All Systems Brough - A Chat with Michael

All Systems Brough - A Chat with Michael

Author: The Secret Lives of Games May 28, 2026 Duration: 1:52:25

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 (and doesn't) draw connections between artistic mediums, and his impressions of our series so far, among other reflections from his development career. 

This (bonus) episode: A Chat with Michael!

Next episode: VESPER.5

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.

Discussed in this episode:

868-BACK (Out now!! Just go buy it!!)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/ 

Michael Brough's Website
https://www.smestorp.com/ 

Quinns Quest Reviews: Stonetop!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH5-uQj4uOA

Forbidden Solitaire
https://greyaliengames.com/forbiddensolitaire/index.php 

Titanium Court
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2364580/Titanium_Court/ 

Amberspire
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3350750/Amberspire/ 


https://secretlives.games/ 

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog


Ever wonder what really happens between the initial spark of an idea and the final product you play? The Secret Lives of Games pulls back the curtain, offering a rare, unvarnished look at the creative journey. Each episode is built around a candid conversation with a game creator, moving far beyond simple promotion to explore the messy, beautiful, and often surprising realities of their work. You’ll hear about the late-night breakthroughs, the frustrating dead ends, and the personal philosophies that shape the games we love. This podcast is less about reviews or news and more about understanding the human effort behind the pixels and code. It’s for anyone who’s curious about the art and craft of game development, whether you’re a seasoned player, an aspiring designer, or simply fascinated by creative processes. Listen in for genuine stories about problem-solving, narrative design, artistic choices, and the intricate process of building interactive worlds. These are the detailed, behind-the-scenes discussions that reveal how games truly come to life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Secret Lives of Games
Podcast Episodes
All Systems Brough - Kompendium [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:42:20
We're joined by droqen (The End of Gameplay, Starseed Pilgrim), Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), and Harry Lee Shang Lun (Earthrise One) for the third title in our year of All Systems Brough, a year-long explor…
All Systems Brough - Vertex Dispenser [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:29
We're joined by droqen (The End of Gameplay, Starseed Pilgrim), Darius Kazemi (Tiny Subversions, Harvard Applied Social Media Lab), and Tara Macalister (mathematician, composer) to discuss Vertex Dispenser, the second ga…
151: Games of the Year 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:55:10
The gang's all here to count down our favorite "games" of "2025", alongside a bevvy of great picks from previous guests and listeners. Happy new year! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Our GOTY Picks (SPOILERS!): ~~~~~~~~~ R…
All Systems Brough - 868-HACK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:10
We're joined by Shawn Alexander Allen (Beatdown City Survivors), Cole Wehrle (Root), and Drew Wehrle (Pax Pamir) to discuss the first title in our year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough: 868-HACK. Next Month…
150: Making It Great with Kimmo Lahtinen (Sektori) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:53
Nick is joined by guest co-host Chris Plante (Post Games) for a chat with Kimmo Lahtinen (aka gimbll) about his dynamite new twin-stick shooter, Sektori. They discuss the joy of the genre, pursuing excellence in an overs…
Into the Depths: Caves of Qud Finale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:54:01
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 r…
All Systems Brough - Introduction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:41
We're joined by Frank Lantz (Q-UP) and Mare Sheppard + Raigan Burns of Metanet (N++) for the first episode of All Systems Brough, a year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough. We share our thoughts on why Michae…