Tales from the Backlog

*Spoiler section includes some spoilers for key moments and/or themes in Nier Automata, Persona 5 Royal and Metaphor ReFantazio. 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 my work on Patreon 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: 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 my work on Patreon 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 my work on Patreon 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 my work on Patreon 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 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 my work on Patreon 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 my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson 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: BlueSky Instagram Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

What if Resident Evil 1 was just puzzles? What if it was also about eccentric artists and how they view their art and the creative process vs how their work is perceived? Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo, 2024) is that game! Tune in to find out how we felt about it! 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 my work on Patreon 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: BlueSky Instagram Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

Support my work on Patreon- https://www.patreon.com/realdavejackson 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 Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server! Social Media: BlueSky Instagram Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

Support my work on Patreon https://patreon.com/realdavejackson 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 my work on Patreon 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/ 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)!

Like many of Square's RPGs of the late 90's and early 2000's, Vagrant Story is an ambitious, flawed, divisive and fantastic RPG, full of big ideas that didn't get a chance to full develop into what was planned. What we got was only one part of a larger saga (see also: Xenogears from just a few years prior), a game that stands on its own, proudly displaying all of the rough edges and brilliant ideas for all to see. It made for a great discussion on the podcast! 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 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 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)!

No, this isn't the Arkane Studios Prey, this is the one that Arkane was forced to name their game after for no good reason. In fact, that's what got me interested in Human Head Studios' Prey (2006) in the first place, even before I learned what the game is about. So what did we think of this shooter caught between two eras, with seemingly 10 different puzzle mechanics? How did we find a rare AAA attempt at indigenous representation? Listen in and find out! 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 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 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)!

Review code provided by Ivy Road- thank you! 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 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)!

From the first trailer, I knew that Sifu (Sloclap, 2022) looked like a game I wanted to play. There was just one small thing- it released two weeks before Elden Ring, and I was clearing the decks in a big way. No mental bandwidth to get stuck in a demanding action game. And so I waited. And waited. And forgot about it. And waited some more. And now, in 2025, after Elden Ring is (maybe) finished, it was time to revisit Sifu. And boy...it was worth the wait. 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 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 Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

Only one studio out there can inspire the following sentence- the first time I saw the menu UI in Metaphor: ReFantazio, I knew that Atlus and Studio Zero were cooking. They've mastered the art of making menu-based RPGs flashy and stylish, as well as mastering the "Persona" calendar-based structure in general. On several fronts, this is the best game this studio has made, but left us wanting in a few areas as well. Listen in to this deep dive discussion and let us know what you think! 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 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 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)!

In my ongoing first-time playthrough of the Metal Gear Solid series, we've arrived at the canonical end of Solid Snake's story, while seeing series creator Hideo Kojima at his most self-indulgent (yet) and most creative. Metal Gear Solid is a series of multitudes, and 2008's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is no different. Listen in to find out what we thought! 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 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 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)!

Ever since the podcast started in 2021, I always knew I'd do an episode about Unpacking (Witch Beam, 2021) someday. John Fogerty sang that someday never comes, but here we are, and Unpacking is on the show! Unpacking is a great example of using the interactivity of video games to tell a story in a unique, gameplay-forward way. Through the ONE SIMPLE TRICK of unpacking boxes and organizing your stuff when you move, a life story is told, and it's fantastic. Listen in for the deep-dive conversation! 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 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 Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

Mouthwashing (Wrong Organ, 2024) is a rare horror game that gets scarier after you finish the game. Its nonlinear structure, reality-blurring presentation and subtle (at times) storytelling leave you to put the pieces together yourself. Once you do that, you'll find a strikingly real story where the most unbelievable thing is the fact that it takes place in outer space. We had a great discussion on the show about what this game says about certain types of leaders, what "taking responsibility" means, analogues to the games industry and much more! 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 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 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)!

