The Proving Grounds

Episode 23 – “The 2nd Foe May Be The Charm”

Welcome back to The Proving Grounds, the game club where we delve deep into the worlds of CRPGs, blobbers, and roguelikes with insight, detail, and a little chaos. In this episode, JCServant takes on Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard — exploring how Atlus refined its labyrinth-crawling formula from the first game and sharing a personal journey through the punishing floors of Yggdrasil. From ice puzzles to cherry blossoms, from victory to burnout, it’s a full climb.

We also spotlight Dr. Zeus’s unique control-focused party — a study in battlefield manipulation and probability — and cover recent RPG news, including the Avernum 4 remaster, the sci-fi dungeon crawler Descent of Lunaris, and the new demo for The Secret of Weepstone.

To close, we touch on the legendary Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition expansions, grand strategy storytelling in Crusader Kings III, and creative empire-building in Age of Wonders 4.

Join the discussion on Discord, share your Question of the Week thoughts, and help us celebrate the enduring art of dungeon design.

Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

Question of the Week:
How do you feel about FOE puzzles that require items or movement tricks to progress — satisfying challenge or pacing killer?

Ep 22 — “Divinity’s Not-So-Original Sin”
We crack open Divinity: Original Sin and talk history, story, tactical combat, and why our Game of the Month fizzled for the club even though the game helped revive the CRPG genre. We read your takes, dig into modern reviews, and close with a look at DOS1’s lasting legacy on DOS2 and BG3. Plus: quick RPG news and what we’ve been playing.

Join the community on Discord to share your answer to the Question of the Week:
Do you like elemental and environmental combat systems?
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

Legends of Amberland III Demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3823520/Legends_of_Amberland_III_The_Crimson_Tower/

Heroes of the Seven Islands: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3010290/Heroes_of_the_Seven_Islands/

Ep 21 – Sharing About Shiren
In this episode of The Proving Grounds, we shine the spotlight on Shiren the Wanderer, one of the most enduring (and punishing) roguelike RPG series around. We cover its origins in the Mystery Dungeon franchise, the core gameplay that keeps fans hooked, and how the series hit USA shores back in the days of the Wii, up to 2024’s Serpentcoil Island.

We’ll also break down some of Shiren’s unique mechanics, like the rescue system, the infamous jars, and the way risk vs. reward drives every single dungeon run. Along the way, we talk CRPG news, share your community feedback, and dig into our Question of the Week.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of roguelikes, or you’re just curious what makes these games so addictive, this is a great jumping-in point to discover why Shiren remains such a beloved cult classic.

🎧 Join the Proving Grounds community on Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz
📧 Email: jcservant316 at gmail dot com • Discord: JCServant

Episode 20: Delving into Azure Bonds
We dive into SSI’s 1989 classic Curse of the Azure Bonds: how TSR and SSI built a novel–module–CRPG trifecta, why the Gold Box tactics still shine, and the delightful peripherals like the Adventurer’s Journal, the code wheel, and that old-school hint book. I share why it’s a 4/4, Complete It, Repeat It. We also read your Elminage Original takes and discuss guides versus discovery, then spotlight World of Warcraft’s Delves, what they are, who they serve, and why I'm hooked on them. In news, first impressions of Dual Eclipse, plus a Legends of Amberland III update.

Question of the Week: Are you willing to play games with a Japanese, manga-style art direction, do you enjoy it, or just tolerate it for the gameplay?

Join the community chat and play along: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

Ep 19 – “Elminage Barrage” (09/11/2025)
We dive into Elminage Original, a hardcore Wizardry-style dungeon crawler with old-school charm and sharp edges. I cover party building, dungeon exploration, brutal difficulty spikes, spell systems, and why stat gains and losses on rest can make or break a run. You’ll hear community takes, including a spotlight review from Pizzaboy, plus quick hits on what we’ve been playing, from modern WoW delves to Satisfactory. We wrap with this week’s Q&A and a new listener question: Do you use FAQs to plan your party in CRPGs, blobbers, or traditional roguelikes, and why or why not?

Join the discussion on Discord, share your builds and favorite dungeons, and help pick future games for the club: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

Email: jcservant316 at gmail dot com
Discord: JCServant

Episode 18 – Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness

In this episode of The Proving Grounds, we dive into the history of Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness, the groundbreaking start of Richard Garriott’s legendary RPG series. We explore its origins, gameplay innovations, and lasting influence on both CRPGs and blobbers. Along the way, we touch on Legends of Amberland as a modern callback to the classic grid-based style, and I also take a moment to issue an apology regarding some information from the last podcast — an error introduced through AI use.

Whether you’re here for nostalgia, history, or insight into how these games shaped the genre, this episode connects the past to the present in CRPGs.

🎧 Join the discussion on our Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

🎙️ The Proving Grounds Podcast – Episode 17

In this episode, we sink our teeth into Golden Krone Hotel, a gothic roguelike where light and darkness, humans and vampires, all clash in fast, tactical runs. We break down its unique mechanics, the disguise system, and why it might be one of the best entry points for new roguelike players.

We also share listener answers to the Question of the Week — do you prefer turn-based combat or real-time with pause? — and wrap up with a quick look at Star Wars: The Old Republic, exploring why it’s still worth checking out today as a CRPG-adjacent experience.

💬 Join the discussion on our Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

Episode 16 – The Original Mighty Magical Blobber

Step back to 1986 as we dive into Might and Magic I: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum, Jon Van Caneghem’s ambitious solo project that helped define the CRPG genre. We explore its origins, the massive world it created, its unique blend of fantasy and sci-fi, and how it stood apart from contemporaries like Wizardry and Ultima. We also take a look at the curious NES port that brought the game to console players in the early ‘90s.

Plus, we share a more personal side of the conversation: everyone’s favorite comfort game—the ones we turn to when we need a familiar adventure to relax with.

Join the discussion in our community here: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

Episode 15 – Why We Love Party-Based CRPGs
This week, we dive deep into what makes party-based CRPGs so much fun — the freedom, the tactics, and that tabletop feel of running a whole adventuring group. We dive into the history of genre, and JCServant shares his own CRPG journey, from D&D and the Gold Box classics to Baldur’s Gate 3. We also spend time on your opinions — discussing listener feedback on the best type of RPG character level-up and progression systems, and even a bit about the magic of cards!

🎲 Join our Discord and be part of the discussion: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

This week's question: What’s your “comfort food” game in these genres—the one you keep returning to when you want that classic RPG experience?

This week on The Proving Grounds, we dive deep into the labyrinth with a full retrospective on Etrian Odyssey—the classic DS-era blobber that brought hand-drawn maps and tactical survival back to the spotlight. I share my recent playthrough of the HD remaster, including what worked, what didn’t, and how I ended up breaking the game with a bard.

We also step away from the screen to talk about the joys and struggles of tabletop DMing, why I nearly quit recently, and how CRPG expectations are bleeding into live play. If you’ve ever burned out running a game or butted heads over house rules, you’ll want to hear this one.

Plus, we revisit last week’s Question of the Week: Which game best captured the feeling of tabletop RPGs? I reflect on my joystick-passing Gold Box days and give props (and critiques) to Solasta.

In the news? Caves of Qud is finally coming to Switch on August 15th!

🛡️ Join the discussion and share your thoughts:
👉 https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

❓ Question of the Week:
Which party-building system do you prefer in classic RPGs—class-based, skill-based, or hybrid—and what makes it stand out for you?