Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Join Dave and special guest Jesse Guarascia (noclip, noclip_2 and more) as they strengthen their block-pushing muscles for a deep dive into Isles of Sea and Sky (Cicada Games, 2024). They discuss its rich world full of secrets, why Sokoban-style puzzles feel like a great foundation for weird narratives or layers of secrets, whether the open-ended design works well, and much more. As always, no spoilers for a while.

Guest info: Jesse Guarascia (he/him)

• Check out noclip https://www.youtube.com/@NoclipDocs
• And check out noclip2 https://www.youtube.com/@Noclip2
• And Blowback! https://blowback.show/
• Follow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/jesseguarascia.com

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title
• 0:22 Introductions
• 6:16 Our Histories with Isles of Sea and Sky
• 11:26 Top-Level Thoughts
• 18:38 Game Setup and Open Structure
• 29:19 Puzzle Design
• 40:40 Sokoban as a Base Layer for Building Secrets
• 53:15 Visual Design
• 1:00:00 Music and Sound
• 1:03:32 Who Should Play?
• 1:08:28 Jesse's Work at NoClip and More
• 1:16:53 Spoiler Wall and Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:19:17 Spoiler Section

Music used in the episode is credited to Craig Collver. Tracks used: Isles of Sea and Sky, Ancient Island, Stoney Cliffs, Tidal Reef, From Sea to Sky

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Join Dave and special guest Leah Haydu (Cane and Rinse, Character Issues) as they discuss Kingdom Hearts (Square Enix, 2001). Leah is a longtime fan and Dave just played for the first time, and that led to a great conversation about the infamous story, the Disney and Final Fantasy tie-ins, the action-RPG combat, and the simplicity at the "heart" of it all. Listen in for more, and as always, no spoilers for a while.

Guest info: Leah Haydu (she/her)

• Check out Character Issues https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-character-issues-podcast/id1530881747
• Check out Cane and Rinse https://caneandrinse.com/

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:29 Introductions
• 4:02 Our Histories with Kingdom Hearts
• 9:50 Top-Level Thoughts
• 19:24 Story Setup and Disney Stuff
• 33:10 Final Fantasy Stuff
• 35:16 Understanding Kingdom Hearts
• 43:25 The "Heart" of the Story
• 51:11 More Music Talk
• 58:16 Gummi Ship
• 1:02:32 Combat
• 1:23:45 Some Gameplay Criticisms
• 1:30:26 Who Should Play?
• 1:34:00 Character Issues & Cane and Rinse Podcasts
• 1:40:24 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:42:08 Spoilers- Disney Worlds
• 1:54:58 Spoilers- Let's Talk Plot
• 2:04:13 Spoilers- Sora, Riku and Ansem
• 2:16:55 Spoilers- Final Bosses and Ending

Music used in the episode is credited to Yoko Shimomura: Dearly Beloved, Destiny Islands, Hollow Bastion, Welcome to Wonderland, Traverse Town, The End of the World, Dearly Beloved -Reprise-

Check out Unlockables Podcast for an extensive dive into the story of Kingdom Hearts: https://unlockables.fireside.fm/tags/guiding%20keys

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson
Discord, Socials and more- https://linktr.ee/talesfromthebacklog

Join Dave and special guest Rachel Watts (Thinky Games, Indieventure podcast) as they discuss Cairn (The Game Bakers, 2026). Cairn is a meticulous, thoughtful climbing game that takes you into the mind of an elite athlete as she attempts a climb that has never been done before. While it has some (unintentionally) frustrating moments, Cairn is an extremely strong and affecting game- listen in to find out more, and as always, no spoilers for a while!

Guest info: Rachel Watts (she/her)

• Check out Thinky Games https://thinkygames.com
• Check out Indieventure https://indieventurepodcast.co.uk

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Title Card
• 0:23 Introductions
• 5:09 Our Histories with The Game Bakers & Cairn
• 8:58 Top Level Thoughts
• 17:32 Story Setup and Characterizing Aava
• 31:40 Climbing Mechanics
• 37:36 High Difficulty Meets a Few Shaky Systems
• 54:53 Visual Design, Sound Design and Music
• 1:03:12 Survival on Mt. Kami
• 1:17:58 Who Should Play Cairn?
• 1:24:32 Thinky Games and Indieventure Podcast
• 1:28:54 Spoiler Wall & Patron Thank-Yous
• 1:30:30 Spoilers- Fun Moments & Tough Challenges
• 1:54:19 Spoilers- Let's Talk About Aava
• 2:22:42 Spoilers- Ending Discussion

Music used in the episode is credited to Martin Stig Andersen, Gilda and The Toxic Avenger. Tracks used: The Mountain is Calling, Rise, Fatigue Is In Your Head, Only the Mountain, In My Gut, Stars, Part of a Whole

Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://linktr.ee/JackAllenCaricatures