GROGPOD Roguelike Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Oy, Gary! Is that you? Join us this week as we rehydrate some prisoners for derelict spaceship looting zaniness with Void Bastards! A 2.5D space shooter with more mutated freaks than the typical bus stop in Yoker, we try to appease the voice from the Stanley Parable with some bureaucratic busywork in the form of gun shooting. All the while fending off space pirates, space whales, and assessing if that gas station sandwich you just spent your credits on is or is not going to give you a parasite to start talking with a Glaswegian accent, aye? Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:19 - game stats 2:33 - one sentence(?) description 5:29 - Art style appreciation and initial gameplay impressions 11:17 - Story setup and tutorial sequence discussion 15:02 - Immersive sim comparisons and system complexity debate 22:30 - Looting mechanics criticism and lack of meaningful decisions 28:30 - Story problems and space whale encounter disappointment 34:23 - Weapon crafting system and progression unlock issues 43:30 - Development ambition vs execution capability discussion 48:40 - Character trait system praise and gameplay variety 54:18 - Missing boss battles and set piece sequences 58:40 - Wild Bastards sequel preview and comparison hopes 1:03:48 - rankings and final thoughts 1:12:37 - similar games Next episode: Inscryption Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Chip Whickham - Space Walk Outro music: Ryan Roth - Walk the Plank!

Caw caww!! It’s almost every episode that we reference Slay the Spire in some way, so what better time to finally cover it for the podcast than on our 50th episode spectacular?! Listen in as some Spire pros educate some Ascension 0 players on skills, powers, potions, relics and attacks. Every card is a block card if you try hard enough in this episode, but is Claw, in fact, Law? Who watches The Watcher? Why didn’t my Fairy Bottle trigger? With about 1,200 hours of gameplay under our Champion Belts, surely we can Slay these questions along with the beating of that hideous Heart! But will this game be the one that finally ascends the Spire that is our rankings list? You’ll have to tune in to our longest (and therefore highest quality) episode to date! Or just skip ahead to the rankings timestamp with those fancy Wing Boots of yours. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 2:24 - game stats 3:33 - one sentence description 12:37 - our story begins 23:32 - the characters and archetypes 47:20 - general gameplay 52:00 - ascension mode 1:03:00 - ideal win percentage 1:08:00 - Slay the Spire 2 wishlist 1:11:52 - Downfall 1:16:00 - music and art 1:18:50 - victory…? 1:26:46 - rankings and final thoughts 1:44:57 - similar games Next episode: Void Bastards Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Dave Brubeck - Take Five Outro music: Clark Aboud - Exordium, The Guardian Emerges

Helios has been abandoned! This week we’re playing the multiple BAFTA Award-winning Triple-A roguelite shooter Returnal. We continue bullet hell/heck month with swarms of huge colorful orbs, energy swords, and as many tentacled Matrix-inspired laser squids as you can shake your noodly appendages at! Join us in our foray into the first actual big-budget rogue-game of the pod with a game that had been locked behind Playstation 5 exclusivity like a gigantic interlocking metal door. We were able to just barely eek through the podcaster-sized hole in the bottom, but can we beat the boss that is…uh…well the first boss even??? Aim assist to maximum! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 2:10 - game stats 4:53 - one sentence description 5:30 - all devs go to heaven warning (sort of) 7:34 - Difficulty preferences and boss fight frustrations 16:18 - Story introduction and crash landing setup 22:33 - Atmosphere and alien environment descriptions 27:53 - Biome structure and room types explanation 32:46 - Progression systems and weapon upgrading mechanics 39:03 - PC port performance and hardware requirements 44:11 - Weapon synergies and parasite systems 51:24 - Game length criticism and pacing issues 55:00 - story spoilers discussion 1:04:05 - rankings and final thoughts 1:14:30 - similar games Next episode: Barony Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: McCoy Tyner - Search For Peace Outro music: Bobby Krlic - Hyperion

