- Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Trevor Morris. Tracks used: Main Menu, The Harrows, Intimate Moment- Harmony

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Support Tales from the Backlog

You know a game is good when it kicks off a new round of discourse about genre names, right? Regardless, Blue Prince (Dogubomb, 2025) is the latest hit in a type of knowledge-is-power game that is really appealing to certain types of gamers. The only difference is that we seem to fully know the full depths of previous games like Animal Well, Outer Wilds, Fez, Tunic, etc....but nobody knows how deep Blue Prince goes. It's also rich with interesting design choices and contradictions, more story than meets the eye, a lowkey amazingly good soundtrack and more. Tune in for the discussion!

Guest info: Jenny Windom

• Check out the Geeks & Grounds game club podcast https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
• Check out Wholesome Games https://wholesomegames.com/
• Check out Wanderstop https://store.steampowered.com/app/1299460/Wanderstop/
• Check out Jenny on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/kimchica
• Check out Jenny on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/kimchica

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:28 Intros
• 5:23 Personal Histories with Blue Prince
• 8:50 Opening Thoughts About Blue Prince
• 15:40 Story Setup and Top Level Thoughts
• 17:59 Note-taking and Organization
• 25:44 Drafting Mechanic, Goal Setting and Randomness
• 42:55 Getting Better at Blue Prince
• 47:52 "This Game Doesn't Respect My Time"
• 53:28 You Said This Was a Puzzle Game
• 1:03:59 Art and Music
• 1:15:04 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:18:49 Geeks & Grounds, Wholesome Games
• 1:25:50 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-You's
• 1:28:00 Spoiler Section- Discoveries and the Quest for Room 46!
• 2:16:00 Spoiler Section- How Deep Does This Go? and The Story, As We Know It

Music used in the episode is credited to Trigg & Gusset Tracks used: Stories of All Manor, Vanitas, Bequest, Westwardly Winds, Visions of Emerald, Departure, The Baron of Mount Holly. Purchase the soundtrack here: https://triggandgusset.bandcamp.com/album/blue-prince-the-original-soundtrack

Check out Dave's guest appearance on Flashback 64: https://flashback64.com/

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Support Tales from the Backlog

A good friend of mine likes to say "every game is somebody's favorite game", but I'm always intrigued when some oddball picks enter those conversations, and DoubleFine's Psychonauts is mentioned often enough that I felt like I had to play it someday. And my show patrons (thank you!) made it a point to vote it onto the show, so away we go for a discussion about a fascinating game!

Guest info: Marc aka Try of My Life in Gaming

• Check out My Life in Gaming on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@mylifeingaming
• Check out The Backloggery https://backloggery.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:18 Intros
• 4:46 Personal Histories with Psychonauts
• 10:34 Opening Thoughts
• 16:20 Story Setup, Comedic Tone
• 23:48 Visual Aesthetic
• 32:25 Music
• 35:37 Voice Acting
• 40:49 A Fun Story with Odd Pacing
• 55:43 Platforming and Combat
• 1:13:15 Cool But Unintuitive
• 1:27:11 Wrap-Up Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:33:57 My Life In Gaming/The Backloggery/King of Games
• 1:42:32 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:44:33 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Peter McConnell. Tracks used: Title and Credits Montage, Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp, The Meat Circus, Fighting for the Cause in Lungfishopolis, Agent Cruller's Sacred Hall, The Milkman Conspiracy

Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Support Tales from the Backlog

Hazelight Studios were already on the map before their Game of the Year winner It Takes Two, but that game was so much fun that everyone, including me, was waiting to see what their next offering would be like. And it turns out, 2025's Split Fiction is very similar- a ton of fun to play, gorgeous graphics, bad story, and great gaming memories made with a friend. Tune in to find out more.

Guest info: Aaron Angle

• Check out A Top 3 Podcast https://atop3podcast.fireside.fm/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:32 Intros
• 4:49 Our Histories with Hazelight and Split Fiction
• 6:46 Opening Thoughts About Split Fiction
• 11:30 Story Setup
• 26:55 Loudly Bad vs Quietly Bad
• 34:10 Gameplay and Difficulty
• 40:17 Changing Up Gameplay
• 47:57 Visuals/Music
• 58:41 Truly a Cooperative Game
• 1:03:46 Recommendations/Closing Thoughts
• 1:10:12 A Top 3 Podcast
• 1:12:51 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:14:47 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Gustaf Grefberg and Jonatan Järpehag. Tracks used:

• Gravity Bike (Gustaf Grefberg)
• Split Fiction Main Theme (Jonatan Järpehag)
• The Legend of the Sandfish (Gustaf Grefberg)
• The Monkey King (Jonatan Järpehag)
• In Memory of Blake Hudson (Jonatan Järpehag)

Social Media:
BlueSky
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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I didn't hear about Dragon Quest for a very long time, probably an embarrassingly long time, and once I played one, I didn't....get it. It all seemed too plain, too simple, too lacking in complexity, and while a part of me was relieved to suddenly have less "homework" to do as I'm forever catching up on RPGs that I missed, part of me felt an ever-present need to "get it". Yada yada yada, I finally had another reason to try Dragon Quest, starting with Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride on DS, and folks....I get it now. Tune in to find out how I got there.

