Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

Since Nintendo has apparently decided that Wario Land is a series not worth pursuing, we find ourselves telling that familiar story where an indie developer says "ok, they're not making the game I want to play any more....guess it's up to me!". Enter developer Tour De Pizza and their love letter to Wario Land, Sonic the Hedgehog and all manner of 1990s cartoons, Pizza Tower. That set of inspirations creates a high bar to reach, but Pizza Tower clears that bar by several pepperoni lengths. It's fast, it's fluid, it allows you to create your own level of challenge, the animation captures that older cartoon style, and the music is incredible. Pizza Tower was a treat to play. Joining me to discuss Pizza Tower is returning guest Aaron Klaassen of Super Pod Saga. Super Pod Saga is a topic-based gaming podcast, with lots of fun guests going through topics like favorite metroidvanias, console retrospectives, and much more. You can find all of the Super Pod Network's podcasts and writing on the network website! TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:31 Story Setup/Visuals 10:02 Music 21:03 Gameplay 27:22 Gameplay, continued 36:21 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Closing Thoughts 46:29 NO SPOILER SECTION Music used in the episode is credited to Post Elvis, Ronan "Mr. Sauceman" de Castel and ClascyJitto. You can support the artists by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Pizza Deluxe, Time for a Smackdown, Dungeon Freakshow, It's Pizza Time!, Oregano Mirage, Hot Spaghetti, Mondays 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 am FINALLY caught up with Ryu Ga Gotoku and Sega's Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise, and let me tell you, it feels great to play the games as they release now. This time, in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Ichiban, Kiryu and friends take on the streets of Honolulu. This episode talks about the new story, the unique logistical challenge that the non-Japanese setting presented, giant sharks, baby fetish men making snow, and much more. Joining me for the discussion is DeadbeatPunk, the nicest man on the internet and host of WTFDYW?! podcast. Each episode of WTFDYW?! is a half hour topic discussion about something in particular that the guest wants, whether it be talking about a particular game or type of game, a TV show or a band. It's always a fun listen and it respects your time, and you can find it by going to this website. TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:49 Story Setup 13:50 Presentation 42:42 Gameplay/Combat 45:58 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:04:13 SPOILER WALL 1:09:06 Music featured in the episode is credited to Chihiro Aoki, Keitaro Hanada, Hyd Lunch, Hidenori Shoji, Yuri Fukuda, Saori Yoshida, 83key, and Rintaro Soma. Tracks used: Hawaiian Sunshine, Yokohama Sunset, Crashing Waves, Judgement -Shinpan- Hero Spec Edition, The Oncoming Storm, Dondoko Island, Apathy 2, Eternal Warrior, The Endless World, The Epic Remains, Vacation Ends Check out Dave's guest appearance on the Boss Rush 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)! Support Tales from the Backlog

Continuing along my journey of playing Konami and Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series, next up is Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. This is the one that is most often held up as the greatest in the series, and I can absolutely see why. It's not without flaws- it's still clunky to play and continues the trend of no Metal Gear Solid game having normal pacing, but I greatly enjoyed my experience with it. We also discussed some things we would like to see in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta remake. Joining me for this discussion is Katie Lesperance of Left Behind Game Club and Cutscenes: A Video Game Movie & TV Podcast. Both of those shows are worth your time if you like the pitch, and you can find them both on your favorite podcast app or by following these links: Left Behind Game Club Cutscenes TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:52 Story Setup/Theme Intros/Male Gaze/Pacing 14:49 Presentation 41:17 Stealth/Survival Gameplay 48:18 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:17:38 SPOILER WALL 1:26:17 Music used in the episode is credited to Harry Gregson-Williams and Norihiko Hibino. Tracks used: Battle in the Jungle, Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid Main Theme, Virtuous Mission, Battle in the Jungle, Salty Catfish, The Boss "Snake Eater", Debriefing, Metal Gear Solid Main Theme "Reprise" 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

Every now and then, I want to take a break from story-focused games and just play a puzzle-ass puzzle game. Geometric Interactive's Cocoon was just what the doctor ordered, from that perspective. But Cocoon's world hinted at a deeper story, one that seems inaccessible yet present, and that left me with a feeling of want, despite how great the puzzle experience was. Listen to the episode for more! And also a big shoutout to patron Matt aka Stormageddon for submitting this game into the poll it ended up winning! Thanks Matt! Joining me for the discussion about Cocoon is Brenden Groom from Pass the Controller. Pass the Controller is a great spot for chat about what's going on in the world of video games and other nerd culture, as well as interesting cocktail mixes to pair with your favorite games. You can check them out at their website! TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:53 Story Setup/Puzzle Gameplay 11:16 Visuals/Music 37:14 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 48:14 SPOILER WALL 58:42 Music used in the episode is credited to Jakob Schmid. You can purchase the soundtrack on Steam to support the artist! Tracks used in the episode: Signal, Cosmic Mystery, A Dance in Phases, Leviathan, Journey II, Spheres Check out friend of the show Flora Merigold's written review of Cocoon on Epilogue Gaming! Listen to Dave's appearance on Retro Hangover's [King of Games 1996](linktr.ee/retrohangover)! 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

