Rift Wizard 3 - Interview with Developer Dylan White

“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 Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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 [email protected]! 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! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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 [email protected]! 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. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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 [email protected]! 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. Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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? Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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! 😱↪️⭕ Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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 Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 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

This Is Part Of! … the roguelike pantheon of short games! A beloved mobile game classic, we hop in to Hoplite this week: the Greek underworld dungeon crawling chess tactics inspired puzzle game of spear-chucking, shield-bashing, and hoppin! Featuring at seemingly simple 16-floor dungeon that can go on infinitely should you so desire, the game also boasts a seemingly bottomless pit of bespoke puzzles. So get swipin and swipe on that play button either for the pod or the game, they’re both good! Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:39 - Game stats 4:55 - One sentence description 8:19 - Mobile gaming on the go 9:45 - Tutorial & Mechanics 19:26 - Quest for the Golden Fleece 21:30 - Enemy Types & Elegance of Game Design 22:05 - Filler Games vs. Epic Games: Scope & Value Discussion 31:31 - Altar of Apollo Upgrades & Upgrade System 37:44 - Challenge Modes, Daily Puzzles & Bonus Dungeons 41:51 - Sound & Music 1:01:15 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:09:15 - Similar games & show wind-down Next episode: Slay the Spire 2 Contact us at [email protected]! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Stolen Momens - Orballo Jazz Cuartet Outro music: Hoplite Main Theme

Brains! Brains! This week in “yes we know it’s not a roguelike”, we venture into the heart of Kentucky for some country-fried human flesh with Project Zomboid. The zeds have spread and you have one goal: survive as long as possible. Do you loot the local school for backpacks and safety scissors, or the police station for pistols and shotguns? Do you dare risk alerting the manic hordes with your car as you break windows in your desperate search for prescription painkillers? …in the game, I mean… allegedly, Your Honor… Custom RSS Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Music Transcript 1:34 - Game stats 4:16 - One sentence description 5:50 - Roguelike arugments from the Zomboid community 12:00 - Actual gameplay 14:22 - Zombies as Environmental Hazard vs. Villain 27:47 - Tutorial Design & Quality Praise 30:43 - Character Creation, Occupations & Traits 32:30 - Map Size, Starting Location & Open World Scope 36:00 - Lack of Win Condition & Sandbox Design 49:19 - Combat Mechanics, Difficulty & Stealth 1:00:01 - Defining a Winning Run & End-Game Goals 1:20:00 - Rankings & final thoughts 1:38:32 - Similar games & show wind-down Next episode: Hoplite Contact us at [email protected]! https://grogpod.zone Intro music: Jimmy Greene - Last Summer Outro music: Project Zomboid OST - Maybe We Can Win This