The #Backlog Breakdown

Wesley Rea, The Henshin Dad Himself joins Josh to talk about one of his favorite games of all time: Xenoblade Chronicles 3. For those who may be new to the game, we'll tackle how it is different from the other games in the series, and what makes it worth the time investment. And for the Xenoblade veterans, we'll be diving deep into the themes and nuances of the the different elements of the game to show how lovingly crafted it is and what it has to say to us in the real world.

We'd love to hear from...

Every 6 months, we pick one of our question askers to win $25. Is it you this time? Are you the winner? Listen in as we reminisce and pick a winner!

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner...

This week, we're tackling another Patron pick: Long Gone Days, the indie sci-fi RPG about an evil conspiracy to take over Poland. Our patron, gracious Josh, joins us to talk about why he picked the game and his thoughts on the experience.

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a...

In this episode, Nate reflects on the often negative tone surrounding advancements in video games—especially when changes don’t meet players' expectations. Rather than reacting with frustration or cynicism, Nate challenges us to respond with the Christian virtue of kindness. How can we be salt and light in the gaming world, bringing grace, understanding, and encouragement into spaces that are often dominated by criticism? Tune in for a refreshing take on how we can elevate the conversation and reflect Christ—even in our favorite hobby.

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We're halfway through 2025 and we've played some video games! Do any of them deserve to be on our Top 100 list? Is there anything current on the list that needs to be dropped or shuffled? Why would we do that to our perfect list? All this and more on this week's episode of The Backlog Breakdown!

You can view our current Top 100 list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1shRB_fLOspxuBz78Ol8Dfx0RtEe0BMtnE0f3uUzIijQ/edit?usp=sharing

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This week, Josh recounts his love (and possibly hatred) for the original GameBoy.

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of the other amazing Play...

The video game industry is in a tough place right now. On the one hand, there are a number of big budget releases that have failed to meet sales expectations due to their bloated budgets. And on the other hand, we're also seeing some smaller teams create well received games and rake in a decent profit for their work. What can we learn from the changing landscape?

The State of the Arc podcast referenced in this episode can be found here: https://youtu.be/06xTeL7AIoE

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On our Mega Man X episode, we noted that we don't really understand the story of how Mega Man X is related to Mega Man and what connections there may or may not be. In comes Wesley to correct our poor assumptions and set us straight. This week, he's tackling the lore behind Mega Man X and how it relates to the original series on the NES.

Check out Wesley's podcast, Retronim, here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OMKTnOHBc08ayqkpu0JBY

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This week, we're talking about another Patron pick: the 2012 immersive sim Dishonored. Isaac joins us to discuss what we think is special about the game and whether or not it holds up 13 years later.

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation...

On this bite sized episode, Nate addresses his concerns with Quick Play's 5-point rating scale.

Check out the Quick Play episode where Mark breaks down his thoughts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL8hsiJxJFA

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that...

Our good friend and Patron, John, joins in to discuss his Patron Pick: The Banner Saga. Is it worth your time, or should it be left behind and forgotten? Are there any deeper themes the game touches on? Check out this week's episode and find out!

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the...

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct was only a couple of weeks ago. Let's talk about it between 2 bros!

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of...

The Stanley Parable is an comedic walking sim indie game that's over 10 years old. It's also number 92 on our Top 100 games of all time. Does it still deserve its place there in 2025? Tune in and find out our thoughts on The Stanley Parable!

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network...

Arkone Lightwave joins Nate to talk about the league of mediocre brotato chaps, our fantasy critic league, and all the movers and shakers from the first quarter 2025.

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there...

Mega Man X is an SNES classic. But why? Is it really one of the greatest games ever made? Does it still hold up in 2025?

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a...

Watch out 2025, cause Nate is coming for you with his video games picks to play through this year!

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all...

The guys reconvene to give an extended talk on the state of their backlogs, what they've played in 2025, and how gaming has changed for them this year.

Support our friend, the Technofunkboy, by donating to his Kickstarter today: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tfb/the-final-fantasy-mixes-10th-anniversary-remasters

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member...

This week, Josh uses a question posed in the discord as a jumping off point to discuss the current state of emulation and his thoughts on how it can be used to beat down your backlog.

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to...

This week, the books talk about one of the most mysterious video games of all: a book! Why? Well, I guess you'll have to check it out to find out!

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful...

This week, Josh reviews the Nintendo 3DS game: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker. What may be one of the longest and most cumbersome titles for a video game actually pans out to be a fun and interesting game, but it is as good as the rest of the series? Tune in and find out!

This week, the boys are joined by SPyKe, A.K.A. the Alter-Nate, a patron who chose for them to play and discuss The Talos Principle. Can A.I. ever experience consciousness? What does it mean for a machine to possess free will? Can a video game really delve deep into philosophical concepts while you run around completing light puzzles? Join us as we discuss the game and how we thought through some of what it has to say from a biblical worldview.

