Best Tales From The Backlog Podcasts (2025)

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170: Lunacid (with Dave Cox) 2:36:04

Play Pause

2d ago2:36:04

2:36:04

Support my work on Patreon I was admittedly very late to the King's Field and Shadow Tower bandwagons, energized by my love for FromSoftware's modern titles and a desire to dig into their history some more. However, I didn't anticipate loving those games so much that I wanted more like them, and that's where Kira LLC's Lunacid (2023) entered the fr…

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Ep. 245: Tales From The Backlog | Final Fantasy 13! 46:47

10d ago46:47

46:47

Hey there Cubies! We are digging into our backlog with this one. It's one of the Final Fantasy games that we both fell off of in the past and we really want to go through all of the Final Fantasy games so we felt that this would be a good starting point. Final Fantasy 13 is a very polarizing game, it has its highs and its lows and we explore it all…

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Episode 111: Knowledge is Progress (with Dave Jackson of Tales From the Backlog) 1:50:15

30d ago1:50:15

1:50:15

Welcome back to IndieQuest, a celebration of all things indie games! On this episode we bring on Dave Jackson, from the Tales From the Backlog Podcast, to the show! We do what we do best, bring games to our ever growing list of curated indie games, The Quest Log! Seth and Josh bring shorter experiences with unique looks and vibes. Steve and Dave br…

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Episode 113: Butter My Biscuit 1:51:32

1d ago1:51:32

1:51:32

Welcome back to IndieQuest (not that one), a celebration of the indie and obscure! On the latest we talk Summer Game Fest announcements, food, and of course indie games. The quest log game selections this go around are wildly diverse and unique --- These indie picks are bound to surprise you! If you enjoy the shenanigans, leave us a review on your …

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Ep. 246: The Alters | Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time 46:33

3d ago46:33

46:33

Hey there Cubies! This is a HUGE update week. We have been playing a lot more than usual and we some great games to chat about this week. We got a Switch 2 update with Mario Kart World and some updates on how Pokemon Scarlet plays on the new console. We also have some RuneScape along with Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro, Final Fantasy 13-2 and The Last Rem…

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169: South of Midnight (with Kate Sánchez) 2:26:28

9d ago2:26:28

2:26:28

Support my work on Patreon Some games just grab your attention from the first trailer, and South of Midnight is one of those games. A breathtaking art style and a gothic Southern fantasy setting? South of Midnight jumped straight to the top of my to-play list, and it did not disappoint. Guest info: Kate Sánchez of But Why Tho? Check out all of the …

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Episode 112: First After 1:47:44

16d ago1:47:44

1:47:44

Welcome back to IndieQuest, a celebration of the indie and obscure! On this episode we talk about the Switch 2 launch, and a few other topics, but then we do what we do best - bring awesome games to the Quest Log! Steve brings a unique handheld experience, Josh brings a cozy experience with a little bit of existential dread, and Seth bring a title …

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168: Persona 4 Golden (with Flora Merigold) 3:17:57

16d ago3:17:57

3:17:57

Support my work on Patreon- https://patreon.com/realdavejackson Persona games are a tough sell for a guy who does a weekly podcast like this, so thank you to my wonderful patrons for voting Persona 4 Golden onto the show. While it has all of the pacing issues that you would expect an 80 hour game to have, I thought this is, in some ways, the best o…

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Ep.244: Nintendo Switch 2 Comes Out This Week! 39:04

18d ago39:04

39:04

Hey there Cubies! In celebration of this weeks release of the Switch 2 we wanted to chat about Nintendo releases and all that good stuff. From what was the last Nintendo console we go before the Switch, to what we are excited about getting with the launch this week. And we fall into a weird Mandela Effect situation with Mario launches on Nintendo c…

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167: Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (with Jesse Guarascia) 2:19:17

23d ago2:19:17

2:19:17

What if Resident Evil 1 was just puzzles? What if it was also about eccentric artists and how they view their art and the creative process vs how their work is perceived? Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo, 2024) is that game! Tune in to find out how we felt about it! Guest Info: Jesse Guarascia Find Jesse's work on Noclip's YouTube channel https:/…