Guest info: Chris Coplien of Retro Hangover

• Listen to Retro Hangover https://linktr.ee/retrohangover
• Check out the first of Dragon Quest V's episodes in the King of Games 1992 tournament https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/episode/king-of-games-92-round-1-match-4-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-vs-dragon-quest-v
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/retrohangover.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:42 Intros
• 6:10 Personal Histories with Dragon Quest V
• 12:15 Opening Thoughts
• 14:54 Story Setup/Generational Structure
• 26:19 Overcoming Constraints/Presentation
• 34:26 Story Themes/Cozy Charm
• 45:16 Soundtrack/Influence
• 56:10 Gameplay- Combat/Monster Collecting
• 1:12:05 Final Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:14:45 Retro Hangover Podcast
• 1:19:23 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-You's
• 1:21:15 Spoiler Section- Act 1 and 2
• 2:06:04 Spoiler Section- Act 3 and Closing Thoughts

Music used in the episode is credited to Koichi Sugiyama. Tracks used: Overture, Overworld, Town, Battle, Melody in an Ancient Town, The Ocean, Zenithia, Saint

Social Media:
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

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Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has risen to the gaming mainstream with its beloved Like a Dragon series, and when a hot streak occurs, a heat check often follows, and there is no bigger heat check than a game where you play through a Hawaiian pirate adventure starring the series' lovable maniac, Goro Majima. So why has Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii fallen out of the conversation, even among series diehards? Did the heat check connect, or is it the beginning of a downturn? All that and more in this great conversation.

Guest info: Brian Edwards

• Listen to the Cane and Rinse podcast https://caneandrinse.com/
• Listen to the Character Issues podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-character-issues-podcast/id1530881747
• Follow Brian on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/characterissues.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:20 Intros
• 5:45 Personal Histories With Yakuza Series
• 9:53 The Yakuza Secret Sauce
• 14:12 Opening Thoughts about Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• 20:34 Like a Dragon Series Fatigue?
• 35:15 Story Setup, Majima the Leading Man
• 45:40 Framing Device, Substories, Goofs
• 1:11:18 Pirate Gameplay, Ship Combat
• 1:33:51 Action Combat
• 1:44:59 Mini-Games and Side Activities
• 1:52:36 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:57:57 Character Issues, Cane and Rinse
• 2:02:33 Spoiler Wall/Patron Thank-Yous
• 2:04:37 Spoiler Section- Substories
• 2:18:42 Spoiler Section- Main Story and Ending

Music used in the episode:

• Anchors Aweigh (Saori Yoshida)
• Nameless Traveler (Saori Yoshida)
• Palekanian Dance (Yuri Fukuda)
• Mad Dog (Keitarou Hanada)
• Echoes of Hope (Kazuki Takagi)
• Masaru's Love Journey (Mitsuhara Fukuyama)

Check out the King of Games 1999 tournament on Retro Hangover! https://linktr.ee/retrohangover

Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

Support my work on Patreon
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!

Once or twice a year, a game will hook me so strongly that not only can I not stop playing it, I can't stop thinking about it. If it's not the constant pull to get back on the sticks and play, it was the constant pull to think about the story. Sandfall Interactive caught lightning in a bottle with their debut game, and I couldn't wait to have this conversation and share it all with you.

Guest info: Michael Higham

• Read Michael's review of Expedition 33 https://www.ign.com/articles/clair-obscur-expedition-33-review
• Follow Michael on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/brazyazn.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:42 Intros
• 6:25 Personal Histories with Expedition 33
• 9:31 Opening Thoughts about Expedition 33
• 13:12 Story Setup/Worldbuilding/A Strong Story Hook
• 24:15 Cast of Characters
• 31:29 Overview of Themes
• 39:55 Comic Relief in a Bleak Story
• 45:15 Music/Presentation
• 1:03:02 Combat- Dodging and Parrying, Difficulty
• 1:14:57 Combat- Offense and Character Building
• 1:28:28 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:36:28 Michael's Work at IGN
• 1:39:37 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-You's
• 1:41:20 Spoiler Section- What's Happening?
• 2:07:28 Spoiler Section- Endings and Interpretations
• 2:39:13 Spoiler Section- Optional Bosses, More Thoughts, "For Those Who Come After"

Music used in the episode:

• Alicia (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier)
• Lumière (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier)
• Gustave (Lorien Testard)
• World Map- In Lumière's Name (Lorien Testard)
• Une vie à t'aimer (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier, Victor Borba)
• Our Painted Family (Lorien Testard)
• We Lost (Lorien Testard, Alice Duport-Percier, Victor Borba)
• Verso (Music Box) (Lorien Testard)
• Is It a Gestral or a Volleyball? (Lorien Testard)

You can purchase the soundtrack here: https://lacedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/clair-obscur-expedition-33-original-soundtrack

Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

Two podcasters entered the room on a collision course, one with a backlog the size of a mobster's rap sheet, the other with one foot in the past. There was only one way out of this mess- one podcast to end them all. The subject was an old friend, if you consider a man out of options a friend. A man with a thirst for revenge that nothing could quench- Max Payne.

