199: Interview with Karla Zimonja & Davey Wreden

199: Interview with Karla Zimonja & Davey Wreden

Author: Left Behind Game Club June 18, 2025 Duration: 1:28:42
Jacob interviews Karla and Zimonja from Ivy Road about their experience building the characters, world, and gameplay systems of their recent release, Wanderstop.



PLAYERS:

* Jacob McCourt (Bluesky)

SPECIAL GUESTS:

* Davey Wreden (Bluesky)
* Karla Zimonja (Bluesky)

SHOW NOTES:

* 0:00​​ - Housekeeping
* 2:00 - Intro
* 4:30 - Prototypes & Inspirations
* 7:00 - Approach to Cozy Games
* 9:10 - How Wanderstop Supports Chill
* 13:00 - Nodes
* 15:10 - Monster
* 20:45 - Finding the Right Balance with Monster
* 24:30 - When Karla Met Davey
* 28:20 - Tea vs. Coffee and the Machine
* 32:50 - The Business Boys
* 36:00 - Pacing
* 37:55 - Dirk Warhard
* 40:30 - The Team at Ivy Road
* 44:30 - COVID
* 49:00 - Ren
* 56:15 - Nana
* 56:45 - Zenith
* 1:01:45 - The Last Choice and Why It Doesn't Matter
* 1:05:15 - Looking Back at Development
* 1:10:45 - The Risk of Hurting Players
* 1:16:45 - Despelote
* 1:19:30 - What Now?

RESOURCES:

* Episode 4: Interview with Karla Zimonja
* Episode 196: Wanderstop

BLUESKY: leftbehindgameclub.bsky.social
DISCORD: The Left Behind Game Club is a monthly game club podcast that focuses on positivity and community. To talk to members of the community, join our Discord server!

Ever find yourself wanting to talk about a game long after the credits roll, or maybe you just need a friendly crew to guide you through a classic you missed? That’s the exact feeling Left Behind Game Club: A Video Game Podcast captures. It’s less a formal review show and more like hanging out with a group of passionate friends who treat games like a great book club picks apart literature. The hosts-Jacob, Mike, Moe, Katie, Flora, and Travis-bring a mix of perspectives to each discussion, diving into titles both huge and obscure, from brand-new releases to forgotten gems. Their conversations are built on genuine enthusiasm, aiming to be informative and genuinely funny while maintaining a refreshingly positive space in the gaming world. After years of a regular schedule, this podcast now releases episodes on a more organic timeline, whenever the team has something meaningful to share about a particular game. The best way to jump in is simple: find an episode about a title you adore and give it a listen. You’ll get thoughtful analysis, personal stories, and the sense that you’re part of the club, all from a show that has evolved naturally over time without losing its core, conversational heart.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Left Behind Game Club: A Video Game Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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136: Star Fox 64 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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135: Year In Review for 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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134: Wide Ocean Big Jacket [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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133: Sayonara Wild Hearts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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We participate in a synthpop fever dream in Sayonara Wild Hearts. Technical note: there is some minor background noise between 7:30-12:30. Developer: Simogo | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Initial Release: September…
132: Dead Cells [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:18
We take control of a corpse in a dungeon in Dead Cells. Developer: Motion Twin & Evil Empire | Publisher: Motion Twin & Playdigious | Initial Release: May 10, 2017 (Early Access) Jacob, Mike, and special guest Adam Gumbe…
131: Hades [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:50
We make our way through many layers of hell in Hades. Developer: Supergiant Games | Publisher: Supergiant Games | Initial Release: September 17, 2020 Jacob, Mike, Moe and special guest Flora Merigold dive into their know…
130: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [Part 2] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:27
We continue the conversation on one of the greatest games of the generation in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development | Publisher: Nintendo | Initial Release: Ma…