The Secret Lives of Games

The hosts dive into their favorite games of 2025, highlighting unique picks and community contributions. Zach revels in the design and nostalgia of Hollow Knight: Silksong, while Doug explores the political depth of Don't Rank Cuomo. Sarah shares the emotional impact of Consume Me, and Laura delves into the puzzle mechanics of The Root Trees Are Dead. The fun continues with discussions on family-friendly games, narrative ambitions in Death Stranding 2, and a heartfelt look at Caves of Qud as the overall favorite. It's a lively celebration of gaming's creativity!

Shawn Alexander Allen, an independent game developer and nonprofit organizer, joins board game designers Cole and Drew Wehrle to dive into 868-HACK. They explore its unique grid-based gameplay and escalating tension. Cole shares insights on how small integers shape player decisions, while Drew explains the emergent behaviors of enemies reminiscent of classic games. The guests discuss various victory paths and strategic player goals, highlighting how the minimalist aesthetics enhance focus. Secrets within the game are debated, emphasizing player discovery and long-term engagement.

In this engaging discussion, Kimmo Lahtinen, an independent game developer and the creative mind behind the twin-stick shooter Sektori, shares his insights on game design and the indie scene. He dives into the importance of crafting a replayable experience with numerous side modes and balancing minimal tutorials. Kimmo reflects on the competitive landscape of game development and how personal passion drives his work. He also explores the challenges of solo development and the creative freedom it brings, while reminiscing about his Finnish gaming roots.

We're proud to present the final installment of our over-a-year-long Into the Depths series on Caves of Qud, as well as our last episode with our recently retired Eggplant branding. Caves of Qud is a massive open-world roguelike RPG that has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and we give it an appropriately epic sendoff with nearly four hours of deep discussion. Doug and Rob, joined by special guest host Star St. Germain, dive into the game's finale and overarching themes with narrative designer Caelyn Sandel and co-creators Jason Grinblat and Brian Bucklew. Be warned, major spoilers await: We discuss the aftermath of the Tomb of the Eaters, the Moon Stair, the [Redacted], Reclamation, We Are [Redacted], plus other juicy details about how this legendary game finally came to an end… and what's in store for it next. Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Brian's must-follow bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/unormal.bsky.social Warm static – Official Caves of Qud wiki https://wiki.cavesofqud.com/wiki/Warm_static Independent Games Summit: What Even is 1.0?: Indefinite Early Access and Live Development https://gdcvault.com/play/1035081/Independent-Games-Summit-What-Even End-to-End Procedural Generation in Caves of Qud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV-DZqdKlnE Tile-Based Map Generation using Wave Function Collapse in 'Caves of Qud' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdCgi9E90jw Caves of Qud Discord https://discord.com/invite/cavesofqud Eris – Girsh Illustration https://www.reddit.com/r/cavesofqud/comments/1n449aw/girsh_qas_and_qon/ A Mythopoetic Interface Reading of Caves of Qud (Roguelike Celebration 2025) https://www.youtube.com/live/UQNfH9pKWd4?si=jFy9VTRZzLPJHn4W&t=1091 Sproggiwood https://store.steampowered.com/app/311720/Sproggiwood/ Slav Epic Paintings by Alphonse Mucha https://www.muchafoundation.org/en/gallery/themes/theme/slav-epic https://secretlives.games/ https://bsky.app/profile/secretlivesofgames.bsky.social https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog (full rebrand still in progress, lol)

In this engaging discussion, veteran game designer Frank Lantz, known for his advocacy of Michael Brough's work, joins Raigan Burns, co-founder of Metanet Software and an enthusiastic supporter of Brough's games. They dive into the unique characteristics of Brough's designs, showcasing their depth and complexity. The conversation also centers on their own first encounters with Brough's games and the transformative impact of titles like Crypt. Listeners will appreciate insights on the aesthetic choices in Brough's work and why his games deserve focused exploration.

Jenny Jiao Hsia, a game designer known for autobiographical titles, and AP Thomson, a collaborative developer, dive into their award-winning RPG, Consume Me. They explore the ten-year development journey, balancing humor with heavy themes like disordered eating. The duo discusses turning personal stories into engaging minigames and the complexities of authenticity in game design. They also touch on cultural pressures, the concept of overachievement, and creative inspirations, revealing how these elements resonate universally.

Laura, Rob, and Sarah chat with Adam Robinson-Yu about The Annual Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival, a communal and virtual festival experience hosted every ~October for the last six years. We discuss the logistics of running a seasonal multiplayer game, encouraging emergent interactions through limited tools, highlighting pumpkin artistry, expressing embodiment in digital space, building secrets over time, and more! NOTE: If you want to avoid spoilers of this year's additions to the game, skip the section from 1:12:40 to 1:22:00! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival https://adamgryu.itch.io/pumpkin-carver Laura E. Hall's 31 Days of Halloween newsletter https://buttondown.com/31daysofhalloween Adam's Itch https://adamgryu.itch.io/ Adam's Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/adamgryu.bsky.social https://eggplant.show/ https://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow

Laura chats with Jeremy Johnston, an independent game developer known for his puzzle games, and Robin Ward, a software developer who co-created the Steam remake of The Roottrees are Dead. They discuss the evolution of their intriguing murder-mystery game from a Global Game Jam prototype to a full release. Highlights include creating a unique hint system, incorporating AI art ethics, and the challenges of expanding a free game. The duo also shares their inspirations from titles like The Return of the Obra Dinn, exploring the community's growing appetite for engaging puzzle games.

Join game designers Derek Yu, known for Spelunky, and Jon Perry, noted for compact, themed games, alongside musician Eirik Suhrke, indie dev Paul Hubans, and Tyriq Plummer as they reflect on their journey with UFO 50. They delve into the beauty of ambiguity in game narratives, the impact of emergent storytelling in Party House, and the evolution of audio across the collection. Personal anecdotes highlight the project's significance in their lives, while insights into their collaborative process offer a glimpse into indie development dynamics.

In this lively finale, Droken, a tarot deck creator, conducts a whimsical reading linked to the year's themes. Jon Axon, Star Saint Tremaine, and Dose One provide comedic flair with a Mad Libs segment, crafting a bizarre love letter to UFO 50. Alfredo Barraza delights with a live gameplay interlude, blending music and community interaction. The hosts reflect on the year and share touching listener tributes, encapsulating the series' journey with laughter and heartfelt moments.