Tales from the Backlog

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Join Dave and special guest Gen Moonen ("Fun" and Games) as they discuss Konami's 2006 entry in the Castlevania franchise, Portrait of Ruin. By this point, the series had largely moved past dual-screen and touchscreen gimmicks, settling on putting the menus and map on the bottom screen with the action on top. Add in a dual-protagonist setup and you've got a recipe for a good metroidvania experience. It's not reinventing the wheel, but it's likely got what you're looking for, and there's value in that. Check out the discussion for more, and as always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Gen Moonen (they/she)

Check out "Fun" and Games https://funandgamespod.com/

Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gnoisegenerator.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:22 Introductions

6:56 Our Histories with Castlevania

12:40 Top-Level Thoughts

19:51 Story Setup and Dual Protagonists

24:52 Castlevania Stories and Humor

31:19 Character Swapping Gameplay

44:52 Metroid vs Vania

50:13 Boss Fights, Painted Worlds and The Castle

1:03:52 Metroidvania Upgrades

1:08:41 Visual Design

1:16:40 Who Should Play?

1:25:50 "Fun" and Games Podcast

1:30:31 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:32:44 Spoilers- Painted Worlds and The Vampire Killer

1:53:38 Spoilers- More Story & Boss Fights

Music used in the episode is credited to Michiru Yamane unless otherwise noted. Tracks used: Gallery of Labyrinth, Invitation of a Crazed Moon (Yuzo Koshiro), Chaotic Playground, Victorian Fear, Name Entry, Crucifix Held Close, The Night Flows

Check out Dave on Nostalgium Arcanum talking about Final Fantasy X: https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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

Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Join Dave and special guest Andre (Fine Time, Neo Geo Go!, The Silent Discographer) as they discuss Square Enix's latest entry in the main Dragon Quest series, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age. For a certain style of RPG (that Dragon Quest arguably pioneered), it doesn't get better than this. Dragon Quest XI doesn't reinvent any part of its genre, but executes at top level throughout, though we still have some questions about directions that the story goes. This is a masterpiece, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Andre (he/him)

Check out Fine Time https://fineti.me/

Check out Neo Geo Go! https://neogeogo.show/

Check out The Silent Discographer https://the-silent-discographer.simplecast.com/

Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/pizzadinosaur.fineti.me

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:31 Introductions

6:06 Our Histories with Dragon Quest

10:19 Top-Level Thoughts

18:16 Story Setup and Thoughts

32:59 Feels Like Coming Home- Art & Music

51:03 Tickington

54:46 Combat and The Fun-Sized Forge

1:10:14 Thoughts on the Silent Protagonist

1:18:36 Lightning Round Thoughts

1:23:32 Who Should Play?

1:28:35 Andre's Podcasts

1:34:12 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:37:07 Spoilers- Some Early-Ish Story Talk

1:50:18 Spoilers- Act 2 Story

2:00:33 Spoilers- Act 3 Story

Music used in the episode is credited to Koichi Sugiyama. Tracks used: Overture, The Hero Goes Forth with Determination, Olé! Sylvando!, Unflinchable Courage, Bustling Town, Rab the Wizard, Light Though the Leaves of Love, Echoes of an Elusive Age

Check out Dave on Nostalgium Arcanum talking about our favorite video game soundtracks: https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/

Check out Dave on The Rookie Run talking about Ocarina of Time https://www.youtube.com/@TheRookieRunVideoGamePodcast

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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

Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Join Dave and special guest Luis Aguasvivas as they discuss Arco (Franek, Max Cahill, Bibiki and Fayer, 2024). Arco blends tactical turn-based combat with a revenge story spanning multiple protagonists. It's an ambitious game that coalesces in some magical ways, but falls short in some others, making it ripe for discussion. As always, no spoilers in the episode for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Luis Aguasvivas (he/they)

Check out Luis's writing https://aguaspoints.com/

Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/aguaspoints.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:20 Introductions

3:56 Our Histories with Arco

6:52 Top-Level Thoughts

13:13 Story Setup

17:52 Multiple Protagonist Structure

22:58 Dramatic Irony and Post-Colonial Narratives

28:48 Visual Design

35:33 Soundtrack

40:13 Combat

49:38 Fantasy Elements and Morality System

1:03:55 Who Should Play?

1:07:55 Luis' Writing

1:11:58 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:14:20 Spoilers- Different Story Paths

1:26:01 Spoilers- Act Five

1:39:41 Spoilers- Tizo's Story

1:51:22 Spoilers- Violence as Interaction in Games

2:01:54 Spoilers- Fighting the Ocean in Historical Fiction

Music used in the episode is credited to Bibiki. Tracks used: Arena y Alquitrán, Forgotten Memories, Blood Spit, Whispers of Magic, Where Iyos Live, Sempiternal

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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

Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Join Dave and special guest Emily Merritt (No Small Games) as they do their best to unpack AP Thompson's Titanium Court. Even AP Thompson's simplified description of "a match-3 tower defense game for people who like to read" still hides a mountain of detail, so this was a fun discussion about those component parts and especially how they tie together into a genuinely interesting narrative and commentary on the way we play games and "consume" media in general. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Emily Merritt (she/her)

Check out No Small Games https://nosmallgames.com/

Follow on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/aspecificegg

Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title

0:20 Introductions

4:52 Our Histories with Titanium Court

8:18 Top-Level Thoughts

14:59 Story Setup and Worldbuilding

22:46 Theatre Inspiration and Humor

33:02 Visual Design

41:04 Music

48:45 Gameplay- Jobs and Goals

59:23 Gameplay- High/Low Tide

1:12:22 "Addictive" Games

1:17:24 Who Should Play?

1:23:04 No Small Games

1:28:19 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:30:17 Spoilers- Curses Lifted

1:45:11 Spoilers- Story Discussion

1:57:00 Spoilers- Story, Continued

Music used in the episode is credited to AP Thompson. You can purchase the soundtrack on Steam. Tracks used: Chimera Solo, Timeskip Titlecard and the Ten Years Later, The One AP Doesn't Like, Metamind Defense Grid Blues, Biome Select, Fourth Quarter, For a Dollar

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

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

Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Join Dave and special guest Jared Moss (Play Along Podcast) as they take over the land in Pokémon Conquest. This crossover between Pokémon and Nobunaga's Ambition puts the familiar monsters in tactical grid-based combat, with satisfying (if slow) progression. It's a fun twist on the familiar, even if it makes zero effort to tell an accompanying story with any juice. Please enjoy the discussion, and as always- no spoilers for a while!

Guest info: Jared Moss (he/him)

Listen to Play Along Podcast https://linktr.ee/PlayAlongPodcast

Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/playalong.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:27 Introductions

5:20 Our Histories with Pokémon/Conquest

9:17 Top-Level Thoughts

16:10 Story Setup and Thoughts

23:31 Teambuilding and Conquering the Land

37:43 Turn-Based Tactics

55:48 The Gateway to Grand Strategy?

1:06:13 Soundtrack

1:08:03 Wrap-Up Thoughts

1:12:39 Pacing for Handheld Play

1:16:36 Who Should Play?

1:21:13 Play Along Podcast

1:26:03 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:28:04 Spoilers- Favorite Pokémon and Teams

1:42:58 Spoilers- Story and Final Fights

Music used in the episode is credited to Shin-ichiro Nakamura, Ayako Toyoda and Takashi Yoshida. Tracks used: Main Theme, Episode Opening, Normal Battle, Dungeon Theme 1, Map Theme 1, Staff Roll

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures