GROGPOD Roguelike Podcast

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 [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/

Outro music: Jesper Kyd - Disposal Unit (Imperium Mix)

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!







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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 [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/

Outro music: Eirik Surhke - Big Party / Infinity

(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?







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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 [email protected]!

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

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! 😱↪️⭕







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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 [email protected]!

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)

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







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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 [email protected]!

https://grogpod.zone

Intro music: GROGPOD Theme 1 by Balatro composer LouisF - https://louisfmusic.com/

Outro music: Clark Aboud - Ceremonial Beast