I remember reading about Shenmue (AM2 of CRI, Sega, 2000) in the magazines back in the day and really marveling at how cool it all sounded- a revenge/investigation story, a town with characters that live their own lives outside of interacting with you, life in small-town Japan...but I didn't have a Dreamcast, so I never got to play it and eventually forgot about it as everyone else seemed to move on too. But over the past 5 years, I've also become a huge fan of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, and I eventually decided it was finally time to play Shenmue. Listen in to the discussion to hear what we think! 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 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)!

When Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Jump over the Age / Gareth Damian Martin, 2025) was announced, it was a surprise, but it also jumped straight to the top of my most anticipated games list. And while it fulfills the promise of a sequel by doubling down on the strengths of the first game, it also introduces some harsh mechanics that took a lot of people by surprise. Join us as we dig into all aspects in this discussion. 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 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)!

Sometimes I think I know about video games, and then a series that I'd been ignoring for years absolutely blows me away. Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (Namco, 2004) is one of those games. Exhilerating air combat, the best spectacle that the PS2 could offer, and a grand and amazing soundtrack all set the hooks, then a surprisingly good story pulls you along for the ride. I'm truly flourishing in my new Ace Combat arc, and this is the first of many Ace Combat episodes on the show. 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) 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 Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages

Entering 2024, there were very few indie games as hotly anticipated as The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures, Devolver Digital)...but then release date came, it got good-not-great reviews, and seemed to inspire more disappointment than anything else. So what happened? And how is the game, actually? Buckle up, because we've got you covered. 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 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)!

Fullbright made a name for themselves with 2013's Gone Home, leading many to anticipate their next project. 2017's Tacoma, however, seems to have come and gone without much fanfare. It is a fairly simple game that may not reach the emotional peaks of Gone Home, but Tacoma is a very good game in its own right. And then, due to director Steve Gaynor's workplace behavior during the development of Open Roads, Fullbright was all but gone, leaving Tacoma kind of hanging in the "forgotten and under-appreciated" zone, in my opinion. Listen in to find out more! 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) 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 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!

Learn about and support the SAG-AFTRA union and video game actors on strike. 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 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 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)!

As a fan of Red Candle Games' previous projects, Devotion (episode 139) and Detention (bonus episode on Patreon), Nine Sols instantly leapt onto my watchlist as soon as it was announced. However, as it released, I was a bit nervous to dive into it due to its Sekiro-inspired combat. I like Sekiro a lot, but did I want another one right then? Luckily, a few friends (including Josh, today's guest) convinced me to give it a whirl...and I was not disappointed. The combat is smooth and satisfying, the art and music are fantastic, and it tells what might be the best story in the genre. This is an awesome game, and I hope you enjoy the discussion! 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) 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)!

I once heard the original Pathologic (Ice-Pick Lodge) described as "the best game you shouldn't play", which is an oddly appealing pitch to me. I need to see what it is that puts it in that category, ya know? Luckily for me, Pathologic 2 exists and seems to be the preferred way for many to get the Pathologic experience, and I was not disappointed with what I got. Dense worldbuilding, intriguing and mysterious characters, harsh but meaningful survival systems and more await anyone who decides to take our recommendation and play Pathologic 2. 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) 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)!

In 2024, we began a new community event in the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- the Backlog Resolutions Challenge. A big group of us picked a list of games that had been collecting dust in our libraries and resolved to play them! This episode is all about how that challenge went- what worked, what didn't work, why most of us didn't complete our lists, and any adjustments we are making going into the 2025 challenge. If you'd like to join us, hop in the Discord server, make your list and start playing! Guest info: Matt aka Stormageddon, host of "Fun" and Games and Reignite podcasts. Find everything they do at https://djstormageddon.com/ Jared Moss, host of Play Along Podcast Soccr TIMESTAMPS Intros/General Thoughts 0:13 Challenges 33:47 Break/Patron Thank Yous 53:43 Lessons Learned/Plans for the 2025 Challenge 55:03 Music used in the episode: "Tinykin" (Tinykin)- Alexis Laugier "BRIDGES" (Death Stranding)- Ludvig Forssell "Catchy" (Picross 3D)- Yasumasa Yamada, Jun Ishikawa, Hirokazu Ando "No.EX 01" (Xenoblade Chronicles X)- Hiroyuki Sawano 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)!