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Ep. 243: Celebrating 25 Years Of The PS2! 2:04:35

25d ago2:04:35

2:04:35

Hey There Cubies! In this week’s episode we journey to the past to celebrate the launch of the PS2. 25 years ago the future of gaming looked and felt upgraded. Listen as we explore the launch titles of the legendary console. ----------------- Hosts: Christian & Chris Don't forget to leave us a cheeky review and we will read them on the show.…

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Our Favorite Marvel Snap Cards w/ Jon Haig from The Video Game Lounge 1:27:32

29d ago1:27:32

1:27:32

Send us a text OH SNAP! This episode we are joined by Jon (with no H) from The Video Game Lounge to sing the praises of our favorite Marvel Snap cards! These are our favorites, not "the best", and more than a few inclusions are not the meta shaping cards that you love when you have them and hate when you don't! Video Game Lounge List Off Links…

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166: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (with Derek Van Dyke) 1:50:52

30d ago1:50:52

1:50:52

Support my work on Patreon I can hear it now- "Another Ace Combat game? Didn't Dave just do one?" and the answer to those questions is "You bet your ass I'm doing another one, I'm IN IT NOW"....ahem, Ace Combat rules, and Ace Combat 7 (Bandai Namco, 2019) is the most Ace Combat that Ace Combat has ever been. Join us as we give it the deep dive! Gue…

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Ep. 242: A Brief History Of Platformers 50:20

1M ago50:20

50:20

Hey there Cubies! This week we are diving into the world of platformers. One of the oldest gaming genres out there that has seen the most growth and evolution over the last 40+ years. We have seen it grow and genre bend, evolving with gamers based on their expectations. From Donkey Kong in 1981 to AstroBot last year platform games are ever changing…

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PAX East 2025 Wrap-Up 33:44

1M ago33:44

33:44

Support my work on Patreon- https://www.patreon.com/realdavejackson PAX East 2025 show floor was dominated by indie games, and here are all 17 of the indie games that I had a chance to play! Thank you to the folks at PAX for allowing me to cover the convention! TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 0:47 Tanuki: Pon's Summer https://store.steampowered.com/app/32185…

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165: SUPERHOT (with Emily Merritt - No Small Games) 1:35:06

1M ago1:35:06

1:35:06

Support my work on Patreon https://patreon.com/realdavejackson Is it really the most innovative shooter I've played in years? SUPERHOT Team struck gold with this idea, did just enough with it, and got out before things got stale. Now that's what I call SUPER. HOT. Guest info: Emily Merritt aka aspecificegg Check out No Small Games https://nosmallga…

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Ep. 241: Clair Obscur Expedition 33 - Full Story Breakdown 1:29:15

1M ago1:29:15

1:29:15

Hey there Cubies! This week we have a big one for you all. We both have gone through the entirety of Clair Obscur and we will be breaking down each Act of this truly amazing game. So, needless to say SPOILER WARNINGS! for anyone that has not played yet that wants to, you may want to avoid this episode and come back to it later. This game is a true …

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Our Favorite Games that Exceeded Expectations w/ Andrew from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers 1:29:22

1M ago1:29:22

1:29:22

Send us a text This episode we are joined by Andrew from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers to discuss the games that blew our expectations out of the water. This one is dedicated to all those titles that we went into expecting mediocrity but we ended up getting gold! Don't forget to join the Discord and share your favorites with us. Friendly Neighb…

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Episode 110: IQ OST - Genital Journey 1:39:13

1M ago1:39:13

1:39:13

Welcome back to IndieQuest, a celebration of all things indie games! We're back to one of our favorite episode types, IQ OST, in these episodes we have a listening party of some of our favorite indie game music! Before that though, we return to Combo Quest where the game master (Josh) gets quizzed! Come, Hang out, and vibe with us! (No game list th…

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164: Monster Hunter Wilds (with Brad Gallaway) 2:17:34

1M ago2:17:34

2:17:34

Support my work on Patreon Review code provided by Capcom. Thank you! Monster Hunter has been around for a long time, but has only recently fully broken into the mainstream. And with mainstream success comes grumbling from longtime fans. Is the game actually too streamlined? Does quality of life take away from quality of game? And what about the ne…

