Lightmap - Conversations with video game creators

The SIFTER team had a chance to talk to Gavin Verhey from Wizards of the Coast at PAX AUS 2025. Gavin is the principal designer of Magic: The Gathering and also the lead designer on many Magic sets including the record breaking Final Fantasy set.

We chat about the infamous Vivi Ornitier card and what it’s like designing cross over sets for Magic. We ask Gavin about points based formats like Australian 7 Point Highlander, his thoughts on Australia and if there will ever be Magic set inspired by Australian themes?

Finally we pitch Gavin a ha...

Nom from the SIFTER team catches up with Allard Laban and Mike Bilder from Jackbox Games to chat about the upcoming The Jackbox Party Pack 11 at PAX Australia 2025. This new pack builds on everything fans love about the series and introduces five fresh games that will have you laughing, scheming and showing off your creativity.

But that’s not all. Mike and Allard also tease a new streaming service for Jackbox titles plus a few unannounced projects that sound very different from what we’ve seen before.

If you love party games, trivia battles and crea...

In this interview recorded at PAX Australia 2025, we sit down with Rob Davis, Campaign Director at Sucker Punch Productions, to dive deep into the making of Ghost of Yōtei, out now on PlayStation 5.

Rob shares insights into quest design & player choice and how the team shapes quests, major fights, and designs with different playstyles in mind. How new character Atsu an Onryō compares to Ghost of Tsushima protagonist Jin Sakai the Samurai in both skill and approach when traversing the world and the story telling potential of a new perspective.

We also learn about Ro...

Seven years on, CELESTE's impact is still felt on the gaming world. A hard but fair 2D platformer with a heartfelt story about self-acceptance, it's a game that lives on in the hearts of many.

Viewed by LGBTQIA+ players as a relatable trans allegory, Celeste also represents a deeply personal journey for its creators. Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry of Extremely OK Games spoke to Sifter where that journey took them, exploring identity, the struggles of cancelling an eagerly awaited follow-up game, and the joy of hardcore platforming.

Hear from Maddy and Noel on Lightmap...

Dave Lloyd, co-founder of indie studio Powerhoof, returns to the show to talk about THE DRIFTER, a gritty point-and-click adventure set against a distinctly Australian backdrop. With evocative pixel art, sharp voice performances, and thriller-inspired storytelling, THE DRIFTER marks the studio’s first major narrative outing after the multiplayer chaos of 2018’s Regular Human Basketball and Crawl. We dig into the process of designing modern adventure games, how 1970s pulp fiction shaped the tone and structure, and the power of grounding stories in local context.

THE DRIFTER launches on Steam 17th July 2025, with a Switch release to come...

Award-winning composer Austin Wintory returns to the podcast to discuss his work on Indie Symphony II, a concert series performed by Orchestra Victoria on July 3 and 4 2025.

Austin shares insights into the creative process behind scoring indie games like ABZÛ and Hades II, and how these soundtracks come to life in a live orchestral setting.

We also revisit his previous appearance, where he talked about composing for Stray Gods. Tune in for a deep dive into the artistry of video game music and its impact on storytelling.

Pocket Casts: You can now rate the s...

The UNPACKING team return with their next game, the musical puzzle game TEMPOPO and composer and sound designer Jeff Van Dyck joins Lightmap for another episode.

Pick the right sequence, keep trying until you get it right and find the flowers to rebuild your garden, this puzzle game for all ages is colourful and joyful.

Find out what inspires Jeff to keep creating, the challenges and what he thinks about the future for aspiring video game composers.

Catch up on the last time Jeff joined us by checking out this - UNPACKING's music i...

LUSHFOIL PHOTOGRAPHY SIM is all about the vibes and heavily inspired by developer Matt Newell's own treks around the world with camera in hand.

Originally starting as a project to create some fantastic scenery it morphed into a camera sim and featuring locations like Meelup and Castle Rock Beach in Matt's home state of Western Australia and his new home in Japan, this chill game is all about opening the lens and taking it all in.

Listen to Gianni and Matt talk about the joy of photography and what inspires them to take pictures.

CITIZEN SLEEPER 2: STARWARD VECTOR is a special kind of game, one that builds so gently and thoroughly on its predecessor, with a bigger universe to explore for lovers of heartfelt science fiction.

Developer Gareth Damian Martin joins us again, to share design intentions about expanding this world, how players narrativise every choice they make, and why this might be the last video game in this world for a little while.

Listen back to our previous episode on the first game CITIZEN SLEEPER before you join us for this conversation.

Pocket Casts: You can now ra...

One of my favourite things each year is when Meena Shamaly host of Game Show on ABC Classic sends me the big list of tracks that have made a massive impact. These games might not be winning massive awards, a lot of them do of course, but you know every piece of music you’re going to hear has made an impact on Meena’s heart. 

Meena Shamaly who is a composer, musician, Australia’s biggest Oud fan boy really loves game soundtracks. 

So much so that every year I’ve asked, and this is the third t...

It took a couple of years but the Steam Deck is officially available today for players in Australia. The reason? Well why don't we let designers Lawrence Yang, Jay Shaw and Yazan Aldehayyat explain.

