Tales from the Backlog

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Join Dave and guest Travis Colenutt on their language-learning journey up the tower in Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc, Focus Entertainment, 2023). What do our languages say about our culture, and how can learning another language change the way we see the world? All of this and more in the discussion!

Guest info: Travis Colenutt (he/him)

Check out Left Behind Game Club https://leftbehindgame.club/

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

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:21 Introductions

4:53 Why Did We Play Chants of Sennaar?

9:50 Top-Level Thoughts About Chants of Sennaar

16:06 Story and Language Learning Setup

28:00 Using Language to Make Progress

33:40 Learning About Culture Via Languages

39:04 Making Connections Via Languages

48:02 Stealth In My Puzzle Game?

53:58 Visuals, Music and Sound

1:08:31 Do We Recommend?

1:11:17 Left Behind Game Club

1:15:10 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous

1:17:34 Spoilers- The Devotees & Warriors

1:40:05 Spoilers- The Bards & Alchemists

1:55:32 Spoilers- The Anchorites & Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Thomas Brunet. Tracks used: The Call, Out of the Cavern and into the Light, Catch Me!, Envers, Bonds Reforged

Catch Dave on Nostalgium Arcanum talking about Rocky 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 guest Bryan Skursha as they deep dive Death Howl (The Outer Zone, 11 Bit Studios, 2025) on their journey through the underworld to find out what the hell a soulslike deckbuilder even is. Brutal turn-based combat, a story about grieving and a mother's love, and all the fucked up guys a gamer could ask for. Listen in to find out more!

Guest info: Bryan Skursha (he/him)

Check out Pixelated Playgrounds https://www.pixelatedplaygrounds.com/

Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/bsushi.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:18 Introductions

5:39 Our Histories with Death Howl

10:50 Top-Level Thoughts

15:42 Story Setup

23:58 Dreamy, Hazy Visuals and Sound

40:01 Combat Basics and Deckbuilding Strategy

54:58 Is It Soulslike?

1:05:00 Open-Ended Structure and Side Quests

1:10:22 Combat Depth

1:16:40 Who Should Play Death Howl?

1:19:00 Pixelated Playgrounds

1:22:55 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous

1:24:58 Spoilers- Favorite Areas, Bosses, Decks

1:41:00 Spoilers- Final Area and Final Bosses

1:55:46 Spoilers- Story Discussion

Music used in the episode is credited to Chris Bjørumslet & Malte Burup. Tracks used: Death Howl, Olvi, Shadows of Rot, Cantharsis, Meadows of Delusion, Moon Eel, Ever Since Your Heart Stopped Beating

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 Josh Leslie as they discuss Skate Story, developed by Sam Eng and published by Devolver Digital in 2025. How does the skating compare to touchstone games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater or skate.? How does its poetic storytelling land? How do the aesthetics enhance other aspects of the game? All this and more- enjoy!

Guest info: Josh Leslie (he/him)

Check out IndieQuest podcast https://indiequest.buzzsprout.com/

Check out The Monthly Mishap podcast https://monthlymishap.buzzsprout.com/

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:21 Introductions

5:00 Our Histories with Skate Story

9:05 Top-Level Thoughts

16:00 Story Setup and Poetic Storytelling

23:42 Open Zones and City Life

27:58 Visuals and Music

41:00 Skating and Downhill Sections

50:48 Boss Encounters and Challenges

59:43 Plan and Perform

1:03:30 Recommendations

1:07:13 Josh's Work- IndieQuest and The Monthly Mishap

1:11:34 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous

1:13:21 Spoilers- Eating the Moons

1:31:08 Spoilers- Emotional Arc & Interpretations

1:50:20 Spoilers- Final Boss and Ending

1:56:32 Spoilers- We Still Exist

Music used in the episode: Collapsing, Like Clouds Into Smoke (Blood Cultures), Where the City Can't See (Blood Cultures), Redvoid (John Fio), Lyceum (John Fio), Alcian Blue (Blood Cultures), Hole in the Sun (Blood Cultures), Godhook (John Fio)

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

Bioshock is a title that carries weight, nearly 20 years after its 2007 release by 2K Boston and 2K Australia, and it feels like one that every gaming podcast eventually talks about. And hey, it's our turn this time- Bioshock has long been a favorite of mine that I've revisited through the years. But when put under the Tales from the Backlog microscope, does it hold up under pressure or does it spring a leak? Listen in to find out.

Guest info: Joseph Hooper (he/him)

Check out Crossplay Conversations https://www.youtube.com/@crossplayconvos

Check out Can't Pause on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@cantpause

Check out Player Player https://playerplayerpod.com/

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:26 Introductions

5:25 Our Histories with Bioshock

9:20 Top-Level Thoughts

14:25 Story Setup

21:30 Learning Backstory Via Audio Logs

26:40 Rapture and Ideology

35:18 Big Daddies, Little Sisters and Moral Choices

44:24 Combat Mechanics

54:00 Some Immersive Sim DNA

1:03:29 Combat Balance & Difficulty

1:13:26 Visual Design and Music/Sound

1:22:27 Who Do We Recommend Bioshock To?

1:24:38 Joseph's Podcasts and YouTube Channel

1:28:26 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:30:13 Spoilers- Would You Kindly? and Fontaine

1:44:48 Spoilers- Rapture's Downfall

2:01:37 Spoilers- Other Major Players

2:14:00 Spoilers- Big Daddy and Endings

Music used in the episode is credited to Garry Schyman unless otherwise noted. Tracks used: Under the Sea (Bobby Darin), Welcome to Rapture, Mr. Bubbles - Little Sister, Dancers on a String (Reprise), Through the Docks, Cohen's Masterpiece, Leaving Rapture

Gameplay footage used with permission from World of Longplays on YouTube, gameplay by Spazbo4. www.longplays.org

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

I always tend to take note when a game from previous generations gets a remaster and the general consensus is "hell yeah, finally!", which just so happened to be the case when Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (Capcom, 2010) got the HD treatment in 2023. The DS is a real blind spot for me, as are the works of ShuTakumi, so this has been on my backlog list for a while now. Listen in to find out how my guest and I felt about it!

Guest info: Steve aka Blinkoom (he/him)

Check out IndieQuest podcast https://polymedianetwork.com/indiequest

Check out Polykill podcast https://polymedianetwork.com/podcast

Check out Steve's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Blinkoom

Follow Steve on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/blinkoom

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Title Card

0:21 Introductions

5:37 Our Histories with Ghost Trick

9:20 Top-Level Thoughts About Ghost Trick

13:26 Story Setup

19:11 Ghost Tricks and Puzzles

37:16 Where Does the Charm Come From?

49:35 Handheld Console Pacing

55:09 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations

1:01:10 Steve's Work

1:04:54 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous

1:06:38 Spoilers- Favorite Levels/Puzzles

1:22:50 Spoilers- More Story Thoughts

1:34:15 Spoilers- Big Mysteries and Reveals

1:43:21 Spoilers- Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Masakazu Sugimori. Tracks used: Ghost Trick, Prologue, Cabanela, Lynn ~ A Targeted Redhead, 4 Minutes Before Death, The Last Desperate Struggle, Epilogue ~ The End of the "Night"

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