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Ep. 240: Game Mechanics! Turn Based Combat! 46:27

2M ago46:27

46:27

Hey there Cubies! While turn based combat has not gone anywhere, it really did feel that it was begining to be left behind. Especially when you look at some of the bug hitters like Final Fantasy even changing the direction of their combat systems. But games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have really shown us how turn based combat can be evolved. …

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163: Vagrant Story (with Aidan Moher) 2:34:58

2M ago2:34:58

2:34:58

Like many of Square's RPGs of the late 90's and early 2000's, Vagrant Story is an ambitious, flawed, divisive and fantastic RPG, full of big ideas that didn't get a chance to full develop into what was planned. What we got was only one part of a larger saga (see also: Xenogears from just a few years prior), a game that stands on its own, proudly di…

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Ep. 239: Clair Obscur - Expedition 33 & MarioMon! 38:47

2M ago38:47

38:47

Hey there Cubies! We have a special one this week. We found out about the amazing ROM hack MarioMon and it is a banger! The game is so fleshed out and dare we say the best Pokemon game in a long time?!? Then its time for the big game. The one we have been waiting for and knew that it would grab us, but we did not know just how amazing this one was …

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Our Very Late Episode on the Switch 2 Direct 49:51

2M ago49:51

49:51

Send us a text Better late than... well, you know how the saying goes. Here it is! Our obligatory episode about the Switch 2 Direct. Were we fans of it? Was it only "okay"? Were there more hits than misses? Find the answers to all of life's greatest questions here, and in less than an hour! List Off Links…

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Episode 109: Second Opinions Are Like... 1:36:09

2M ago1:36:09

1:36:09

Welcome to IndieQuest, a celebration of the Indie and Obscure! On this episode we kick off the show by playing a new game called Combo Quest! After the festivities each of us dip into the quest log to give our second opinion on games we hadn't tried yet that the other hosts have brought to the show in the past. Then we give each other a good roast,…

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162: Prey (2006) (with Asa GreenRiver) 2:01:39

2M ago2:01:39

2:01:39

No, this isn't the Arkane Studios Prey, this is the one that Arkane was forced to name their game after for no good reason. In fact, that's what got me interested in Human Head Studios' Prey (2006) in the first place, even before I learned what the game is about. So what did we think of this shooter caught between two eras, with seemingly 10 differ…

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Ep. 238: Replaying Games! 51:26

2M ago51:26

51:26

Hey there Cubies! This week we have a little update of what we are playing. From Promise Mascot Agency, to Gears 5 we have a lot to talk about. But the main conversation for this week is the concept of replaying games. Not just remakes/remasters but just replaying games from our past and is that something that motivates our choices when it comes to…

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161: Wanderstop (with Matt aka Stormageddon & CGDannyB) 2:45:34

2M ago2:45:34

2:45:34

Review code provided by Ivy Road- thank you! I think we all viewed Davey Wreden's new project announcement, a "cozy game about making tea", with a bit of side-eye. Is it really just going to be about making tea? You sure there isn't going to be a subversion in there? Are you still reading this? Well, Wanderstop is here, and it may not have the type…

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Ep. 237: Blue Prince & South Of Midnight 40:54

2M ago40:54

40:54

Hello Cubies! This week we have a couple great titles for you. Blue Prince is a puzzle roguelike where you build the mansion room by room as you explore it. The main goal is to find the hidden 46th room. The puzzles are very involved and the story that gets slowly unraveled to you is captivating. And then we have South Of Midnight. A game that uses…

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Our Favorite Solo Developer Games w/ Dave Jackson from Tales from the Backlog 1:09:10

2M ago1:09:10

1:09:10

Send us a text This episode we tackle those passion projects, those games that are only made possible due to one person's vision and grit... the solo developed games. These types of games have a rich history and we are lucky enough to be joined by someone who understands that history, Dave Jackson of Tales from the Backlog! Let us know your favorit…

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Episode 108: Bargain Quest - Indie Game Oddities Under $5! 1:41:34

