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GROGPOD Roguelike Podcast

Scott V. Burger

The GROGPOD Roguelike Podcast is a bi-weekly show about four friends talking about a featured Roguelike game. We cover the full spectrum of titles, from the more modern, action-oriented games like Binding of Isaac and Hades to the traditonal roguelike designs of games like Cogmind and Caves of Qud. Join us each episode as we unpack what makes a roguelike game fun (or not) and then rank it against the compendium we've compiled thus far.

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  • 21 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 44 min
  • English

Episodes 21

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  • September 22 · 1 hr 46 min

    Diablo 2: Resurrected (with Robert Lippens)

    Rakanishu! We have quite a treasure in the Horadric podcast this week by summoning the remaster of one of the highest rated procedural generation games of all time: Diablo 2 Resurrected! The first action-RPG to feature a permadeath option, Diablo 2 was nothing if not foundational for its particular genre what with selling at least 25 million copies. The remaster brings a fresh new lighting system, controller support, not having to fumble with weird ISOs, and a wildly imbalanced new character class with the Warlock. Stay a while and listen once more as we follow a mysterious wanderer to the east…always to the east. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 01:44 - Game Stats 03:36 - One Sentence Description 04:12 - Yeah We Know It’s Not A Roguelike…But… 9:43 - Speedruns vs. Casual 20-Hour Experience 13:22 - Class & Build Variety 17:22 - Multiplayer Hardcore Act 1 21:38 - Growing Up With Diablo 2 36:24 - New Warlock Class 40:07 - Named Champion Packs: Color-Coded Elites & Monster Name Generator 44:58 - The Solo Hardcore Experience and Roguey-ness 47:37 - Story and Remastered Cinematics 1:09:22 - Diablo 2’s Diverse Cast 1:18:46 - Rankings & Final Thoughts 1:31:02 - Similar Games & Show Wind Down Next episode: Combolands Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 2 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction Main Menu Theme

  • September 15 · 50 min

    The Void Rains Upon Her Heart: Interview with Developer Angel Polanco

    At PAX West this year I had a great time interviewing Angel Polanco: the solo dev behind the incredibly well-rated bullet hell roguelite The Void Rains Upon Her Heart! An incredibly interesting game from mechanics, boss designs, art, story, I couldn’t wait until our usual end-of-year PAX interview episode to publish. It was a great conversation where we talked in depth about the designs and motivations behind it. Very thankful again to Angel and the support staff handling the booth at PAX for letting me grab some interveiw time at the end of the 2nd of all day showcasing in front of the public! Find The Void Rains Upon Her Heart on Steam here! Soundtrack on Steam here Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 3:06 - Interview Start 4:10 - PAX Weekend Impressions 7:00 - Record-Breaking Steam Reviews 8:14 - Solo Dev Life: Programming, Art, Music & Community Bug-Hunting 9:28 - Development Prioritization: Following Gut Feeling to Avoid Burnout 11:02 - Touhou & Kirby Design Inspirations 13:15 - Difficulty Design & Accessibility 15:56 - Boss Design Philosophy: Start Simple, Combine Mechanics Progressively 27:39 - Undertale Influence: Pacifist-Only Path, Love Bosses Into Acceptance 31:17 - Hades-Like Story Driven Narrative 34:08 - Player Character Designs: Alien Looks & Deeply Human Feelings 45:43 - Success Beyond Expectations, Game as Diary & Future Plans Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: TVRUHH OST - Blank Melody Outro music: TVRUHH OST - Heaven Sends Its Love