Guest info: Nomad (The Retro Wildlands)

• Listen to The Retro Wildlands https://linktr.ee/retrowildlands
• Check out the Superpod Network https://superpodnetwork.com/
• Follow Nomad on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/retrowildlands.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:32 Intros
• 5:24 Our Histories with Remedy and Max Payne
• 10:36 Opening Thoughts About Max Payne
• 16:00 Story Setup/Revenge Themes
• 23:00 Neo-Noir Storytelling and Presentation
• 32:25 Remake Talk
• 34:25 Music
• 38:22 Combat
• 52:02 Other Gameplay
• 1:00:23 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:08:13 The Retro Wildlands Plugs
• 1:15:11 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:16:35 Spoiler Section- Plot Twists and Mysteries
• 1:25:18 Spoiler Section- Revenge and Vigilantism

Music used in the episode is credited to Kärtsy Hatakka and Kimmo Kajasto. Tracks used: Max Payne Theme, Graphic Novel, Whack Him, Mr. Big, Max Payne Theme (Short Version)

Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Social Media:
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Instagram
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

As a lifelong Indiana Jones agnostic, there was no way that MachineGames would make an Indiana Jones game I would care about, right? Right? Well, it certainly looked that way when the first gameplay trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle dropped. But then I started hearing my activation phrases start to bounce around- "this is like Hitman", "this is like Dishonored", so I knew I had to give it a try. And boy am I glad that I did!

Guest info: Dan of The Greatest Story Ever Played

• Check out the podcast https://linktr.ee/thegreateststoryeverplayed
• Follow Dan on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/storyeverpod.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:36 Intros
• 3:33 Personal Histories with Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
• 7:55 Opening Thoughts
• 11:33 Story Setup and Troy Baker as Indiana Jones
• 16:35 A Great Villain and Supporting Cast
• 24:54 Music and Visual Presentation
• 34:36 Combat and Stealth
• 48:28 Side Quests, Exploration and Level Design
• 1:04:19 Final Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:08:24 The Greatest Story Ever Played Plugs
• 1:13:07 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:14:46 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Gordy Haab. Tracks used: The Great Circle, A New Adventure Awaits, Where Are We, Gina's Theme, Signs of the Stones, Until the Next Adventure

Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

Strange Scaffold is a rare game studio that gets as much, or maybe even more, positive attention for their workplace ethos and number of releases per year as they do for their games themselves. I found myself in that same position, with great respect for their process, but no experience with the games themselves....until now! El Paso, Elsewhere is an emotional take on neo-noir, vampire stories, Max Payne and boomer shooters, and it works really well!

Guest info: Jacob McCourt and Luke Lewis

• Check out their shared podcast Crossplay Conversations https://www.youtube.com/@crossplayconvos
• Check out Lukewarm Games https://www.lukewarmgames.com/
• Follow Luke on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/lukewarmlewis.bsky.social
• Check out Left Behind Game Club https://leftbehindgame.club/
• Check out Jacob's written reviews on The Gaming Brief https://thegamingbrief.ca/
• Follow Jacob on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/jacob.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:22 Intros
• 4:20 Personal Histories with Strange Scaffold/El Paso, Elsewhere
• 10:43 Top-Level Thoughts on El Paso, Elsewhere
• 15:10 Story Setup
• 20:49 Presentation and Storytelling
• 27:02 Music
• 34:39 Shooting and Bullet Time
• 48:57 Gameplay Pacing
• 55:03 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations
• 1:01:27 Jacob and Luke Plug Their Stuff!
• 1:11:31 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:13:45 Spoilers- Janet, Draculae and James
• 1:33:06 Spoilers- Addiction, Being a Good Person, Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to R.J. Lake and LAKE SAVAGE. Tracks used: a forty-six story motel, GONNA CUT, GHOSTIN' THE MAINFRAME, audio demon, almost exactly the same, next time on elpasoball z.

• Buy the score- https://spellmynamewithabang.bandcamp.com/album/el-paso-elsewhere-part-one-the-score
• Buy the rap album- https://spellmynamewithabang.bandcamp.com/album/el-paso-elsewhere-part-two-the-album

Check out an interview with Xalavier Nelson Jr on the Gamerheads Podcast.

Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

I was admittedly very late to the King's Field and Shadow Tower bandwagons, energized by my love for FromSoftware's modern titles and a desire to dig into their history some more. However, I didn't anticipate loving those games so much that I wanted more like them, and that's where Kira LLC's Lunacid (2023) entered the fray. Lunacid is a fantastic game, leaning more on the exploration and vibes of those FromSoftware dungeon crawlers than the opaque RPG mechanics, capturing the spirit in a modern way. A true indie success- listen in to find out why.

Guest info: Dave Cox of Monster Dear Monster

• Check out Monster Dear Monster podcast https://www.monsterdear.monster/
• Follow Dave on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/senplus.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:27 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 11:53 Story/World Setup
• 28:51 PS2-era Presentation/Controls
• 40:53 Soundtrack
• 47:52 Gameplay/RPG Mechanics
• 1:09:07 World Design/Exploration
• 1:13:53 "Breaking the Level Design"
• 1:29:49 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs
• 1:38:57 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:41:13 Spoiler Section- Discoveries and Easter Eggs
• 2:04:22 Spoiler Section- Story and Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Kira LLC. Tracks used:

• River of Death (Akuma Kira)
• The Great Well (Jarren Crist)
• Washed Away (Akuma Kira)
• Falling To My Death (Jarren Crist)
• Serence (Jarren Crist)
• The World and You (Akuma Kira)
• Serence (Reprise) (Jarren Crist)
• Purchase the soundtrack- https://store.steampowered.com/app/2692630/Lunacid_Original_Soundtrack/

Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Social Media:
BlueSky
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

Some games just grab your attention from the first trailer, and South of Midnight is one of those games. A breathtaking art style and a gothic Southern fantasy setting? South of Midnight jumped straight to the top of my to-play list, and it did not disappoint.

Guest info: Kate Sánchez of But Why Tho?

• Check out all of the writing and reporting on But Why Tho? https://butwhytho.net/
• Check out Kate's article on the folklore inspirations in South of Midnight https://butwhytho.net/2025/04/south-of-midnight-real-southern-folklore/
• Follow Kate on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/ohmymithrandir.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:30 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 13:54 Story Setup/Folklore/Southern Gothic Storytelling
• 46:37 Presentation- Visuals/Music
• 1:01:46 Gameplay/Combat
• 1:21:49 Recommendations/Guest Plugs
• 1:30:37 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:32:26 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Olivier Deriviere. You can purchase the soundtrack here. Tracks Used: Hazel's Story, The Storm, The Floods, Two-Toed Tom (Boss Fight), The Full Story, The Story Ends

Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

Persona games are a tough sell for a guy who does a weekly podcast like this, so thank you to my wonderful patrons for voting Persona 4 Golden onto the show. While it has all of the pacing issues that you would expect an 80 hour game to have, I thought this is, in some ways, the best of the Persona 4/5/Metaphor trio that I've played in the last five years. Tune in to the episode to find out why.

Guest Info: Flora Merigold

• Find her writing at Epilogue Gaming https://epiloguegaming.com/flora-merigold/
• Hear her on Left Behind Game Club https://leftbehindgame.club/
• Follow her on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/floramerigold.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:22 Intros
• 4:40 Personal Histories with Persona and Persona 4
• 8:07 Opening Thoughts about Persona 4 Golden
• 16:05 Murder Mystery Story Setup
• 21:55 Characters and Problematic Representation(?)
• 37:13 Story Themes and PSA for New Players
• 49:03 Visuals
• 57:12 Music
• 1:05:42 Dungeon Crawling and Combat
• 1:28:03 Life-Sim Gameplay
• 1:44:52 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs
• 1:55:14 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:56:49 Spoilers- Kanji, Naoto and Representation
• 2:37:34 Spoilers- Teddie and Rise and More

Music used in the episode is credited to Shoji Meguro. Tracks used: Glimpse of a Memory, Signs of Love, Like a Dream Come True, Heartbreak, Heartbeat, Reach Out to the Truth (First Battle), Sauna, Studio Backlot, Junes Theme, Your Affection, Results

Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Social Media:
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

Support Tales from the Backlog

Guest Info: Jesse Guarascia

• Find Jesse's work on Noclip's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@NoclipDocs
• Support Noclip on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/noclip
• Check out Blowback https://blowback.show/
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/jesseguarascia.com

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:35 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 15:10 Story Setup/Story Themes
• 34:40 Puzzles
• 51:23 Presentation
• 1:09:11 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs
• 1:18:49 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:21:12 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Linea Olsson, Daniel Olsén and Jonathan Eng. You can purchase the soundtrack here. Tracks used:

• Titles (Linea Olsson, Daniel Olsén)
• Art (Linea Olsson, Daniel Olsén)
• Mind Game (Linea Olsson, Daniel Olsén)
• Quiz Club (Daniel Olsén)
• The Black Arts Coffee Club (Linea Olsson, Daniel Olsén, Jonathan Eng)
• Interrogation (Daniel Olsén, Jonathan Eng)
• The Last Dream (Linea Olsson, Daniel Olsén)
• How It Ends (Linea Olsson, Daniel Olsén)

Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Cover 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)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

I can hear it now- "Another Ace Combat game? Didn't Dave just do one?" and the answer to those questions is "You bet your ass I'm doing another one, I'm IN IT NOW"....ahem, Ace Combat rules, and Ace Combat 7 (Bandai Namco, 2019) is the most Ace Combat that Ace Combat has ever been. Join us as we give it the deep dive!