2M ago1:41:34

1:41:34

Welcome back to IndieQuest, a celebration of the indie and obscure! On this episode we chat a bit about the Switch 2 (it's positive, we promise), take some community questions in our Campfire Chat segment, and then we each bring strange/unique indie games that are under $5 to our ever-growing list of recommendations, The Quest Log. Fun fact, they'r…

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160: Sifu (with Ryan Juengling - List Off) 1:44:19

2M ago1:44:19

1:44:19

From the first trailer, I knew that Sifu (Sloclap, 2022) looked like a game I wanted to play. There was just one small thing- it released two weeks before Elden Ring, and I was clearing the decks in a big way. No mental bandwidth to get stuck in a demanding action game. And so I waited. And waited. And forgot about it. And waited some more. And now…

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Ep. 236: Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Reaction! 46:52

2M ago46:52

46:52

Hey there Cubies! It has been a pretty crazy week for Nintendo. With the full specs of the Switch 2 showcased and the confirmation of the new crazy mouse joycons, along with group chats and new games there is a lot to chat about. Some interesting tech choices, and some amazing looking games. Like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza to name a c…

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Ep. 14 - Super Smash Bros. Melee 1:33:59

3M ago1:33:59

1:33:59

We are back LIVE in the studio, and by studio I mean my dining room! I am joined by three of my childhood best friends to discuss Super Smash Bros. melee for the Nintendo Gamecube in the podcast's first (and last) tournament series! Check out the match ⁠HERE!⁠ Find everyone's socials here:Niles - @woodhaven.leuven Marc - @marc_remache @insurrealnyc…

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159: Metaphor: ReFantazio (with Scott White) 2:13:51

3M ago2:13:51

2:13:51

Only one studio out there can inspire the following sentence- the first time I saw the menu UI in Metaphor: ReFantazio, I knew that Atlus and Studio Zero were cooking. They've mastered the art of making menu-based RPGs flashy and stylish, as well as mastering the "Persona" calendar-based structure in general. On several fronts, this is the best gam…

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Ep. 235: We Have Another Podcast! IBS! 38:15

3M ago38:15

38:15

Check out IBS wherever you. get podcasts! It's crazy that a bee kills itself with its sting. Who would you sting? Bees, the ultimate edgers. What other animals die from their defense mechanisms. Exploding ants?!? 7 years till asteroid. It is massive compared to what has hit us before. Could hit the moon. Other dooms day stuff. Did the Mayans just r…

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Our Favorite Title Screen Music w/ Matt from the "Fun" & Games Podcast 1:09:39

3M ago1:09:39

1:09:39

Send us a text We are no strangers to sitting idly as the theme that encapsulates some of our most memorable experiences plays out, and our guest is no stranger to that either! Matt aka Stormageddon joins us this episode as we discuss our favorite title screen music of all time! Matt's Links List Off Links…

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Episode 107: Just a To The Moon Series Beach Episode Review 1:13:56

3M ago1:13:56

1:13:56

Welcome back to IndieQuest, a celebration of the indie and obscure. On this episode we return to our Freebird game's To the Moon series reviews, or what we lovingly call it the "To the Mooniverse." In "Just a To the Moon Series Beach Episode" we see a collection of characters from throughout the series at a beach resort! There are light spoilers fo…

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158: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (with Geoff Moonen - "Fun" and Games) 2:49:47

3M ago2:49:47

2:49:47

In my ongoing first-time playthrough of the Metal Gear Solid series, we've arrived at the canonical end of Solid Snake's story, while seeing series creator Hideo Kojima at his most self-indulgent (yet) and most creative. Metal Gear Solid is a series of multitudes, and 2008's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is no different. Listen in to fin…

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Ep. 234: Anticipated Games Of 2025 37:43

3M ago37:43

37:43

Hey there Cubies! This week we are diving into some of the game we are most excited about for 2025. Just have to say that it looks like this is the year of the samurai! There are so many titles with this as the main focus. Ghosts Of Yotei, Phantom Blade Zero, Assassins Creed: Shadows & Onimusha! Every year just gets better and better! -------------…