Gianni sat down with Valve's handheld makers in Melbourne to learn how player behaviour has changed with the launch of the portable computer, what to expect from the next generation hardware, and what they are working on next.

You can add order a Steam Deck in Australia today , head to the St...

With a game series as long running as CIVILIZATION, how do you keep reinventing and refining when you hit the seventh title? With long campaigns and countless hours for each play through, these games take on a life of their own for each player.

Recently at Melbourne International Games Week Firaxis Games developers Andrew Frederiksen (Lead Producer), John Fitzgerald (Lead Unit Artist) and Matthew Quickel (Senior Lead Environment Artist) shared their thoughts on the making of CIVILIZATION VII. We discuss how to update, add new features and maintain the features players love and how updated visuals add...

If you love the feeling of racing until you perfect the line PHANTOM SPARK might be exactly what you're looking for. Joon Van Hove (NUTS) one part of Icelandic studio Ghosts shares how Torfi Asgeirsson nailed the gameplay before anyone else even came on board.

How subtle storytelling, but no plot, was an essential design element, that builds to competitive online leaderboards. Enjoy the retro aesthetic but don't put too much emphasis on Wipeout or F-Zero when you play.

Adam Christou guest hosts this episode of Lightmap.

‍Pocket Casts: You can now rate th...

Comedian Tommy Dassalo who you might know from podcasts Filthy Casuals and Little Dum Dum Club, thought it might be too narcissistic to make a game about yourself and charge for it.

Lucky SUPER DASSALO LAND is a free prequel to his latest comedy special, so therefore not as narcissistic, and he teamed up with talented Gameboy creator Gumpy Function (GRIMACE'S BIRTHDAY, UNEARTHED).

It's a lot of fun so get on board as Kyle guest hosts Lightmap.

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app...

Have you every wondered what it takes to design one of those sprawling trading card games? It's not that often that a news series pops up, there are a few major series but one of the newest to hit the tabletops is DISNEY LORCANA by Ravensburger. Ryan Miller is the co-designer and brand manager and sat down to share how a childhood love of Dungeons & Dragons, time working at Wizards of the Coast and how The Princess Bride lead him to making this new game.

Find out more about Shimmering Skies the next expansion for the game...

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. *New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled.

Ewoud van der Werf had an idea. Could you combine Dutch folklore, shadowy stealth and his hometown to make...

Have you ever wanted to make the ultimate super hero teamup? Inspired by XCOM: CHIMERA SQUAD, CAPES is the new tactical super hero game where positioning and combo moves are the way to win. Want to put together your own fastball special? Squad composition and positioning is the way to win.

Cade Franklin one of the original team on HAND OF FATE joins Lightmap to share the design intentions, making it feel super and how the team who made one of the most interesting Australian made games is back together working on new titles.

Apple...

Chris Conte & Dean Ferguson from Queensland's 5 Lives Studios share COZY CARAVAN and ask you te enjoy lo-fi hip hop beats to open a market stall to. Learn why the team wanted to make something that was decidedly smaller than their previous titles, designing this cool stepped animation and why they still want to return to SATELLITE REIGN one day.

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head...

Can't get your friends to come join you at your house for a night of tabletop gaming? BALADINS by French studio Seed by Seed takes the fun of rolling dice and playing a character and distills it to a cool timeloop adventure.

Jean Nicholas and Thaïs Arias join Lightmap to share their narrative game which was featured as part of Ludonarracon, their coop studio structure and prototyping this cute multiplayer adventure.

Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to s...

It's been nearly eight years since Trent Kusters one of the co-founders of Melbourne's League of Geeks joined me on the podcast. Back in the Pixel Sift days, Trent was working through the early days of ARMELLO their groundbreaking digital board game, but the last twelve months have been some of the hardest for the company.

JUMPLIGHT ODYSSEY was shelved in order to limp along and get SOLIUM INFERNUM across the line. In a very candid interview Trent shares what went wrong and how it felt to have to bring crashing down what they had built over...

Did you grow up blasting through Green Hill Zone or Casino Night Zone? Maybe you spent hours defeating the nefarious schemes of Dr Wily. 

These colourful platformers hold a fond place in the hearts of many including Zu Ehtisham solo developer of the new BERSERK BOY where you blast through levels switching elemental powers as you go. 

Learn how Zu build a modern platformer that is inspired by but isn't beholden to the past.

You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by

☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ

...

Queensland based Halfbrick have been making games for almost 25 years, and chances are if you’ve picked up a phone in the last decade you’ve played one of their games.

Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, Age of Zombies or maybe you’re a bit more oldschool and played one of their Gameboy Advance games or PlayStation or Wii titles. 

In an industry that surges and wanes, Halfbrick has been one of the enduring stories of game development in Australia. 

Shainiel Deo is CEO and one of the founders, and Maddy Annibale have just put...

The groundbreaking STRAY GODS: THE ROLEPLAYING MUSICAL is pretty unique and the very first Australian made game to be nominated for a Grammy Award, which will be awarded today.

Composers Austin Wintory (JOURNEY, ASSASSIN'S CREED SYNDICATE) Scott Edgar and Simon Hall from musical comedy group Tripod, singer-songwritter Montaigne aka Jess Cerro join Summerfall Studios Liam Esler to talk about what it was like to make this branching musical adventure.

