It belongs in a museum! For our listener request week and the landmark 75th episode, we cover one of the foundational early roguelikes with Spelunky! Released in 2012 on the Xbox Live Arcade as a full-scale HD remaster of the 2008 freeware hit, Spelunky marked the watershed moment of stealing fire from the Berlin Roguelike gods and applying it to platformers. It’s undeniable legacy looms large, but does the nostalgia factor still stand strong? Will the hosts go hollow trying to make THIS one THE run? I mean, even the great Liz Mutton had to fall on a spike or two, right?

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1:10 - game stats

4:35 - one sentence description

6:14 - Thesis about Spelunky as definitive video game

8:14 - Historical context of roguelike games pre-Spelunky

11:20 - Game difficulty and bounce-off rates discussion

16:14 - Comparing Spelunky difficulty to Dark Souls games

19:35 - Standard run walkthrough and tutorial explanation

28:47 - Controls mastery and engagement requirements

36:25 - Biome progression and level design philosophy

43:07 - Shopkeeper mechanics and vindictive AI behavior

54:02 - Olmec boss fight and final temple challenges

1:06:53 - Hell runs and eggplant challenge explanation

1:28:57 - Spelunky 2 comparison and sequel discussion

1:31:30 - Community feedback and player perspectives

1:41:11 - rankings and final thoughts

1:53:06 - similar games

Next episode: Elden Ring Nightreign

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Herbie Hancock - Thieves in the Temple

Outro music: Eirik Suhrke - Temple A

My kingdom for a horse! This week we play the minimalist, yet deceptively deep tower defense strategy roguelite Kingdom: New Lands. This one-dimensional game is anything but as we dive deep into advanced peasant managing strategy not seen since Warcraft. You have crash landed on an island and must lead it to survival against greedy forest dwelling goblins. Your royal rule by hurling coins at downtrodden beggars is the only thing that stands between you and sailing off into the sunset with your pet wolf and whatever knights you may have paid handsomely to protect you. What else awaits your majesty on the wavey shores to come?

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1:20 - game stats

3:02 - one sentence description

5:17 - Basic gameplay mechanics and controls explanation

8:40 - Game’s origins as Flash project for horse animations

11:25 - Tutorial experience and early game confusion

17:27 - Death mechanics and learning curve discussion

24:56 - Attack patterns and timing strategies

29:25 - Frustration with long run times and restarts

36:29 - Wiki usage debate and game inscrutability

44:10 - Blood moon mechanics and visual/audio cues

54:27 - Farming mechanics and builder management confusion

59:03 - Game’s difficulty scaling and strategic depth

1:07:48 - Portal mechanics and teleportation discovery

1:15:20 - rankings and final thoughts

1:25:03 - similar games

Next episode: Spelunky

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Harold Land - Lands End

Outro music: Amos Roddy - Meadow

Jammin! Summer jammin, that is. Our mid-year summer break featuring the best of roguelike and roguelite music returns featuring some really old games and some really big budget scores. Featuring artists ranging from Makeup & Vanity Set, Noisestorm, Mili, OC Remixers, and shirtless indie devs weilding spears and axes, you have 2 hours of solid roguelike tunes to blast on the UE4 rendered crab rave beach. We’ll turn the clocks backward (as well as our baseball hats) and revisit some certified classics while also shredding and shedding some light on some lesser known titles.

A talking-free version of all the tracks featured today can be found on our youtube playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-ShOmyMvd4iiH7UO17MilF87AkzdDG2a

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00:00 - Azure Dreams GBC - Title Theme

04:08 - Cave Noire - Combat Dungeon

09:49 - Toejam & Earl - Toejam Jammin’

17:12 - Fatal Labyrinth - Floors 1-9

21:29 - Tangledeep - Mysteries of Time

30:10 - Moonring - Angels

37:33 - UnReal World - Outro Theme

45:45 - Noita - Beat of the Kosmos

51:18 - Diablo - Tristram

1:02:14 - Shogun Showdown - Hibiku Wastelands

1:08:34 - AK-xolotl - Sakura Pink Inferno

1:13:02 - Quasimorph - Storm of the Formorians

1:19:46 - Roboquest - Metal Hero

1:24:48 - Crypt of the Necrodancer - Mausoleum Mash

1:31:46 - Brigador - Solo Nobre Must Fall

1:38:55 - Synthetik - Hypernoma

1:44:37 - Crab Champions - Ace

1:49:33 - Library of Ruina - String Theocracy

1:56:45 - Slay the Spire - Battle with the Champ

2:03:51 - Show wind down and next episode preview mystery track!

Next episode: Clues in the final outro song for this!

