The Proving Grounds

Episode 23 – “The 2nd Foe May Be The Charm”Welcome back to The Proving Grounds, the game club where we delve deep into the worlds of CRPGs, blobbers, and roguelikes with insight, detail, and a little chaos. In this episode, JCServant takes on Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard — exploring how Atlus refined its labyrinth-crawling formula from the first game and sharing a personal journey through the punishing floors of Yggdrasil. From ice puzzles to cherry blossoms, from victory to burnout, it’s a full climb.We also spotlight Dr. Zeus’s unique control-focused party — a study in battlefield manipulation and probability — and cover recent RPG news, including the Avernum 4 remaster, the sci-fi dungeon crawler Descent of Lunaris, and the new demo for The Secret of Weepstone.To close, we touch on the legendary Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition expansions, grand strategy storytelling in Crusader Kings III, and creative empire-building in Age of Wonders 4.Join the discussion on Discord, share your Question of the Week thoughts, and help us celebrate the enduring art of dungeon design. Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmzQuestion of the Week:How do you feel about FOE puzzles that require items or movement tricks to progress — satisfying challenge or pacing killer?

Ep 21 – Sharing About ShirenIn this episode of The Proving Grounds, we shine the spotlight on Shiren the Wanderer, one of the most enduring (and punishing) roguelike RPG series around. We cover its origins in the Mystery Dungeon franchise, the core gameplay that keeps fans hooked, and how the series hit USA shores back in the days of the Wii, up to 2024’s Serpentcoil Island.We’ll also break down some of Shiren’s unique mechanics, like the rescue system, the infamous jars, and the way risk vs. reward drives every single dungeon run. Along the way, we talk CRPG news, share your community feedback, and dig into our Question of the Week.Whether you’re a long-time fan of roguelikes, or you’re just curious what makes these games so addictive, this is a great jumping-in point to discover why Shiren remains such a beloved cult classic.🎧 Join the Proving Grounds community on Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz📧 Email: jcservant316 at gmail dot com • Discord: JCServant

Ep 19 – “Elminage Barrage” (09/11/2025)We dive into Elminage Original, a hardcore Wizardry-style dungeon crawler with old-school charm and sharp edges. I cover party building, dungeon exploration, brutal difficulty spikes, spell systems, and why stat gains and losses on rest can make or break a run. You’ll hear community takes, including a spotlight review from Pizzaboy, plus quick hits on what we’ve been playing, from modern WoW delves to Satisfactory. We wrap with this week’s Q&A and a new listener question: Do you use FAQs to plan your party in CRPGs, blobbers, or traditional roguelikes, and why or why not?Join the discussion on Discord, share your builds and favorite dungeons, and help pick future games for the club: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmzEmail: jcservant316 at gmail dot comDiscord: JCServant

🎙️ The Proving Grounds Podcast – Episode 17In this episode, we sink our teeth into Golden Krone Hotel, a gothic roguelike where light and darkness, humans and vampires, all clash in fast, tactical runs. We break down its unique mechanics, the disguise system, and why it might be one of the best entry points for new roguelike players.We also share listener answers to the Question of the Week — do you prefer turn-based combat or real-time with pause? — and wrap up with a quick look at Star Wars: The Old Republic, exploring why it’s still worth checking out today as a CRPG-adjacent experience.💬 Join the discussion on our Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

Episode 15 – Why We Love Party-Based CRPGsThis week, we dive deep into what makes party-based CRPGs so much fun — the freedom, the tactics, and that tabletop feel of running a whole adventuring group. We dive into the history of genre, and JCServant shares his own CRPG journey, from D&D and the Gold Box classics to Baldur’s Gate 3. We also spend time on your opinions — discussing listener feedback on the best type of RPG character level-up and progression systems, and even a bit about the magic of cards!🎲 Join our Discord and be part of the discussion: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmzThis week's question: What’s your “comfort food” game in these genres—the one you keep returning to when you want that classic RPG experience?