The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday 4th February 2024 (Monday 5th February in Australia)

You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism...

We listen back through this incredible year of games with our friend Meena Shamaly, musician, composer and host of ABC Classic's The Game Show. It's Shamaly Selects 2023 and boy are there some incredible pieces to listen to. Here is what delighted and made the top eight this year.

If you grew up playing the Gameboy Advance and the Nintendo DS, you might have missed the aesthetic those games created at the time, but you'd definitely remember the vibes. Those vibes are what Andy Brophy and Olivia Haines are trying to recapture in their weird and wonderful roleplaying game KNUCKLE SANDWICH.

With some kicking tunes and fun turn based battles, this is a game that might just inspire the next generation of video game creators. Learn how this project went from flash game to full release and how Olivia's love of PlayStation 1 era games also shaped...

SLAY THE PRINCESS is a horror narrative visual novel where you've got one task. You're here to slay a princess, but if you do is actually up to you. This game brings branching narratives and a style of roguelite gameplay to the visual novel genre where all your choices can lead to an ending.

Developers Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias join Lightmap to share how their small side project SLAY THE PRINCESS was made while developing episodic game SCARLET HOLLOW and how it's found them a brand new audience.

You can support SIFTER's independent gaming...

THE PLUCKY SQUIRE feels like a world of pure imagination. Jonathan Biddle and James Turner head up All Possible Futures a completely remote studio working on the gorgeous game that acts as a love letter to some of your favourite genres and games of the last 30 years.

Gianni sat down with Jonathon Biddle at PAX Australia to explore how this collaboration came together, inspirations from Nintendo games past, and what to expect when the game hits your consoles next year.

You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by

☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://ww...

If you want to play a video game you have to plug something in, that power comes from somewhere and Dr Ben Abraham, has completed the second annual Net Zero Snapshot for the games industry.

Ubisoft is leading the charge dropping their emissions, despite being one of the world's biggest studios, but for many other Triple A game developers they just aren't making enough of a change according to Abraham.

You can read the full report over on the After Climate website.

You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by<...

When you first hear the soundtrack for CULT OF THE LAMB it's immediately clear how much of a part it is to the experience of the game. Narayana Johnson who performs under River Boy made his first soundtrack when working on Massive Monster's smash hit, and it will be rearranged and performed this Melbourne International Games Week with Orchestra Victoria.

Narayana shares the origins of this work, some of the techniques used to make the music, and what it's like to be making all the sounds for the game now.

You can support SIFTER's independent...

We've got some brand new episodes of Lightmap on the way, featuring some very cool guests but to get you there here is the latest episode of Drop Rate featuring Chris Button, SIFTER EP Gianni Di Giovanni and Player2.net.au writer Jess Zammit talking all about STARFIELD Bethesda's huge spacefaring roleplaying game.

Follow Drop Rate on your favourite podcast player here

New episodes of Lightmap next week.

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It's a massive universe to explore in STARFIELD a game that builds on many of the gameplay systems you've come to enjoy...

The first thing you notice when you see a game made by Half Mermaid the studio lead by Sam Barlow is that it doesn't really look like a game, the full motion video looks more like a TV show or movie.

For Barlow what initially started as a creative and budgetary constraint of being a small indie team has become a defining feature of his work, with his most recent title IMMORTALITY which explores three decades of filmmaking.

Barlow will be making his way to Australia for SXSW Sydney in October this year and spoke...

You know when you just look at a game and think, everyone is going to be talking about this? LAIKA: AGED THROUGH BLOOD combines some of the best motorbike tricks of TRIALS with a stylish story featuring some of the coolest anthropomorphic animals in game since CULT OF THE LAMB.

Ivan Papiol one of the artists from Spanish studio Brainwash Gang joins us to share the origins of their pirate collective studio, how Newgrounds flash games inspired the distinctive look & studio ethos and what it's like having to make games for a big foreign imperial culture that...

How do you condense more around forty years of interactive history into one book? Games journalist Jordan Minor (PC Mag, The Escapist) has taken on this task, with a new beautifully illustrated book "Video Game of the Year" which charts the biggest moments in games.

Jordan shares his history as a games writer, the limit of a single game per year and why certain games were chosen over others. It's also an interesting insight into the politics of games over the last four decades.

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Subscribe to Drop Rate our new review podcast for free.

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STORY OF SEASONS: A WONDERFUL LIFE revisits the 2003 farming simulator GameCube classic. In the years since its original release, farming games have risen in popularity: Stardew Valley, Wylde Flowers, and Disney Dreamlight Valley, just to name a few.

Ruby Innes (Back Pocket) and Courtney Borrett (Power Up, Kotaku Australia) join us this episode to explain why this modern take on the classic game is one of the best in the series to revisit.

You...

It might not look like it, but PLANET OF LANA is actually Wishfully's very first game after a long career in TV and animation. Lead game designer Adam Stjärnljus and script writer Klas Eriksson who both co-directed the game have been working together creatively since they were thirteen years old and have always wanted to make a game.

We dive into the process of telling a story in an invented language, how composer Takeshi Furukawa (THE LAST GUARDIAN, STAR WARS CLONE WARS) fell in love with the game at first concept art and how it feels t...

