Support my work on Patreon- <a href="https://patreon.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://patreon.com/realdavejackson</a> 
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- <a href="https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2" rel="nofollow">https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2</a> 
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- <a href="https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson</a>

One of the best things about the thriving indie game scene is that dead genres come back to life, and nothing exemplifies that more than the return of the blobber/first-person dungeon crawler with Almost Human&#39;s Legend of Grimrock series. Combining the thrill of exploration in those old school games with modern sensibilities, Legend of Grimrock 2 is one of the best RPGs I&#39;ve ever played, and I couldn&#39;t wait to discuss it on the show. 

Guest info: Shane Selterre (he/him) 

<ul>
<li>Check out everything Retro Hangover! <a href="https://linktr.ee/retrohangover" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/retrohangover</a></li>
</ul>

TIMESTAMPS

<ul>
<li>0:00 Title Card</li>
<li>0:24 Introductions</li>
<li>5:02 Our Histories with Legend of Grimrock 2</li>
<li>13:03 Opening Thoughts about Legend of Grimrock 2</li>
<li>17:04 Story Setup</li>
<li>21:18 Dungeon Crawling...Outside?</li>
<li>25:58 Party Creation and the Combat Dance</li>
<li>37:00 Situational Awareness </li>
<li>45:18 Exploration and Inventory</li>
<li>52:31 Puzzles and Traps</li>
<li>1:03:18 Character Building</li>
<li>1:27:19 Music and Sound Design</li>
<li>1:33:13 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations</li>
<li>1:37:49 Retro Hangover Podcast</li>
<li>1:42:54 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous</li>
<li>1:45:37 Spoiler Section- Favorite Stuff</li>
<li>2:02:29 Spoiler Section- Final Bosses and Endings</li>
</ul>

Music used in the episode is credited to Scoring Helsinki: Main Theme, Prologue (The Isle), Battle Is On Pt. 1, Master and the Apprentice, Credits Theme

Check out Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds <a href="https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/</a> 
Check out Dave on Pixel Project Radio <a href="https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio</a> 
Check out the King of Games 1999 <a href="https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/episode/king-of-games-99-round-4-match-1-silent-hill-vs-tony-hawks-pro-skater" rel="nofollow">https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/episode/king-of-games-99-round-4-match-1-silent-hill-vs-tony-hawks-pro-skater</a>

Social Media: 
BlueSky- <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social</a> 
Instagram- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/</a>

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at <a href="https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/realdavejackson">Support Tales from the Backlog</a>

<description>Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
One of the best things about the thriving indie game scene is that dead genres come back to life, and nothing exemplifies that more than the return of the blobber/first-person dungeon crawler with Almost Human's Legend of Grimrock series. Combining the thrill of exploration in those old school games with modern sensibilities, Legend of Grimrock 2 is one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and I couldn't wait to discuss it on the show. 
Guest info: Shane Selterre (he/him) 
* Check out everything Retro Hangover! https://linktr.ee/retrohangover
TIMESTAMPS
* 0:00 Title Card
* 0:24 Introductions
* 5:02 Our Histories with Legend of Grimrock 2
* 13:03 Opening Thoughts about Legend of Grimrock 2
* 17:04 Story Setup
* 21:18 Dungeon Crawling...Outside?
* 25:58 Party Creation and the Combat Dance
* 37:00 Situational Awareness 
* 45:18 Exploration and Inventory
* 52:31 Puzzles and Traps
* 1:03:18 Character Building
* 1:27:19 Music and Sound Design
* 1:33:13 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
* 1:37:49 Retro Hangover Podcast
* 1:42:54 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
* 1:45:37 Spoiler Section- Favorite Stuff
* 2:02:29 Spoiler Section- Final Bosses and Endings
Music used in the episode is credited to Scoring Helsinki: Main Theme, Prologue (The Isle), Battle Is On Pt. 1, Master and the Apprentice, Credits Theme
Check out Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Check out Dave on Pixel Project Radio https://linktr.ee/pixelprojectradio
Check out the King of Games 1999 https://retrohangover.captivate.fm/episode/king-of-games-99-round-4-match-1-silent-hill-vs-tony-hawks-pro-skater
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures 
</description>

Dave is joined by Shane Selterre (Retro Hangover) to discuss Almost Human's 2014 first-person dungeon crawler, Legend of Grimrock 2.