  • September 10 · 1 hr 51 min

    STRAFE: Gold Edition

    It’s time to put the BOOM back into boomer shooters as we fire up the hottest graphics of 1996* with Strafe! Another entry in our Devolver Digital review catalogue, the self-described “ worlds bloodiest roguelike first-person shooter” will put our pixel-perfect aim to the test fighting aliens, mutants, and … human experiments? Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 01:02 - Game Stats 02:55 - One Sentence Description 6:25 - Strafe as 2017 Genre Forerunner 9:16 - Roguelike FPS Genre History: Eldritch, Ziggurat, Barony & Strafe 15:18 - Gun Modifiers 17:41 - 1996 Nostalgia Marketing & VHS Camcorder Tutorial 35:10 - Biome 1 Enemy Incoherence: Too Many Types, Generic Asset Look 40:17 - Simplistic Enemy AI: All Rush or Shoot, No Puzzle Strategy 1:03:18 - Mechanics Deep Dive 1:21:09 - Disposable Guns vs. Meaningful Build Choice 1:27:49 - Rankings & Final Thoughts 1:40:40 - Similar Games & Show Wind Down Next episode: Diablo 2: Resurrected Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 2 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Strafe OST - Paint It Red

  • August 25 · 1 hr 28 min

    Coal LLC

    It’s Christmas in August as we unload the sooty petro-rocks from our stockings and crack open the clean-burning Coal LLC! The quick action mining-themed roguelite version of Motherload, you are tasked to fill your quota of coal before time runs out. Hire employees to help dig, collect, and fly your mantle-shattering progress. Fulfill the quests of NPCs like Fiona Frog, Pippa Penguin, and Tabitha the Mermaid. But most importantly, follow the guiding principle of any good coal mining business owner: NUMBER GO UP! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 01:05 - Game Stats 01:50 - One Sentence Description 3:37 - Platforming & Youtubers 5:24 - MS Paint Art Style 7:15 - Core Loop: Mine Coal, Meet Daily Quota or Explode 12:02 - Going Deeper: Colored Coal Layers & Increasingly Valuable Resources 24:18 - Unlocks & NPC Quests 28:01 - Workers & Weapons 52:25 - Whats the Value of a $15 Indie Game These Days? 1:08:34 - Rankings & Final Thoughts (hidden gem new #10!) 1:20:44 - Similar Games & Show Wind Down Next episode: Strafe Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 2 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Coal LLC Theme 1

  • August 11 · 1 hr 15 min

    Nordhold

    Roguelites belong to the Nords! This week we return to tower defense rogue land with Nordhold: the vaguely Viking-themed tower defense roguelite featuring tower synergy systems, work placement econometrics, and decisions about whether or not to sacrifice them to demonic gods. If careful optimization of numbers and slowly checking off metaprogression boxes is your thing, then Nordhold has got it in spades! We even have towers that shoot ravens at people, what more could you ask for here??? Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 01:13 - Game Stats 02:24 - One Sentence Description 4:53 - Viking Tutorial Walkthrough 8:28 - Resource Economy 10:24 - Meta Progression Treadmill 15:24 - Rogue Tower Comparison: Limited vs. Open Tower Selection Debate 19:23 - Oracle Choices: 5-Wave Passive Modifiers 21:56 - Banner System & Tower Fusions 31:49 - Hero System 54:45 - Cosmetic Glory Shop 1:04:36 - Rankings & Final Thoughts 1:10:52 - Similar Games & Show Wind Down Next episode: Coal LLC Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 2 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Nordhold OST - Viking Layers 6