You might be thinking looking at the name of this episode, hang on, haven't you been making a games podcast for nearly a decade now? Well that's the title of a new book from games researcher Brendan Keogh, who has been speaking to developers all around the world about their practice and it turns out we should be thinking about games in a totally different way.

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☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ

👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/

💬 Talking to us on th...

Creative Director Ben Ward describes the world of DROS as kimo-kawaii or creepy cute taking direct inspiration from  1980s dark fantasy films, this platformer has you switching characters on the fly to complete each level. Producer Tim Molony and Ben join Gianni for a preview of the game ahead of the launch onto Kickstarter .

Learn more about how this small team went from creating VR titles to DROS, their design inspirations and what they are looking forward to adding into the game.

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☕ Tipping us on KoFi http...

There is something not quite right below the waves and in DREDGE you're pulling it all back up to the surface. This lovecraftian fishing game is simple and addictive, with plenty of creeping terror bubbling below the surface.

Programmer, designer and narrative lead Joel Mason , 3D Artist Mikey Bastiaens and 2D Artist Alex Ridge from New Zealand's Black Salt Games join us to share how they designed the different systems within the game that will see you lose yourself to the sea.

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☕ Tipping us on KoFi ht...

Everyone has a horror story to tell when it comes to renting, there are some downright scary experiences out there, and Sydney's Fuzzy Ghost are trying to collect the best of the worst for their next game JANET DEMORNAY IS A SLUMLORD (AND A WITCH), or JDM for short. 

Award winning Australian developers Scott Ford and Pete Foley join us to share the found family of renting, why CONTROL and THE THING are strong influences and the paternalistic feeling of jumping to a landlord's demands. 

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Lightmap is SIFTER's interview podcast, it's won an Australian Podcast Award and features frank and honest conversations with video game creators. We talk to developers, musicians, artists and more about why they create for interactive media. There are more than 200 stories to experience in our back catalogue so why not learn a bit more about the creative process.

You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by

☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ

👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/

💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/d...

The digital boardgame ARMELLO was how Melbourne's League of Geeks made their name but seven years since that ground breaking indie game was released the studio this year will be sharing not one but two new games.

Kelsey Gamble is the Publishing Producer and has a hand in both the scifi anime colony sim JUMPLIGHT ODYSSEY and the hellish political game SOLIUM INFERNUM.

Listen to find out how the team is able to produce both games, how the games are progressing and what you can look forward to when you get your hands on these...

STRAY GODS: THE ROLEPLAYING MUSICAL combines narrative adventure games with realtime dynamic songs that change as you make choices. 

Liam Esler, Managing Director of Melbourne's Summerfall Studios shares how musicians Montaigne and Tripod helped create the soundtrack to this game inspired by the musical episode of Buffy. Written by David Gaider (DRAGON AGE) and composed by Austin Wintory, it's an all star team.

Catch up with our very first interview with the Summerfall team back in 2019 as they first shared their game at PAX Australia

You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by Duration: 00:24:42

Retro inspired videogames are a dime a dozen but what happens if you lean in all the way, play with the nostalgic experiences of those people who grew up with the NES and the Gameboy to make something truly modern.

Joshua Hallaran from Critical Games has been working on 8-BIT ADVENTURES 2 for seven years, studying the classics and creating a true love letter to the pixel graphics and chiptune of the early nineties.

Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE

Join...

What is a game without it's soundtrack? Meena Shamaly, composer and host of ABC Classic's The Game Show joins Gianni for a musical journey through some of the best sounds in video games.

Check out the full list on our website: The Best Video Game Soundtracks of 2022 with Meena Shamaly

Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE

Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation

SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou...

It's our bumper Game of The Year special, we've got six different games for you as well as a bunch of honourable mentions from the SIFTER team. It was a very hard choice this year with lots of incredible games.

You can read a full write up of our favourites on the SIFTER website. SIFTER's 2022 Games of the Year

Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE

Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation

SIFTER is produced...

Alex Johannsson has been working on MORSE, inspired by a love of alt controllers and limited button inputs, in this game that combines real morse code and grid based combat.

Alex joins Gianni to talk about the development of the game over many years and why cool weird controllers are really a big source of inspiration.

Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE

Join the SIFTER Discord to be part of the conversation

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy...

Miltia is one of the biggest Vtubers in Australia, a partnered streamer on Twitch and she's made a career connecting with fans all over the world.

You'll find her playing Apex Legends most days and she said vtubing as really allowed her to connect better with her audience.

Mitch finds out what it's like vtubing, how the community responded to her new look and what she thinks of the current Apex Legends metagame.

WATCH THE VIDEO INTERVIEW on our website  - What is it like being a vtuber?

Support SIFTER's independent g...

Jeff Van Dyck is a BAFTA award winning composer and sound designer, who has worked on FIFA, the TOTAL WAR series, and most recently UNPACKING as one third of Queensland based studio Witch Beam Games.

Jeff shares the story of how he came to work with a small indie studio after working Triple A titles for years, the story telling in each of the pieces of music and how the next project TEMPOPO mixes rhythm and puzzle solving.

You can catch Jeff Van Dyck at Melbourne International Games Week as part of APRA AMCOS High...

