Join Dave and special guest Josh Galecki (Pixelated Playgrounds, Moonroof Studios) to take a long walk into the woods of Baby Steps. Developed by Bennett Foddy, Gabe Cuzillo and Maxi Boch and published by Devolver Digital, Baby Steps is an extremely unique game, one where its story of its failson protagonist meshes with its frustrating-yet-rewarding gameplay for a very rewarding and genuinely funny experience. Check out the podcast for more.

Guest info: Josh Galecki (he/him)

• Check out Pixelated Playgrounds https://www.pixelatedplaygrounds.com/
• Check out Josh's games on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/search/?developer=Moonroof%20Studios
• Check out more of Josh's games on itch https://joshuagalecki.itch.io/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:11 Introductions
• 5:42 Our Histories with Baby Steps
• 9:42 Top-Level Thoughts
• 15:11 Characterization of Nate
• 20:18 Walking Mechanics
• 26:56 Difficulty and World Design
• 40:19 Hating On Nate and Comedy
• 54:27 Visuals, Music and Sound
• 59:13 Who Should Play Baby Steps?
• 1:04:16 Pixelated Playgrounds and Moonroof Studios
• 1:08:40 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:10:17 Spoilers- Jim, The Manbreaker, Other Challenges
• 1:32:19 Spoilers- Let's Talk About Nate
• 1:42:28 Spoilers- Nate's Journey and Endings
• 1:55:43 Accomplishments vs Achievements
• 2:04:23 Guys...Where Are We?

Sound clips in episode were captured in game.

The Secret Lives of Games interview with Bennett Foddy & Gabe Cuzillo- https://eggplant.show/152-walking-over-it-with-gabe-cuzzillo-and-bennett-foddy-baby-steps

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

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Dave recaps 13 indie games that he played on the PAX East 2026 show floor.

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:25 The Secret of Weepstone
• 2:05 Throwback! Jai-Alai Heroes
• 2:59 Canvas City
• 3:51 DREADMOOR
• 5:03 Fractured Blooms
• 6:20 GNAW
• 7:31 Valor Mortis
• 8:32 Well Dweller
• 9:39 Never's End
• 11:17 ZWAARD
• 12:15 Project Lexa
• 13:37 Backyard Baseball
• 15:20 Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
• 16:31 Wrap-Up
• 17:06 More Indie Game Coverage!
• 17:52 Outro and How to Support

Game links:

• The Secret of Weepstone- https://store.steampowered.com/app/3702100/The_Secret_of_Weepstone/
• Throwback! Jai-Alai Heroes- https://www.astrocrow.com/throwback
• Canvas City https://store.steampowered.com/app/3226830/Canvas_City/
• DREADMOOR https://store.steampowered.com/app/3629430/DREADMOOR/
• Fractured Blooms https://store.steampowered.com/app/3730310/Fractured_Blooms/
• GNAW https://store.steampowered.com/app/2306490/GNAW/
• Valor Mortis https://store.steampowered.com/app/2828710/Valor_Mortis/
• Well Dweller https://store.steampowered.com/app/3699590/Well_Dweller/
• Never's End https://store.steampowered.com/app/1999930/Nevers_End/
• ZWAARD https://store.steampowered.com/app/2251170/ZWAARD/
• Project Lexa https://store.steampowered.com/app/3162890/Project_Lexa/
• Backyard Baseball https://store.steampowered.com/app/3935020/Backyard_Baseball/
• Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon https://store.steampowered.com/app/1466060/Tainted_Grail_The_Fall_of_Avalon/

Music used:

• High Above the Land (The Flying Machine)- Jake Kaufman (Shovel Knight)
• Various tracks from The 16-Bit Starter Pack, composed by Bert Cole [bitbybitsound.com](bitbybitsound.com)

For more PAX and indie game coverage, check out:

• https://theindieinformer.com/
• https://www.sixoneindie.com/
• https://nosmallgames.com/
• https://funandgames.libsyn.com/
• https://youtube.com/@crossplayconvos
  
• https://youtube.com/@danomak
  
• https://leftbehindgame.club/
• https://youtube.com@NOLAnerdcast
  
• https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/pixelspectrum/
• https://www.gamesandwich.com/
• https://www.buzzsprout.com/747596
• https://kzum.org/podcasts/underplayed/
• https://youtube.com@CGDannyB
  
• https://youtube.com@Kimchica
  
• https://bossrush.net/
• https://passthecontroller.io/
• https://www.gamerheadspodcast.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/@PSTrophyRoom
  
• https://datewithuspodcast.podbean.com/
• https://epiloguegaming.com/
• https://somanygames.co.uk/
• https://dotzip.online/
• https://skyboxcritics.com/
• https://www.quitthebuild.com/1h1d

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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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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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

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

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

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.