Ghostly squeal! This week we’re descending the floors of an ancient facility filled with ghosts, mages, machines, talking cats, and bullets! So, so many bullets. What else would you expect from the bullet hell game that is Star of Providence? A charming, NES-inspired modern throwback, Star of Providence puts us to the test with harrowing boss fights, secret endings, and more guns than you can shake a sword that shoots bullets at! Team D-13 were kind enough to give a quick Q&A on how Star of Providence came about for us. Give it a look-see here! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:52 - game stats 7:31 - Bullet hell categorization and genre spectrum discussion 11:04 - Boss fight difficulty and traditional schmup comparisons 15:19 - Retro aesthetic appreciation and NES style graphics 19:11 - Story and setting overview with facility exploration 22:38 - Tutorial quality and instant teleport feature praise 26:47 - Room design and environmental interaction mechanics 31:17 - Weapon system and ammo management mechanics 35:47 - Keyword system and weapon modification features 42:47 - Dash mechanics and movement system differences 48:17 - Meta progression and scoring multiplier complaints 54:17 - Health and power-up economy criticism 1:07:47 - rankings and final thoughts 1:17:24 - similar games 1:20:25 - upgrade terminal podcast shoutout Next episode: Returnal Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Time-Lapse City - GoGo Penguin Outro music: Tonal Dissonance - garoslaw

We did it listeners, we saved the city! This week we revisit Subset Games with their hit mecha-tactics bug-squisher puzzle-roguelike: Into the Breach. Time travel shenanigans are at a maximum this time, as we push our recording date back a couple days to get everyone in here. Woody joins us once more to talk about balancing the destruction of apartment buildings with making sure the train gets to its destination on time. Jump mechs, swap mechs, science vesseles, weapons to surpass Metal Gear, bugs that think!?!? Into the Breach is a timeless gem of intense noodle-scratching thought, so drop in from the sky and help us save the corporate islands! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:39 - game stats 3:00 - one sentence description 6:09 - Reactive turn-based combat system mechanics explanation 9:01 - Game rule consistency and fairness discussion 14:19 - Story setup: humanity defeated, time travel mechanics 19:07 - Criticism of story elements and time travel narrative 22:07 - Developer interview insights and content cutting decisions 27:04 - Squad variety and achievement system discussion 32:13 - Energy/reactor system and item acquisition complaints 38:22 - Item excitement and randomness in roguelike games 46:56 - Final boss absence and game completion discussion 54:56 - Game length and run time considerations 1:07:11 - Squad preferences and favorite team mechanics 1:15:49 - rankings and final thoughts 1:28:50 - similar games Next episode: Star of Providence Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Stanley Turrentine - June Bug Outro music: Ben Prunty - Into the Breach

This week we’re drawing a straight with the recent smash hit poker-puzzle deckbuilder Balatro! Join our four-of-a-kind hosts to talk about who will have the last laugh between random card draws and overtly complicated computer simulations. But no adventure is complete without joker hats and joker feet! Many jokes and many quips have passed behind our funny lips. By poking fun and making merry, our podcasts won’t be half as scary. So don’t be timid, don’t be nervous - Joker’s here, at your service! Aheuhheuuehehhah! Find a link to Will’s optimal hand play simulator here. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:18 - game stats 3:25 - one sentence description 6:06 - Will’s discovery and immediate obsession with the game 10:56 - Player statistics and victory counts discussion 13:44 - Story explanation: no narrative, just poker with jokers 18:00 - Will’s advanced mathematical analysis and strategy depth 24:06 - Randomness versus determinism debate in deck builders 32:31 - Accessibility and poker knowledge requirements discussion 42:17 - Most fun aspects beyond winning runs 52:04 - Strategy discussion: flushes, synergies, and joker combinations 1:01:17 - Runtime discussion and fast restart mechanics 1:08:45 - Hand ranking problems and inflexible build issues 1:17:15 - rankings and final thoughts Next episode: Into the Breach Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Lee Morgan - The Joker Outro music: LouisF - Balatro OST

Lousy Smarch weather! Come in from the cold and warm up with an episode on the recent hit citybuilder roguelite Against the Storm. We’ve got biscuits and pie, jerky, and a nice dry roof to keep your resolve high. There’s lots to talk about between lizard happiness, a Queen that no one has confirmed exists or not, and everyone’s favorite topic: supply chain logistics! Man it’s wet out there. Check me through will you? Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:19 - game stats 3:30 - one sentence description 6:20 - » all devs go to heaven warning « 9:30 - our story begins 12:19 - End game disappointment and seal mechanics explained 17:10 - Overworld structure and meta progression criticism 19:39 - City building mechanics and randomized building systems 27:07 - UI problems and blueprint menu frustrations 32:44 - Queen’s impatience meter and reputation system mechanics 42:12 - Art style debate (Warcraft-like graphics divisive opinions) 51:20 - Tutorial experience problems and UI learning curve 1:06:00 - rankings and final thoughts 1:16:48 - similar games Next episode: Balatro Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Chad Lawson Trio - If I Only Had A Brain Outro music: Mikołaj Kurpios - Forest Lights