WE ARE OFK is an episodic visual novel by Team OFK that pulls together a lot of really interesting elements. It's not only got it's own virtual band with an EP of great electronic pop, but contains some of the most genuinely written conversations you'd expect to overhear from that cool group of twenty somethings in the bar.

Director/Writer, actor and OFK Vocalist Teddy Dief (HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER) and Co-Writer Claire Jia (Nora from Queens, Fresh Off The Boat) share the creative story of making this game, why you might be able to catch OFK on...

Starring legendary Australian actors Michael Caton, Anne Charleston and newcomer Nancy Curtis as lead character Casey, WAYWARD STRAND is a very Australian narrative indie game with as much voice acting as 18 feature films.

Nancy Curtis who plays Casey and Maize Wallin sound designer, audio programmer and composer from developer Ghost Pattern share the process of recording these performances all across the world to put together this unique story of a young journalist. 

Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some merch on the SIFTER STORE

Join the S...

Do you remember WAY TO THE WOODS? The post apocalyptic game where you play as a magical deer moving through the ruins of humanity was revealed in 2019 as an Xbox exclusive but for mostly solo developer Ant Tan, it's been a long process of getting everything right. We sit down with Ant to find out some of the design inspirations, learn more about the game play, how Steven Universe and IKENFELL composers Aivi & Surrashu are making the soundtrack and when it's coming out. 

Support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by buying us a coffee on KoFi or some m...

CURSED TO GOLF is a rogue-like or as developer Liam Edwards likes to call it a "golf-like" platformer with some excellent tunes and beautiful pixel art graphics.

We speak to Liam about the origins of the game as a small personal project, building up the team to polish it, design decisions and gameplay design as well has find out what tips he'd give to new players.

There are also a few secrets and easter eggs hidden in the game as well, so learn where you should keep an eye out!

Support SIFTER's independent...

CULT OF THE LAMB is really two different games in one, a town builder and a dungeon crawler, but they've been welded together using arcane magics by the creative team at Massive Monster (THE ADVENTURE PALS, NEVER GIVE UP) into an experience that keeps you busy.

Julian Wilton, Creative Director and Will Mesilane, UI Developer share the secrets hidden in this world, what it took to build this cult management game and what they are most proud of in this exclusive interview.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam...

CARD SHARK is a beautiful picture book styled video game where you cheat your way through 18th century France and every single graphic you see was hand printed and then scanned into the game.

Lead artist and animator Nicolai Troshinsky was inspired by a love of card magic and sleight of hand, as well as a 1975 Stanley Kubrick film to build this amazing and unique game and joins SIFTER for an in depth conversation about the process of design.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh...

WITCH STRANDINGS is a mouse controlled "strand-type" game, where you make connections and paths across a cursed world.

Even though Hideo Kojima wanted to turn DEATH STRANDING into a genre, it was Xalavier Nelson Jr and the team at Strange Scaffold who did it first  

Learn more about this open world adventure through a forest, how the game runs WOLFENSTEIN 3D every single frame, and the hope that can be found in connections  

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gi...

DLC and expansions could be a possibility for NEON WHITE, the anime inspired speedrunning shooter , but you'll need to let Game Director Ben Esposito know what you'd like to see.

Ben shares the Y2K Dreamcast aesthetics of import CDs from Japan and how Machine Girl's music shaped this world, what they are doing about leaderboard cheaters, as well as how he feels about your thirstiness for all the characters in the game. 

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di G...

Everyone is talking about V RISING, Stunlock Studios' survival game which has just entered early access and then rocketed up the Steam charts to be one of the most popular new titles around.

For Community Manager Jeremy Fielding, it's a dream come true, this is the first game Fielding has worked on and there's also the challenge of managing more than 1 million players in the first couple of weeks.

Learn more about the roadmap forward, how the team is tailoring the experience and what to expect as this game which is still in active development...

What if Link was a cute fox? At first glance TUNIC looks like a beautiful spiritual successor to THE LEGEND OF ZELDA franchise, but as lead developer Andrew Shouldice shares with us in this interview, it also embraces modern "souls-like" gameplay. 

TUNIC is filled with lots and lots of secrets, the game was at one time called Secret Legend, and Shouldice said it's all about capturing that feeling of playing a game in the pre-internet Nintendo era where a game feels like limitless exploration. 

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel An...

CITIZEN SLEEPER is a tabletop inspired roleplaying game from Gareth Damian Martin (IN OTHER WATERS) that puts you in the shoes of person trying to escape their digital enslavement in the far future. If it sounds grim, in parts it is, but quickly you discover your place in the world where you can make a life.

Each day you've got just the dice you've been dealt, as you choose how to fulfill your goals or avoid negative countdowns, in a stylish visual novel with stunning artwork by Guillaume Singelin and a kicking scifi soundtrack by Amos Roddy.<...

Inspired heavily by the CARMEN SANDIEGO series, CHINATOWN DETECTIVE AGENCY is a contemporary take on the format set in a cyberpunk Singapore in 2037 where social and government support has languished.

Creative Director Mark Fillon from Singapore's General Interactive Co shares the authentic design and characters you'll meet as you jet off around the world in search of answers as ex-cop Amira Darma in this glorious pixel art game.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.<...

If you work in the games industry it can be surprisingly complex to get your name into the end credits, that ending sequence often doesn't include everyone who helped to ship that video game.