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

The pen is mightier than the sword! This week we crack open that new book smell with a first edition copy of Vellum: the third-person literary hack-and-slash game. We navigate the maze-like stacks, pet some colorful wolf friends, and talk about how many puns is TOO many for understanding a game properly. Don’t be quick to judge a book by it’s steam store page! There’s plenty of spells and quills and swords, but remember: A game a lone a last a loved a long the-

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1:22 - game stats

2:50 - one sentence description

6:47 - Hub world complexity and literary theming commitment

12:37 - Overly complex terminology and ability descriptions

19:04 - Enemy design and literary theme implementation

25:33 - “One more run” phenomenon and replay motivation

29:17 - Positive aspects including UI and visual effects

33:00 - Inscription system and meta progression mechanics

38:26 - Vignette encounters and their effectiveness debate

42:54 - Tome selection system and special level rules

48:07 - Progression gating and attunement level complaints

55:39 - End game content and endless mode discussion

1:01:29 - Boss strategy discovery and magical lamp exploit

1:14:13 - rankings and final thoughts

1:22:08 - similar games

1:24:50 - listener correspondence: does the GROGPOD need a public discord channel?

Next episode: 2025 Summer Music Fest

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: My Little Brown Book - Duke Ellington, John Coltrane

Outro music: Vellum OST - Boss Battle

Dat ain’t Falco! This week we wavedash into Spiritfall: the platformer beat-em-up with strong influence from the Super Smash Brothers series as well as Hades. The Blight has taken over the lands and your mysterious animal gods have tasked you, the Omenforged, to beat them back. With an array of weapons ranging from an axe-hammer to a scythe that transforms into a baseball bat, join us as we down-smash, L-cancel, and neutral-air our way across deserts, jungles, frozen wastelands, and all the way up to the source of the Blight itself! No Johns in this episode, we promise.

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2:04 - game stats

3:16 - one sentence description

5:57 Story Overview

8:58 Controls & Tutorial Complexity

12:46 Smash Bros Experience & Wave Dashing

18:10 Combat Mechanics & Arena Types

25:44 Generic Terminology & Art Style

32:38 Comparison to Dead Cells & Boss Fights

39:31 Map Navigation & Decision Making

50:39 Story Completion & Meta Progression

57:28 Hypothetical Smash Bros Crossover

1:22:39 - rankings and final thoughts

1:34:52 - similar games

Next episode: Vellum (for real this time)

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Charles Mingus - Mood Indigo

Outro music: Spiritfall OST - The Frigid Veil

Day 967… This week we unlock the enigmatic puzzle adventure / drunken architect simulator Blue Prince! Your wealthy great uncle has left you his strange estate for you to claim as your own, only if you can unravel the mysteries that lie within. I see a black cat with a red flag… pawns among bishops… ChatGPT solving wild word puzzles… IQ bending logical mysteries and more!

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1:04 - game stats

2:33 - one sentence description

4:07 - Spoiler-Free Initial Impressions

9:00 - Multi-Brain Gaming & Spoiler Transition

10:37 - Puzzle Spoilers & Game Mechanics

16:11 - Story Setup & Opening Cinematics

22:13 - Room Drawing Mechanics & RNG

29:05 - Foundation Room & Basement Mechanics

34:13 - Puzzle Solutions & External Help

40:43 - Digital Journal Critique & Comparison to Other Games

50:35 - Board Game vs Video Game Format

55:27 - Specific Gameplay Elements

1:03:02 - Game Design Analysis & Improvements

1:20:26 - listener letter on game pricing

1:29:00 - rankings and final thoughts

1:41:26 - similar games

Next episode: Spiritfall (due to last second schedule change after the recording)

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Dave Brubeck Quartet - Someday My Prince Will Come

Outro music: Trigg & Gusset - Bequest

Draw! This week we go akimbo with two high-caliber games between the college project wild west themed deckbuilding hit Forty-Five and an Estonian Eurotrance solo dev effort in Buckshot Roulette! We’ll spin the barrel on what makes a free game good, if board games are roguelites (because what isn’t at this rate?) and whether or not we fired six shots, or only five. Are you feeling lucky enough to go double or nothing?