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

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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/

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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)

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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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PAX East 2025 show floor was dominated by indie games, and here are all 17 of the indie games that I had a chance to play! Thank you to the folks at PAX for allowing me to cover the convention!

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:47 Tanuki: Pon's Summer https://store.steampowered.com/app/3218570/TANUKI_Pons_Summer/
• 2:39 Airframe Ultra https://store.steampowered.com/app/2522120/Airframe_Ultra/
• 4:18 Ultimate Sheep Raccoon https://store.steampowered.com/app/2923350/Ultimate_Sheep_Raccoon/
• 6:04 Mycopunk https://store.steampowered.com/app/3247750/Mycopunk/
• 7:39 BOTSU https://store.steampowered.com/app/885160/BOTSU/
• 9:20 GIGASWORD https://store.steampowered.com/app/1885930/GIGASWORD/
• 11:07 Altered Alma https://store.steampowered.com/app/2190700/Altered_Alma/
• 12:41 Constance https://store.steampowered.com/app/2313700/Constance/
• 13:54 The Berlin Apartment https://store.steampowered.com/app/2280430/The_Berlin_Apartment/
• 15:47 Compensation Not Guaranteed https://store.steampowered.com/app/2795590/Compensation_Not_Guaranteed/
• 18:10 Undusted: Letters from the Past https://store.steampowered.com/app/2891020/Undusted_Letters_from_the_Past/
• 19:49 Fresh Tracks https://store.steampowered.com/app/3202950/Fresh_Tracks/
• 22:17 Nocturne https://store.steampowered.com/app/1374860/Nocturne/
• 24:13 Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson https://store.steampowered.com/app/2429050/FretlessThe_Wrath_of_Riffson/
• 25:45 The Lacerator https://store.steampowered.com/app/2339330/The_Lacerator/
• 27:30 Demonschool https://store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/Demonschool/
• 29:39 Love Eternal https://store.steampowered.com/app/3010610/LOVE_ETERNAL/
• 31:13 Video Game Trivia, Six One Indie Showcase and Thank You**

Check out Jacob Mccourt https://www.youtube.com/@JacobMcCourt for the Video Game Trivia show I was in, and follow Six One Indie https://www.youtube.com/@SixOneIndie for more indie game announcements on May 22nd!

Intro/outro music composed by Bert Cole- https://www.bitbybitsound.com

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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

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

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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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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: 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: 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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Intro/Outro music composed by Bert Cole- check them out at bitbybitsound.com

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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

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Guest Info: Jill Grodt, editor-in-chief of The Indie Informer and podcaster on The Indie Council podcast. Find more from Jill on YouTube and Twitch.

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:26
Story Setup/Gameplay 14:32
Horror/Presentation 37:02
SPOILER WALL 53:15

Content warnings for Devotion

Music used in the episode is credited to Vincent Yang. You can support them by purchasing the album directly from the Red Candle Games website. Tracks used: Devotion, Lady of the Pier (Gong Li Fang), Come on! Have a Bite, A Way of No Return, Lady of the Pier (Du Mei Shin)

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Guest info: Aaron Angle of A Top 3 Podcast

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:23
Story Setup/Themes 11:36
Presentation/Music 30:35
Gameplay/Combat 41:12
SPOILER WALL 59:52

Music used in the episode is credited to Bo En, Jami Lynn and Pedro Silva. You can support them by purchasing the album on Steam or Bandcamp! Tracks used: Title, WHITE SPACE, By Your Side, Tussle Among Trees, Trees..., World's End Valentine, OMORI, DUET

Content warnings for Omori

Check out Dave's guest appearance on Pages of Play podcast!

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Guest info: CGDannyB (he/him)- streamer on Twitch, YouTube creator and host of Playlog Podcast!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:35
Story Setup/Pacing 11:41
Presentation 33:19
Gameplay 41:53
SPOILER WALL 1:02:13

Music used in the episode is credited to Masdito "Ittou" Bachtiar, Christabel Annora and Bambang Iswanto. You can support them by purchasing the OST on Steam. Tracks used: A Tales from Far Away, School Life, Inner World, Don't Have Much Choice, Tip of the Knife, The Girl on the Bridge, An Ode to Life

Check out Dave's guest appearance on the King of Games 1996 semifinal match between Super Mario 64 and Quake!

