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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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

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)!

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