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1:38 - Forty-Five game stats

4:46 - Forty-Five in one sentence

5:40 - Forty-Five general discussion

8:22 - Developer Critique & Student Project Context

10:37 - Visual Design & Art Style Discussion

20:20 - Core Cylinder Mechanic Explanation

24:24 - UI Issues & Game Feel Problems

31:01 - Bullet Combinations & Game Potential

34:17 - Western Theme & Story Elements

39:30 - Buckshot Roulette Introduction & Sales Success

47:42 - Buckshot Mechanics & Atmosphere

52:56 - Single Player vs Multiplayer Experience

1:00:11 - Board Game Comparison Discussion

1:08:29 - Game Ratings & Reviews

1:17:56 - Similar Games Recommendations

1:21:38 - Next Episode Teaser & Blueprints Preview

Next episode: Blue Prince

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Mark Lewis - Ghost of a Chance

Outro music: Mike Klubnika - General Release

O, glorious roguelikes! Listener request week returns with a recent hit in the traditional rogue sphere: Path of Achra. A Bronze-Age, Zoroastrian-inspired synergy simulator of brutal combat and Conan-like mythological flavor, Path of Achra brings us a menagerie of unique themes and playstyles ranging from dancing swordsmen, to telporting dreamer mages, to giant stone tank warriors, and of course: brutal naked apes. Escape the rising tides to The Obelisk and seek the stars, O Pilgrim! Struggler of the trench of slaughter. Praise Humbaba!

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1:45 - game stats

2:32 - one sentence description from the community

5:08 - Game mechanics explanation: turn-based grid combat system

8:38 - Tab key automation and streamlined controls discussion

14:06 - Spell synergy systems and trigger mechanics comparison

19:02 - Music and atmospheric soundtrack appreciation

23:28 - Developer background and sequel development plans

28:05 - Story fragments and world-building elements

32:14 - Difficulty cycles and progression scaling systems

38:49 - Path selection and arena design mechanics

47:26 - Character creation: cultures, classes, and religions

59:01 - Event log issues and quality of life concerns

1:04:28 - Arena design limitations and movement mechanics

1:13:51 - Slay the Spire comparisons and boss fight critiques

1:17:56 - Final ratings discussion begins

1:27:50 - similar games

1:31:13 - Podcast wrap-up and next episode preview

Next episode: Forty-Five

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Theo Croker - Imperishable Star

Outro music: Path of Achra OST

Can you imagine a dystopian world where overlords are oppressing you through communication networks? Where your friends skitter in the shadows to sell you trinkets and spikes erupt through the floor to maim you? We’re talking Reignbreaker this week, not your average trip downtown in 2025. The recently released Hades-inspired action game puts you in control of muscle mommy Clef as she seeks to break the reign of the Queen of Keys. An interesting blend of javelin throwing, fist punching mayhem, join us as we each try as strained of a Cockney accent we can muster and free our dear rat friends.

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1:10 - game stats

3:25 - one sentence description

5:47 - Developer studio closure and unfinished game discussion

8:20 - Voice acting quality critique and comparison issues

15:12 - Game feels unfinished despite potential quality elements

19:08 - Bold aesthetic choices and punk theme discussion

24:21 - Character design and muscle mommy protagonist analysis

29:28 - our story begins

32:16 - Development team size surprise

40:25 - Combat mechanics comparison to Hades gameplay differences

48:43 - Enemy variety limitations and single biome problem

56:25 - Dungeon crawl elements versus arena-based combat design

1:00:45 - Story issues and final boss disappointment

1:08:03 - “So bad it’s good” games discussion

1:10:55 - rankings and final thoughts

1:17:54 - similar games

1:21:23 - Next episode preview: Path of Achra listener request

Next episode: Path of Achra

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Pat Metheny - Calvin’s Keys

Outro music: Djerv - Reignbreaker

Ordo ab Cubo! It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world out there so what better way to celebrate than with Cube Chaos? The solo-dev effort of thousands of different units, synergies, and mayhem all warring in a hybrid RTS auto-battler filled with arena destruction, lasers, ants, stomach acid, warrior plants, snow knights, and yes repli-crabs. A truly unique experience, come listen to how its maybe was TOO unique for some of us, while the others frantically battle waves of clay anomalies and curious moils!

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1:23 - game stats

2:14 - one sentence description

5:44 - Cognitive load comparison to previous episode Daisomancer

8:08 - Steam Deck performance and Java runtime discussion

12:18 - Synergy mechanics and verbosity versus cognitive complexity

23:20 - our story begins… actually what IS this game?

28:01 - Different playstyles and time scaling strategies discussion

32:25 - Character classes and species combinations variety

38:32 - Art style critique and charming pixel aesthetics

50:09 - Story absence and lack of thematic elements

55:40 - AI-generated art improvement suggestions and visual discussion

1:07:16 - Boss fights and music quality feedback

1:11:20 - Community feedback and player experiences sharing

1:15:16 - rankings and final thoughts

1:25:32 - similar games

1:28:19 - listener letter and listener request week!

Next episode: Reignbreaker

Contact us at [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: Dave Brubeck - Autumn in Washington Square

Outro music: Cube Chaos OST