195: Legend of Grimrock 2 (with Shane Selterre - Retro Hangover)

Support my work on Patreon- <a href="https://patreon.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://patreon.com/realdavejackson</a> 
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- <a href="https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2" rel="nofollow">https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2</a> 
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- <a href="https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson</a>

What could Nintendo possibly do to follow up the game that &quot;saved gaming&quot; for me? Well, they simply iterated on and evolved everything about Breath of the Wild to make one of the most creativity and freedom-focused games ever. It&#39;s simple, really- why don&#39;t more people think of this? Sarcasm aside, Tears of the Kingdom is an absolute wonder, and we&#39;re lucky to have it. Hope you enjoy the discussion!

Guest info: Michael Berger (he/him)

<ul>
<li>Check out Bits of Time on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@bitsoftimemedia" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/@bitsoftimemedia</a></li>
<li>Check out the Bits of Time podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bits-of-time/id1616941089" rel="nofollow">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bits-of-time/id1616941089</a></li>
<li>Check out everything else Michael is doing <a href="https://campsite.bio/matterofmichael" rel="nofollow">https://campsite.bio/matterofmichael</a></li>
</ul>

TIMESTAMPS

<ul>
<li>0:00 Title Card</li>
<li>0:21 Introductions</li>
<li>5:35 Our Histories with Zelda and Tears of the Kingdom</li>
<li>8:49 Opening Thoughts About Tears of the Kingdom</li>
<li>16:39 Story Setup</li>
<li>20:26 Storytelling and Nonlinear Design</li>
<li>25:34 Emergent Story and the Adventure</li>
<li>29:52 Link&#39;s New Toys</li>
<li>48:58 Emergent Gameplay and the Magic of Scrounging</li>
<li>57:18 Dungeons and Boss Fights</li>
<li>1:03:15 Enemy and Boss Variety</li>
<li>1:08:07 The Depths and Exploration</li>
<li>1:16:33 Art Design and Music</li>
<li>1:23:20 Final Thoughts and Recommendations</li>
<li>1:31:31 Bits of Time</li>
<li>1:36:11 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous</li>
<li>1:38:25 Spoiler Section- Favorite Temples and Backstory</li>
<li>2:03:11 Final Boss and Ending</li>
</ul>

Music used in the episode is credited to Hajime Wakai, Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi and Tsukasa Usui. Tracks used: Title, Hyrule Castle - Upheaval, Shrine Battle, Seized Construct Battle, Skydive, Lookout Landing, Ganondorf&#39;s Theme, Final Dive

Check out Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds <a href="https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/</a> 
Check out Dave on Pixels &amp; Polygons <a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/pixelspolygons/" rel="nofollow">https://rss.com/podcasts/pixelspolygons/</a>

Social Media: 
BlueSky- <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social</a> 
Instagram- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/</a>

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at <a href="https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/realdavejackson">Support Tales from the Backlog</a>