  • August 4 · 1 hr 53 min

    Episode 100 Part 3 - Brogue CE

    A dark presence surrounds you, whispering promises of stolen power! Our episode 100 mega special concludes with a mega special game in the traditional roguelike sphere: Brogue! Developed by a lawyer, Brian Walker sought to rewrite the state of roguelikes in 2009 from bloated checkbox-ticking, weeks-long RPG length games and bring the genre back to its coffee break length roots. Careful streamlining of systems, UI polish, graphical effects, and a much smaller monster pool make Brogue one of the most readily accessible roguelikes of the modern era. My, what a yummy mango! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 01:11 - Game Stats 06:15 - One Sentence Description 10:17 - Brian the Dev’s thoughts on Rogue vs Angband vs Nethack 16:38 - Modernized Design Philosophy 31:58 - Character As Items Design 37:18 - Lumen Stones: Optional Hard Mode & Going Beyond Floor 25 41:30 - Brogue as a First ASCII Game? 51:02 - ASCII Sprites 53:24 - Monster Roster: Dragons, Liches, Jellies & Hover Flavor Text 56:11 - Emergent Narrative 57:37 - Identification Meta-Game, Percentages & Risk 1:10:50 - Magic System: Staffs, Wands, Charges & Enchantment Synergies 1:16:39 - Brogue Fan Community Correspondence 1:31:09 - Rankings & Final Thoughts (new #1 hidden gem game for the podcast!) 1:43:53 - Similar Games & Show Wind Down See also: The Incredible Power of Dijkstra Maps Brian Walker - Procedural level design in Brogue and beyond Brian’s thoughts on Rogue vs Angband and Nethack Next episode: Nordhold Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: The Lord of the Chiptunes: The Return of The Chiptune - Minas Tirith Outro music: Sir Knight Beats - GELATINOUS CUBE (hexcore)

  • July 28 · 2 hr

    Episode 100 Part 2 - Moria, Hack, Larn, Omega

    What is this new devilry? Part 2 of the GROGPOD100 extravaganza continues, this time with a focus on the first ever rogue-like games ever made! Following the part 1 format, Scott does a brief historical deep dive of the games with some community correspondence, followed by our in-person live first experiences playing these games. We’ll experience why Gandalf had no memory of dungeon floors in Moria, see the first draft of history with Hack, try to rescue our poisoned daughter in Larn, and try to survive longer than 10 turns in the city of Rampart with Omega! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 00:28 - Part 2 intro 02:23 - 1983 Moria 15:42 - Moria correspondence 27:31 - 1984 Hack 38:23 - Hack correspondence 47:31 - 1986 Larn 54:07 - Larn correspondence 58:13 - 1987 Omega 1:12:11 - Omega correspondence 1:14:11 - GROGPOD live first impressions Mentioned in this episode: Dungeon Hacks: How NetHack, Angband, and Other Roguelikes Changed the Course of Video Games Toma’s unedited 15 minute voicemail here Toma’s 130 traditional roguelike reviews Rogue Elements Scott & Dan talking Dwarf Fortress back in 2020 Next episode: EP100 part 3: Brogue CE Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Shiryu - The Lord of the Chiptunes: The Chiptune of the Ring - The Council of Elrond Outro music: Shiryu - The Bridge of Khazad-dûm

  • July 21 · 1 hr 59 min

    Episode 100 Part 1 - Rogue and its Predecessors

    The road to Rogue was paved with ascii, teletype, thousand-pound mainframes, and a hacker spirit only highschoolers and college kids and eminate. For our big 100th episode, we have for you a 3-part deep dive into the games that inspired Rogue, the first TRUE roguelikes, and the crown jewel of ascii games: Brogue. This being part 1, we focus on the biggest computer games of the 1970s and how those shaped the design of Rogue. For each game, Scott briefly talks about how its played and a short bit of history, followed by some community correspondence about the game. Finally we have the pod crew doing a first ever live in-person recording about our experiences playing these games for the first time. So use those podcast desription timestamps to jump around! You feel weak with hunger… a hunger that can only be satisifed by hitting that play button! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:00 - Intro to episode 100 parts 1, 2, and 3 05:30 - 1971 Star Trek overview 13:30 - Trek correspondence 20:22 - 1975 pedit5/The Dungeon overview 30:10 - 1976 Colossal Cave Adventure 41:12 - ADVENT correspondence 47:12 - 1980 Rogue 58:52 - Rogue correspondence 1:06:46 - GROGPOD live first impressions Next episode: EP100 part 2: The First Roguelikes (Moria, Hack, Larn, Omega) Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Star Trek 1969 Outro music: Introduction to the PDP-11

