

Tales from the Backlog
Dave Jackson
A video games podcast where Dave Jackson and guests break down and discuss the games they play. Each episode looks at one game in depth, focusing on mechanics, story, music and other aspects, with no spoilers until a clearly marked spoiler wall in the middle.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 8, 2025 • 2h 6min
186: Silent Hill 3 (with Kaye Ross)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
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It's been a real joy working my way through the Silent Hill series alongside doing this show, starting all the way back in episode 10(!) with Silent Hill 2. Today, I'm playing the sequel to Silent Hill 1, which is NOT Silent Hill 2...it's Silent Hill 3, and I've brought on the perfect guest to discuss what many fans to agree to be the last truly good Silent Hill game for many years.
Guest info: Kaye Ross (she/her)
Check out all of the wonderful Duckfeed podcasts https://duckfeed.tv/
Check out Kaye's horror game streams https://www.twitch.tv/duckfeedtv
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Title Card
0:28 Intros
4:56 Our Histories with Silent Hill 3
10:35 Opening Thoughts About Silent Hill 3
14:51 Story Setup
21:53 Aesthetics and Horror
30:25 Sound Design and Music
37:14 Heather As a Protagonist
43:37 Puzzles and Riddles
50:32 Tank Controls and Combat
1:03:49 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
1:06:36 The Many Podcasts at Duckfeed.tv
1:11:09 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-You's
1:13:11 Spoiler Section- Heather & The Cult
1:36:39 Spoiler Section- Heather & Harry
Music used in the episode is credited to Akira Yamaoka. Tracks used: You're Not Here, End of Small Sanctuary, Breeze- In Monochrome Night, Something Long Forgotten, Sickness Unto Foolish Death, Hometown
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

Oct 1, 2025 • 2h 3min
185: Slay the Princess (with Matt aka Stormageddon)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
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/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

6 snips
Sep 24, 2025 • 2h 15min
184: Ultros (with John Rogers - Gaming in the Wild)
In this lively discussion, John Rogers, host of Gaming in the Wild and author of Lost in Cult's Ultros book, dives into the captivating world of Ultros, a vibrant Metroidvania game. They explore how stunning visuals and a rich soundscape elevate the gaming experience. John shares insights into the unique gameplay mechanics, including nutrient-based combat and a gardening system that enhances player engagement. They also contemplate Ultros’ potential to become a cult classic, reflecting on its emotional and narrative depth.

Sep 17, 2025 • 1h 59min
183: Despelote (with Moises Taveras)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
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/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

Sep 10, 2025 • 1h 29min
182: Bionic Bay (with Harry Loizides - Six One Indie)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
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/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

Sep 3, 2025 • 2h 38min
181: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (with Ty Schalter)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
Everybody has that game they played a hundred times as a kid and therefore can't be objective about anymore, and for us, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is NOT one of those! Both my guest Ty and I both tried the game at various points, but never quite got on with it. The podcast has now given us a chance to revisit Nintendo's landmark title and give it the deep dive treatment- so listen in to find out how we felt this time!
Guest info: Ty Schalter (he/him)
Check out FunFactor podcast http://www.funfactorpod.com!/
Follow Ty on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/tyschalter.com
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Title Card
0:15 Intros
6:03 Our Histories with Zelda and A Link to the Past
10:59 Opening Thoughts About A Link to the Past
18:11 Story Setup
27:58 Visuals
31:59 World/Map Design
35:44 Music
47:13 Combat
58:41 Difficulty Curve, Exploration and Secrets
1:10:00 "The Zelda Formula"
1:18:41 Dungeons
1:23:23 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
1:38:37 FunFactor Podcast and Ty's Work Online
1:45:24 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-You's
1:47:49 Spoiler Section
Music used in the episode: Title, File Select, Opening Demo, Hyrule Castle, Dark World, Kakariko Village, Ending
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