Dave recaps his favorite games that released in 2024 and discusses the year in podcasting, gaming and more. Catch Dave's favorite games from other years that he played for the first time in 2024 on Patreon, available to all paid patrons! TIMESTAMPS: Intros/Reminiscing 0:18 Honorable Mentions 5:40 #10 13:44 #9 18:01 #8 21:15 #7 26:38 #6 32:01 #5 36:34 #4 41:17 #3 46:40 #2 52:26 #1 and thank yous 59:23 Music used in the episode: 1000xRESIST - The Orchard (At Peace) (Drew Redman) 1000xRESIST - The Youngest Looks (Drew Redman) 1000xRESIST - Watcher (Drew Redman) Animal Well - Animal Well (Billy Basso) Animal Well - Dawn Chorus (Billy Basso) Animal Well - Flames (Billy Basso) Balatro - Main Title (LouisF) Balatro - Boss Blind Theme (LouisF) Dragon's Dogma 2 - Escort Mission (Tadayoshi Makino, Rei Kondoh, Inon Zur and Masayoshi Ishi) Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Diving Beast Dancing Lion (Tsukasa Saitoh, Shoi Miyazawa, Tai Tomisawa, Soma Tanizaka, Yuka Kitamura) Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Gravesite Plain (Tsukasa Saitoh, Shoi Miyazawa, Tai Tomisawa, Soma Tanizaka, Yuka Kitamura) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - Main Theme Battle Edit (Nobuo Uematsu, Shotaro Shima) Final Fantasy VII Remake/Rebirth - Nibelheim/Train Graveyard (Nobuo Uematsu) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Dondoko Island (SEGA Sound Team/Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Yokohama Sunset (SEGA Sound Team/Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio) Metaphor ReFantazio - Akademia (Shoji Meguro, Atsushi Kitajoh and Toshiki Konishi) Metaphor ReFantazio - Main Theme (Shoji Meguro, Atsushi Kitajoh and Toshiki Konishi, Keisuke Honryo) Metaphor ReFantazio - Port Brilehaven (Shoji Meguro, Atsushi Kitajoh and Toshiki Konishi) Mouthwashing - Main Title (Martin Halldin) Nine Sols - Awakening (FFXX) Nine Sols - Walk Me Through History (FFXX) The Plucky Squire - A Very Happy Ending (Mike Georgiades) The Plucky Squire - Celebration & Moonbeard's After Party (Mike Georgiades) The Plucky Squire - Plucky Squire Theme (Mike Georgiades) UFO 50 - Devilition (Placement) (Erik Suhrke) UFO 50 - Mortol (Gameplay) (Erik Suhrke) UFO 50 - Play Forever (Erik Suhrke) UFO 50 - UFO 50 (Erik Suhrke) 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)!

Check out more information on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA video game actor strike and support the actors in any way that you can. 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)! 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)!

System Shock 2 **(Looking Glass Studios/Irrational Games**, 1999) contains one of the most iconic images in gaming (the scifi horror Medusa-esque SHODAN) and one of the most iconic spiritual sequels in gaming (the Bioshock series), but I still feel like experience with System Shock 2 itself is relegated to those who were there playing on PC in 1999. What was it about this game that made it so foundational for the Bioshock series and so many other modern games? Well, it's a good thing I have this podcast to dig into it! 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 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)!

It all started with an elevator pitch, courtesy of someone on the Axe of the Blood God podcast- "A sokoban puzzle game with a JRPG story". Sign me up! Void Stranger (System Erasure, 2023) does boast those things, but to my surprise, Void Stranger is so full of secrets as well. But if you want to get at those secrets, Void Stranger will challenge you in more ways than one. Join us as we dive into this one-of-a-kind experience. 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! 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)!