  • July 14 · 1 hr 40 min

    BALL x PIT

    Ball don’t lie! This week we’re dropping into the chasm filled with Arkanoid-inspired enemies in BALL x PIT! The fabled city of Ballbylon has fallen and evil monsters have dragged the metropolis into, you guessed it, a pit! Your quest is to rebuild the city by taking a ramshackle elevator down into the depths, huck balls at the rampaging hordes, and escape with resources you can use to restore the town brick by brick. Sure none of the residents have eyes in their sockets, are largely magical warlock outcasts and fallen kings, and in some cases look like haunted versions of an American Gothic painting, but we will rebuild! And upgrade our infrastructure via as many ping-pong mechanics as possible! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:58 - Game stats 3:35 - One sentence description 4:07 - The Fall of Ball-bylon in 46 Seconds 8:46 - Visual Style: Scrolling Enemies, Mobile Game Look & Art 13:49 - Ball System: Build Strategy Synergy 29:06 - Early Game & Metaprogression Treadmill 35:18 - Town Building: RTS Grid Base Builder & Worker Trajectory 43:21 - Character Variety: Turn-Based Mode, Twitch Voting & Unique Gimmicks 52:32 - Narrative Theme: Descending the Pit & Level Progression Arc 55:04 - Town Building x Ball Combat x Sound Design 1:11:22 - How’s it Compare with Vampire Survivors? 1:22:30 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:30:00 - Similar games & show wind down Next episode: Episode 100 part 1 - Rogue and Its Predecessors Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 2 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Liminal x Desert - Amos Roddy

  • June 30 · 1 hr 28 min

    Caves of Qud Part 3: Interview with Composer Craig Hamilton

    Moon and Sun! Caves of Qud returns for our summer music episode, as I grabbed some time with the composer Craig Hamilton! Since Qud is a dramaturgical triad, we couldn’t NOT do a third episode talking with the creative mind behind the creative sounds of the game. We’re talking Digital Audio Workstations, sci-fi literature, flamethrowers, traditional roguelikes, and so much more! The torsion of an external crank drags a rosin-slathered wheel against a metal cable, whose protestations emerge from the wooden case in a low, melodic groan. Part 1 of our Qud Qoverage focusing on the story and soundtrack can be found here Part 2 focusing on the gameplay and mechanics of Qud can be found here Other topics discussed: https://www.craigoryhamilton.com/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1247760/Caves_of_Qud_Soundtrack/ https://stumpyfrog.com/sfr24a-caves-of-qud-3lp/ https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-caves-of-qud-finale http://www.decklinsdemise.com/mordor.htm https://store.steampowered.com/app/224500/Gnomoria/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_Ratio_Regum_(video_game) Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 00:00 - Intro Premable 2:17 - Interview Start! 3:14 - Craig’s Musical Origins: Uncle’s Yamaha Keyboard & Early Life 6:22 - Mixtapes, High School Bands & College Hardcore Synth Work 10:10 - Childhood Dream: Astronaut, Video Game Maker or Musician 11:50 - Childhood Gaming: Diablo 1, XCOM & Cinematic Music Influences 17:38 - Film Score Influences: Arrival, Blade Runner & Disney Jungle Book 19:00 - How Craig Got Hired: Dropsy Tracks & Caves of Qud Audition 24:24 - Composition Process: Flavour Text Prompts & Dev Collaboration 26:43 - “Onward”: Multiple Versions, Melancholy Quality & New Keyboard 33:53 - Diegetic Sound Design: Golgotha Flamethrower & Theme Park Composition 38:45 - Craig’s Favorite Track: “Arrival” & Interstellar Inspiration 44:46 - “Bey Lah Heritage II”: Western Aesthetic, Harmonicas & Hindren Influence 47:36 - “Attack on Grit Gate”: Desperate Blown-Out Battle Sound Design 52:34 - Favorite Game Soundtracks: FF7, Nuclear Throne, Katamari Damacy 1:05:31 - Craig’s 40 Hours of Qud: Exploration Style & Mutant Builds 1:10:47 - The Caves Music: Danger, Oppression & Caving YouTube Inspiration 1:15:14 - Cozy Art Lulling Players Into a False Sense of Security 1:18:36 - Gnome Moria, Ultima Ratio Regum & Procedural Generation Discussion 1:25:21 - Show Wind Down Next episode: BALL x PIT Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Caves of Qud OST - 3rd Spore Phase Outro music: Caves of Qud OST - Of Chrome, and How (Sultan’s Song)