Project based work and short contracts, and inconsistent recognition makes it more complex than you'd think for developers to get the acknowledgement of the work put in.

It's something that Alexander Swords, one of the members of the Games Credit Special Interest Group (SIG), part of the International Game Developers Association wants to change with a standarised system of creative credits. Duration: 00:08:40

André Read always wanted to make a real time strategy game. A huge fan of the genre, it was many years working in the industry before he got his chance with TFC: THE FERTILE CRESCENT set in the plains of Mesopotamia.

Teaming up with Anders Grønningsæter the two person team at Wield Interactive have crafted a multiplayer RTS game built with their Discord community that reimagines the classic format.

They dive into the world of historical RTS games, the influence of Age of Empires on the genre, and the ways in which The Fer...

Philip Buchanan from It's Anecdotal was part of the teams that made the awarding winning LARA CROFT GO, HITMAN GO and DEUS EX GO mobile games, and had has just released the charming multiplayer party game MINI MATCHES.

It's a collection of Philip's favourite genres with excellent visual design and something for everyone.

Learn more about how making 39 DAYS TO MARS and other games have shaped the development of MINI MATCHES.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di...

After seven years without any federal government support for the games industry, a new grant program called the $6 million Games Expansion Pack from Screen Australia was announced on Friday last week.

This program replaces a successful but prematurely cancelled fund called the Australian Interactive Games Fund which was axed when this government came to power in 2014.

Our guests on this episode are

CONAN CHOP CHOP is a reimagining of the world of Conan The Barbarian that sees the rippling oiled muscles replaced with cartoony top town aesthetic reminiscent of Flash games or kids cartoons. 

It's the first console title for Mighty Kingdom, a studio that is more well known for their mobile titles, but it was an excellent creative challenge for Kim Forrest, Creative Director and Jeff Wong, Producer to reimagine this world for a new audience.

Learn more about the inspirations behind this fun multiplayer top down rogue-lite and why announcing it in on April Fools d...

Explore a drowned society, a city that has sunk beneath the waves and discover how life has continued after people in non-combat adventure game SUBMERGED: HIDDEN DEPTHS.

The sequel to 2015's SUBMERGED might not exist if not for Google Stadia, it was an exclusive title for the streaming service, which meant it couldn't be played in the Uppercut Games' home country.

Ed Orman (FALLOUT TACTICS, BIOSHOCK, CITY OF BRASS) is a cofounder of Uppercut Games and said that the upcoming Playstation PC, and Xbox releases wouldn't even be possible without the Stadia team's help.

Welcome to Walkthrough SIFTER's brand new weekly news recap show. Each Sunday we'll highlight some of the biggest stories in video games to keep you up to date.

Your host on each episode of Walkthrough is Kyle Pauletto, an accomplished journalist with a keen interest in bringing you the best gaming stories each week 

THIS WEEK:

KARDBOARD KINGS is a store management game about a collectible card game, where you do everything but actually play the card game, managing a small town store inspired by working in retail.

Oscar Brittain (DESERT CHILD, WORLD'S FASTEST PIZZA) and Rob Gross are Henry's House, they share the challenges of writing believable characters, why speeding up the game made it so much better and how delaying the game to add more features worked for them.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gian...

How bad for the environment is game development? Terry Burdak from Paper House and Ben Abraham a researcher on the Environmental impact of video games join us to talk about their project to find out.

They'll be tracking the exact energy usage while developing their next game WOOD & WEATHER and aim to make the process easy for other studios to do the same.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

It's that time of the year, where we sit down and consider all the amazing games we've played in 2021. This is part two of two episodes featuring the SIFTER team.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel...

‍Nick Lowe, Lead Developer at Hungry Sky, first had the idea for NEKOGRAMS a cute sokoban style puzzle game where you move cats onto pillows until they are comfy in the late 2000s, but it took many projects and years until it was ready for players to enjoy.

Lauren Fletcher lead artist on the game didn't know she'd be making games when she first started illustrating, and has contributed the adorable kitty aesthetic.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Gi...

It's that time of the year, where we sit down and consider all the amazing games we've played in 2021. This is part one of two episodes featuring the SIFTER team.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch...

UNPACKING is a pixel art puzzle game tasks you with simply sorting items from boxes into rooms all the while telling a story of a woman's life.

‍Wren Brier & Tim Dawson from Witch Beam join us to share about how they have injected emotion and spirit into their little organisational puzzle game which is entirely environmental storytelling.

Lightmap is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

...

BOOK OF TRAVELS is a different type of MMO experience focusing more on the story and playing the game at your own pace.

Dennis Gustafsson from Might and Delight joins us to talk about the philosophy of BOOK OF TRAVELS and the world they are building.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Support the show: https://sifter.store

Daniel Visser started learning to make games like a lot of people who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, by tinkering away on their computer when they ran out of things to play.

That fascination and support from family lead to further studies and making games with studios like Torus Games and Melbourne House.

Over twelve weeks Daniel rebuilt ALIENS: THANATOS ENCOUNTER for Gameboy Color from scratch contracting with a company in the UK, which started the company Wicked Witch in earnest in 2001.

Learn a bit more about the history of this long...