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Joining me for the discussion about Pony Island is Chris, one half of the 1 Hour, 1 Decision (1H1D) podcast. Along with his co-host Tom, Chris picks a random game on Xbox Game Pass, plays for an hour, and does a podcast about that experience and whether they want to keep playing. It's a good show, and you can find it on your favorite podcast app or HERE!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:51
Story Setup/Themes 12:52
Final Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 31:17
SPOILER WALL 39:02

Music used in the episode is credited to Jonah Senzel. You can support them by purchasing the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Louey's Playhouse, Pony Island, Enter Pony, The Machine, Adventure Awry, The Island, Escape, Hop, Skip and a Neigh

Check out Dave's guest appearance on Pixel Project Radio about 1000xRESIST!

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Joining me for the discussion is Jenny Windom, host of Geeks & Grounds podcast, organizer and host of Wholesome Games and much more around the industry. Geeks & Grounds is a games club podcast that is fun and insightful to play along with, which you should check out at their website, and keep up with Wholesome games by going to their website!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:43
Story Setup/Mysteries/Presentation 16:11
Gameplay/Exploration/Experimentation 35:13
SPOILER WALL 1:05:26

Music used in the episode is credited to Shared Memory. Tracks used: Dawn Chorus, Animal Well, Flames, Burrows, Manticore, Rabbit Hole, Time Capsule

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Joining me to discuss Pizza Tower is returning guest Aaron Klaassen of Super Pod Saga. Super Pod Saga is a topic-based gaming podcast, with lots of fun guests going through topics like favorite metroidvanias, console retrospectives, and much more. You can find all of the Super Pod Network's podcasts and writing on the network website!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:31
Story Setup/Visuals 10:02
Music 21:03
Gameplay 27:22
Gameplay, continued 36:21
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Closing Thoughts 46:29
NO SPOILER SECTION

Music used in the episode is credited to Post Elvis, Ronan "Mr. Sauceman" de Castel and ClascyJitto. You can support the artists by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Pizza Deluxe, Time for a Smackdown, Dungeon Freakshow, It's Pizza Time!, Oregano Mirage, Hot Spaghetti, Mondays

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Joining me for the discussion about Gris is Eric Gess, host of The Unlockables, which he bills as "The story of video games, the people who play them, and the memories we make along the way". You can check out his podcast and YouTube channel for interviews with creators, monologues about the industry, a long-running story breakdown of the Kingdom Hearts series, and much more.

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:09
Story Setup/Gameplay 13:20
Visuals/Music 29:31
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 38:31
SPOILER WALL 48:31

Music used in the podcast is credited to Berlinist. You can support them by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Gris, pt. 1, Debris, Perseverance, Komorebi, Chiasm, Opaque, Karasu, Gris, pt. 2, In Your Hands

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Joining me for this discussion is Rick Firestone, host of Pixel Project Radio. Rick is one of the most frequent guests on Tales from the Backlog, for good reason. He always brings a thoughtful perspective to the show, and you'll find more of that on Pixel Project Radio, which you can find on your favorite podcast app or by following this link!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:58
Story Setup 13:46
Presentation 30:38
Work Harder/Music 37:03
Gameplay 43:42
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:46
SPOILER WALL 1:15:28

Music used in the episode is credited to Widdly 2 Diddly. You can support the artist by purchasing the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Praise Wally, Summer Love, God's Call, Men's Hair Club, Work Harder, The Highway King, Go Home Johnny, Big Boy's Call, I Am Satan, Salvation!, Devil's Bath Boys, Summer Love

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Joining me for the discussion about 1000xRESIST is Michael Higham from IGN. Michael wrote IGN's review for this game, which you can read HERE, and his insights were invaluable to the discussion. You can follow him on Twitter and check out more of his work!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:27
Story Setup/Themes/Gameplay 18:00
Presentation 40:08
Final Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 53:25
SPOILER WALL 1:00:04

Music used in the episode is credited to Line Katcho, Drew Redman, Alex Mah and Sunset Visitor. You can support the artists by purchasing the OST on Bandcamp.
Tracks used: Year Unknown, Watcher, The Orchard -At Peace-, Day of the Dance, Urgency, I Killed Her, The Youngest Looks, A Future Worthwhile

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Joining me in this episode is returning guest Bryan Skursha of Pixelated Playgrounds podcast. Pixelated Playgrounds is a gaming book club style podcast, similar to Tales from the Backlog. It is worth your time, and you can check them out on your favorite podcast app or by visiting their website!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts: 1:57
Story/World Setup 10:32
Story, continued 27:35
Visuals/Music/Sound Design 44:09
RPG/Choose Your Adventure Gameplay 55:21
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:21:46
SPOILER WALL 1:28:07