<description>Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
What could Nintendo possibly do to follow up the game that "saved gaming" for me? Well, they simply iterated on and evolved everything about Breath of the Wild to make one of the most creativity and freedom-focused games ever. It's simple, really- why don't more people think of this? Sarcasm aside, Tears of the Kingdom is an absolute wonder, and we're lucky to have it. Hope you enjoy the discussion!
Guest info: Michael Berger (he/him)
* Check out Bits of Time on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@bitsoftimemedia
* Check out the Bits of Time podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bits-of-time/id1616941089
* Check out everything else Michael is doing https://campsite.bio/matterofmichael
TIMESTAMPS
* 0:00 Title Card
* 0:21 Introductions
* 5:35 Our Histories with Zelda and Tears of the Kingdom
* 8:49 Opening Thoughts About Tears of the Kingdom
* 16:39 Story Setup
* 20:26 Storytelling and Nonlinear Design
* 25:34 Emergent Story and the Adventure
* 29:52 Link's New Toys
* 48:58 Emergent Gameplay and the Magic of Scrounging
* 57:18 Dungeons and Boss Fights
* 1:03:15 Enemy and Boss Variety
* 1:08:07 The Depths and Exploration
* 1:16:33 Art Design and Music
* 1:23:20 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
* 1:31:31 Bits of Time
* 1:36:11 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
* 1:38:25 Spoiler Section- Favorite Temples and Backstory
* 2:03:11 Final Boss and Ending
Music used in the episode is credited to Hajime Wakai, Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi and Tsukasa Usui. Tracks used: Title, Hyrule Castle - Upheaval, Shrine Battle, Seized Construct Battle, Skydive, Lookout Landing, Ganondorf's Theme, Final Dive
Check out Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Check out Dave on Pixels &amp; Polygons https://rss.com/podcasts/pixelspolygons/
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures 
</description>

Dave is joined by Michael Berger (Bits of Time) to discuss Nintendo's 2023 open world action-adventure game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

194: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (with Michael Berger - Bits of Time)

Support my work on Patreon- <a href="https://patreon.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://patreon.com/realdavejackson</a> 
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- <a href="https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2" rel="nofollow">https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2</a> 
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- <a href="https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson</a>

Some games just stand out from the pack, and with its episodic anime structure, QTE-heavy cutscenes and South Asian religious inspirations, there is nothing quite like Asura&#39;s Wrath (CyberConnect2, Capcom, 2012). A quintessential flawed game that everyone should try, Asura&#39;s Wrath overcomes its bad combat and dated approach to player engagement by just simply being cooler and more hype than basically every other game. Listen in to find out more!

Guest info: Nick (he/him) and Will (he/him) of Friday Night Gamecast

<ul>
<li>Check out Friday Night Gamecast <a href="https://fridaynightgamecast.buzzsprout.com/" rel="nofollow">https://fridaynightgamecast.buzzsprout.com/</a></li>
<li>Follow on BlueSky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/fngcpod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/fngcpod.bsky.social</a></li>
<li>Follow on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fridaynightgamecast/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/fridaynightgamecast/</a></li>
</ul>

TIMESTAMPS

<ul>
<li>0:00 Title Card</li>
<li>0:27 Introductions</li>
<li>5:17 Our Histories with Asura&#39;s Wrath</li>
<li>11:16 Top-Level Thoughts </li>
<li>19:44 Story Setup and Worldbuilding</li>
<li>28:47 Episodic Anime Structure</li>
<li>37:03 Presentation and Spectacle</li>
<li>43:48 More QTEs Than You Can Shake a Stick At</li>
<li>51:33 Action Gameplay</li>
<li>1:14:00 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations</li>
<li>1:17:26 Friday Night Gamecast</li>
<li>1:20:28 Spoiler Wall &amp; Patron Thank-Yous</li>
<li>1:22:32 Spoiler Section- Hype Moments, The Gohma and the Demigods</li>
<li>1:46:55 Spoiler Section- Asura&#39;s Revenge &amp; Epilogue</li>
</ul>

Music used in the episode is credited to Chikayo Fukuda. Tracks used: Main Theme, Furious, Orphan Wolf Legend - Fang, One Who Spins Ideas, Option, Asura&#39;s Wrath, In Your Belief, Trembling Belief

Catch Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds all of November and December for a deep dive into Final Fantasy X: <a href="https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/</a>

Social Media: 
BlueSky- <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social</a> 
Instagram- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/</a>

