The Secret Lives of Games

We're joined by Asher Vollmer (Threes) to discuss the mouse-bouncing adventure Beast Breaker, the debut game from his studio Vodeo Games. We discuss the perils of overscoping, scaling up (and back down), and building a studio ethos. Show notes: Asher Vollmer Vodeo Games Threes IndieCade Awards Royals holedown Ballz BBTan Monster Hunter The Witcher A Playful Production Process

Craig D. Adams (Superbrothers A/V) and Patrick McAllister (Pine Scented Software) join us as they embark on the release of their interstellar adventure JETT: The Far Shore. We cover its 10+ year development, telling a small piece of a big story, and assembling the right squad to help land it. Show notes: JETT: The Far Shore Superbrothers A/V Pine Scented Software Fatal Inertia Sworcery ARG? Jim Gu...

Variable State co-founders Jonathan Burroughs, Terry Kenny, and Lyndon Holland pop by to chat about their supernatural anthology drama Last Stop. We discuss capturing London through its details, telling an interconnected story across multiple genres, and the importance of pacing. Show notes: Variable State Virginia Last Stop Hannah Nicklin Attack the Block Fleabag Firewatch Thirty Flights of Lovin...

We're joined by Anne Austin and Nate Austin of Worldwalker Games to explore their charming myth-making tactical RPG, Wildermyth. We dig into the challenges of procedural storytelling, clever ways of handling time passage and death, and capturing a tabletop feel without the table. Show notes: Wildermyth Worldwalker Games AI-Driven Dynamic Dialog through Fuzzy Pattern Matching The Thing (video game)...

Graham Parkes and Bela Messex of GoodbyeWorld Games join us to discuss their beautiful, blink-controlled adventure through the afterlife, Before Your Eyes. We discuss the benefits of disempowerment, working off faith in technology, and teaching players to let go. Show notes: Before Your Eyes GoodbyeWorld Games Graham Parkes Bela Messex Little Bug Close Your Blendo Games Walter Murch's In the Blink...

We chat to Umurangi Generation's Tali Faulkner about his (IGF grand prize-winning!) "first-person photography game in the sh*tty future." We discuss keeping scope small while having a lot to say, the role of respectful design and Indigenous knowledge, and positioning players to see for themselves. Show notes: Tali Faulkner Umurangi Generation Sarah Elmaleh Shooting the Apocalypse by Jini Maxwell F...

For our 75th episode special, we endeavor to find which games lie at the intersection of our tastes, talking through our ranking algorithm and counting down our top 22 games. Thanks for all the support so far! Show notes: Sportsfriends Knytt StepMania 0SPACE The Little Prince   Let's Mosey: A Slow Translation of Final Fantasy VII Chrono Trigger by Michael P. Williams Chrono Trigger Mixtape Losing...

The second special episode originally created in partnership with AMC Games for the in-flight entertainment of Airplane Mode, a very literal flight simulator. We chat about ritual in games, rethinking our relationship to time, and bringing it to bear on our own work and play. Show notes: Lifeline... Shadow of the Colossus Tharsis Star Trek: Discovery The Castles of Burgundy   Lost Cities Desert Bu...

Aconite founders Star St. Germain and Nadya Lev and lead designer Scott Jon Siegel join us to discuss their beautiful, mixed reality mind bender HoloVista. We chat about embracing hidden object game design, telling personal stories through a lens of social media, and subverting the selfie museum. Show notes: HoloVista Star St. Germain Nadya Lev Scott Jon Sigel Aconite Coilhouse The Fallen Cosmos S...

Jakub Wasilewski of Beetlewing joins us to talk about his new grand-yet-bite-sized space strategy game, Slipways. We discuss game feel as inspiration, breaking your game for fun and profit, and limiting your universe to expand your audience. Show notes: Jakub Wasilewski Beetlewing Slipways PICO-8 Indie Fund Celeste hearthstone Pocket-Run Pool Twilight Imperium Teomachia (Jakub's board game) Master...

Evan Anthony and Jeremy Abel of Feral Cat Den join us to discuss their inspired cosmic adventure game, Genesis Noir. We discuss the aesthetics of interaction, processing your game launch, and shooting for the stars with your ending. Show notes: Feral Cat Den Evan Anthony Jeremy Abel Genesis Noir Vectorpark Hohokum GNOG Cosmicomics Reaktor Florence Skillbard Oikospiel Inside Busby Berkeley Rez Marc...

Die Gute Fabrik's Studio Lead Hannah Nicklin joins us to discuss her writing and narrative design work on their sublime mutant soap opera, Mutazione. We discuss working with time and an ensemble cast to create a story with "multiple middles," embracing the scars of a lengthy development cycle, and the best bikes in video games. Show notes: Hannah Nicklin Die Gute Fabrik Mutazione Into the Depths:...