Soundtrack is credited to Nick Roder. You can support them by purchasing the Roadwarden OST on Bandcamp. Music used in this episode: Roadwarden, Pelt of the North, Howler's Dell, Creeks, Heart of the Woods, Foggy Lake, The Spirits, Hovlaven, Roadwarden Reprise

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Joining me to discuss Transistor is Alex from Low Five Gaming! Low Five Gaming is a monthly backlog book club podcast that Alex runs with his brother Luke. It's a great time, and you should check it out by heading to their website!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:40
Story Setup 14:30
Visuals/Music 28:03
Combat 39:00
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:00:26
SPOILER WALL 1:08:15

Music used in the episode is written, recorded and produced by Darren Korb, with vocals by Ashley Barrett. You can support them by purchasing the album on BandCamp. Tracks used: Old Friends, Traces, Water Wall, Heightmap, Coasting, The Spine, Apex Beat, Paper Boats

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Joining me to discuss The Case of the Golden Idol is NinaStruggles, a streamer and YouTuber who plays all manner of games but has a particular love of puzzle and detective games! You can check her out by following this link!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:51
Story Setup 9:51
Music/Visuals 18:15
Gameplay/Puzzles 28:25
Final Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 51:26
SPOILER WALL 57:50

Check out Dave's guest appearances on Left Behind Game Club and The Gaming Duo!

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25
Story Setup/Setting/Bleak Tone 14:36
Gameplay Mechanics 39:29
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:16:45

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:00
Story Setup/Game World 13:00
Gameplay 23:12
Overcoming the Challenge 36:27
Visuals/Music 57:30
SPOILER WALL 1:11:54

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:25
Story Setup 11:20
Visuals/Music 22:13
Metroidvania Gameplay 38:43
Combat 49:29
Closing Thoughts 1:05:09
SPOILER WALL 1:10:32

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TIMESTAMPS
Intro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:41
Story Setup 14:49
Visuals/Music 33:32
Gameplay/Combat/Puzzles 48:24
Closing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:17:39
SPOILER WALL 1:28:27

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*Please note that since the time of recording, Kaye has changed her name and pronouns. Episode title and notes have been updated, but I can't change the recording itself. Please refer to her correctly if referencing the episode- thanks!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:44
Story Setup/How Iron Lung Creates Tension/Gameplay 18:01
SPOILER WALL 48:29

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:23
Story Setup 13:18
Gameplay 21:30
Visuals/Music/Closing Thoughts 48:15
SPOILER WALL 1:01:43

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:01
Story Setup 8:41
Decision Making/Music/Final Thoughts 38:21
SPOILER WALL 1:06:14

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Chained Echoes OST was done by Eddie Marianukroh! You can support by purchasing this awesome OST here!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:11
Story Setup 12:15
Combat 33:35
RPG Stuff 1:01:22
Visuals/Music 1:16:07
SPOILER WALL 1:32:09

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Joining me on the podcast to discuss Eastward is Chris Dominguez, one of the two hosts of A Novel Console, a podcast dedicated to video games, books and food. As I told them on the show- if you're not up for video games, books and food, I don't know what to tell you. You can check out their show by following this link, and I was also on their show last week to talk about The Lord of the Rings and all of the other Tolkien adaptations.

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:16
Story Setup 11:12
Aesthetics 34:02
Gameplay 40:49
SPOILER WALL 1:07:42

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:03
Story Setup/Discovery 17:11
Gameplay 34:27
Visuals/Music 54:45
SPOILER WALL 1:06:51

Tunic's OST is by Lifeformed and Janice Kwan!

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TIMESTAMPS
Content Warning 1:05
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:08
Story Setup/Characters/Exploration of Death 12:12
Gameplay 33:38
Music and Visuals 51:45
SPOILER WALL 1:11:36

Spiritfarer OST is by Max LL! Find his music HERE and support him!

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:45
Development History/Story Setup 18:24
Gameplay 26:54
Boss Fights/Visuals/Music 50:39
SPOILER WALL 1:12:45

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I was joined in this episode by Chris from the 1 Hour 1 Decision podcast to discuss this one! They pick a random game on Xbox Game Pass, play the first hour, and discuss whether they want to continue playing or not! You can find the show by searching in your favorite podcast app or by clicking this link!