Remedy Entertainment have built a sort of extended universe by this point, but 2019's Control is both the piece that introduced a lot of people to their world and the key that unlocked the possibility for an extended universe in the first place. Control's Men in Black-meets-SCP Foundation setting is ripe for creative sci-fi storytelling and Remedy took full advantage of that. Despite some hiccups in the story and gameplay that may wear out its welcome, Control is an undeniably cool game. 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) 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)!

What was FromSoftware up to before Demon's Souls? Most people know about the King's Field series, and the Armored Core sickos have been around too, but they were even more prolific in the RPG and dungeon crawler space than just King's Field. Shadow Tower: Abyss (2003), the sequel to the Playstation game Shadow Tower, was never officially localized in English, but thanks to FromSoftware's explosion in popularity, the cottage industry of Souls creators, and most importantly a fan translated ROM, we can now go back and see some of the DNA that eventually made it into Demon's Souls and beyond. 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. 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)!

Night in the Woods (Infinite Fall, 2017) challenges us in a lot of ways. The gameplay mechanics are a means to get you from one side of town to another and nothing more. The protagonist can be unlikable. The story is much more local than your standard "save the world" fare. And it's all the better for the direction it takes. Instead of a sweeping epic, we get a very emotional, personal, close-to-home look at a small slice of American life. And as a result, we get a very rich and interesting story, which is the main focus of this podcast. 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) 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)!

Final Fantasy VII Remake started this epic remake project off with a bang, and it left us with a few questions, namely "what will they do with Aerith?" and "how will they handle the more open world nature of the game post-Midgar?". Both of those answers came in somewhat messy and/or convoluted forms, which I won't spoil here in the podcast description, but it's a good thing we have nearly 3 hours of podcast here to discuss it all! 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: 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)!

To celebrate 3 years of Tales from the Backlog, I figured it was time to talk about the namesake of the show- The Backlog. Do we get FOMO as dozens of great games release every year? Do we feel pressure to complete the games we buy? What's the best approach to keep our habits healthy? All this and much more in this discussion episode! Guest info: Matt aka Stormageddon of "Fun" and Games and Reignite podcasts. Marcus Stewart of The Indie Informer. Find Marcus on Twitter and Twitch. Music used in the episode: Pandora's Place (Yakuza 0)- SEGA Sound Team Frozen Soul (Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere)- Tetsukazu Nakanishi Yoga (Wii Fit)- Toru Minegishi, Manaka Tominaga Check out Dave's guest appearance on Retro Hangover discussing System Shock 2! 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)!

Here are the games I played at GDEX 2024 gaming convention in Columbus, Ohio! Games mentioned in the episode: Skate Fish Tales of Thisrea Zakumba: Astraia Dark Sky Derelict Mole Maiden Quiet On Set RA RA BOOM Intro/Outro music composed by Bert Cole- check them out at bitbybitsound.com 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)!

Have you ever thought to yourself, "how scary could this pixel art horror game be? It's just pixels!". If so, you and I are the same. And granted, Decarnation (Atelier QDB, 2023) isn't an in-your-face type of horror. It's more of a psychological, empathetic horror and dread for what your character is going through. And it's very, very effective! This is a really unique horror game with fantastic pixel art, sound design and music- highly recommended! 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)!

Stop me if you've heard this story before. A game that I once thought would be too scary for me to play, so I spoiled the entire story for myself only to realize that it sounded too good to not experience for myself. Add Devotion (Red Candle Games, 2019) to that list. Despite the controversy surrounding the game and subsequent delisting from all major storefronts, this one is worth seeking you. You can purchase and download it directly from the Red Candle Games website. 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) 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)!