The brain trust returns! Nate, Parker, and Micah reconvene to discuss the current state of the industry. A lot has happened in the recent past, including new strategies for Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. What does that mean for the future of the video game industry?

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play...

The last we talked with Jordan, he was setting out to create his first video game through his solo development house, LuxCor Studios. Well, now that game is finished and available for anyone interested! Hear how the development affected the end product and his thoughts on creating his first game. And be sure to pick up Oracle of Meles on Steam here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2779160/Oracle_of_Meles/

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This year, Josh is looking at being more intention in the games that he plays from his backlog. How did he determine what games to tackle? Tune in and find out!

We're all over social media (including Youtube!) and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of the other...

Unicorn Overlord was one of the highest reviewed games of last year, but did you know that the team who created that game have been around since the early 2000s? Join us this week as we take a look at the Japanese developer VanillaWare, and the handful of games that they've released here in North America.

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Mark from Quick Play, who was on last year to talk about Outer Wilds with the guys, has a bite sized episode on the game's DLC: The Echoes of the Eye.

Check out the Quick Play podcast here: https://bio.site/quickplay

We're all over social media (including Youtube!) and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until...

Last year, Nate and Josh both played through Edelweiss's Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin. And this year, they'd like to talk about it! Is it as delicious as a steaming plate of seasoned sticky rice or as ruinous as a leftover sushi? Tune in and find out!

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of...

Nate sits down to explain the 2025 Backlog Beatdown. While it's largely the same meta-game that we've held in previous years, this time there are a few new options for games that you don't own and for focusing on a select group of games you'd like to play through this year.

We're all over social media (including Youtube!) and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation...

We've made some New Year's resolutions here at the Backlog Breakdown, and we'd like to share them with you!

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out...

Merry Christmas! Our gifts to you include: answering a plethora of burning questions, a Christmas giveaway, and a Christmas roast from our friend, Wes.

We're all over social media and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of the other amazing Play Well podcasts Here. Get PWNed, scrubs.

For our last episode of 2024, we have some awards to give out to various games; including being added to our prestigious Top 100 list!

Check out the list here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1shRB_fLOspxuBz78Ol8Dfx0RtEe0BMtnE0f3uUzIijQ/edit?usp=sharing

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of...

This week, Nate takes some time to run down the standings of our Fantasy Critic league and crown the winner of 2024!

We're all over social media and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of the other amazing Play Well podcasts Here. Get PWNed, scrubs.

It's another Patron Pick! This time around, Paul requested that we play The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. He jumped on, along with Wes, to talk about this seminal game in the LoZ series.

Be sure and check out The TechnoFunkBoy's music on Bandcamp: https://thetechnofunkboy.bandcamp.com/

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog...

Nate and Josh got together to talk about what they're thankful for...and it ended up taking a bit longer than expected. Go figure.

We're all over social media and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of the other amazing Play Well podcasts Here. Get PWNed, scrubs.

With Thanksgiving coming up, we decided to talk about the concept of thankfulness and the benefits of cultivating gratitude in the midst of an industry that markets the latest as the greatest.

We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

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The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a...

Sometimes, you just want to cozy up with some comfort food. And video games are no exception. This week, Josh attempts to nail down the slippery moniker of "coziness" in gaming, and how it might pop up in other unlikely titles.

We're all over social media and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail...

It's time for another Patron Pick, where our patrons get to pick a game for us to play and talk about. This time around, we have on Mark Erickson from the Quick Play podcast to talk about Outer Wilds.

Be sure and give Mark's podcast, Quick Play, a listen by clicking here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quick-play/id1623478883

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Every year, we play a spooky game in October. This year, we tackled Tango Gameworks' The Evil Within. And now, we have some thoughts: some good, some bad, and some ugly. Are there any deeper truths to be mined while playing the game? Listen in and find out!

Check out Josh's recommendation of Canterbury's music video for Gloria by clicking here: https://youtu.be/8h6vXvxrf-Q?si=1ibfWpG8bKnwGnvF

And Nate's recommendation of For The Gospel's discussion on A Theology of Fun by clicking here: https://youtu.be/4nPD0kbr7Pg

We'd love...

On this week's bite sized episode, Nate talks about...what he wants to talk about.

We're all over social media and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of the other amazing Play Well podcasts Here. Get PWNed, scrubs.

This week, Josh addresses how we are to take Paul's charge to think on what is "pure and lovely" while also playing video games and engaging with media that vividly depicts the sinfulness of mankind.

We're all over social media and we'd like to hear from you! Click Here to visit our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown

The Backlog Breakdown is a proud member of the Play Well Network, a network of podcasts that seek to approach recreation in a more thoughtful manner. Until there is a rabbit trail to follow. Check out all of...