Guest info: Derek Van Dyke

• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/derekvandyke.bsky.social
• Check out Derek's past work on SDGC https://officialsdgc.com/
• Check out Castle Bravo for all of your Godzilla needs https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/castle-bravo-a-godzillaverse-retrospective/id1591745386

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:31 Introductions/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 14:37 Story Setup
• 34:04 Music/Visual Presentation
• 45:25 Gameplay
• 1:01:04 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs
• 1:11:23 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-You's
• 1:13:53 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is primarily credited to Keiki Kobayashi. Tracks used: Daredevil, Sol Squadron, Yinshi Valley, Archange, Skies Unknown, Hush

Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Social Media:
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Is it really the most innovative shooter I've played in years? SUPERHOT Team struck gold with this idea, did just enough with it, and got out before things got stale. Now that's what I call SUPER. HOT.

Guest info: Emily Merritt aka aspecificegg

• Check out No Small Games https://nosmallgames.com/
• Follow No Small Games on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/nosmallgames.bsky.social
• Catch Emily on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/aspecificegg
• Follow Emily on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:14 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 11:07 Story Setup/Presentation
• 26:35 Gameplay
• 52:58 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs
• 1:01:30 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:02:55 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode: SUPER. HOT. by SUPERHOT Team

Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Cover 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)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

Review code provided by Capcom. Thank you!

Monster Hunter has been around for a long time, but has only recently fully broken into the mainstream. And with mainstream success comes grumbling from longtime fans. Is the game actually too streamlined? Does quality of life take away from quality of game? And what about the new focus on the story? All that and more in this lengthy discussion.

Guest info: Brad Gallaway

• Check out written game reviews on GameCritics https://gamecritics.com/
• Listen to So...Videogames! https://gamecritics.com/category/podcasts/so-videogames/
• Follow Brad on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/bradgallaway.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:28 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 15:11 New Player Experience/Fight Prep
• 35:04 Monster Fights/Upgrades and Gear
• 1:04:32 Story/Presentation
• 1:24:12 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs
• 1:33:10 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:35:23 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Miwako Chinone. Tracks used:

• Main Title Theme
• Proof of a Hero (Wilds Version)
• Nu Udra Battle Theme
• Mizutsune Battle Theme
• Rey Dau Battle Theme
• Suja Village Daytime
• Zoh Shia Battle Theme Phase 1- Arrant Calamity
• Quest Clear Theme

Check out Dave on Pixel Project Radio giving first impressions on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 https://open.spotify.com/episode/2EYHKnevmhrHHa5kTMCOLb
Check out Dave on Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers talking about Monster Hunter Wilds (May 5th) https://www.fngamers.com/

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Social Media:
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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Guest info: Aidan Moher

• Check out Aidan's new podcast FunFactor https://funfactorpod.com/
• Find Aidan's writing on Astrolabe https://astrolabe.aidanmoher.com/
• Find Aidan's book Fight, Magic, Items https://fightmagicitems.rocks/
• Look forward to Aidan's next book about Suikoden 1 and 2 https://astrolabe.aidanmoher.com/suikoden-1-2-history-boss-fight-books-2026/
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/aidanis.fun

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:38 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 14:58 Story Setup/Themes/Localization
• 42:35 Presentation
• 1:03:32 Combat/Equipment
• 1:36:21 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs
• 1:45:45 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:47:38 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Hitoshi Sakimoto. Tracks used: Opening Movie, Greyland Event Climax, Snowfly Forest, Dullahan, Minotauros, Remembrance, Dawn of Lea Monde, Fanfare

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Guest info: Asa GreenRiver

• BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/agreenriver.bsky.social
• TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@agreenriver07
• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@borderlineentertainment
• Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/BorderlineEntertainment

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:25 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 12:07 Story Setup/Indigenous Representation/Presentation
• 37:43 FPS Gameplay/Puzzles
• 1:04:10 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping
• 1:15:58 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:17:58 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credit to Jeremy and Julian Soule. Tracks used: Prey Overture, Aniwyah Calling, Desperate Measures, Upside Down, The Land of the Ancients

Check out Dave on Retro Hangover discussing Psychonauts! https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/episode/psychonauts-milk-mans-delicious-milk-ft-dave-jackson

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I think we all viewed Davey Wreden's new project announcement, a "cozy game about making tea", with a bit of side-eye. Is it really just going to be about making tea? You sure there isn't going to be a subversion in there? Are you still reading this? Well, Wanderstop is here, and it may not have the type of subversion that we expected, but it is most definitely not just a cozy game about making tea. This is a longer episode, because there is just that much to discuss. Grab a mug and enjoy!

Guest Info: Matt Storm aka Stormageddon and CGDannyB

• Listen to Matt's podcasts: "Fun" and Games- https://www.certainpov.com/fun-and-games and Reignite- https://www.certainpov.com/reignite
• Find Matt on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/djstormageddon.com
• Find Danny's streams, Playlog Podcast, YouTube channel and more- https://solo.to/cgdannyb

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:36 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 16:13 Story Setup/Themes Overview
• 38:36 Gameplay and Story, Presentation
• 1:16:24 Recommendations/Guest Plugs
• 1:32:00 Spoiler Wall/Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:33:44 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to C418. You can purchase the soundtrack here- https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/wanderstop-fm. Tracks used: Introduction, The Fighter, Unknowable, Broom, Wanderstop pt. 1, Boredom, Trust, Farewell