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157: Unpacking (with Kate Hunter - No Small Games) 1:59:57

3M ago1:59:57

1:59:57

Ever since the podcast started in 2021, I always knew I'd do an episode about Unpacking (Witch Beam, 2021) someday. John Fogerty sang that someday never comes, but here we are, and Unpacking is on the show! Unpacking is a great example of using the interactivity of video games to tell a story in a unique, gameplay-forward way. Through the ONE SIMPL…

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Ep. 233: We Make A Game With AI! 35:03

3M ago35:03

35:03

Hey there Cubies! We are back at it again with our Make A Game series. We get some random themes and and goals and try to see what kinda games come out of it. We have used a lot of random generators in the past, but this time we are using AI to come up with jumping off points. But....AI is a little weird and really wanted to push sentient objects o…

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Our Favorite Weird Games w/ Keith from The Main Quest 1:13:47

3M ago1:13:47

1:13:47

Send us a text Video games certainly are weird. Many deal with the fantastic and many more deal with insane characters or story beats that leave us all shaking our heads... well, this episode, Keith from The Main Quest shakes his head along with us as we discuss our favorite weird video games. Have any gaming oddities you'd like to share with us? J…

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156: Mouthwashing (with Ash Parrish) 1:51:06

3M ago1:51:06

1:51:06

Mouthwashing (Wrong Organ, 2024) is a rare horror game that gets scarier after you finish the game. Its nonlinear structure, reality-blurring presentation and subtle (at times) storytelling leave you to put the pieces together yourself. Once you do that, you'll find a strikingly real story where the most unbelievable thing is the fact that it takes…

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Episode 106: GAMES 1:18:40

3M ago1:18:40

1:18:40

Welcome to another episode of IndieQuest: An Indie Game Podcast (A celebration of the indie and obscure - gotta include the slogan haha)! On this episode we get together 3 indie games that you may (or may not) have heard of and put them on our ever-growing list of indie recommendations, The Quest Log. Hell yeah, indie games. - -- ------ -----------…

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Ep. 232: Veilguard & Journey 13th Anniversary 37:45

3M ago37:45

37:45

Hey there Cubies! We have an interesting one for you all this week. It feels like the calm before the storm for sure. After tackling a big game resently it has been nice just cruising through some smaller titles, or catching up with ones we havent gotten too just yet. Like, Chris hopping on Dragon Age: Veilguard. A game that defineatly does not des…

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155: Shenmue (with Luis Aguasvivas) 1:52:58

4M ago1:52:58

1:52:58

I remember reading about Shenmue (AM2 of CRI, Sega, 2000) in the magazines back in the day and really marveling at how cool it all sounded- a revenge/investigation story, a town with characters that live their own lives outside of interacting with you, life in small-town Japan...but I didn't have a Dreamcast, so I never got to play it and eventuall…

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Ep. 231: Pokemon Z - A! What...Tepig?!? 38:53

4M ago38:53

38:53

Hey there Cubies! So, in celebration of Pokemon day and all the crazy things announced we are diving back into the world of Pokemon. Z-A looks like an interesting evolution into the franchise and it could breath new life into it. It being in just one town is a little strange and the choice to include Tepig in the lineup is weird, but there must be …

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Our Favorite PS4 Games w/ Jon from The Video Game Lounge 1:08:49

4M ago1:08:49

1:08:49

Send us a text This episode we are joined by Jon of the Video Game Lounge as we revisit our very first episode and finally close the book on our favorite PlayStation 4 games! Any glaring omissions? What are your favorites? Let us know by joining our Discord, link below. Video Game Lounge List Off Links…

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Episode 105: Mr. Mo-stly Space Games 2:19:35

4M ago2:19:35

2:19:35

Welcome to IndieQuest, a celebration of the indie and obscure! On this episode we have a special guest from the community, Mr. Mo! Mo is a huge fan of rogue-likes, let's see what game he decided to bring to the quest log! And, of course, he answers THE BIG QUESTION! Somehow we all brought space games until 1 of us had to ruin it. Mr. Mo's YouTube v…