GROGPOD Roguelike Podcast

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)







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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)

“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







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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

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!







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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

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.







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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

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.







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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)