As a fan of Silent Hill 2 (episode 10 of Tales from the Backlog, by the way), I figured at some point I would need to go back and play the original. Silent Hill (Team Silent, Konami, 1999) was really interesting to go back and play, for a couple of reasons, most notably that I thought I knew what the game and town's whole deal was, but that was apparently not the case in the first game. The other surprise was that I found this pretty breezy from a mechanical perspective, which was welcome after really struggling through Resident Evil 1. It was an interesting trip back through history, and led to a great conversation! Guest Info: Stephanie Klimov, podcaster and editor for Boss Rush Network TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories with Silent Hill/Opening Thoughts 0:21 Story Setup 12:58 Presentation 26:48 Gameplay 43:48 Closing Thoughts/Plugs/Housekeeping 59:42 SPOILER WALL 1:08:12 Music used in the episode is credited to Akira Yamaoka. Tracks used: Silent Hill, Led Into Madness, Meeting Cybil, No Dream, Tears of Blood, Dr. Kaufmann, Killing Time Content Warnings for Silent Hill Catch Dave on the Gaming Memories Podcast! 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)!

There has been a lot of talk about the cult classic "7/10 game" lately, and no game better exemplifies this than Deadly Premonition (Access Games, 2010). It's one of those games where the average might land on 7/10 because there will be a lot of 10's and a lot of 3's in the review score distribution. Memorable characters, poor graphics, lifelike town, terrible combat, fun mystery and rough performance combine to create a very interesting game, to say the least. Guest info: James Tuerlings and Patrick Arthur of Retro Spectives podcast. TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:32 Story Setup/Twin Peaks Influence 14:40 Gameplay 42:03 Music/Presentation 1:15:51 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Plugs 1:28:18 SPOILER WALL 1:46:39 Polygon interview with Deadly Premonition director Swery65. Music used in the episode is credited to Riyou Kinugasa, Takuya Kobayashi and Hiromi Mizutani. Tracks used: Greenvale, FBI Special Agent, Found You!, Underground, The Woods and the Goddess, Raincoat Killer, Red Tree, The Goddess 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)!

Sometimes a game has such striking and memorable art that one screenshot will implant that game into your head, even if you never play it. Omori (Omocat, 2020) was almost one of those games for me. A combination of thinking the game would be too scary and having tons of other games available kept Omori on the periphery for a long time, until today's guest, Aaron, played it and kept (lovingly) pestering me to play it. And while I can't say that I loved every aspect of the experience, the story and presentation of mental health struggles were good enough to see me through to its emotional conclusion. I'm very glad I took Aaron's recommendation seriously, for once. 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! 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!

Lost Odyssey, by Mistwalker and feelplus, is almost legendary at this point. A darker, sadder RPG by Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, with a moody yet eclectic soundtrack by Final Fantasy series composer Nobuo Uematsu and short stories interspersed throughout by famed Japanese author Kiyoshi Shigematsu, there is pedigree and talent behind the game, and perhaps most crucially- you probably can't buy it, unless you own an Xbox console. Situations like this tend to lead to inflation of a game's merits, not to mention all of the "this is the real Final Fantasy 13" memes out there. So does Lost Odyssey live up to its mythical reputation? Tune in to find out! Guest Info: Ryan Batie (they/them) of Lightning Strikes Thrice, a JRPG play along podcast. Check them out at their website or on your favorite podcast app, and support them via Patreon for bonus shows including Icons & Eikons, a Final Fantasy XIV play along podcast. TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:35 Story Setup 16:48 Pacing/Game Length 42:06 Presentation/Music 53:24 Combat/Gameplay 1:05:46 SPOILER WALL 1:45:40 Music used in the episode is credited to Nobuo Uematsu. Tracks used: Prologue, Battlefield, Neverending Journey, A Formidable Enemy Appears!, The Gun Barrel Battle, Main Theme, Howl of the Departed, An Immortal Life 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)!

Friends of the show probably know that I love games (especially indie games) set in "uncommon" real world settings- those outside of the US, Japan and Western Europe. Mojiken Studio's 2023 title A Space for the Unbound is one of those, set in Indonesia. That was the draw for me- an emotional story set in a place that I've been in real life. I didn't quite know what kind of emotional story lay in wait for me though, and despite a bumpy road, the way this story pays off and executes on its promise was truly remarkable. In the podcast we discuss the highs and lows, how gameplay affects the pacing, and much more! 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! 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)!

