The Examined Game
Visit theexaminedgame.com for all episodes.
What do video games reveal about us? In The Examined Game Podcast, peabody-nominated documentary producer Steven Lake speaks with the creators of the world’s most celebrated video games about how they were made and the personal and professional impact games have had on their lives.
Steven is a Peabody-nominated producer whose work has appeared on Netflix, BBC Storyville, PBS, and The Guardian.
About Steven Lake
Steven Lake is the host of The Examined Game Podcast and a Peabody-nominated documentary producer. His work has appeared on Netflix, BBC Storyville, PBS, Al Jazeera, and The Guardian.
His films include Roll Red Roll, described by The New York Times as “an essential watch,” as well as Phantom Parrot, rated 4 stars by Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian, and Dungeon Masterhood, a coming-of-age documentary with dragons.
Episodes
18 episodes
From Icewind Dale to Fallout: New Vegas | Josh Sawyer (Obsidian) PART 1
Today on The Examined Game, I’m joined by Josh Sawyer (Joshua Sawyer) Studio Design Director at Obsidian Entertainment.Josh is an industry veteran whose credits include Icewind Dale, Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, ...
The Evolution of Life Is Strange | Jonathan Zimmerman (Life is Strange: True Colors, Reunion, Before The Storm)
write me at steven@theexaminedgame.com and let me know what you think!What does it feel like to land your dream job working on the follow-up to a game that blew your mind? This is exactly what happened to Jonathan Zimmerman when he land...
How Inkle Studios Built a Sustainable Game Studio | Joseph Humfrey
In today’s episode of The Examined Game I talk with co-founder of Inkle Studios (80 Days, TR-49, Heaven’s Vault, Overboard, A Highland Song, Expelled, Sorcery) Joseph Humfrey. This interview is a counterpart to my chat with Jon Ingold, the othe...
We're All Going to Die - Creating Outer Wilds | Alex Beachum Creative Director
In today's episode of The Examined Game, I am talking with the creator of Outer Wilds, Alex Beachum.We get into the weeds of how the original prototype of the game came about back when Alex was studying game design, his approach to devel...
Mastering The Modern Adventure Game | Francisco Gonzalez (Rosewater, Lamplight City, A Golden Wake)
Today we are talking with Francisco Gonzalez as we go in depth on the genre of video game that I have been playing longer than any other in my life: point and click adventure games. I have been a fan of Francisco's games ever since I stumbled u...
The Talent Behind Video Game Hair Design | Amandine Marest (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Today I get to talk with Amandine MarestHair & Technical Character artist Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. We cover all things hair related in video games. Amandine's work in Clair Obscure is incredible and it was such a pleasure to deep dive i...
The Mathematics of Interactive Storytelling - Jon Ingold (80 Days, Heaven's Vault, TR-49)
In today's episode of The Examined Game I speak with co-founder of Inkle Studios, Jon Ingold. I am a huge fan of the work both he and Joseph Humfrey have done under Inkle Studios. Beyond finding new ways to iterate on the adventure game genre, ...
The Dial Up Entrepreneur | Scott Miller (Apogee Entertainment, Duke Nukem 3D, Wolfenstein 3D)
In this episode I speak with Scott Miller, founder of Apogee Entertainment (Commander Keen, Duke Nukem) and 3D Realms (Max Payne, Prey). Scott helped pioneer the shareware model of game distribution in the late 80s and early 90s, releasing larg...
Hell Broke Loose - The Making of Far Cry 2 | Clint Hocking (Creative Director)
Today I’m talking with Clint Hocking, Creative Director of Far Cry 2 and Watch Dogs: Legion.Clint has had a long and varied career in the video game industry, working on the original Splinter Cell games, as well as roles at Ubisoft, Valv...
Making Atomfall: Risk & Reward | Ben Fisher (Head of Design)
In today’s episode, I speak with Ben Fisher, Head of Design on Atomfall and Sniper Elite: Resistance. Ben is a key creative figure at Rebellion, and we take a deep dive into the philosophy and design process behind Atomfall’s open-world RPG str...
Writing Outer Wilds: Joy, Grief, and Letting Go | Kelsey Beachum (Outer Wilds, Avowed, Outer Worlds)
Today I sit down with Kelsey Beachum, writer of Outer Wilds, for a deeply honest conversation about the creative process, including what it was like collaborating with her brother Alex Beachum on one of the most loved indie games of the past de...
Scope, testing, and Finishing Games | Nina Freeman (Cibele, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage)
In today’s episode I speak with game developer Nina Freeman about mistakes, reflection, and the role personal experience can play in game design.Nina is known for her autobiographical approach to games, incorporating real moments from he...
Why Platformers need to evolve | Chris Wade (Big Hops)
The Examined Game #5In today’s episode I speak with Chris Wade, creator of Big Hops. Big Hops immediately caught my attention as a platformer. While most modern platformers still build on the foundations laid down in the 1990s, Big Hops ...
Why Great Games still Fail | Mario R. Kroll (Video PR & Marketing expert)
In today’s episode I speak with Mario R. Kroll, founder of UberStrategist. Mario has spent more than 30 years working across PR, publishing and marketing in the video game indu...
How Portal Was Written | Erik Wolpaw (Portal)
The Examined Game #4In this episode of The Examined Game I speak with Erik Wolpaw on writing for video games. Erik is best known for his work on Portal, Portal 2, the Half-Life 2: Episode One and Half-Life 2: Episode Two, as ...
Why Play Matters | Julia Minamata (The Crimson Diamond)
The Examined Game #3Julia Minamata is the solo developer of The Crimson Diamond, a love letter to the classic Sierra On-Line parser adventures. I adored playing The Crimson Diamond and wanted to talk with Julia about the power of play in...
Restoring the Mona Lisas of video games | Larry Kuperman (Nightdive Studios)
In today’s episode I speak with Larry Kuperman, Vice President of Business Development at Nightdive Studios. Larry retired not long after this interview, so I was pleased to chat with such an industry veteran.Nightdive have made a well-d...
When Naughty Dog Took A Risk On Uncharted 2 | Richard Lemarchand (Uncharted, Naughty Dog)
I sat down with co-lead game designer on the original Uncharted trilogy, Richard Lemarchand, to talk about the creative process Naughty Dog took when making Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and how