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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Guest Info: Ryan Juengling of List Off

• Listen to their show, including an episode with Dave! https://listoff.buzzsprout.com/
• Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/listoffpodcast.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Title Card
0:22 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
9:46 Story Setup/Presentation
29:30 Combat
52:05 Roguelike Structure/Route Planning
1:06:56 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank You's
1:09:23 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Howie Lee. Tracks used:

• Martial Mastery
• Twin Villains
• Crash the Dancefloor
• Enter the Gang Turf
• The Wuguan
• Fearless

Check out Dave's appearance on the new Gamerheads Podcast game show, The 1Up Showdown: https://youtu.be/mkr8lo3iSCg?si=Jrp8lv0bNlIUFlBH

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Guest info: Scott White

• Check out his writing: https://linktr.ee/scottwhite
• Check out RPG University podcast: https://linktr.ee/RPGU_IP
• Follow on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/professorrpg.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:35 Intro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 10:43 Story Setup
• 35:05 Presentation
• 46:25 Combat/Archetype System
• 59:47 Life Sim Gameplay
• 1:15:43 SPOILER WALL, Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:17:37 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to ATLUS Sound Team. Tracks used:

• Call of Magic (Shoji Meguro)
• A Brief Respite (Shoji Meguro)
• Castle of Dread (Maiko Katagiri, Shoji Meguro)
• Warriors in Valour (Keisuke Honryo, Shoji Meguro)
• Journey's Legs (Shoji Meguro)
• Ode to Heroes (Shoji Meguro)
• Hero's Awakening (Shoji Meguro)
• Formidable Foe (Shoji Meguro)
• King's Verdict (Shoji Meguro)

Check out Dave's guest appearance on Pixelated Playgrounds about Persona 4 Golden: https://www.pixelatedplaygrounds.com/bookclub

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Guest info: Geoff Moonen

• Check out "Fun" and Games podcast https://funandgames.libsyn.com/
• Follow Geoff on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/geoffmakesnoise.bsky.social
• Need a voice actor? https://www.geoffmoonen.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:28 Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts
• 18:42 Story Setup
• 35:02 Story Themes/Presentation
• 54:08 Gameplay
• 1:18:28 Final Thoughts/Plugs
• 1:30:24 SPOILER WALL
• 1:32:18 Spoiler section

Music in the episode is credited to Harry Gregson-Williams. Tracks used:

• Old Snake
• Metal Gear Saga
• Midnight Shadow
• Haven Troopers
• Breakthrough
• Drebin 893
• Guns of the Patriots
• Father & Son
• Everything Begins

Check out Dave's guest appearance on Pixels and Polygons! https://open.spotify.com/show/1scBiQBcm6u03qSjFkDvzD?si=k1OReY87SRSamyl6bPgiCw

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Social Media:
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Guest Info: Kate Hunter aka Katerblossom

• Listen to her podcast No Small Games https://nosmallgames.com/
• Follow her on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social
• Check her streams out on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/katerblossom

TIMESTAMPS

• Title Card 0:00
• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:26
• Story Setup 11:47
• Gameplay/Music/Presentation 26:12
• Final Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping
• Spoiler Wall/Patron Shoutouts 48:38
• Spoiler Section 50:34

Music used in the episode is credited to Jeff van Dyck. You can purchase the soundtrack on Bandcamp. Tracks used:

• Unpacking Theme
• Child's Play
• Own Two Feet
• Friends for Life
• Infatuation
• Lost and Found
• Home Sweet Home

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Guest info: Ash Parrish, journalist and critic for The Verge.

• Find her work here https://www.theverge.com/authors/ash-parrish
• Follow her on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/adashtra.bsky.social
• Check out the Insert Credit Show https://www.youtube.com/@insertcreditshow

Content warnings for Mouthwashing: https://www.doesthedogdie.com/media/1312968

TIMESTAMPS

• Title Card 0:00
• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:16
• Story Setup/Themes Overview/Presentation 9:30
• Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 30:54
• SPOILER WALL 37:50

Music used in the episode is credited to Martin Halldin. You can purchase the soundtrack on Steam. Tracks used:

• Main Theme
• Medium Rare
• The Windows are Plastic
• Dragonbreath Theme
• Heroes

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Social Media:
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Guest info: Luis Aguasvivas. Find his writing and games criticism at https://aguaspoints.com/ and more at https://linktr.ee/laguav

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:22
• Story Setup/Setting 14:37
• Gameplay/Closing Thoughts 39:51
• SPOILER WALL/Thank Yous 1:16:24

Music used in the episode

• Shenmue - Sedge Tree (Takenobu Mitsuyoshi)
• Hip De Hop (Yuzo Koshiro)
• Working Man (Osamu Murata)
• Hazuki Residence (Takenobu Mitsuyoshi)
• Tears of Separation (Ryuji Iuchi)

Check out Dave's appearance on 1 Hour, 1 Decision talking about the first hour of Avowed! https://linktr.ee/tc1h1d

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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Guest info: John Rogers, host of Gaming in the Wild. Find him at https://gaminginthewild.carrd.co/ and https://www.youtube.com/gaminginthewild

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:25
• Story Setup/Themes Overview 12:59
• Presentation/Music 40:29
• Gameplay 49:10
• Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:18:02
• SPOILER WALL 1:26:48

Music used in the episode is credited to Amos Roddy: You can purchase the soundtrack at https://amosroddy.bandcamp.com/album/citizen-sleeper-2-starward-vector-original-soundtrack Tracks used:

• Starward Vector
• A Different Sun
• Signalchaser
• Hex
• There Are Always Choices
• Suncatchers
• The Stray
• The Belt Flows
• Imagined Futures

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Social Media:
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Guest info: MarcoMeatball- find him on YouTube and Bluesky!