In this bonus episode, I'm joined by returning guest Charlie Young to discuss FromSoftware's Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The public feed includes roughly the first half of the episode, and all paid members at [patreon.com/realdavejackson](patreon.com/realdavejackson) will get the entire discussion. This is a full spoiler discussion, though the spoilers really start flying at about the 22:00 mark. 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 was convinced to try out Gris after seeing a single screenshot, but in true gamer fashion, I bought it a few years before finally playing it. It took the backlog resolutions challenge in our Discord server to finally get me to play it, and unsurprisingly, I was hooked by what Nomada Studio had created immediately. The marriage of art, music, gameplay and color take you on a journey through the main character's struggle in a way that only a video game can do. Joining me for the discussion about Gris is Eric Gess, host of The Unlockables, which he bills as "The story of video games, the people who play them, and the memories we make along the way". You can check out his podcast and YouTube channel for interviews with creators, monologues about the industry, a long-running story breakdown of the Kingdom Hearts series, and much more. TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 2:09 Story Setup/Gameplay 13:20 Visuals/Music 29:31 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 38:31 SPOILER WALL 48:31 Music used in the podcast is credited to Berlinist. You can support them by purchasing the album on Bandcamp! Tracks used: Gris, pt. 1, Debris, Perseverance, Komorebi, Chiasm, Opaque, Karasu, Gris, pt. 2, In Your Hands 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

For any lover of RPGs, and especially "weird RPGs", as former guest on the show Rebekah Valentine termed them, Lisa: The Painful, by Dingaling Productions, will probably jump out at you. From its art style, non-pretty boy protagonist to its serious themes and punishing gameplay, this is not a game for the faint of heart. However, if you are willing to engage with the game and its premise on its terms, what you'll find is a thoughtful tale of hero syndrome, toxic masculinity and free will...AND legitimately one of the funniest games I've ever played. Joining me for this discussion is Rick Firestone, host of Pixel Project Radio. Rick is one of the most frequent guests on Tales from the Backlog, for good reason. He always brings a thoughtful perspective to the show, and you'll find more of that on Pixel Project Radio, which you can find on your favorite podcast app or by following this link! TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:58 Story Setup 13:46 Presentation 30:38 Work Harder/Music 37:03 Gameplay 43:42 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 1:07:46 SPOILER WALL 1:15:28 Music used in the episode is credited to Widdly 2 Diddly. You can support the artist by purchasing the album on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Praise Wally, Summer Love, God's Call, Men's Hair Club, Work Harder, The Highway King, Go Home Johnny, Big Boy's Call, I Am Satan, Salvation!, Devil's Bath Boys, Summer Love 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

Sunset Visitor's 1000xRESIST came out of nowhere for me. Releasing on May 9th, 2024 meant it faced stiff indie competition on its day of release, and it wasn't until others were shouting from the rooftops that I found myself drawn to try it out (and a big thank you to Sunset Visitor and Fellow Traveler for the review code!). What I found was a story that had all the hallmarks of the best sci-fi: a high concept with cool sci-fi ideas that was firmly rooted in the real world and real, modern day experiences. I was absolutely blown away by its narrative and themes, so I needed to include it on the podcast. Joining me for the discussion about 1000xRESIST is Michael Higham from IGN. Michael wrote IGN's review for this game, which you can read HERE, and his insights were invaluable to the discussion. You can follow him on Twitter and check out more of his work! TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 1:27 Story Setup/Themes/Gameplay 18:00 Presentation 40:08 Final Thoughts/Recommendations/Housekeeping 53:25 SPOILER WALL 1:00:04 Music used in the episode is credited to Line Katcho, Drew Redman, Alex Mah and Sunset Visitor. You can support the artists by purchasing the OST on Bandcamp. Tracks used: Year Unknown, Watcher, The Orchard -At Peace-, Day of the Dance, Urgency, I Killed Her, The Youngest Looks, A Future Worthwhile 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