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at <a href="https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/realdavejackson">Support Tales from the Backlog</a>

<description>Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
Some games just stand out from the pack, and with its episodic anime structure, QTE-heavy cutscenes and South Asian religious inspirations, there is nothing quite like Asura's Wrath (CyberConnect2, Capcom, 2012). A quintessential flawed game that everyone should try, Asura's Wrath overcomes its bad combat and dated approach to player engagement by just simply being cooler and more hype than basically every other game. Listen in to find out more!
Guest info: Nick (he/him) and Will (he/him) of Friday Night Gamecast
* Check out Friday Night Gamecast https://fridaynightgamecast.buzzsprout.com/
* Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/fngcpod.bsky.social
* Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fridaynightgamecast/
TIMESTAMPS
* 0:00 Title Card
* 0:27 Introductions
* 5:17 Our Histories with Asura's Wrath
* 11:16 Top-Level Thoughts 
* 19:44 Story Setup and Worldbuilding
* 28:47 Episodic Anime Structure
* 37:03 Presentation and Spectacle
* 43:48 More QTEs Than You Can Shake a Stick At
* 51:33 Action Gameplay
* 1:14:00 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
* 1:17:26 Friday Night Gamecast
* 1:20:28 Spoiler Wall &amp; Patron Thank-Yous
* 1:22:32 Spoiler Section- Hype Moments, The Gohma and the Demigods
* 1:46:55 Spoiler Section- Asura's Revenge &amp; Epilogue
Music used in the episode is credited to Chikayo Fukuda. Tracks used: Main Theme, Furious, Orphan Wolf Legend - Fang, One Who Spins Ideas, Option, Asura's Wrath, In Your Belief, Trembling Belief
Catch Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds all of November and December for a deep dive into Final Fantasy X: https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures 
</description>

Dave is joined by Nick and Will (Friday Night Gamecast) to discuss CyberConnect2 and Capcom's playable anime action game, Asura's Wrath. 

193: Asura's Wrath (with Nick & Will - Friday Night Gamecast)

Support my work on Patreon- <a href="https://patreon.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://patreon.com/realdavejackson</a> 
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- <a href="https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2" rel="nofollow">https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2</a> 
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- <a href="https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson</a>

Ever have one of those games that sits in your library, untouched for years, until something finally gives you the push to play it...and you end up kicking yourself for waiting so long? That&#39;s Heaven&#39;s Vault, and without our community Backlog Resolutions challenge, I would have missed out on one of the coolest games I think I&#39;ve ever played. Listen in to find out why!

Guest info: Rebekah Valentine (she/her) 

<ul>
<li>Read Reb&#39;s work on IGN <a href="https://www.ign.com/person/duckvalentine" rel="nofollow">https://www.ign.com/person/duckvalentine</a></li>
<li>Follow on BlueSky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/duckvalentine.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/duckvalentine.bsky.social</a></li>
<li>Check out Nintendo Voice Chat <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nintendo-voice-chat/id276268457" rel="nofollow">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nintendo-voice-chat/id276268457</a></li>
</ul>

TIMESTAMPS

<ul>
<li>0:00 Title Card</li>
<li>0:22 Intros</li>
<li>5:05 Our Histories with Heaven&#39;s Vault and Language Learning</li>
<li>9:43 Opening Thoughts</li>
<li>14:30 Story Setup and Reactive Storytelling</li>
<li>29:37 Aliyah and Six</li>
<li>35:52 Language Learning</li>
<li>50:22 Visuals and Music</li>
<li>55:40 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations</li>
<li>58:13 Reb&#39;s Work at IGN</li>
<li>1:01:34 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous</li>
<li>1:03:35 Spoiler Section- What Happened in Our Playthroughs?</li>
<li>1:35:53 Spoiler Section- Language Discoveries</li>
<li>1:44:40 Spoiler Section- The Wildest Turn of Events</li>
<li>2:03:54 Spoiler Section- Ending Discussion</li>
</ul>