We sit down with Creative Producer Ben Wilson to discuss the thrilling cooperative trick-taking game The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, and how the game builds on and subverts precedents like Spades and Bridge. Show notes: Ben Wilson Wizard Jam Spelunky Dare Challenge Bot Trick-taking games The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine The Crew - A Card Game for Everyone Skat Hearts Spades Bridge Zach's G...

In the final installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we sit down with two of its creators - Jake Elliott and Ben Babbitt - to discuss the origins of their collaboration, drawing from influences beyond games, and the process of working on such a long-term project. Show notes: Kentucky Route Zero Jake Elliott Ben Babbitt Stephanie Boluk   Patrick LeMieux Sarah Elmaleh A House in Californi...

Gloam Collective's Min-Taylor Bai-Woo and Damian Sommer join us to chat about their thrilling new turn-based fighter Bravery Network Online. We discuss the design of its Pokémon-inspired battles, the clever ways in which they replaced randomness, and making friends in the post-post-apocalypse. Show notes: Gloam Collective Min-Taylor Bai-Woo Damian Sommer Bravery Network Online Guillaume Singelin O...

In the fifth installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we broadcast our thoughts on the Un Pueblo De Nada interlude, before prowling our way through Act V and our closing thoughts on the game. Show notes: Kentucky Route Zero Stephanie Boluk   Patrick LeMieux Sarah Elmaleh Alice Munro - Dear Life Clara Rockmore - The Art of the Theramin Clara Rockmore - The Swan Brian Rotman: Signifying No...

Echodog Games' Dyala Kattan-Wright joins us to discuss their wildly unique and wonderful narrative card game Signs of the Sojourner. We chat about the process of developing the game's innovative dialogue system, its surprising effects on player experience, and why sometimes you just can't go home again. Show notes: Eggplant Patreon Dyala Kattan-Wright Echodog Games Signs of the Sojourner Slay the...

In the fourth installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we dial in our thoughts on the Here and There Along the Echo interlude, before bringing our  insight to bear on the brittle facts of Act IV. With guest co-hosts Stephanie Boluk, Patrick LeMieux, and Sarah Elmaleh! Show notes: Kentucky Route Zero Stephanie Boluk   Patrick LeMieux Sarah Elmaleh Limits and Demonstrations Little Berlin i...

A special episode originally created in partnership with AMC Games for the in-flight entertainment of Airplane Mode, a very literal flight simulator. We chat with its creator Hosni Auji about the challenges and benefits of simulating the mundane, our strangely poignant experiences with the game, and our personal flight etiquette. Show notes:  Airplane Mode Hosni Auji AMC Games F.E.E.D. Zero Age NY...

In the third installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we take a seat for The Entertainment interlude, before exploring the physical manifestation of debt in Act III. With recurring guest co-hosts Stephanie Boluk and Patrick LeMieux, and bonus guest Sarah Elmaleh! Show notes: Kentucky Route Zero Stephanie Boluk   Patrick LeMieux Sarah Elmaleh Giving Games a Voice with Sarah Elmaleh Resona...

Game historian and documentarian Summoning Salt joins us to discuss the world of speedrunning, the process behind his deep-dive videos that unpack its most exciting moments, and the ineffable magic that makes some classic games so beautifully broken. Show notes: Summoning Salt Home - We're Finally Landing Breaking World Records with Kinnijup and ix The Quest for 1 Million Subscribers Games Done Qu...

In the second installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we marinate in the Limits & Demonstrations interlude, before navigating the Zero to Act II to tackle bureaucracy, bears, and the recurring question: are we inside, or are we outside? Show notes: Kentucky Route Zero Stephanie Boluk   Patrick LeMieux Nam Jun Paik, Random Access Edward Packard, UFO 54-40 Museum of Other Realities KRZ Fu...

Actor, advocate, and consultant Sarah Elmaleh (Afterparty, Anthem, Gone Home) joins us to discuss her craft across myriad game roles, the connections between voiceover and design, and using your voice to fight for equity and connectedness.  Show notes:  Sarah Elmaleh Eggplant Podcast Community Game Jam Void Protocol Babycastles Behind the Voice Dominic Armato Afterparty   Anthem   Gears 5 Superbow...

In the first installment of our Kentucky Route Zero miniseries, we meet our guest co-hosts, with whom we put Act I's opening scene under a microscope, discuss the game's novel dialogue system, and dive deep into the first batch of its many intertextual references. Show notes: Stephanie Boluk Patrick Lemieux Kentucky Route Zero Cardboard Computer A House in California Metagaming book Mutazione Desi...

Daniel Helbig of Megagon Industries (Lonely Mountains: Downhill) joins us to discuss the magic behind their pitch-perfect 2019 mountain biking game. We discuss the trials and techniques of their game-defining controls, physics, and camera work, and mastering multifaceted mountains (phew!). Show notes: Eggplant Game Jam Daniel Helbig Megagon Industries Lonely Mountains: Downhill Skiing Yeti Mountai...