Final Fantasy is one of the most well-represented series on this podcast, and its anthology structure means you can pick and choose which games you want to play without fear of playing out of order. So this year, I wanted to make sure I played a foundational one- Final Fantasy IV. I expected this to be the turning point where Square and the Final Fantasy team started to prioritize story and characters, and you can really see their attempts here, including some cool marriages of gameplay and narrative that later games no longer do. I really enjoyed my time with this one and was happy to bring together an all-star group of guests to chat about it! Joining me for the discussion are Chris Coplien of Retro Hangover podcast, which you should [check out](linktr.ee/retrohangover) for retro gaming podcasts as well as the yearly King of Games tournament, and Jenny E., who is a writer and podcaster. You can find her Final Fantasy IV fan fiction and other writing HERE, and check out her Wordlessly podcast as well! TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:05 Story Setup/Themes/Characters 17:09 Visuals/Music 40:11 Combat 52:18 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Guest Plugs 1:07:57 SPOILER WALL 1:18:00 Music used in the episode is credited to Nobuo Uematsu and Square. Tracks used: The Prelude, Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV, Red Wings, Theme of Love, Mystic Mysidia, Fight 1, Chocobo-Chocobo, Prologue, Mt. Ordeals, The Final Battle, Fanfare Check out Dave's guest appearance on Pixel Project Radio's series about 1000xRESIST! 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)!

Do you ever feel like you missed the boat on a game? Maybe it was really influential and subsequent games used its "trick"? Maybe you wonder if that OG still has the juice even though you couldn't possibly go into the game completely blind? These were the thoughts running through my mind as I booted up Pony Island by Daniel Mullins Games for the first time in 2024. I'm happy to say that despite I'll never get the "true" experience, Pony Island has a lot more going for it than mere gimmicks. This is a game that actually has something to say, and I'm glad that I played it. 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! 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)!

Animal Well, by Billy Basso/Shared Memory came out of nowhere. For me, and I think a lot of others, the initial announcement was more of a shock that videogamedunkey had started the BigMode publishing company than excitement about the game being published. Once people got their hands on Animal Well, however, all skepticism or publicity about dunkey publishing games went out the window- Animal Well is an absolute treat and captivated so many of us in the weeks following its launch. It's the kind of game that begs people to get together and share what they discovered, and luckily for me, I have a podcast where I can do just that! 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 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)!

Dave the Diver, despite clearly having a great character name, is not my kind of game. Mintrocket's dive-collect-sell-upgrade-dive loop is one that I'm not very motivated by, but Dave the Diver got such unanimous acclaim that I had to take note. And apparently the patrons of the show wanted me to play it as well, because it won one of the montly polls. And this was an interesting episode to make, because I absolutely despise this game. Part of a critic's challenge is articulating why something hits or misses, and usually I'm on the other side of that challenge. Today is a different story. Listen in and find out why! Joining me for the discussion about Dave the Diver is Dave Cox of Monster Dear Monster podcast. Monster Dear Monster is a monster- and horror-focused podcast covering all types of media and the monsters, history and folklore within. It's a great show, and you should check it out by finding it on your favorite podcast app or on their show website! TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:02 Story Setup 19:53 Music/Visuals 42:14 Diving/Restaurant Gameplay 51:39 Gameplay "Shake Ups"/Closing Thoughts/Recommendations 1:11:14 SPOILER WALL 1:43:12 Music used in the episode is credited to Jukio Kallio and D'Anthoni Wooten. You can purchase the album as DLC on Steam. Tracks used: Deep, Ocean Peace, Diver, Serve Sushi Serve!, Darker Trenches, Restaurant Prep, Welcome to My Bistro Check out Dave's appearance on the Final Fantasy Fantasy Draft over on Still Loading podcast! Check out Dave's appearance on Jala-chan's Place, discussing weight and body image! 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)!