In Episode 13 of The Proving Grounds Podcast, we shine a spotlight on the heart of what makes this show possible: our community. Join JCServant as we talk about the new podcast format, highlight our Discord server, and share listener responses to last week’s question about first blobber experiences.We also dive into a classic D&D adventure with The Temple of Elemental Evil—covering its story, development, reception, and the lasting legacy fans have built through patches and mods. Plus, we touch on current spotlight games (Elmenage, Divinity: Original Sin, and Golden Crone Hotel) and wrap up with this week’s new community question.Come be part of the conversation and join the Discord: https://discord.gg/nSSTqzfKmz

🎙️ Ep 11 – Class of PatienceRelease Date: July 19, 2025In this episode of The Proving Grounds, JCServant dives deep into Class of Heroes, the brutal anime blobber that finally made its way to Steam. We cover its rich party-building, punishing traps, and clunky but charming systems. Then we shift gears to explore Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition—what’s been improved, what hasn’t, and whether it’s worth your time in 2025.Plus: the latest news on Legends of Amberland III, Cyclopean: The Great Abyss, Caverns of Xaskazien II, and more from the traditional roguelike scene!🎮 Topics:Class of Heroes – deep customization, school exams, and dog dwarves?!NWN2 Enhanced – classic content, mixed receptionNew blobber and roguelike releasesListener question: underrated CRPGs that deserve more love💬 Join the community:Discord | Twitter @JCServant | jcservant316@gmail.com

In this episode of The Proving Grounds, we dive deep into what makes traditional roguelikes so compelling. From turn-based tactics and permadeath to emergent storytelling and infinite replayability, we explore why these brutal, brilliant games continue to thrive in today’s gaming landscape. JC breaks down genre-defining features like procedural generation, meaningful resource management, and the Berlin Interpretation—and highlights some of the best roguelike updates from June 2025, including Cogmind, Infra Arcana, Zorbus, and more.💬 Featuring discussion on:What defines a traditional roguelikeTactical depth and decision-makingPermadeath as a design featureFavorite genre quotes and momentsJune’s biggest roguelike patch notesUpcoming spotlight: Class of Heroes and Steam sale picks🎧 Tune in to level up your appreciation for roguelikes—from ADOM to Caves of Qud, and everything in between.

In this episode of The Proving Grounds, Phil takes aim at Baldur’s Gate 3—a game he both loves deeply and occasionally wants to throw out a window. He praises the phenomenal writing, emotional companion arcs, and jaw-dropping cinematics, especially The Urge storyline. But then the gloves come off. From boss fights that feel like escape room puzzles to radiant damage that nukes your own Cleric, it’s a roast of Larianisms with a side of laughter. Burst damage reigns supreme, puzzle mechanics block your RP dreams, and “just talk to him nicely” becomes a death sentence. Still, it’s one of the most unforgettable RPGs in years… even if you need a guide, a spreadsheet, and divine intervention to finish it. Plus, Phil shares his plans to include more news and discussion on traditional roguelikes in future episodes—because sometimes, permadeath and tile-based graphics are the break we all need from cinematic chaos!

Today, we’re putting the spotlight on Solasta: Crown of the Magister—a love letter to tabletop gaming wrapped in indie ambition. Built on the D&D 5e SRD, Solasta gives us grid-based, turn-based combat with real verticality, smart use of lighting, and rules that play like a digital tabletop session. It’s crunchy, tactical, and unapologetically nerdy.But before we dive too deep into spell slots and darkvision, I’ve got a few things to say about Baldur’s Gate 3. Stick around, because later in the show… I’ll be performing a one-act tragicomedy inspired by my time in Faerûn. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it."

Today, Phil dives further into BG3 and shares what he does and doesn't like about Larian's shining star! Will he ever get the video game girlfriend of his dreams? Then he finds a fresh indie title on the other side of the spectrum, and explains why it scratched an itch left by BG3. More mechanics discussion than you can shake a stick at on today's episode of The Proving Grounds podcast!

In this first episode of The Proving Grounds, Phil shares his detailed thoughts and experiences of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord! He also shares a bit about Etrian Odyssey 4, answers a couple of questions, and invites you to join our game club where we play and chat about CPRGs, blobbers, and traditional roguelikes.