  • June 15 · 2 hr 11 min

    Hard Reset

    “You don’t have the cards!” This week we deep dive the cyberpunk productivity app roguelike deckbuilder hybrid that our very own co-host Will has been developing since 2018! A unique spin on gamification apps, Hard Reset asks the ever-important question of: “what if we made the game part actually fun?” The capitalist oligarchs have taken over and you must stop them by upgrading your cybernetics as provided by a mysterious benefactor. Fight through mutant-filled cyber slums with the help of rocket arms, irradiation blasters, and a helpful hand or two. But don’t skimp on those tasks to practice your cello or take out the garbage! Being consistent rewards gameplay with bonuses, and missing days will add consequences to your deck. Find Will’s app at: https://hardreset.app/ https://discord.com/invite/VdqP5AWBnz https://bsky.app/profile/hardresetapp.bsky.social https://www.youtube.com/@HardResetApp Hard Reset has already been getting some coverage by other outlets that you can find below: ParadoxPort - Hard Reset: When To-Do Lists Meet a Dystopian Cyberpunk Game Sam Liberty - Hard Reset Is the Gamified Productivity App I’ve Been Waiting For Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:13 - Game stats 2:28 - One sentence description 5:09 - Origin Story: Behavioral Therapy Work & Contingency Management 9:18 - Hard Reset’s Purpose vs. Previous Therapy App 12:07 - Habitica Comparison & Fun-as-Reward Design Philosophy 15:25 - Vesper-5 & Checklist-Game Symbiosis Discussion 23:52 - Boot Sequence, Node Map & Game Structure Walkthrough 24:34 - Hardware & Wetware System vs. Slay the Spire Relics 35:10 - Card Codex Stats: 71 Cards, 15 Hacks & Unique Mechanics 43:41 - Combat Animations, Eye-Opening Intro & Protagonist Identity 46:01 - Portrait Mode Innovation & One-Handed Mobile Design 59:50 - AI Art Ethics: Solo Dev Cost Reality & Moral Debate 1:09:43 - Story & Theme: Cyberpunk Anti-Oligarch Revolution Narrative 1:33:43 - Player Build Strategies & Community Discoveries 1:53:00 - Rankings & final thoughts 2:01:13 - Fan Write-Ins 2:05:10 - Similar games & show wind down Next episode: Summer music fest interview with Caves of Qud composer Craig Hamilton! Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 2 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Hard Reset trailer theme

  • June 9 · 1 hr 34 min

    Rift Wizard 3: Interview with Developer Dylan White

    It’s a special bonus episode this week! With Rift Wizard 3 launching in June 2026, I sat down with developer Dylan White to talk about the third game’s evolution, how its distinguished itself from Rift Wizard 2, and what it takes to make a traditional roguelike game stand out in the ever evolving morass of games being released on Steam these days. Come for the discussion on PyGame, stay for the discussion on metal music band names as monsters! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:51 - Interview Start 2:49 - Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup as Primary Design Inspiration 6:15 - Original Concept: Not a Wizard Game at First 9:06 - Core Design Goal: Every Encounter High-Pressure & Unique 13:11 - Rift Wizard 2: Items System Added to Fight Forced Builds 16:46 - Dominions 5 Influence & Knowing Your Game’s Identity 20:35 - Why Python/Pygame: Fast Prototyping & Fun to Code 22:38 - ASCII Prototype Origins & Discarded Pac-Man Mana Mechanic 32:22 - AI Coding Agents: Core Logic Hand-Coded, UI Outsourced 41:52 - Crafting System Design: Balancing Planning vs. Improvisation 47:31 - Rift Wizard 3 Art Direction: Ralph Bakshi & 70s Animation 56:36 - Grid Size Changes Across Versions & Rebalancing Challenges 1:02:14 - Sequel Philosophy: 75% Familiarity, 25% Novelty 1:07:17 - Switch & Steam Deck Portability: Mouse-Keyboard Dependency Problem 1:22:50 - Dylan’s Favorite Roguelikes & Final Thoughts on Genre Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Rift Wizard 3 Title Theme Outro music: Rift Wizard 3 Boss Theme