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:30
• Story Setup 15:45
• Music/Visual Presentation 30:16
• Gameplay 51:38
• Closing Thoughts/Housekeeping/Guest Plugs 1:06:21
• SPOILER WALL 1:18:46

Music used in the episode:

• The Unsung War (Keiki Kobayashi)
• First Flight (Keiki Kobayashi)
• Ghosts of Razgriz (Junichi Nakatsuru)
• Wardog (Tetsukazu Nakanishi)
• Briefing 1 (Keiki Kobayashi)
• The White Noise (Keiki Kobayashi)
• The Journey Home (Katsuro Tajima)

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Guest info: Roger Reichardt of The Gamerheads Podcast- https://www.gamerheadspodcast.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:26
• Story Setup/Presentation 15:40
• Gameplay 41:45
• NO SPOILER SECTION

Music used in the episode is credited to Mike Georgiades. You can support them by purchasing the OST on Steam. Tracks used:

• Plucky Squire Theme
• Intro Theme
• Elven Game Card

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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Guest info: CtrlAltNoob. Find her videos, streams, writing and more here: https://bio.link/ctrlaltnoob

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:17
• Story Setup/Presentation 10:01
• SPOILER WALL 42:30

Music used in the episode:

• Elevator Theme (Fullbright)
• Space Station Ambiance (Fullbright)
• Is That All There Is (cover) (Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller)

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Whenever the topic of "7/10 games" or "underrated games" or "bargain bin gems" comes up, Mad Max (Avalanche Studios) is almost guaranteed to be mentioned in the conversation. This game isn't tied into the movie storylines, but it does a great job of getting you into the grimy, desolate, hyper-masculine and violent world of Mad Max. It has its flaws, to be sure, but make no mistake- this is a blast.

Guest info: Cameron Warren & Jacob Price of The Pre-Order Bonus podcast

TIMESTAMPS

• SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike 0:00
• Intros/Histories with Mad Max/Opening Thoughts 0:49
• Story Setup 13:19
• Presentation 41:57
• Combat/Gameplay 52:04
• SPOILER WALL 1:25:42

Music used in the episode is credited to Mats Lundgren:

• Corpse Eaters Boss Fight
• Anyavista New Frontend
• Buzzard Attack
• Combat High
• Back Chum Crazy
• Theme Variation Edit

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Guest info: Josh aka DogNozzle. You can follow him on BlueSky!

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:22
• Story Setup 12:05
• Presentation 28:41
• Combat 43:14
• Metroidvania Design 1:12:19
• SPOILER WALL 1:31:47

Music used in the episode:

• Awakening (FFXX)
• A Glimpse of the Future (FFXX)
• Festival (FFXX)
• Crossing Blades (FFXX)
• Take a Tour in New Kunlun (Troy Lin)
• A Place for Restless Souls (FFXX)
• The Path for Us All ~ Yi's Theme (FFXX, Im Baek Hun)
• Main Theme II (FFXX, Im Baek Hun)

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Guest info: Jack, or as you may know him online, Piboi.

TIMESTAMPS

• Allegations against Nikolay Dybowski 0:00
• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:14
• Story Setup 15:18
• Presentation 38:26
• Gameplay 55:01
• Gameplay, continued 1:19:11
• SPOILER WALL 1:36:41

Music used in the episode:

• Shaman from the Downtown (Theodor Bastard)
• Darkness (Theodor Bastard)
• Disappearing (Theodor Bastard)
• Archaic Way (Vasily Kashnikov)
• Eternal Sacrifice (Vasily Kashnikov, Nick Balinov)
• Miracle Workshop (Vasily Kashnikov)
• Window to the Past (Vasily Kashnikov)
• Steppe (Vasily Kashnikov)

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Batman video games got a resurgence with 2009's Arkham Asylum, continued to be critically acclaimed with 2011's Arkham City, and then started to become divisive with 2013's Arkham Origins and especially 2015's Arkham Knight. Since Arkham Origins takes place during Christmas, we've chosen to dive into that one. Arkham Origins seems to be the odd one out, the black sheep, when discussing this series, and we don't understand why- if the reason for disliking this game is that it doesn't star Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill...you're going to have to find another reason. This game rules! Listen in to find out why we feel so strongly about that.