Music used in the episode is credited to Laurence Chapman. Tracks used: An Ancient Language, The Desperate Ways, Before the Fall, The Nebula, Fantasia on One Good Moon, Heaven&#39;s Vault, An Ancient Language (Cello &amp; Piano)

Social Media: 
BlueSky- <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social</a> 
Instagram- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/</a>

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at <a href="https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/realdavejackson">Support Tales from the Backlog</a>

<description>Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
Ever have one of those games that sits in your library, untouched for years, until something finally gives you the push to play it...and you end up kicking yourself for waiting so long? That's Heaven's Vault, and without our community Backlog Resolutions challenge, I would have missed out on one of the coolest games I think I've ever played. Listen in to find out why!
Guest info: Rebekah Valentine (she/her) 
* Read Reb's work on IGN https://www.ign.com/person/duckvalentine
* Follow on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/duckvalentine.bsky.social
* Check out Nintendo Voice Chat https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nintendo-voice-chat/id276268457
TIMESTAMPS
* 0:00 Title Card
* 0:22 Intros
* 5:05 Our Histories with Heaven's Vault and Language Learning
* 9:43 Opening Thoughts
* 14:30 Story Setup and Reactive Storytelling
* 29:37 Aliyah and Six
* 35:52 Language Learning
* 50:22 Visuals and Music
* 55:40 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
* 58:13 Reb's Work at IGN
* 1:01:34 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
* 1:03:35 Spoiler Section- What Happened in Our Playthroughs?
* 1:35:53 Spoiler Section- Language Discoveries
* 1:44:40 Spoiler Section- The Wildest Turn of Events
* 2:03:54 Spoiler Section- Ending Discussion
Music used in the episode is credited to Laurence Chapman. Tracks used: An Ancient Language, The Desperate Ways, Before the Fall, The Nebula, Fantasia on One Good Moon, Heaven's Vault, An Ancient Language (Cello &amp; Piano)
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures 
</description>

Dave is joined by Rebekah Valentine (IGN) to discuss inkle's 2019 narrative adventure game, Heaven's Vault. 

192: Heaven's Vault (with Rebekah Valentine)

Support my work on Patreon- <a href="https://patreon.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://patreon.com/realdavejackson</a> 
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- <a href="https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2" rel="nofollow">https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2</a> 
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- <a href="https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson" rel="nofollow">https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson</a>

Modern Pokémon games are divisive, but rarely due to technical performance. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Game Freak, 2022) released in an embarrassing state, and are hoping for a comeback with their recent Switch 2 editions. So now that the bugs are squashed and the framerate is stable, what kind of game was lurking under all of those issues? Listen in to find out.

Guest info: Kate Hunter (she/any) and Emily Merritt (she/her)

<ul>
<li>Check out the No Small Games podcast and website <a href="https://nosmallgames.com/" rel="nofollow">https://nosmallgames.com/</a></li>
<li>Follow Kate on BlueSky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social</a></li>
<li>Follow Emily on BlueSky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social</a></li>
</ul>

TIMESTAMPS

<ul>
<li>0:00 Title Card</li>
<li>0:16 Intros</li>
<li>5:53 Our Personal Histories with Pokémon</li>
<li>12:52 Opening Thoughts About Pokémon Scarlet &amp; Violet</li>
<li>21:44 World and Story Setup</li>
<li>36:07 Nonlinear Design</li>
<li>42:50 Is the Story Actually Good, or Are We Grading On a Curve?</li>
<li>54:25 Visuals/Presentation</li>
<li>1:01:37 Open World Design</li>
<li>1:17:28 New Quick Battle System</li>
<li>1:22:28 Combat, Team Building and Challenge?</li>
<li>1:41:08 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations</li>
<li>1:47:16 No Small Games</li>
<li>1:54:07 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous</li>
<li>1:56:55 Spoiler Section- Our Teams, Area Zero, Ending</li>
<li>2:28:06 Spoiler Section- DLCs</li>
</ul>

