The #Backlog Breakdown

This month, Nate flies solo to discuss some shakeups at Microsoft, including a high profile hire and some development studio divestitures. And, not to be excluded from the conversation, Sony spills some tea about Bungie while also re-commiting themselves to live service games. We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdow...

Welcome to our inaugural episode of PWNCalls, the show where we get together to catch up, talk about what we've been playing, and share what we’ve been enjoying lately - with the occasional rabbit trail or 3. If you're familiar with The Backlog Breakdown, this is similar to what we'd discuss on the first half of the show--now with 50% more Play Well Network input! Join the conversation and check o...

Yes, we leaned into the "we need to talk" thing that is prevalent on Youtube, but don't worry--we actually have some exciting announcements for you! Join the conversation and check out all our social media channels over on our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown Learn more about the Play Well Network at playwellnetwork.com And check out our newsletter on Substack: https://the...

As followers of Christ, how shall we then play video games? This week, Nate shares his thoughts on whether the amount of time required to play through a video game is a helpful metric to judge if it's right for you. Join the conversation by checking out all our social media channels over on our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown And check out our newsletter on Substack: https://thebac...

Today we're setting out to teach noobs the language and landscape of gaming by forming a Top 10 list of games that do just that! What games do you think would be best for new players to play to understand the medium better? Join the conversation by checking out all our social media channels over on our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown And check out our newsletter on Substack: https:...

Josh talks about his very subjective experience playing one of his top 10 favorite games of all time, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While it is critically acclaimed as one of the best games ever made, has its luster worn off with time? What makes it so great, and can it be replicated? Moreover, does the game speak into the real world in a way that conforms to a biblical worldview? Join...

One of the lowest rated games of the last few years bears the rights and atmosphere of one of the most beloved fictional worlds of the 21st century: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. But is it really that bad? And, if so, why are we playing it in the first place? For this episode, Nate and Josh are joined by John, who nominated the game for them to play. Join the conversation by checking out all our...

This month, Nate brings on Parker and Micah to discuss some recent gaming news topics like the slim possibility of a Destiny 3, the sales numbers of old Pokemon games contrasted with a new Sony exclusive, and how gaming console prices continue to rise. Links for new articles on the topics are available here: PSN Vulnerability: https://kotaku.com/hacker-targets-high-profile-playstation-podcaster-ra...

5 of our friends hopped on with us to discuss our book club game: A Game About Digging a Hole. The hole game can be beaten in about an hour, but is there more about the game than what is on the surface? Join us for a deep dive as we excavate what this game can teach us about how we play games. Even if you dig the game, is mindless fun enough? Or are there hidden gems to be uncovered? Join the conv...

In this bite sized episode, Josh looks at a marketing report from IGN Entertainment that addresses the way that different generations play video games. What does this mean for the future of gaming and how companies will decide to target the audiences that are spending money on video games? And what ways do YOU play? The Games Industry article, with links to the report, can be found here: https://w...

How did we get to the place where gaming journalists are openly antagonistic toward the general gaming audience, and regular gamers use "gaming journalist" as a byword? Moreover, how should we, as Christians, react? This week, the boys have brought on Mark from the Quick Play podcast to discuss #Gamergate, why it was a cultural phenomenon, and how it has impacted the gaming landscape tod...

Nate brings on Parker to to discuss some of the biggest news in gaming over the past month, including some remarks by Shuhei Yoshida, the Xbox Game Pass price drop, and a lot of leaks. We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown And check out our newsletter on Substack: https://thebacklogbreakdown.substack.com And if y...

With only a few games in the series, Bioshock is one of the most beloved gaming franchises of all time. And part of the reason is its deep stories and consistent quality across all 3 games. But despite its acclaim, the guys hadn't ever finished the 3rd entry in the series, Bioshock Infinite, until recently. Does it reach the heights of the first game, or is the modernized veneer more of a facade?...

We level up in video games, but are we leveling up as men and women? Here at the Backlog Breakdown, we challenge each other every month to get better and level up in certain areas of life. But why? Is it really necessary? Josh shares his thoughts on why and how we should be leveling up in our daily lives as followers of Christ. We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking ou...

Do JRPGs wrestle with faith and doubt? How can Christians play JRPGs that "kill god"? Today, Parker joins Nate and Josh to consider what JRPGs can say about the human condition and how we respond to fear and faith. You can watch the original State of the Arc episode here, for more context: https://youtu.be/94aRPK_t23s?si=vMm_5a1_sIo6ON0c Join the conversation by checking out all our soci...

Nate tackles some of the biggest news in gaming over the past month, including the ending of an Xbox campaign, Sony's price hikes, some of the biggest new games released in March, and the Epic games layoffs. We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown And if you'd like to support us, you can visit our Patreon: https://...

What asked YOU what your favorite games are, and now we've made an official list of the best! See if your picks made the list this week on the Backlog Breakdown! Some links mentioned in this episode include: Official髭男dism - SoulSoup [live at Radio]: https://youtu.be/OGqaBTjS5yU Official髭男dism - Make Me Wonder: https://youtu.be/LU7xD_yx43c Join the conversation by checking out all our social m...

This week, Josh hops on the mic to talk about why he loves Yoshi's Island for the SNES so much. Why is it so influential, and what makes it unique? What are its weaknesses, and how should we, as Christians, approach a game like this? We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown And if you'd like to support us, you can v...

Sea of Stars is a highly-acclaimed indie JRPG that takes cues from some of the greatest in the genre from the 90s and early aughts. But can it stand on its own in 2026? A game ripe with potential, the guys talk about their experience with the game and discuss what could have been better in this indie darling. Ben Lapitus - Petsmart: https://youtu.be/wBmmtReZPtc Keith Foskey's Panel on Dis...

Sometimes lifestyle creep gets the best of us. Over time, we accumulate a backlog of games, but also a standard of living that needs to be questioned. This week, Nate talks about how he is pressing reset on some of the things that he and his family have grown accustomed to, and gives an encouragement for the rest of us to do the same! We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by chec...

200 episodes ago, Josh and Nate invited on Paul to discuss emulation. Have their thought on emulating video games changed at all over the years? What are some considerations we should wrestle with in relation to emulation, be it good or bad? Are we dirty rotten thieves for copying games? Join the guys, and Paul discuss all this and more this week on the Backlog Breakdown. Join the conversation by...

In this bite sized episode, Josh lays out a way of analyzing and evaluating games and media by focusing on what is shown to be ideal through the way that the medium communicates. We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown And if you'd like to support us, you can visit our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thebacklogbre...

One of the goals of our podcast is to equip the church to engage with the medium of video games wisely and well. But what about engaging with gaming culture at large? Are there pitfalls when we engage digitally? How should we think about these things as Christians? We don't profess to have all the answers, but this episode is a call to be wise and a caution against sinning with our digital speech....

What will we be tackling this year? Well, our supporters have shared what they want us to play and some topics to discuss throughout the year, and then they've voted on their favorites. Join Nate as he finalizes the list and unveils a roadmap for some future episodes! We'd love to hear from you! Join us on our social media by checking out our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown And if...

Despite the guys' lack of interest in the platform, Roblox is a multi-billion dollar video game that upwards of 3/4 of all preteen children in the United States play regularly. How should we think about the game as a service, and is it safe to allow in our households? Join the conversation by checking out all our social media channels over on our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebacklogbreakdown Als...