Guest info: Mick Davis aka Mick Arcade. Check out Mick on Twitter and D&D adventures on Twitch

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:31
• Story Setup/Characterization of Batman 14:39
• Presentation 31:54
• Combat/Stealth Gameplay 38:01
• Open World Gameplay 50:25
• Closing Thoughts/Recommendations 58:26
• SPOILER WALL 1:06:23

Music used in the episode is credited to Christopher Drake. Tracks used: Carol of the Bells (Joker's Theme), Arkham Origins Main Titles, Shadow of the Bat, Assassins, Winter Comes to Gotham, Why Would You Save...Me?, Arkham Origins Suite, Arkham Origins End Titles

Check out Dave's guest appearances on Pixel Project Radio (talking about Souls games) and Super Pod Saga (talking about Metal Gear Solid 1-3)!

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Social Media:
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Cover 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)!

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Guest Info: Doug Lief, host of Nostalgium Arcanum podcast

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:19
Story Setup/Story Thoughts 13:43
Presentation 30:10
Gameplay 41:00
SPOILER WALL 1:11:09

Music used in the episode is credited to Eric Brosius. Tracks used: Medical, Engineering, Hydroponics #1, Science, Hydroponics #2, Operations #2, End Cutscene, Credits

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Guest Info: Steve from Indie Quest and Polykill Podcast. Check out his podcasts and Twitch channel!

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:14
• Puzzles/Challenges 12:21
• Story Setup 33:09
• Presentation 38:36
• Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 50:45
• SPOILER WALL 59:06

Music used in the episode is credited to Eero Lahtinen. You can purchase the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used:
Concern, Void Symphony, Gray is just Gray, Right?, Affection Air, Buzzing Boogie, Lax Lullabye, HARD SPACE, Roll Credits!

Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
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Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

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Guest info: Nick & Will from Friday Night Gamecast.

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:22
• Story Setup 16:21
• Presentation 52:02
• Gameplay 1:02:50
• SPOILER WALL 1:39:50

Music used in the episode:

• Take Control (Old Gods of Asgard)
• Counterfeit (Petri Alanko & Martin Stig Andersen)
• Sankarin Tango (Petri Alanko & Martin Stig Andersen)
• Voces Ignotas (Petri Alanko & Martin Stig Andersen)
• Poram Ad Inferno (Petri Alanko & Martin Stig Andersen)
• Nihil Es Simplex (Petri Alanko & Martin Stig Andersen)

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Guest info: Adelaide Lohkamp- find her on YouTube.

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:26
• Story Setup/Presentation/Gameplay 17:42
• SPOILER WALL 1:32:13

Music and sound used in the episode is credited to Yukinori Takada, Tsukasa Saitoh, Kota Hoshino, Yūki Ichiki, Yūji Kanda. Tracks used:

• Main Menu Theme
• Opening Cutscene
• End Credits

YouTube walkthrough and lore explainer by ElucidatedByFire.

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Guest info: Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio podcast.

Correction- 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!

TIMESTAMPS

• Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:17
• Story Setup 10:39
• Presentation/Music 32:34
• Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 45:35
• SPOILER WALL 54:31

You can purchase the soundtrack here. Tracks used:

• Title (Alec Holowka)
• Back to the Holler (Alec Holowka)
• Die Anywhere Else (Alec Holowka, Scott Benson)
• Possum Springs (Alec Holowka)
• Home Again (Alec Holowka)
• Angus Story (Alec Holowka)
• Mae's House (Alec Holowka)
• End Credits (Alec Holowka)

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Guest info: Aaron Angle of [A Top 3 Podcast](atop3podcast.fireside.fm) & Ryan Arrington.

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:24
Story Setup 13:39
Story, continued 32:51
Presentation 49:24
Combat/Open World 1:03:07
Minigames 1:25:03
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:32:02
SPOILER WALL/Patreon Thank-Yous 1:38:31

Music used in the episode:
Main Theme of FFVII - Battle Edit (Nobuo Uematsu)
Nibelheim Train Graveyard Theme (Nobuo Uematsu)
Eager SOLDIER (Nobuo Uematsu, Shotaro Shima)
The Gold Saucer - Night Out with Tifa (Nobuo Uematsu)
Midgardsormr (Nobuo Uematsu, Yoshitaka Suzuki)
Queen's Blood (Mitsuto Suzuki, Junnosuke Usui)
Fiddle de Chocobo (Nobuo Uematsu)
Cosmo Canyon - Sanctum of Planetology (Nobuo Uematsu)
Aerith's Theme - The White Materia (Nobuo Uematsu)
J-E-N-O-V-A - Tenacity (Nobuo Uematsu)
Aerith's Theme - Return to the Planet (Nobuo Uematsu)

You can purchase the soundtrack via Square Enix.

Check out Dave talking about Final Fantasy and modern RPGs on Fine Time and Crossplay Conversations podcasts this week!

Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Social Media:
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Cover 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)!

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Guest info: Jala Prendes of Jala-chan's Place and The Level podcasts & Dave Cox of Monster Dear Monster podcast.

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:23
Story Setup/Theme Introductions 13:35
Presentation 31:32
Gameplay 42:05
SPOILER 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

Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi!
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server!
Social Media:
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Cover 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)!

Support Tales from the Backlog