Aug 27, 2025 • 2h 50min
180: Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (with Erik - Pages of Play)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/V3ZHz3vYQR
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Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (Don't Nod, 2023) represents a different type of game that Don't Nod has been making alongside their popular choice-based narrative games like Life is Strange and Lost Records: Bloom and Rage. With 2018's Vampyr, Don't Nod took a swing a narrative, decisions-matter action RPG, and while I liked Vampyr a lot, the decisions-matter part of it left a lot to be desired. Five years later, they took another swing at that type of game with Banishers, and really righted that specific area. Decisions matter in Banishers in a way they don't matter in most games, and it led to one of the most effective stories I've played in a while.
Guest info: Erik (he/him)
Listen to Pages of Play podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pages-of-play/id1755937349
Check out Erik's written work on So Many Games https://somanygames.co.uk/
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Title Card
0:32 Intros
5:03 Histories with Don't Nod and Banishers
8:29 Opening Thoughts
16:22 Story/World Setup and Characters
28:43 Inciting Plot Event and Choice/Morality System
37:51 Tough Choices
48:02 Presentation and Side Quest Writing
59:00 Combat
1:13:37 World Design and Vibes
1:22:50 Boss Fights
1:27:20 Recommendations
1:30:20 Pages of Play Podcast
1:36:38 SPOILER WALL and Patron Thank-Yous
1:38:06 Spoiler Section- Side Stories Tying Into the Main Story
2:17:10 Spoiler Section- The Nightmare
2:32:08 Spoiler Section- Endings
Music used in the episode is credited to Trevor Morris. Tracks used: Main Menu, The Harrows, Intimate Moment- Harmony
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

Aug 20, 2025 • 2h 42min
179: Blue Prince (with Jenny Windom)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
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/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

Aug 13, 2025 • 2h 41min
178: Psychonauts (with Try - My Life in Gaming)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
A good friend of mine likes to say "every game is somebody's favorite game", but I'm always intrigued when some oddball picks enter those conversations, and DoubleFine's Psychonauts is mentioned often enough that I felt like I had to play it someday. And my show patrons (thank you!) made it a point to vote it onto the show, so away we go for a discussion about a fascinating game!
Guest info: Marc aka Try of My Life in Gaming
Check out My Life in Gaming on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@mylifeingaming
Check out The Backloggery https://backloggery.com/
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Title Card
0:18 Intros
4:46 Personal Histories with Psychonauts
10:34 Opening Thoughts
16:20 Story Setup, Comedic Tone
23:48 Visual Aesthetic
32:25 Music
35:37 Voice Acting
40:49 A Fun Story with Odd Pacing
55:43 Platforming and Combat
1:13:15 Cool But Unintuitive
1:27:11 Wrap-Up Thoughts/Recommendations
1:33:57 My Life In Gaming/The Backloggery/King of Games
1:42:32 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
1:44:33 Spoiler Section
Music used in the episode is credited to Peter McConnell. Tracks used: Title and Credits Montage, Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp, The Meat Circus, Fighting for the Cause in Lungfishopolis, Agent Cruller's Sacred Hall, The Milkman Conspiracy
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog

Aug 6, 2025 • 1h 56min
177: Split Fiction (with Aaron Angle)
Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
Hazelight Studios were already on the map before their Game of the Year winner It Takes Two, but that game was so much fun that everyone, including me, was waiting to see what their next offering would be like. And it turns out, 2025's Split Fiction is very similar- a ton of fun to play, gorgeous graphics, bad story, and great gaming memories made with a friend. Tune in to find out more.
Guest info: Aaron Angle
Check out A Top 3 Podcast https://atop3podcast.fireside.fm/
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Title Card
0:32 Intros
4:49 Our Histories with Hazelight and Split Fiction
6:46 Opening Thoughts About Split Fiction
11:30 Story Setup
26:55 Loudly Bad vs Quietly Bad
34:10 Gameplay and Difficulty
40:17 Changing Up Gameplay
47:57 Visuals/Music
58:41 Truly a Cooperative Game
1:03:46 Recommendations/Closing Thoughts
1:10:12 A Top 3 Podcast
1:12:51 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous
1:14:47 Spoiler Section
Music used in the episode is credited to Gustaf Grefberg and Jonatan Järpehag. Tracks used:
Gravity Bike (Gustaf Grefberg)
Split Fiction Main Theme (Jonatan Järpehag)
The Legend of the Sandfish (Gustaf Grefberg)
The Monkey King (Jonatan Järpehag)
In Memory of Blake Hudson (Jonatan Järpehag)
Social Media:
BlueSky
Instagram
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricaturesSupport Tales from the Backlog