Music used in the episode:

<ul>
<li>Title Screen (Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose)</li>
<li>Home (Junichi Masuda)</li>
<li>Poco Path (Junichi Masuda)</li>
<li>Battle! (Trainer Battle) (Junichi Masuda)</li>
<li>Area Zero (GAME FREAK)</li>
<li>Pokémon Center (Junichi Masuda)</li>
<li>Welcome to the Paldea Region! (Minako Adachi, Toby Fox)</li>
</ul>

Check out Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds in November and December- <a href="https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/</a> 
Check out Dave on the Character Issues podcast- <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1306474" rel="nofollow">https://www.buzzsprout.com/1306474</a> 
Check out Dave on Nostalgium Arcanum- <a href="https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/" rel="nofollow">https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/</a>

Social Media: 
BlueSky- <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social</a> 
Instagram- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/</a>

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at <a href="https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures" rel="nofollow">https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures</a><a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/realdavejackson">Support Tales from the Backlog</a>

<description>Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server- https://discord.gg/kAqSBb6jH2
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi- https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson
Modern Pokémon games are divisive, but rarely due to technical performance. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Game Freak, 2022) released in an embarrassing state, and are hoping for a comeback with their recent Switch 2 editions. So now that the bugs are squashed and the framerate is stable, what kind of game was lurking under all of those issues? Listen in to find out.
Guest info: Kate Hunter (she/any) and Emily Merritt (she/her)
* Check out the No Small Games podcast and website https://nosmallgames.com/
* Follow Kate on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/katerblossom.bsky.social
* Follow Emily on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/aspecificegg.bsky.social
TIMESTAMPS
* 0:00 Title Card
* 0:16 Intros
* 5:53 Our Personal Histories with Pokémon
* 12:52 Opening Thoughts About Pokémon Scarlet &amp; Violet
* 21:44 World and Story Setup
* 36:07 Nonlinear Design
* 42:50 Is the Story Actually Good, or Are We Grading On a Curve?
* 54:25 Visuals/Presentation
* 1:01:37 Open World Design
* 1:17:28 New Quick Battle System
* 1:22:28 Combat, Team Building and Challenge?
* 1:41:08 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
* 1:47:16 No Small Games
* 1:54:07 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
* 1:56:55 Spoiler Section- Our Teams, Area Zero, Ending
* 2:28:06 Spoiler Section- DLCs
Music used in the episode:
* Title Screen (Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose)
* Home (Junichi Masuda)
* Poco Path (Junichi Masuda)
* Battle! (Trainer Battle) (Junichi Masuda)
* Area Zero (GAME FREAK)
* Pokémon Center (Junichi Masuda)
* Welcome to the Paldea Region! (Minako Adachi, Toby Fox)
Check out Dave on Geeks &amp; Grounds in November and December- https://www.geeksandgrounds.com/
Check out Dave on the Character Issues podcast- https://www.buzzsprout.com/1306474
Check out Dave on Nostalgium Arcanum- https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/
Social Media:
BlueSky- https://bsky.app/profile/tftblpod.bsky.social
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthebacklog/
Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures 
</description>

Dave is joined by Kate Hunter and Emily Merritt (No Small Games) to discuss Game Freak and The Pokémon Company's 2022 monster catching RPGs, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. 

191: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (with Kate & Emily - No Small Games)

A video games podcast where Dave Jackson and guests break down and discuss the games they play. Each episode looks at one game in depth, focusing on mechanics, story, music and other aspects, with no spoilers until a clearly marked spoiler wall in the middle. 


A video games podcast where Dave Jackson and guests take a game out of the backlog, play it and discuss their experiences in depth, with no spoilers until they warn you.

Tales from the Backlog

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