Happy TOMEntines day! This week we choo-choo choose to revisit the traditional roguelike-sphere with an oldie but a biggie. Tales of Maj’Eyal holds a special place in the hearts of old guards of tradrogues, continuing a legacy from an Angband spinoff in 1998. There’s a lot of love stemming from a vibrant community around TOME, if you can look past the ugly duckling presentation. It’s time to use our Chronomancy to turn back the clock, fight back the Spellblaze Scar, and try to charm the master of Dredfell Tower to watch some sappy romcoms with us. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:57 - game stats 4:31 - one sentence description 6:13 - First impressions discussion and art criticism begins 10:18 - Will’s 60-hour experience and frustration with mechanics 16:41 - Mechanical cohesion: enemies use same systems as players 19:06 - Different starting scenarios for various races/classes 23:37 - Auto-explorer feature and movement controls discussion 30:19 - Game modes: permadeath vs multiple lives system 34:12 - Debate on roguelike length and investment vs permadeath 45:58 - Vault mechanics and elite enemies discussion 50:28 - Controls and UI complexity criticism 56:40 - Music repetition and sound design complaints 59:49 - Graphics critique: “objectively ugly” debate and art cohesion 1:12:32 - Dating quest discovery and bikini character screenshots 1:18:21 - rankings and final thoughts 1:26:38 - similar games Next episode: Against the Storm Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Thomas Marriott - The Tale of Debauchery Outro music: Celestial Aeon Project - Virtue Lost

Reap and tear! This week we’re DOOMing it up with the BOOMer shooter rogue Nightmare Reaper. We all go a little mad sometimes, but what better way to relieve that stress with some out-of-left-field minigames? Keep an eye out for the trumpet skeleton, platforming puzzles, and bolwing ball-launching shotguns. Oh and did I mention there was a chainsaw grappling hook? One more time for the folks in the back: chainsaw. grappling. hook! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:17 - game stats 2:34 - one sentence description 6:16 - Host preferences on shooter genres and boomer shooters 10:34 - Story setup: asylum patient experiencing nightmares/dreams with combat 14:18 - Gameplay loop: one chance per level, weapon persistence mechanics 17:57 - Weapon variety and combat mechanics discussion 24:27 - Level design and enemy behavior criticism 31:26 - Upgrade system problems and “should have been default” features 33:25 - Mario-style mini-game tech tree complaints and accessibility options 45:20 - Level navigation issues and procedural generation problems 57:11 - Gun sprite graphics quality and visual design critique 1:07:42 - Music discussion and soundtrack evaluation 1:12:13 - Roguelike classification debate and story execution issues 1:21:29 - rankings and final thoughts 1:27:50 - similar games Next episode: Tales of Maj’Eyal Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Charles Mingus - Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Silk Blues Outro music: Andrew Hulshult - Lucid Mayhem

Gather round children, it’s story time! This week we’re talking about the pop-up storybook RPG Wildermyth! We’re fighting gorgons with poison blood, turning into wolf people, and replacing arms with pirate hooks. You know, the normal things you always read about in kids books. It’s time to customize your coworkers, pick your pet, and save the lands from mechanical clockwork monsters! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:29 - game stats 2:23 - one sentence description 4:11 - Art style discussion: paper standee aesthetic and monster design 6:57 - Age of Ulstryx campaign experience and generic fantasy start 8:35 - Story volume complaints: too much text, too few choices 12:19 - Character customization and personality trait system discussion 16:38 - Magic system: infusing with environmental objects mechanics 21:44 - Overworld exploration and time pressure mechanics 28:13 - Difficulty and strategic decision-making critique 33:03 - Legacy character system and campaign connections 39:05 - Randomization vs bespoke story content debate 46:35 - Procedural vs handcrafted narrative generation discussion 52:27 - Combat mechanics and camera control issues 53:58 - rankings and final thoughts 1:01:10 - similar games Next episode: Nightmare Reaper Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Wayne Shorter - Wild Flower Outro music: Wildermyth Overworld