The Secret Lives of Games
Candid conversations with game creators that dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making games.
Episodes
We're joined by John Axon (Capybara Games), Raigan Burns (N++, N PLUS INFINITY TIMES TWO), and Tonda Ros (Blue Prince) to discuss Cinco Paus, a wand-slinging, grid-based roguelike described as "NetHack meets poker" and "the scientific method." It's the tenth installment in our yearlong special series exploring the work of Michael Brough: All Systems Brough.
Next episode: P1 Select
Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.
Discussed i...
We're joined by Nicole He (The Crush House, Kinlo Labs), Eddy Boxerman (Osmos, Karmaka, Broken Rules), and Noah Sasso (Sportsfriends, Iron Galaxy Studios) to discuss Imbroglio, a deck-building, grid-based, genre-defining brough-like. It's the ninth installment in our yearlong special series exploring the work of Michael Brough: All Systems Brough.
Next episode: Cinco Paus
Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.
Discussed in this episod...
We chat with Mark Essen (Nidhogg, Wheel World) about his "feverish bullet heaven platformer" Blood Dungeon. We discuss making a small game in the shadow of a bigger project, the constraints it takes to do it sanely, and building on the foundations of a nascent genre.
Discussed in this episode:
Messhof
https://messhof.com
Blood Dungeon
https://messhof.com/blooddungeon
exp. zine - Vampire Survivors
http...
We're joined by v buckenham (Downpour, Beasts of Balance), Izzy Kestrel (Electrifying Incident, A Little Game Called Mario), and Bennett Foddy (Baby Steps, QWOP, Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy) to discuss Helix, a spiral-action shmuplike about staying alive. It's the eighth installment in our yearlong special series exploring the work of Michael Brough: All Systems Brough.
Next episode: Imbroglio
Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.
...
We chat with Brooke Husic (Puzzmo, New Yorker, A24) about creating, stewarding, and showrunning a daily crossword for the web-based puzzle phenomenon, Puzzmo. Our discussion covers Puzzmo's first 1,000 days, Brooke's prolific career as a constructor, the impact of cultural biases on crosswords, the early-2020s indie-puzzle development boom, the need to care for both solvers and setters during revisions, the interconnectedness of di...
We're joined by Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Andi McClure (BECOME A GREAT ARTIST IN JUST 10 SECONDS, Jumpman) to discuss BECOME A GREAT ARTIST IN JUST 10 SECONDS; a generative art game/tool made in 72 hours. It's the seventh installment in our yearlong special series exploring the work of Michael Brough: All Systems Brough.
This episode: BECOME A GREAT ARTIST IN JUST 10 SECONDS
Next epi...
We're joined by Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin, A Good Videogame) and Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games) to discuss VESPER.5; a durational, tile-based exploration game. It's the sixth installment in our yearlong special series exploring the work of Michael Brough: All Systems Brough.
This episode: VESPER.5
Next episode: Become a Great Artist
Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.
Discussed in this episode:
868-BACK (Out now!! Go buy it!!...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 9 - the Reunion / Reveal! How did The Mole do it?
Thanks for listening this season!
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and more.
Links:
Thanks Robin for our Mol guessing game website! Tip him here:
https://ko-fi.com/rbnvi
Every Game in this City podcast (S1, which i...
We're joined by Michael Brough himself for a bonus chat on the thrilling occasion of 868-BACK's release day. Don't worry, we don't spoil the new game at all (except to say it's fantastic! Go buy it now on Steam!!) We discuss Michael's journey to this launch day, how his process for making art has and hasn't changed over the years, how he's learned to care for himself creatively and otherwise amidst periods of illness, how he does (...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 8 - the Finale! The Mole is finally unmasked.
That's about it for tourist season in Portgual (though big wave season starts around November!) but we'll be back next week for the Ep 9 reunion in Belgium.
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game ...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 7. Who is the Mole, and how does this elimination echo last season's Final Four?
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Danny Hawk - Folk Games, Flash Communities and Tiktok
https://newrules.website/2021/01/12/danny-hawk-f...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 6. Who is the Mole, and who will play Juliet to Wout's Romeo?
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol)
https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-realit...
We're joined by Naomi Clark (NYU Game Center, Consentacle, A Game Design Vocabulary) and Frank Lantz (Q-UP, Universal Paperclips, also NYU Game Center) to discuss Corrypt, a totally normal block-moving game where nothing weird happens. It's the fifth installment of All Systems Brough, our yearlong special series exploring the playable arcana of Michael Brough.
This episode: Corrypt
Next Month: VESPER.5
Audio edited by Dylan Shumway...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 5. Who is the Mole, and how will this episode's big twist echo throughout the rest of the season?
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol)
https://secretlives...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 4. Who is the Mole, and will Doug end up getting the lowest possible score in our Mole guessing game? (this isn't golf, Doug).
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 3. Who is the Mole, and why was Yannis laughing so hysterically at some November rain?
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol)
https://secretlives.games/122-...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 2. Who is the Mole, and should they receive an Oscar for their duplicitous performance?
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Four Wishes (independent Korean reality tv show)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLimMCLx...
We chat with Tonda Ros (Dogubomb) one year after the release of his genre-blending room-drafting puzzlebox sensation, Blue Prince. Our discussion covers Tonda's year as the game's representative in the world; his inspirations across digital, analog, and tabletop works; cultivating player appreciation for virtual spaces; managing player hunches through playtesting; balancing lore with puzzle mechanics; comparing game development wit...
We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).
Laura, Jey, and Doug tango with Episode 1 and share their Mole suspicions.
Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.
Links:
Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol)
https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de...
We're joined by Chris Plante (Besties, Post Games), Hayden "Docky" Scott-Baron (Planet Coaster), and Rand Hall (voicemailer extraordinaire, Zaga-33 guide writer) for the fourth title in our year of All Systems Brough, a year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough: Zaga-33.
This episode: Zaga-33
Next Month: Corrypt (and Lost Levels)
Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.
Discussed in this episode:
Zaga-33
https://mightyvis...
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