Queensland based studio Prideful Sloth returns to the podcast with their brand new low pressure town building adventure game GROW: SONG OF THE EVERTREE, which doesn't have the time pressures of other games in the genre.

Developers Cheryl Vance and Adam Markham share their design philosophy for the game which was influenced not only by games like ANIMAL CROSSING and STORY OF SEASONS but also PERSONA 5.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

In most zombie survival games, you eventually reach a point where you become so powerful there is nothing in the apocalypse that can stop you, but in THE LAST STAND: AFTERMATH an isometric rogue-lite, you start the game infected with limited time left to make a difference.

The fifth game in THE LAST STAND series which originally started out as a Flash game developer Chris Condon of Con Artist Games shares the history of the series, how the game has been modernised and the world players will be jumping into on November 16.

SIFTER is produced...

BROKEN ROADS is a classic isometric roleplaying game by Victorian based studio Drop Bear Bytes that's set in and around the Western Australian wheatbelt community of Brookton after a cataclysmic event .

Game Director Craig Ritchie and Art Director Kerst Evans join Lightmap to share the world of BROKEN ROADS, how narrative and player choice will determine the narrative path, and how documentary series Aussie Gold Hunters inspired the look of the game.

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni D...

South Australia's Mighty Kingdom (CONAN CHOP CHOP, AVA'S MANOR, PETER RABBIT RUN!) is rapidly expanding and according to COO Tony Lawrence they want to be Australia's answer to an EA sized studio.

Tony has worked previously as General Manager of 2K Australia (BIOSHOCK series, THE BUREAU: XCOM DECLASSIFIED, BORDERLANDS: THE PRE-SEQUEL!) and with industry representative groups GDAA and IGEA.

Speaking broadly of the economic incentives for new studios, what it was like to see foreign companies shut down the studios he helmed and what the future might hold this conversation is a great insight from...

It is well-known amongst both developers and players that Australia has one of the most onerous and hardline classification systems in the world.

From AAA titles including FALLOUT 3 to indies including DISCO ELYSIUM and most recently SLUDGE LIFE and LAKE, there are a significant number of titles that run into release problems under our current classification guidelines.

In this PAX Australia 2021 panel, we'll explore how the videogames classification system works, the impact of interaction on classification, we'll look at the history of games that have been refused classification and pose the question - isn't it ti...

Mel Taylor from Brisbane's Mellow Games was inspired by her own life to make BLUEBERRY a story focused platform game with light puzzle elements that follows a character's life from beginning to end.

This semi-autobiographical game explores how our perspective shifts throughout our lives, climbing a tower filled with memories that you can replay as you get older and understand new points of view.

This episode was broadcast live as part of PAX Radio at PAX Australia 2021, supported by Audio Technica.

Lightmap is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang...

‍Iris and Paul Anstey of Melbourne's Melting Parrot are first time game developers, but their teamwork on DAP a spooky adventure game with a charcoal drawing aesthetic is a combination of this couple's interests. Recently awarded the top prize at Japan's Bitsummit, The Vermillion Gate Award, and the prize for best sound this Pikmin like twin stick shooter hides complexity within it's visual style.

Pixel Sift is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Support the show: http...

Johnny Galvatron of Melbourne's Beethoven & Dinosaur almost became a 3D animator, but musical success with his band the Galvatrons saw him head down another path. A love of games and storytelling never left him and once the touring was over his next project began with the musical adventure THE ARTFUL ESCAPE.

This narrative sci-fi adventure game combines Hollywood talent like Lena Headey, Jason Schwartzmann (who turned up to recording sessions in cosplay) and Carl Weathers, baby, for a cosmic musical story set in a beautiful world.

Pixel Sift is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Viv Thum, F...

Webbed is an cute pixel art platformer from Queensland based Sbug Games and features an adorable spider using her web-spinning skills and LASER EYES to save her boyfriend! Originally designed as a Just Cause 2 demake, the web like linking grappling hooks inspired this much anticipated game featuring stacks of Australian animals.

‍Riley Neville (Programming, Art, Sound and Game Design) and Noah Seymour (Level and Game Design) Join us on the show to talk about the origins of the mechanics and how some of the levels began their life on paper!

‍Pixel Sift is produced by Viv...

Dr Michael Kasumovic is an evolutionary biologist at UNSW and founder of science education organisation Arludo who this week is taking to Twitch as part of National Science Week to teach kids through video games.

Quokkapocalypse is a free game developed as part of the Sydney Science Trail that shows the impacts of predators and prey in an environment as you balance the populations.

You can watch the livestreamed event which is in partnership with the Australian Museum on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/arludo at 3:00...

Gregory Louden (Returnal, Quantum Break, STONE) and Convict Games are back with BURN a brand new interactive narrative game with a branching story following pop start Nina Burn through the different phases of her life.

Building on the experiences of making STONE, the hip-hop stoner noir game, and as Narrative Director on Housemarque's Returnal Louden shares how the story weaves music and stardom with a a soundtrack follows your choices.

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive...

Developer Paul Schnepf, one third of Grizzly Games who made Islanders and Superflight, was inspired by Tony Hawk Pro Skater to take up skateboarding when he was a kid, but nothing ever really captured the actual feel of skating.

