Rephonic
Artwork for Tales from the Backlog

Tales from the Backlog

Dave Jackson
Grief
Character Development
Indie Games
Nintendo
Baldur's Gate 3
Metroidvania
Mental Health
Video Games
Elden Ring
Max Payne
No Small Games
Silent Hill
Final Fantasy IV
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Hideo Kojima
Unpacking
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Blue Prince
The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To the Past
Nostalgia

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes279Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesGamesLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Tales from the Backlog

Latest Episodes

Support my work on Patreon- patreon.com/realdavejackson

Discord, Socials and more- linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

I somehow missed Alan Wake along the way. I remember playing the AWE DLC in Control, watching Alan's face superimposed ... more

YouTube

Support my work on Patreon- patreon.com/realdavejackson

Discord, Socials and more- linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Longtime listeners of the show will agree with me here when I say- I never thought this day would come. Resident Evil 7... more

YouTube

Support my work on Patreon- patreon.com/realdavejackson

Discord, Socials and more- linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

For some, the halcyon days of PC gaming involved D&D-based RPGs with unwieldy UI and gauntlet-shaped mouse cursors, and... more

YouTube

Support my work on Patreon- patreon.com/realdavejackson

Discord, Socials and more- linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Everyone's got that game, book, movie, etc that a longtime friend has been recommending for years, decades or more and ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Baron Jones
Writer and communications director at LV1 Gaming and host of the Backlog Barbarians Podcast.
LV1 Gaming
Episode: 235: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (with Baron Jones - LV1 Gaming)
Phil Morgan
Host of Deleted Saves and comic book artist
Deleted Saves
Episode: 234: SKALD: Against the Black Priory (with Phil Morgan - Deleted Saves)
Chris Coplien
Host of Retro Hangover; Dragon Riding Warrior
Retro Hangover
Episode: 232: Panzer Dragoon Saga (with Chris Coplien - Retro Hangover)
Patrick Arthur
Host of Retro Spectives Podcast
Retro Spectives Podcast
Episode: Do Video Games "Hold Up"? (with Retro Spectives)
James Tuerlings
Host of Retro Spectives Podcast
Retro Spectives Podcast
Episode: Do Video Games "Hold Up"? (with Retro Spectives)
Maddie K. (Stormageddon)
Co-host of Fun and Games and Reignite podcasts; game developer and writer
Episode: 229: The Beginner's Guide (with Matt aka Stormageddon - "Fun" and Games, Reignite)
Rebekah Valentine
Investigative journalist at Kotaku
Kotaku
Episode: 228: Golden Sun (with Rebekah Valentine)
Gen Moonen
Host of Fun and Games podcast, invited guest on Tales from the Backlog episode about Portrait of Ruin
Fun and Games
Episode: 227: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (with Gen Moonen - "Fun" and Games)
Luis Aguasvivas
Writer and critic
Debug Magazine, NPR, Gamers with Glasses, Unwinnable
Episode: 225: Arco (with Luis Aguasvivas)

Hosts

Dave Jackson
Host of Tales from the Backlog; central figure guiding discussions and coordinating guests.
Flora Merigold
Guest host, writer and critic with roles at Left Behind Game Club and Epilogue Gaming.
Jesse Guarascia
Guest and Noclip producer; puzzle-game design insights.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 255 ratings
  • Episode 30 Ds3

    Good formatting and liked the talk but some of the takes in the talk were bad as the dlc is much better than they portray it and PvP is part of the game so don’t hide and kill your character before they can start a fight when they find you

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Hollowknightfan123
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Fantastic

    Really appreciate the thought that goes into what games the guests play, the conversations, and the spoiler policy is one of the best structures for a podcast that discusses games that have been out for a wide range of times.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pandabudd
    United Statesa year ago
  • Podcast Addict
    rckfrstn
    a year ago
  • Great show

    Dave might be the best interviewer in any video game centric podcast. Fun and informative

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Corndoggingsteve
    United Statesa year ago
  • The Backlog is 5x5

    Tales from the Backlog covers indie and majors in a very approachable format, with a great host and very notable guests. Spoilers are separate if you hear a game you want to play, and when opting to listen to spoilers, that game you questioned might change your mind.

    Very thoughtful and well versed approach to all genre of the art we call entertainment.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dlevi
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Spoiler policy is among the best structures for a podcast that discusses games that have been out for a wide range of times.
Host is praised for thoughtful, well-researched discussions and a calming presenting style.
Guests are consistently described as knowledgeable and engaging, adding credible perspectives to varied games.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

235: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (with Baron Jones - LV1 Gaming)
Q: Who do we recommend play Resident Evil 7?
They recommend it to players who enjoy American horror films and action-oriented survival horror, while noting that its opening is stronger than some later sections.
235: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (with Baron Jones - LV1 Gaming)
Q: So what's your history with this series and then in particular, RE7 here?
Baron describes being frightened by the original games, then completing the Resident Evil 2 remake and Resident Evil 7, which became his first completed Resident Evil game.
234: SKALD: Against the Black Priory (with Phil Morgan - Deleted Saves)
Q: Who do you think this game would appeal to?
Phil recommends it to fans of retro-style RPGs and cosmic horror, including players who enjoy the Ravenloft games or the monster themes of The Witcher 3. Dave adds that its shorter campaign may appeal to CRPG fans who want a complete experience without a lengthy time commitment.
234: SKALD: Against the Black Priory (with Phil Morgan - Deleted Saves)
Q: What was it about SKALD that drew you in?
Phil says he was drawn to its resemblance to the old SSI Gold Box D&D games, its Lovecraftian themes, and its lush pixel art.
228: Golden Sun (with Rebekah Valentine)
Q: What do you think is the core theme Golden Sun is trying to say beyond a simple save-the-world plot?
The core theme centers on examining belief and truth—whether what you're taught about alchemy and its power is true, and how that belief is tested by contrasting perspectives, especially as The Lost Age reveals the other side of the story.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Tales from the Backlog

What is Tales from the Backlog about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful depth-first show that examines one game per episode, unpacking mechanics, story, music, and design choices while keeping spoilers clearly separated by a dedicated wall. Guests range from indie critics to developers and fellow podcasters, contributing diverse perspectives on pacing, accessibility, and player choice. The format tends to favor careful, well-researched analysis, thoughtful critique, and a welcoming, spoiler-aware discussion that helps listeners decide what to play next. Noteworthy strengths include a calm, conversational host, a consistent spoiler structure, and a rotating roster of guests who bring strong specialist insight into game design, narrative, and audio. Potential listeners who enjoy nuanced conversations... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Tales from the Backlog?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Tales from the Backlog. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Tales from the Backlog and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Tales from the Backlog get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Tales from the Backlog, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Tales from the Backlog?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Tales from the Backlog, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Tales from the Backlog have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Tales from the Backlog has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Tales from the Backlog?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Tales from the Backlog:

1. The Cane and Rinse videogame podcast
2. Watch Out for Fireballs!
3. Axe of the Blood God: An RPG Podcast
4. Triple Click
5. Into the Aether - A Low Key Video Game Podcast

How many episodes of Tales from the Backlog are there?

Tales from the Backlog launched 5 years ago and published 279 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Tales from the Backlog?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Tales from the Backlog?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Tales from the Backlog from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Tales from the Backlog?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Tales from the Backlog. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Tales from the Backlog?

Recent guests on Tales from the Backlog include:

1. Baron Jones
2. Phil Morgan
3. Chris Coplien
4. Patrick Arthur
5. James Tuerlings
6. Maddie K. (Stormageddon)
7. Rebekah Valentine
8. Gen Moonen

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days