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:33
Story Setup 14:10
Gameplay/Visuals/Music 29:55
Final Thoughts 46:52
SPOILER WALL 52:13

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TIMESTAMPS
Intro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:28
Aesthetics 14:46
Card Game/Deckbuilding 25:26
Escape Room/Final Thoughts 53:53
SPOILER WALL 1:01:12

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TIMESTAMPS
Intro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:56
Story Setup/Characters 14:30
RPG Systems 40:21
SPOILER WALL 1:07:40

Check out WTFDYW?! at the show website HERE!

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Note- Adelaide was going by a different name at the time of recording, so that's why I refer to her as Jamie. Please respect her choices, as always

TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:49
Story Setup/Aesthetics 9:08
Gameplay 25:44
SPOILER WALL 44:06

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TIMESTAMPS
Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:29
Story Setup/To Kill or Not to Kill? 19:51
Gameplay 31:13
Combat 38:29
Soundtrack/Recommend? 51:38
SPOILER WALL 1:08:00

You can find The Unlockables by following this link! The Unlockables is Backlog Approved!

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TIMESTAMPS
Intro/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:08
Setting/Story Setup 23:08
Gameplay/Music/Sound Design 41:07
Final Thoughts/Housekeeping 1:04:00
SPOILER WALL 1:17:00

Noclip documentary about the making of Outer Wilds

The Main Quest is Keith's personal journey to revisit and replay every game from his childhood through early adulthood, and you can find the podcast and all social media links by clicking here!

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Check out Groove Coffee Roasters for the best coffee in the Eastern Hemisphere.

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*I experienced some recording issues that caused a sound quality drop in this episode- technology is a real pain sometimes! Thanks for understanding!

TIMESTAMPS:
Intro, Personal Histories and Opening Thoughts 0:52
Story Setup, Time Mechanic and Map/Metroidvania 11:45
Combat, Bosses, Crafting and Side Quests 49:12
Aesthetics and Final Thoughts 1:21:29
Spoiler Wall 1:33:03

Find Gaming Together Podcast on Twitter, Apple and Spotify!

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Timestamps:
Personal histories, story and gameplay 7:45
Sound design, music and final thoughts 59:50
Spoiler wall: 1:18:35

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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Before Your Eyes 10:55, Spoiler Wall and Content Warning, 1:00:41

Find Brian on Twitter, at his blog, and on his Twitch channel.
Listen to Cane and Rinse on Apple, Spotify or wherever else you podcast, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and please consider supporting them on Patreon. You can also join their forums at their website.

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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Blasphemous 8:14, Spoiler Section 1:31:30

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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Darkest Dungeon 25:38, Spoiler Section 2:19:50

Find TV Nopes on your favorite podcast app or at its homepage
Follow TV Nopes on Twitter
Find the House of House podcast on your favorite podcast app or its homepage
Follow House of House on Twitter
Follow Andrew on Twitter

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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Death's Door 12:39, Spoiler Section 1:18:18

Click here for everything List Off!

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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, A Short Hike 12:30, Spoiler Section 45:00

The making of A Short Hike GDC talk

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TIMESTAMPS: (0:00 intro, 15:09 The Messenger discussion, 1:35:47 spoiler wall)

Check out the Dukes of Gaming Podcast

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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Disco Elysium 12:40, Spoiler Section 2:10:00

Noah Caldwell-Gervais on Disco Elysium

Listen to Pixel Project Radio on Apple and Spotify
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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Florence 10:50, Spoiler Section 41:50

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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Hollow Knight 12:23, Spoiler Section 1:33:35

Game Maker's Toolkit- The World Design of Hollow Knight

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Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! In the second entry in the Lazy Sunday series focusing on short indie games, Dave is joined again by newly typecasted Walking Sim enthusiast Jake Anderson to talk about Fullbright's groundbreaking hit, Gone Home.

Gone Home is one of the OG Walking Sims, and may even be responsible for that genre name. But since the genre has evolved since Gone Home's release, what is it like playing it for the first time after playing some of the more recent hits in the genre? Listen in to find out what Dave and Jake think. And don't forget to turn all the lights on!

TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Gone Home 12:43, Spoiler Section 45:18

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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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TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Death's Gambit 8:27, Spoiler Secton 1:46:50

Moonborne on Twitter

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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)!

Support Tales from the Backlog

TIMESTAMPS: Intro 0:00, Firewatch 12:15, Spoiler Section 44:47

GDC Talk on making the world of Firewatch

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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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TIMESTAMPS: (Intro 0:00, Hades 11:47, Spoiler Section 1:24:28)

NoClip documentary series chronicling the making and release of Hades

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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)!

Support Tales from the Backlog