  • June 4 · 2 hr 7 min

    Mewgenics

    He’s a bad bad kitty! We’re snapping our fingers and fighting through the alleways this week with Mewgenics! The long-awaited game by Binding of Isaac creator and roguelite genre legend Edmund McMillen, fans have been wating something like 15 years to experience the cat breeding tactical combat RPG. You are a crazy cat lady, reanimated from the dead by a mad scientist and your goal is to breed cats to send on harrowing adventures through junkyards, spider caves, the moon, and beyond the reaches of the spacetime continuum. All the while maintaining your most impressive collection of freaks (cats) as they create offspring, poop in your house, and defend you from headless horrors rampaging the neighborhood. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 0:57 - Listener Request Week & Game stats 3:55 - One sentence description 4:30 - Mewgenics dev history 6:28 - Welcome Roguepod Litecast listeners! 10:25 - Art Style & Edmund McMillan Tone 16:51 - NPC Designs 29:02 - Cat Generation, House Overview 31:03 - Typical Run Breakdown: Node Map, Acts & Biomes 33:43 - Boss Music with Lyrics & Soundtrack Discussion 49:57 - Combat Mechanics, Character Classes & Unlocks 57:58 - Cat Breeding Meta Progression System Deep Dive 1:07:16 - Genealogy System 1:21:14 - Guillotina House Defense Battle 1:26:35 - Difficulty Modes, Run Length & Off-Ramp Mechanics 1:39:07 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:50:00 - Similar games & show wind down 1:52:19 - Episode 100 details! 1:53:40 - Next episode - Will’s app/game - https://hardreset.app 2:04:10 - Gigi, Ari, Rakanishu, and Molly (see the youtube episode for videos!) Next episode: Hard Reset (2026) Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Rediculon - Chumbucket Kitty

  • May 19 · 1 hr 43 min

    Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

    Emperor guide thy aim! Roguelikes and -lites span a spectrum, especially when they come as added game modes to big budget titles that aren’t roguey themselves. This week we explore Warhammer 40K Darktide: the action RPG featuring two … sort of … rogue-ish (heavy squinting) game modes: Expeditions and the Mortis Trials. From the moment I understood the weakness of game genre definitions, they disgusted me. I craved the strength and certainty of roguelikes. I aspired to the purity of the blessed permadeath. Your kind cling to your save files, as if they will not decay and fail you. One day the crude biomass that you call a gameplay loop will wither, and you will beg my kind to save you. But I am already saved, for roguelikes are immortal. Even in death I serve the GROGnissiah. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 2:35 - Game stats 4:08 - One sentence description, Non-Roguelike Games with Rogue Modes Discussion 7:05 - Lore Overview 17:33 - StarCraft & Warhammer 21:56 - Intro Cinematic & Satire 26:17 - Character Creation, Classes & Hub World Tour 38:32 - Adventure Mode, Main Story & Mission Structure 44:47 - Procedural Generation (Or Lack Thereof) & Roguelike Credentials 51:43 - Expeditions Mode: Node Map, Scrap System & Extraction 56:08 - Mortis Trials: Horde Mode, Wave Perks & Chaos Builds 1:13:20 - Soundtrack & Sound Design 1:17:48 - Servitor Healing Stations & Imperium’s Dark Worldbuilding 1:22:10 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:33:08 - Similar games & show wind down Next episode: Mewgenics Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Jesper Kyd - Disposal Unit (Imperium Mix)

  • May 7 · 3 hr 6 min

    UFO 50 (with Woody Ciskowski)

