Tales from the Backlog

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 pagesSupport Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

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 pagesSupport Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

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! Support Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog