EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Combatants

EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Combatants

Author: The Secret Lives of Games August 8, 2025 Duration: 2:14:09

We're joined by Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), and Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis) to discuss Combatants, the 46th game in the UFO 50 collection.

"The evil Red Ants have taken your land! Fight Back and defend your queen!"

Next week: Quibble Race

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.

Discussed in this episode:

Starcraft: Remastered
https://starcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/

Pikmin 1+2 Bundle
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/pikmin-1-plus-2-bundle-switch/

Little King's Story
https://store.steampowered.com/app/390310/Little_Kings_Story/

Tinykin
https://www.tinykingame.com/

Patapon
https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/patapon-1-plus-2-replay

Tooth & Tail
https://www.toothandtailgame.com/

The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia by Bernard Suits
https://broadviewpress.com/product/the-grasshopper-third-edition/#tab-description

Manifesto: The 21st Century Will Be Defined By Games by Eric Zimmerman
https://kotaku.com/manifesto-the-21st-century-will-be-defined-by-games-1275355204 

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change The World by Jane McGonigal
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reality-is-broken-jane-mcgonigal/1100817884?ean=9780143120612

Game Studies Study Buddies 51 – Suits – The Grasshopper
https://rangedtouch.com/2022/09/29/51-suits-the-grasshopper/

EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mini & Max
https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-mini-max

Gio on Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/gwishin.bsky.social


https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow

http://discord.gg/eggplant

https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow


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: 100

The Secret Lives of Games
Podcast Episodes
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Golfaria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:36
We're joined by John Axon (Capybara Games) and Ben Wilson (Die Gute Fabrik) to discuss Golfaria, the 18th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Deep beneath the fairway, a golf ball awakens. Where did it come from? What is its…
144: Keeping it Queer with Mo Cohen and Hagen Deloss (Queer Quest) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:55
We chat with Mo Cohen (Queermo Games) and Hagen Deloss about Queer Quest, a point-and-click adventure that's best described as "gay Monkey Island meets feminist Leisure Suit Larry". Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Show no…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Campanella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:06
We're joined by Carolyn Petit (Kotaku) and Russ Frushtick (Polygon) to discuss Campanella, the 17th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Fly the Campanella through five challenging worlds! And don't forget to stop for coffee!…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Camouflage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:14
We're joined by Adam Saltsman (Finji) and Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin) to discuss Camouflage, the 16th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Blend in with your surroundings to evade predators and fulfill your destiny." N…
143: Games of the Year 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:15:18
The whole crew assembles to share our personal five favorite games of 2024, alongside picks from previous show guests and our listeners. Happy 2025! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS): Doug: Xenosph…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Block Koala [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:25
We're joined by Patrick Traynor (Patrick's Parabox) and Frank Lantz (Universal Paperclips, NYU Game Center) to discuss Block Koala, the 15th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Flamingus has stolen all the water! Solve puzzl…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Bushido Ball [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:57
We're joined by Casey Yano (Mega Crit), Trent Kusters (League of Geeks), and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Bushido Ball, the 14th game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's the annual Bushido Ball tournament. Choose from 6…
Into the Depths: Caves of Qud (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:07
In the 2nd installment of our current Into the Depths series, we dive into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and in this episode we celebrat…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mooncat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:07
We're joined by Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It), Kenny Sun (Mr. Sun's Hatbox), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Mooncat, the 13th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Jump and dash through forests, caves and mountains…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - SPECIAL - Developer Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:23:22
We're joined by UFO 50 developers Derek Yu, Jon Perry, and Eirik Suhrke to discuss the first 12 (?) games in the collection. http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow