Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Everyone's got that game, book, movie, etc that a longtime friend has been recommending for years, decades or more and you just haven't quite gotten around to it. One of those for me and one of my oldest friends was Telltale's series of games based on The Walking Dead. For many reasons, despite believing that the games would be good, I just waited a wild amount of time to finally give them a shot, and hey- we did it! And I brought that friend back onto the podcast to give season one the deep dive treatment. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Aaron Angle (he/him)

• Check out A Top 3 Podcast https://atop3podcast.fireside.fm/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:35 Introductions
• 5:19 Our Histories with The Walking Dead
• 9:21 Top-Level Thoughts about The Walking Dead
• 13:57 Story Setup, Characters, Tone
• 27:21 Choices and Consequences
• 46:19 Puzzles and QTEs
• 51:18 Art, Music and Sound
• 1:01:46 Who Should Play?
• 1:04:14 A Top 3 Podcast
• 1:07:23 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:09:06 Spoilers- Episode 1
• 1:25:35 Spoilers- Episode 2
• 1:40:23 Spoilers- Episode 3
• 1:56:01 Spoilers- Episode 4
• 2:11:09 Spoilers- Episode 5

Music used in the episode: Clementine, Twist of Fate, Terror Mysterious, Folk Loop, Mother and Son, The Guantlet, Jewelry Store

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Games gather reputations for a variety of reasons, but one of the most unique among those are the games that are so hard to purchase that above all, they have a reputation for being expensive. Panzer Dragoon Saga (Team Andromeda, Sega, 1998) is one of the top examples of that phenomenon nowadays, after only tens of thousands of English-language copies were pressed, Team Andromeda was shuttered quickly after the game's release and Sega now claims to have lost the source code. All of this may leave you wondering...what is Panzer Dragoon Saga like as a game? I was certainly left wondering that, and Chris Coplien of Retro Hangover was up for the task of discussing the game behind the massive price tag. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Chris Coplien (he/him)

• Check out Retro Hangover https://linktr.ee/retrohangover
• Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/retrohangover.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Start
• 0:24 Introductions
• 5:13 Our Histories with Panzer Dragoon Saga
• 13:16 Top-Level Thoughts
• 20:41 Story Setup and Worldbuilding
• 28:16 Pacing and Storytelling
• 33:41 Visual Presentation
• 39:04 Music
• 43:05 Combat
• 1:07:41 Exploration and Side Quests
• 1:16:37 Who Should Play?
• 1:20:12 Retro Hangover Podcast
• 1:24:40 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:26:37 Spoilers- Setting the Stage
• 1:42:26 Spoilers- Some Big Themes
• 1:51:53 Spoilers- A Philosophical Dilemma
• 1:59:16 Spoilers- Uncovering a Very Familiar Trope
• 2:17:28 Spoilers- Revisiting the Dilemma and Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Saori Kobayashi and Mariko Nanba. Tracks used: Behold the Precious Wings, A Premonition of War, Metamorphosis 1, Atolm Dragon, Rest, Area 3 Background, Wandering, Breath of Life

Panzer Dragoon Story and Lore Walkthrough https://youtu.be/BVc7QxiAO1k
Max Derrat's Development History Video: https://youtu.be/sIqM80qEY8s

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

One of these days it was bound to happen, the remake announcement solidified it- it's time to give The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo, 1998) the Tales from the Backlog treatment. This was Dave's favorite game for decades and is still by far one of the most influential games in his life, but this was the first time in a while that he had played all the way through it. Join Dave and special guests Gooey and McKenna of Flashback 64 for the deep dive. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Gooey (they/he) and McKenna (she/her)

• Check out Flashback 64 https://flashback64.com/
• Follow on Bluesky http://bsky.app/profile/flashback64.com

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Podcast Start
• 0:16 Introductions
• 7:48 Our Histories with Ocarina of Time
• 12:10 Top-Level Thoughts
• 18:50 Story Setup, Storytelling and Cinematography
• 31:57 Navi and Handholding
• 36:26 Combat
• 42:16 The N64 Controller
• 46:41 "The Zelda Formula" and Exploration
• 57:50 Dungeons and Complexity
• 1:12:56 Visual Flourishes and Art Design
• 1:25:41 Our Hopes for the Remake
• 1:35:33 Soundtrack
• 1:45:50 Re-Evaluating Childhood Favorites and Who Should Play?
• 1:57:48 Flashback 64
• 2:05:29 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 2:07:06 Spoilers- The Water Temple Is Good
• 2:30:08 Spoilers- Favorite Temples and Ganon's Castle
• 2:35:12 Spoilers- Sheik and More Temple Talk
• 2:47:48 Spoilers- A Theory for the Remake

Music used in the episode is credited to Koji Kondo. Tracks used: Title Theme, Kokiri Forest, Saria's Song, Forest Temple, Kakariko Village, Hyrule Field, Gerudo Valley, Zora's Domain, Zelda's Theme

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

When we talk about older games, we often use phrases like "this holds up!" or "this hasn't aged well!", but what do we mean when we say stuff like that? What do they hold up against? What aspects age well or poorly? Are there better ways to convey our thoughts? To help me dig into this, I've brought Patrick and James from the Retro Spectives Podcast back to the show. Hope you enjoy the discussion!

Guest info: Patrick Arthur (he/him) and James Tuerlings (he/him)

• Check out Retro Spectives podcast https://rspodcast.net

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Episode Start
• 0:22 Introductions
• 2:50 Topic Introduction
• 10:00 Why Do We Say Things Have Aged Poorly?
• 54:36 Patron Thank-Yous
• 56:29 Does This Hold Up?
• 1:39:07 Conclusions and Wrap-Up
• 1:57:59 Retro Spectives Podcast

Music used in the episode:

• Bloody Tears (Castlevania II: Simon's Quest)- Kenichi Matsubara, Satoe Terashima
• Save Theme (Resident Evil (2002))- Shisaku Uchiyama, Makoto Tomozawa, Misao Senbogi
• Ending Theme (Dragon Warrior)- Koichi Sugiyama

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

What's the worst game you've ever played? That's the question of the day, and a fairly common answer to that question for a long time has been Quest 64 (Imagineer, 1998). But does Quest deserve to be in that conversation? What is it actually like as a game, outside of the memes and reputation? That's what we're exploring in this episode, and to do so, I brought on the man doing his part to heal the conversation around Quest, "bad" games, and the Nintendo 64 in general, Mike aka Quest64Official. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Mike aka Quest64Official

• Follow Mike on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/quest64official.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Beginning
• 0:16 Introductions
• 4:50 Our Histories with Quest 64
• 14:44 Top-Level Thoughts
• 22:35 Story Setup and the Adventure as Story
• 28:32 The Solo RPG Experience
• 40:24 Big Dungeons
• 44:39 Character Building
• 49:19 Combat
• 1:06:25 Visuals and Music
• 1:15:59 Who Should Play Quest 64?
• 1:24:34 Quest64Official and the Power of Memes
• 1:32:50 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:34:34 Spoilers- Favorite Sections and Story
• 1:50:20 Spoilers- Challenge Runs and Different Play Styles

Music used in the episode is credited to Masamichi Amano. Tracks used: Holy Magic Century, Holy Plains, Highlands, Battle, Dondoran, Final Battle, Staff Roll

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

Update 10/1/2026 Several references were made in this podcast to YouTuber and critic Jacob Geller and his work. This podcast was released before the sexual assault allegations against him were brought to light. Matt and I condemn these actions, and our hearts go out to the victim and everybody else who had traumatic memories brought up to the surface by the news. -Dave

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

After the breakout success of The Stanley Parable, Davey Wreden's next game is a bit darker and a lot more personal. The Beginner's Guide (Everything Unlimited Ltd, 2015) examines a lot of things, but at the forefront is the relationships we have with others and some complex and slippery situations that can arise. To say more would be to start spoiling things, but luckily we have a discussion longer than the game itself. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Matt aka Stormageddon (they/them)

• Listen to "Fun" and Games https://funandgamespod.com/
• Listen to Reignite https://reignitepod.libsyn.com/
• Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/djstormageddon.com

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:16 Introductions
• 4:38 Our Histories with Davey Wreden's Games
• 9:49 Top-Level Thoughts
• 13:38 Story and Game Setup
• 19:53 Narration and Thematic Overview
• 24:42 Who Should Play?
• 31:53 "Fun" and Games and Reignite
• 37:36 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 39:51 Spoilers- Davey & Coda
• 58:53 Spoilers- Thematic Exploration
• 1:31:24 Spoilers- More Thematic Exploration
• 1:52:51 Spoilers- Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Ryan Roth. Tracks used: Vertibrae, The Whisper Machine, Stars, D.S. Al Coda, Escape from This Place

Check out Dave on Super Pod Saga talking about some great games you can get for under $5 full price- https://superpodsaga.com/episodes/5-buck-bangers-downwell

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

It's not every day you revisit a favorite game from your teenage years, but today is that day as special guest Rebekah Valentine (Kotaku) joins me to discuss Golden Sun, one of the most beloved Game Boy Advance games. Camelot and Nintendo ended up splitting the game into two, and in this episode we focus on the first game, though we do discuss The Lost Age quite a bit as well. As always, no spoilers for a while- enjoy!

Guest info: Rebekah Valentine (she/her)

• Check out her work at Kotaku https://kotaku.com/author/rvalentine
• Check out Reb's look back at Golden Sun https://kotaku.com/25-years-ago-golden-sun-video-game-adventure-2000721340
• Check out Reb writing as if it were 2002 again https://kotaku.com/golden-sun-the-lost-age-sequel-warp-week-2000723015
• Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/duckvalentine.bsky.social

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:18 Introductions
• 5:30 Our Histories with Golden Sun
• 12:47 Top Level Thoughts
• 17:42 Acknowledging The Lost Age
• 25:31 Story Setup
• 33:50 Golden Sins and Silent Protagonists
• 44:29 Story Thoughts
• 52:25 Combat and Djinn System
• 1:09:18 Equipment, Resource Conservation, Puzzles
• 1:28:25 Soundtrack
• 1:38:22 Wrap-Up Thoughts and Who Should Play?
• 1:45:15 Reb's Work at Kotaku
• 1:50:06 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:52:27 Spoilers- Golden Sun's Story and The Lost Age Setup
• 2:12:42 Spoilers- Dave Might Play The Lost Age?

Music used in the episode is credited to Motoi Sakuraba. Tracks used: Main Theme, World Map, Enemy Battle, Lighthouse Theme, Sol Sanctum, Main Menu, Battle With Saturos, Vale and Vault

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

Support Tales from the Backlog

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

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 Tales from the Backlog

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 Tales from the Backlog

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 Tales from the Backlog

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 Tales from the Backlog