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Tales from the Backlog

Tales from the Backlog

By: David Jackson
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About this listen

 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.© 2025 Tube Podcast Network Science Fiction
Episodes
  • 173: Max Payne (with Nomad - The Retro Wildlands)

    173: Max Payne (with Nomad - The Retro Wildlands)
    Jul 9 2025
    Support my work on Patreon (https://patreon.com/realdavejackson) Two podcasters entered the room on a collision course, one with a backlog the size of a mobster's rap sheet, the other with one foot in the past. There was only one way out of this mess- one podcast to end them all. The subject was an old friend, if you consider a man out of options a friend. A man with a thirst for revenge that nothing could quench- Max Payne. Guest info: Nomad (The Retro Wildlands) * Listen to The Retro Wildlands https://linktr.ee/retrowildlands * Check out the Superpod Network https://superpodnetwork.com/ * Follow Nomad on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/retrowildlands.bsky.social TIMESTAMPS * 0:00 Title Card * 0:32 Intros * 5:24 Our Histories with Remedy and Max Payne * 10:36 Opening Thoughts About Max Payne * 16:00 Story Setup/Revenge Themes * 23:00 Neo-Noir Storytelling and Presentation * 32:25 Remake Talk * 34:25 Music * 38:22 Combat * 52:02 Other Gameplay * 1:00:23 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations * 1:08:13 The Retro Wildlands Plugs * 1:15:11 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous * 1:16:35 Spoiler Section- Plot Twists and Mysteries * 1:25:18 Spoiler Section- Revenge and Vigilantism Music used in the episode is credited to Kärtsy Hatakka and Kimmo Kajasto. Tracks used: Max Payne Theme, Graphic Novel, Whack Him, Mr. Big, Max Payne Theme (Short Version) Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server! (https://discord.gg/bptGyEWbk7) Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi (https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson)! 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 Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-top-3-podcast/id1555269504), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/2euGp3pWi7Hy1c6fmY526O?si=0ebcb770618c460c) and other podcast platforms (atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
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    1 hr and 45 mins
  • 172: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (with Dan - The Greatest Story Ever Played)

    172: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (with Dan - The Greatest Story Ever Played)
    Jul 2 2025
    Support my work on Patreon (https://patreon.com/realdavejackson) As a lifelong Indiana Jones agnostic, there was no way that MachineGames would make an Indiana Jones game I would care about, right? Right? Well, it certainly looked that way when the first gameplay trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle dropped. But then I started hearing my activation phrases start to bounce around- "this is like Hitman", "this is like Dishonored", so I knew I had to give it a try. And boy am I glad that I did! Guest info: Dan of The Greatest Story Ever Played * Check out the podcast https://linktr.ee/thegreateststoryeverplayed * Follow Dan on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/storyeverpod.bsky.social TIMESTAMPS * 0:00 Title Card * 0:36 Intros * 3:33 Personal Histories with Indiana Jones and The Great Circle * 7:55 Opening Thoughts * 11:33 Story Setup and Troy Baker as Indiana Jones * 16:35 A Great Villain and Supporting Cast * 24:54 Music and Visual Presentation * 34:36 Combat and Stealth * 48:28 Side Quests, Exploration and Level Design * 1:04:19 Final Thoughts/Recommendations * 1:08:24 The Greatest Story Ever Played Plugs * 1:13:07 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous * 1:14:46 Spoiler Section Music used in the episode is credited to Gordy Haab. Tracks used: The Great Circle, A New Adventure Awaits, Where Are We, Gina's Theme, Signs of the Stones, Until the Next Adventure Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server! (https://discord.gg/bptGyEWbk7) Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi (https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson)! 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 Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-top-3-podcast/id1555269504), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/2euGp3pWi7Hy1c6fmY526O?si=0ebcb770618c460c) and other podcast platforms (atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
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    1 hr and 57 mins
  • 171: El Paso, Elsewhere (with Jacob McCourt & Luke Lewis)

    171: El Paso, Elsewhere (with Jacob McCourt & Luke Lewis)
    Jun 25 2025
    Support my work on Patreon (https://patreon.com/realdavejackson) Strange Scaffold is a rare game studio that gets as much, or maybe even more, positive attention for their workplace ethos and number of releases per year as they do for their games themselves. I found myself in that same position, with great respect for their process, but no experience with the games themselves....until now! El Paso, Elsewhere is an emotional take on neo-noir, vampire stories, Max Payne and boomer shooters, and it works really well! Guest info: Jacob McCourt and Luke Lewis * Check out their shared podcast Crossplay Conversations https://www.youtube.com/@crossplayconvos * Check out Lukewarm Games https://www.lukewarmgames.com/ * Follow Luke on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/lukewarmlewis.bsky.social * Check out Left Behind Game Club https://leftbehindgame.club/ * Check out Jacob's written reviews on The Gaming Brief https://thegamingbrief.ca/ * Follow Jacob on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/jacob.bsky.social TIMESTAMPS * 0:00 Title Card * 0:22 Intros * 4:20 Personal Histories with Strange Scaffold/El Paso, Elsewhere * 10:43 Top-Level Thoughts on El Paso, Elsewhere * 15:10 Story Setup * 20:49 Presentation and Storytelling * 27:02 Music * 34:39 Shooting and Bullet Time * 48:57 Gameplay Pacing * 55:03 Closing Thoughts/Recommendations * 1:01:27 Jacob and Luke Plug Their Stuff! * 1:11:31 SPOILER WALL/Patron Thank-Yous * 1:13:45 Spoilers- Janet, Draculae and James * 1:33:06 Spoilers- Addiction, Being a Good Person, Endings Music used in the episode is credited to R.J. Lake and LAKE SAVAGE. Tracks used: a forty-six story motel, GONNA CUT, GHOSTIN' THE MAINFRAME, audio demon, almost exactly the same, next time on elpasoball z. * Buy the score- https://spellmynamewithabang.bandcamp.com/album/el-paso-elsewhere-part-one-the-score * Buy the rap album- https://spellmynamewithabang.bandcamp.com/album/el-paso-elsewhere-part-two-the-album Check out an interview with Xalavier Nelson Jr on the Gamerheads Podcast. (https://www.gamerheadspodcast.com/post/el-paso-elsewhere-interview-with-xalavier-nelson-jr) Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server! (https://discord.gg/V3ZHz3vYQR) Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi (https://ko-fi.com/realdavejackson)! 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 Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-top-3-podcast/id1555269504), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/2euGp3pWi7Hy1c6fmY526O?si=0ebcb770618c460c) and other podcast platforms (atop3podcast.fireside.fm)!
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    1 hr and 56 mins

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