Mailbag

Mailbag

Author: Samuel Roberts and Matthew Castle April 3, 2026 Duration: 1:31:03

What Matthew thinks of Crimson Desert, new DLC for old games, how 360-era classics would score now in reviews, dream Helldivers 2 warbonds and more nonsense in the latest mailbag episode.


This week's music is from the Deadly Premonition soundtrack by Riyou Kinugasa, Takuya Kobayashi and Hiromi Mizutani.


This is the From Russia With Love PS2 clip mentioned in the episode. 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Tucked away from the frantic news cycle, The Back Page: A Video Games Podcast offers a space for longer conversations about the games and the industry that shape our hobby. Hosts Samuel Roberts and Matthew Castle bring their combined decades of experience from publications like PC Gamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and gamesTM to every discussion. This isn't just a review show; it's a deep dive into the culture, history, and personal stories behind the pixels. You'll hear them dissect new releases with a critic's eye, reminisce about forgotten gems, and unpack the oddities of working in games journalism itself. The tone is warm, informed, and often wryly humorous, feeling more like eavesdropping on two friends in a pub than a formal broadcast. Each episode of this podcast builds on their professional insights but is driven by a genuine, enduring passion for the medium. The result is a consistently engaging listen for anyone who thinks about games beyond the credits screen. John Strike provides the distinctive logo, and Barry 'Epoch' Topping crafts the theme tune, giving the whole production a personal, crafted feel from start to finish.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Back Page: A Video Games Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Two Giant Men Play Resident Evil Requiem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:00:22
A deep dive into the year's first big game (sorry, Mario Tennis). Section one is spoiler-free, and the much shorter section two has clearly marked spoilers. But, you still might want to listen to this after you've played…
Games Court 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:59
Judge Castle tackles listeners' moral dilemmas in the return of podcasting's worst format. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Video Game Levels Draft (with Ashley Day and Dave Scarborough) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:56:49
Our first draft episode of the year is here! Who can pick the best levels out of Samuel, Matthew, Dave and Ash? You decide. Vote for the winner in the announcements channel of the Discord.This week's music is from the So…
Three Giant Men Play Grand Theft Auto IV (with Jeremy Peel) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:47:15
Having conquered GTA III (kind of), Vice City and San Andreas (plus Bully, which is sort of a GTA), it's time for the definitive Back Page podcast on 2008's Grand Theft Auto IV. Joining us to dissect the first HD GTA is…
2026 Gaming Predictions + Fantasy Critics Draft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:04
26 (or so) predictions about 2026, based on nothing whatsoever. Plus: our 2025 predictions revisited, and our 5 picks for this year's fantasy draft.This week's music is from the Trauma Center: Second Opinion soundtrack b…