That's why he made THE RAMP, a isometric minimalist skating game with no points that looks amazing and tries to capture that state of flow.

Music in this episode from the game The Ramp composed by Paul Schnepf and Hendrik Lux. Thanks to Paul for providing us with a copy of the game.

Pixel...

Alisha Stone is the Creative Director of Tasmania's Myriad Game Studios, a small team that have just released the narrative story game Where The Snow Settles. Where the Snow Settles draws inspiration from filmic genres telling the story of Aurelia as she travels through a world facing ecological collapse.

Learn how the team juggled other work and balancing their expectations to deliver a game that can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their level of expertise with games.

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior...

Paul Turbett and Anthony Sweet of Perth's Black Lab Games are no strangers to big franchises, they made the critically and fan acclaimed strategy game Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock, but when the opportunity came to work on one of the biggest science fiction universes Warhammer 40,000 they leapt at the challenge.

Warhammer 40,000 Battlesector is that game, which has been released this week to rave reviews exploring the stories of the Blood Angels Space Marine chapter in their clashes with the beastial Tyranids.

WATCH A VIDEO VERSION THIS STORY HERE: Warhammer 40,000 Battlesector - How a small team in...

Put your urban planning hat back on for Mini Motorways a minimalist puzzle game where you build roads in an ever expanding levels and makes its Steam debut this week.

Casey Lucas-Quaid is Community Manager at New Zealand based Dinosaur Polo Club and share the fun feedback given by players, how to set up a good community ground rules and how this game evolved from Mini Metro which we featured on Episode 80 of the podcast 

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovan...

Build your own cross-planet delivery vehicles and trek across the great red marble in Mars First Logistics, the newly announced game from multi-award winning game designer Ian MacLarty.

We spoke to Ian about the ideas behind the game, designing the perfect mars rover and more.

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music.

Support the show: https://sifter.store

Jump behind the wheel of an amazing transforming spy-machine in Agent Intercept by New Zealand's PikPok which has just made it's Steam debut after arriving on Apple Arcade last year.

Rick Stemm, Design Manager & Robin Wilson-Davey, Production Artist shared their design inspirations and what it took to bring this mobile game to your PC.

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo music.

Support the...

Gianni, Fiona, Adam and Nick sit down to discuss the completely online E3 2021 streamed around the world for all to enjoy. We've found our highlights and can't wait to share them with you, but why not share yours with us by visiting https://www.pixelsift.com.au/discord to join our Discord server.

Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is our Senior Producer, Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds composed the Mainstream theme music.

Support...

Trigger Witch is a twin-stick shooter where firearms have replaced the magic of a fantasy world. You take on the role of Colette as she unravels the story of this mashup world, a world that writer Jono Pech helped shape. Developed by New Zealand's Rainbite, Trigger Witch takes you to a Super Nintendo inspired world as you unleash carnage.

‍Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our promo mus...

Before We Leave is a mostly non-violent strategy game where players emerge from a bunker to reclaim their world after a disaster in a beautiful hex built world which has just made its Steam debut.

Developers Anna Barham and Sam Barham from New Zealand's Balancing Monkey Games wanted to make a game that actively challenged the inherent colonialism in many other strategy games as you rebuild in a world once yours.

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our...

Eastern Market Murder takes you back in time to the scene of a horrific crime, all while walking through the streets of Melbourne using augmented reality to meet the characters involved. Can you bring the killer to justice?

Emma Ramsay and Andy Yong join us to talk about how they researched the history of this true crime, and worked with the descendants of the real world people involved to create this interactive game.

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni...

Armaan Sandhu had trouble with a follow up release to his first game Rainswept. That feeling was captured in the narrative game Forgotten Fields, a nostalgic narrative adventure where writer Sid travels to his family home in Goa, India while formulating the idea for his next book.

Recently shown as part of the LudoNarraCon online convention, Armaan shares his process of capturing the nostalgia of home, the feeling of writers block, and homesickness for the beauty of his home in Goa.

Pixel Sift is produced by Viv Thum, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch...

Lauren Clinnick of Lumi Interactive wants to build a game that can help players support themselves. It's called Kinder World and players share nice messages, care for their houseplants and work towards maintaining a community garden. Lauren shares how her experiences with making previous games like Critter Clash and playing games like Animal Crossing have shaped the game.

Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Thanks to Salty Dog Sounds for some of our...

John Romero is a pinnacle of the game development industry and most people know or love his work. Titles such as Doom, Wolfenstein, Commander Keen and his newest game Empire of Sin have been delighting players for years.

Speaking as part of the XRWA conference in Western Australia, John shared lessons from his decades in the games industry, how things have changed and what he thinks about the Bethesda acquisition by Microsoft of which Id Software the company he co-founded is now a part.

Pixel Sift is produced by Scott Quigg, Sarah Ireland, Fiona Bartholomaeus...

Ben Green is an ESL Australia shoutcaster and is one of the people behind the university Valorant tournament Red Bull Campus Clutch and he says now is the perfect time for you to get involved.

He shares what the competitive scene for Valorant is like, how it feels that esports events are coming back in person, and what he does to prepare for a match.

The Red Bull Campus Clutch is open to University teams across the countrywith online qualifiers which running from April 8 to April 16, and you can register on the Red Bull Esports...