The Secret Lives of Games

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 in this episode: Cinco Paus https://smestorp.itch.io/cinco-paus  868-BACK (Out now!! Go buy it!!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/  https://finji.itch.io/868-back  Michael Brough's Website https://www.smestorp.com/  Michael Brough's Blog https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/ Vivafringe Cinco Paus Strategy Guide blog post https://vivafringe.wordpress.com/2018/06/08/cinco-paus-strategy-guide/ Sheeps https://store.steampowered.com/app/4460610/Sheeps/ Battle Vision https://www.capybaragames.com/games/battle-vision N PLUS INFINITY TIMES TWO https://store.steampowered.com/app/3040020/N_PLUS_INFINITY_TIMES_TWO/  Blue Prince https://store.steampowered.com/app/1569580/Blue_Prince/ https://secretlives.games/  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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 episode: Imbroglio https://apps.apple.com/us/app/imbroglio/id969264934  868-BACK (Out now!! Go buy it!!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/  https://finji.itch.io/868-back  Michael Brough's Website https://www.smestorp.com/  Michael Brough's Blog https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/ September 9th, 2026 Imbroglio Notes 14 blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2020/06/imbroglio-notes-14-mizzenmast.html  Imbroglio release blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2016/05/imbroglio.html Imbroglio Notes 6 blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2016/08/imbroglio-notes-6-meditation.html Guxt https://www.cavestory.one/pixels-works/guxt.php  Igbo Calendar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_calendar Everyday Shooter https://store.steampowered.com/app/16300/Everyday_Shooter/  Imbroglio Notes 8 blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2016/08/imbroglio-notes-8-score-o.html Vivafringe Guide to Imbroglio Boardbuilding https://vivafringe.wordpress.com/2017/03/02/a-guide-to-imbroglio-boardbuilding/ Vivafringe Izu Mode blog post  https://vivafringe.wordpress.com/2017/02/21/imbroglios-izu-mode-is-the-way-forward-for-deckbuilding/ Vivafringe Izu Mode YouTube videos https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVkyA1oDHBa_PGysiUQ_kGaCorynP21O9 Noah's Bandcamp https://octopusinc.bandcamp.com/album/also-the-remixes Kinlo Labs (join their waitlist!) https://playkinlo.com/  I'm So Happy You're Here – I Can't Meditate! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ9ZwePF3_ms&si=jALBpOdXrprPI8Z_ Baba Is You: The Board Game & Party House: The Deckbuilding Game Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bitewinggamesnick/baba-is-you-the-board-game  Imbroglio in-progress blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2016/03/still-working-on-imbroglio-this-is.html Imbroglio Notes 1 blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2016/05/imbroglio-notes-1-inventory-management.htm Imbroglio Notes 3 blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2016/06/imbroglio-notes-3-monsters.html   https://secretlives.games/  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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 https://expzine.com/2026/07/21/vampire-survivors-poncle-2022/ Death to the Self-Playing Game https://www.jank.cool/death-to-the-self-playing-game/?ref=aftermath.site Messhof Marchive https://messhof.com/freeware   https://secretlives.games  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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. Discussed in this episode: Helix https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/helix/id562550427 868-BACK (Out now!! Go buy it!!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/  https://finji.itch.io/868-back  Michael Brough's Website https://www.smestorp.com/  Maypole https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole Game Design Deep Dive: The unique touchscreen action game controls of Helix https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/game-design-deep-dive-the-unique-touchscreen-action-game-controls-of-i-helix-i- Bit Pilot http://www.bitpilotgame.com/ Tilt to Live https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tilt-to-live-hd/id391837930 Super Hexagon https://superhexagon.com/ Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved remake https://store.steampowered.com/app/8400/Geometry_Wars_Retro_Evolved/ Endings (Michael's 2015 blog) https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2015/01/endings.html Playdate https://play.date/ Nex Playground https://www.nexplayground.com/ Hylics https://mason-lindroth.itch.io/hylics Vangers https://www.gog.com/en/game/vangers Tools for Creativity class (virtual) with v buckenham https://sfpc.study/sessions/fall-26/tools-for-creativity School for Poetic Computation https://sfpc.study/ bimbo static site generator https://iznaut.itch.io/bimbo   https://secretlives.games/  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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 difficulty and context, the relationship between constructor and venue, and so! much! more! Also: Don't forget to check out today's Puzzmo midi crossword, its 1,001th, a special collaboration between two names that will be familiar to listeners of this episode. Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Puzzmo https://www.puzzmo.com/today/  Today's Brooke and Rob collab puzzle, "Time to get up!" https://www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2026-07-12/crossword Puzzmo Data Initiative  https://data.puzzmo.com/  Brooke's 30-day Crossword Tutorial Mini-series https://www.brookehusic.com/puzzminis/  Brooke's puzzle blog https://xwordsbyaladee.blogspot.com/ Rob's Puzzmo crossword debut, "Baker's Corner" https://www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2024-05-10/crossword Lollapuzzoola https://bemoresmarter.com/ American Values Club (AVCX) https://avxwords.com/about-us/  Ingrid https://ingrid.cx/  Brooke on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/xws.bsky.social   https://secretlives.games  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog