The Examined Game

Steven Lake
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Video Games

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.

  1. 3d ago ·  Video

    I Asked The Witcher Voice Actor What His Career Has Cost Him | Doug Cockle

    Send us Fan Mail Today I'm speaking with actor Doug Cockle. Doug is best known as the voice of Geralt in The Witcher series, but has also voiced Bhaal in Baldur's Gate 3, Victor Vran in Victor Vran, and the Narrator in Tails of Iron. This is Part One of a two-part interview. This is probably the most open and honest conversation i've had to date on the podcast. When I sat down with Doug, I had no idea we'd end up spending so much time talking about one of the biggest decisions of his life: leaving his career as a university lecturer to become a full-time actor. Even after the success of The Witcher, Doug continued teaching because he genuinely loved it. But over time, the growing demands of his acting career, combined with the changing landscape of higher education, began to take a serious toll on his health. This conversation explores the importance of having people around you who can support you through difficult periods, knowing when it's time to make a life-changing decision, and why looking after both your physical and mental health should never be an afterthought. The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    I Asked The Witcher Voice Actor What His Career Has Cost Him | Doug Cockle

  2. Jul 15 ·  Video

    Why You Shouldn't Give Players What They Want | Edmund McMillen (The Binding of Isaac, Mewgenics)

    Send us Fan Mail Today I'm talking with indie game designer Edmund McMillen (The Binding of Isaac, Mewgenics, Super Meat Boy) about the way he approaches making games. Edmund has a pretty simple philosophy when it comes to game design, even if the games themselves are extremely complex and multilayered. He designs games to please himself, and so far that's worked remarkably well as a business model because it turns out there are millions of other players who want to play the kinds of games he wants to make. We discuss everything from the twisted idea behind Mewgenics, the resurgence in popularity of The Binding of Isaac, and what he's learned about the mindset of players. We also talk about why you'd lose your mind trying to please everyone, and the importance of understanding what players are really asking for when they give feedback on his games. #thebindingofisaac #mewgenics #gamingpodcast #gaming The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    Why You Shouldn't Give Players What They Want | Edmund McMillen (The Binding of Isaac, Mewgenics)

  3. Jul 7 ·  Video

    From Pillars of Eternity to Pentiment | Josh Sawyer (Obsidian) PART 2

    Send us Fan Mail This is Part 2 of my two part interview with Obsidian's Josh Sawyer. The first episode can be found here:  WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HDXqBgMxy0&t=1448s LISTEN HERE: https://www.theexaminedgame.com/from-icewind-dale-to-fallout-new-vegas-josh-sawyer-obsidian-part-1/ In today's episode we dive into Pillars of Eternity, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and Pentiment, what it took to get Pentiment made, and the act of defiance that came from making a game that does not allow the player to become all powerful, but instead asks them to make mistakes and live with the consequences of their actions within a role playing game. Josh talks about the lessons he learned from not giving players the ability to kill Eothas in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, the fact that this almost certainly frustrated much of the player base, and his insistence that it's important to limit the influence a player can have on the world they inhabit. We also talk about the portrayal of grief in video games, and how he went about achieving this in Pentiment. I'm really excited to bring this second part of my interview with Josh to you. The first interview, where we discussed Fallout: New Vegas and Icewind Dale, had such a strong response and I loved the engagement from you all. Enjoy! #pentiment #obsidian #falloutnewvegas #pillarsofeternity #gamingpodcast #rpg  The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    From Pillars of Eternity to Pentiment | Josh Sawyer (Obsidian) PART 2

  4. Jun 29 ·  Video

    How The Drifter Modernised The Adventure Game | Dave Lloyd (Designer)

    Send us Fan Mail Today on The Examined Game I am talking with the writer, developer and designer of The Drifter, one of my absolute favourite point and click adventure games of the last few years. I am in a constant pursuit of a great point and click adventure to scratch an itch that's been bothering me since childhood, after being exposed to the classic LucasArts (Sam & Max, Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango, Monkey Island) and Sierra (King's Quest, Police Quest, Gabriel Knight) games. Of course, the realisation is that nothing can truly scratch that itch, but modern indie developers can take what worked about those games and breathe new life into the genre. That is exactly what Dave Lloyd of Powerhoof has done with The Drifter, alongside art director Barney Cumming. I talk with Dave about how he designed The Drifter, reinvented the point and click adventure interface, wrote a gripping mystery, and why launching his indie game after six years of development was more terrifying than he ever expected. #Thedrifter #pointandclick #adventuregame #gaming #gamingpodcast  The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    How The Drifter Modernised The Adventure Game | Dave Lloyd (Designer)

  5. Jun 23 ·  Video

    From Icewind Dale to Fallout: New Vegas | Josh Sawyer (Obsidian) PART 1

    Send us Fan Mail 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 Outer Worlds, Pentiment, and many more. So what do you talk about with someone who has worked on so many beloved RPGs? We discuss how games can convey grief, the joy and frustration of not letting players kill God, his beginnings as a web designer breaking into the games industry, how the Fallout: New Vegas team compensated for severe time and budget constraints through exceptional story, characters and world-building, and the risks he took to bring Pentiment to life. An extraordinary RPG set in 16th Century Bavaria. This is Part One of a two-part interview, covering Josh’s career from his early days in the industry through Fallout: New Vegas. Part Two, releasing next week, is dedicated almost entirely to Pentiment, one of my favourite games of the last few years. The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    From Icewind Dale to Fallout: New Vegas | Josh Sawyer (Obsidian) PART 1

  6. Jun 15 ·  Video

    The Evolution of Life Is Strange | Jonathan Zimmerman (Life is Strange: True Colors, Reunion, Before The Storm)

    Send us Fan Mail 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 landed a writing gig on Life Is Strange: Before The Storm. What followed was a near-decade-long relationship with this beloved franchise, alongside his work as Narrative Director for The Expanse: A Telltale Series. Among the many influences Jonathan references, we discuss Until Dawn, King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, Monkey Island, Grim Fandango, The Seventh Guest, Myst, Portal, and What Remains of Edith Finch. We also talk about the fantastic Dispatch, and Jonathan's take on the pros and cons of people comparing the Life Is Strange series to the recently released Mixtape. Jonathan has an incredible passion for his craft, and it's always a pleasure when a guest is so open about the unique experiences, challenges, and successes that come with working in the industry. Beyond his role as a creator, Jonathan is a dedicated player at heart, and we dive into what it means to bring something into the world that you yourself would want to play. I am a long-time superfan of the Life is Strange series, so it was a real privilege to dig into it with him. The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    The Evolution of Life Is Strange | Jonathan Zimmerman (Life is Strange: True Colors, Reunion, Before The Storm)

  7. Jun 11

    How Inkle Studios Built a Sustainable Game Studio | Joseph Humfrey

    Send us Fan Mail 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 other co-founder of Inkle. I talked with Joseph about what it takes to make a video game company sustainable in this day and age, and their approach to efficient game design, narrative design, branching narrative, not over extending and the joy of reaching new audiences with adventure games. I loved hearing about the inner workings of a video game company, and the risk that Joseph and Jon took in founding Inkle. They are both very thoughtful in their approach not just to the type of games they make but how they go about making them. It’s no surprise when talking with them that they have been able to build such a robust and sustainable company. We go into the influence of games such as Monkey Island, Sierra adventure games, David Cage’s Fahrenheit, Halo, the early Bungie games, HyperCard, and how Joseph got into game design on his family Mac. We also discuss Inkle's narrative scripting language Ink, Steam Deck game design, and the development of games such as Sorcery, 80 Days, Heaven’s Vault, A Highland Song and TR-49. The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    How Inkle Studios Built a Sustainable Game Studio | Joseph Humfrey

  8. Jun 1 ·  Video

    We're All Going to Die - Creating Outer Wilds | Alex Beachum Creative Director

    Send us Fan Mail 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 development, including the idea of "emotional prototyping", which helped build the bedrock that would become one of the most loved games of all time. Honestly, I don't think that is an understatement. People who play Outer Wilds love Outer Wilds, and there is a reason for that. A few weeks ago, I got to speak with Alex's sister and writer for Outer Wilds, Kelsey Beachum, and we also get to hear from him about how the two of them influenced and inspired each other by creating comics and games for the other to enjoy. I loved hearing directly from Alex about some of the games that inspired him, including the likes of Dark Souls, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Wind Waker, and, funnily enough, The Magic School Bus Explores the Solar System. This really is an interview about funnelling passion, interests and philosophies into a game, and finding out what it's like for a developer to make something where they feel as if they really did leave nothing on the table. The Examined Game Each week, host Steven Lake asks the creators behind some of the world’s most influential video games about the meaning of life (in video games), leading to conversations about the personal and creative impact games have had on their lives.

    We're All Going to Die - Creating Outer Wilds | Alex Beachum Creative Director
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Steven Lake
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Examined Game
  • Show Website
    The Examined Game

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