    Play forever! It’s time to climb one of the most ambitious game releases in recent memory by dusting off UFO 50: the collection of games from the fictional LX Systems console of the 1980s. With some titles being very small, and others being very huge, we focus on just 7 that are the most rogue-ish: Bug Hunter, Velgress, Planet Zoldath, Waldorf’s Journey, Party House, Overbold, and Campanella 2! Will we be able to squash the eggs before they hatch? How many times will our hot pink spacecraft be graffito-tagged while hunting for precious treasure? We’ll share stories on our own Wild Buddy experiences as we search for our imprisoned little brother as well. They’re coming for your TEEETH! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:56 - Game stats 6:17 - One sentence description 8:56 - Who is UFO 50’s target audience? 23:15 - UFO 50 intro sequence 26:45 - Variety of the 50 games in general 33:26 - Bug Hunter 46:57 - Velgress 1:03:30 - Planet Zoldath 1:16:43 - Waldorf’s Journey 1:30:10 - Party House 1:50:18 - Overbold 2:03:44 - Campanella 2 2:28:38 - UFO 50 general discussion 2:41:10 - Rankings & final thoughts 2:56:35 - Similar podcast: Eggplant Presents a Year of UFO 50 2:58:21 - Similar games & show wind down Next episode: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Eirik Surhke - Big Party / Infinity

  • April 21 · 1 hr 32 min

    868-HACK

    (Hacker voice) I’m in. We’re pentesting the mainfraime this week with 868-HACK! A small-scope puzzle-y rogue-y game by one Michael Brough: multi award-nominated IGF game designer of other similarly overlooked titles like Imbroglio, Cinco Paus, and Zaga-33. Michael’s games were originally designed for iOS mobile devices back in the hallowed days of the early 2010s, in that bubbling time when roguelites were just getting their foothold. Listen in as we isolate the nodes, jack the creds, warp some viruses and dump them on the other side of the router. Think you got what it takes to hack the big leagues, kid, or are you one siphon short of getting point-attacked in the NCIS firewall? Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:08 - Game stats 6:51 - One sentence description 8:28 - Platform Origins: iOS First, PC Port, No Android 12:21 - Hacking Aesthetic, Art Style & Tutorial Walkthrough 17:24 - Points as Primary Goal Debate 22:27 - Run Scoring Systems 26:24 - Difficulty Escalation 33:23 - Gameplay debates 39:09 - Progs & Ability Combos 45:04 - Sound Design & Aesthetic 47:40 - 868-BACK Sequel 52:50 - Movie Hacking 1:00:34 - Plan B DLC Mechanics & Harder Starting Conditions 1:04:08 - Awards, Critical Acclaim & Eric Dolphy Jazz Analogy 1:10:30 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:24:06 - Similar games & show wind-down Next episode: UFO 50 Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: 868-HACK background music and 868-BACK background music

  • April 7 · 1 hr 36 min

    Megabonk

    It’s not a bug, its a feature! This week we crack open the most meme-filled game of 2025 with Megabonk: the first game by (very likely) youtuber game developer Danidev in over 4 years. Is your Megachad’s aura farming going to crash out or is your drip fire enough to hit different? Just how long can a skateboarding skeleton with sunglasses last against Anubruh or … sigh … Scorpionussy? We can always return to Monke, fellow kids! 😱↪️⭕ Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:23 - Game stats 4:38 - One sentence description 5:21 - How do you do, fellow memers? 13:34 - Danidev deep dive 17:01 - Initial Impressions: Vampire Survivors Meets Risk of Rain 2 19:28 - Shrines Mechanic 23:28 - Weapon Upgrade System 26:13 - Characters 36:39 - Items & Weapons 40:54 - Skeleton Skateboarding 51:13 - Maps, Stage Tiers & Boss Variety Complaints 1:14:00 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:27:20 - Similar games & show wind-down Next episode: 868-HACK Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Miguelangell960 - She Mega On My Bonk (All Night Long)

  • March 28 · 1 hr 54 min

    Slay the Spire 2

    Rise… champion… again! The Spire returns to be slain once more, in the biggest roguelike launch of all time! Our top rated game of the podcast now has a sequel, but how will its early access evaluation period hold up? How sly will our ratings of the new characters be? Will we DEMAND to visit a more exciting planet? Will our souls be eternally bound to a tooth-filled grimoire? What about Osty? Is he safe? Is he alright? Who is this mysterious Architect who sits atop the new Spire with a bunch of deflated hearts and bronze automotons?? Finally it arrives! We also finally welcome a new theme for the podcast after 4 years! Developed as part of a suite of multiple recordings, it’s a tune that will evolve over time, so keep an ear out and don’t immediately skip that first 30 seconds of random jazz music I’ve been posting previously! You can find more about Louis’ work on his website here Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:02 - New intro theme by Balatro composer LouisF! 2:41 - Game stats 4:40 - One sentence description 5:37 - Early Access Disclaimer & Future Revisit Discussion 7:50 - Comparing Sequels 10:42 - Major New Features 12:23 - Art, Animation & Dynamic Music Integration 14:06 - New NPCs, Story Beats & Lore Progression 21:04 - Unlock Systems & Achievement Design Discussion 30:25 - Infinite Builds, Balance Patches & Review Bombs 32:45 - 4-Player Co-op Mechanics & Board Game Origins 45:30 - The Regent & Necrobinder 1:09:02 - Card Enchantment System 1:19:01 - Art & Animation Improvements 1:29:30 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:44:49 - Similar games & show wind-down Next episode: Megabonk Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/ Outro music: Clark Aboud - Ceremonial Beast

  • March 11 · 1 hr 20 min

    Hoplite

    This Is Part Of! … the roguelike pantheon of short games! A beloved mobile game classic, we hop in to Hoplite this week: the Greek underworld dungeon crawling chess tactics inspired puzzle game of spear-chucking, shield-bashing, and hoppin! Featuring at seemingly simple 16-floor dungeon that can go on infinitely should you so desire, the game also boasts a seemingly bottomless pit of bespoke puzzles. So get swipin and swipe on that play button either for the pod or the game, they’re both good! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:39 - Game stats 4:55 - One sentence description 8:19 - Mobile gaming on the go 9:45 - Tutorial & Mechanics 19:26 - Quest for the Golden Fleece 21:30 - Enemy Types & Elegance of Game Design 22:05 - Filler Games vs. Epic Games: Scope & Value Discussion 31:31 - Altar of Apollo Upgrades & Upgrade System 37:44 - Challenge Modes, Daily Puzzles & Bonus Dungeons 41:51 - Sound & Music 1:01:15 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:09:15 - Similar games & show wind-down Next episode: Slay the Spire 2 Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Stolen Momens - Orballo Jazz Cuartet Outro music: Hoplite Main Theme

  • February 25 · 1 hr 46 min

    Project Zomboid

    Brains! Brains! This week in “yes we know it’s not a roguelike”, we venture into the heart of Kentucky for some country-fried human flesh with Project Zomboid. The zeds have spread and you have one goal: survive as long as possible. Do you loot the local school for backpacks and safety scissors, or the police station for pistols and shotguns? Do you dare risk alerting the manic hordes with your car as you break windows in your desperate search for prescription painkillers? …in the game, I mean… allegedly, Your Honor… Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:34 - Game stats 4:16 - One sentence description 5:50 - Roguelike arugments from the Zomboid community 12:00 - Actual gameplay 14:22 - Zombies as Environmental Hazard vs. Villain 27:47 - Tutorial Design & Quality Praise 30:43 - Character Creation, Occupations & Traits 32:30 - Map Size, Starting Location & Open World Scope 36:00 - Lack of Win Condition & Sandbox Design 49:19 - Combat Mechanics, Difficulty & Stealth 1:00:01 - Defining a Winning Run & End-Game Goals 1:20:00 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:38:32 - Similar games & show wind-down Next episode: Hoplite Contact us at grogpodzone@gmail.com! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Jimmy Greene - Last Summer Outro music: Project Zomboid OST - Maybe We Can Win This

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