We're joined by Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin, A Good Videogame) and Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games) to discuss VESPER.5; a durational, tile-based exploration game. It's the sixth installment in our yearlong special series exploring the work of Michael Brough: All Systems Brough.

This episode: VESPER.5

Next episode: Become a Great Artist

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.

Discussed in this episode:

868-BACK (Out now!! Go buy it!!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/ https://finji.itch.io/868-back

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

All Systems Brough - A Chat with Michael https://secretlives.games/website/all-systems-brough-a-chat-with-michael

VESPER.5 http://mightyvision.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/vesper5.html

THE LONGING https://store.steampowered.com/app/893850/THE_LONGING/

Road to the IGF: Michael Brough's VESPER.5 (Article about GDC showcase of VESPER.5) https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/road-to-the-igf-michael-brough-s-i-vesper-5-i-

Super Friendship Club VESPER.5 Forum https://web.archive.org/web/20160407200028/http://superfriendshipclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=618

Meaning through repetition (reflection on releasing VESPER.5) https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/08/meaning-through-repetition.html

GDC 2013 - Interview with Michael Brough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocqSV6f137M

Pippin Barr on VESPER.5 https://web.archive.org/web/20170711093026/http://www.pippinbarr.com/2012/08/14/you-should-play-vesper-5/

Michael Brouge's VESPER.6 by Joel Goodwin https://www.electrondance.com/michael-brouges-vesper-6/

Gardens of Time: Design Problem Solving https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/2931

Steve Reich - Section I (Slowed Down 800%) - Ambient / Minimalism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3AMpfdbc7U

EXPERIMENT 12 Anthology https://www.geocities.ws/experimenttwelve/

145: Addressing Memory with Plunderludics https://secretlives.games/145-addressing-memory-with-plunderludics

i heard you like videogames https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/2366

scarfmemory https://www.smestorp.com/scarfmemory.html

Post-Future Vagabond https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2013/11/post-future-vagabond.html

Bending the River https://www.metabolicstudio.org/653

The Old Timey Computer Show https://otcs.minuspoint.com/

Inferno by Boards of Canada https://boardsofcanada.bandcamp.com/album/inferno

imagineNATIVE Festival https://imaginenative.org/

STAY SHARP // Rogue Skin Reveal Trailer - VALORANT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1u1kUdDOys

Rushing Beat Trilogy https://www.chronocrash.com/forum/threads/rushing-beat-trilogy.5208/

THE GAME DESIGN CHALLENGE: The Thirty-Year Game https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1023124/THE-GAME-DESIGN-CHALLENGE-The

https://secretlives.games/

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 9 - the Reunion / Reveal! How did The Mole do it?

Thanks for listening this season!

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and more.

Links:

Thanks Robin for our Mol guessing game website! Tip him here: https://ko-fi.com/rbnvi

Every Game in this City podcast (S1, which includes Laura, Jey, Doug) https://soundcloud.com/idlethumbs/sets/every-game-in-this-city

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

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

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 8 - the Finale! The Mole is finally unmasked.

That's about it for tourist season in Portgual (though big wave season starts around November!) but we'll be back next week for the Ep 9 reunion in Belgium.

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.

Links:

Thanks Robin for our Mol guessing game website! Tip him here: https://ko-fi.com/rbnvi

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 7. Who is the Mole, and how does this elimination echo last season's Final Four?

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.

Links:

Danny Hawk - Folk Games, Flash Communities and Tiktok https://newrules.website/2021/01/12/danny-hawk-folk-games-flash-communities-and-tiktok/

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH3giaIzONA

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 6. Who is the Mole, and who will play Juliet to Wout's Romeo?

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.

Links:

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're joined by Naomi Clark (NYU Game Center, Consentacle, A Game Design Vocabulary) and Frank Lantz (Q-UP, Universal Paperclips, also NYU Game Center) to discuss Corrypt, a totally normal block-moving game where nothing weird happens. It's the fifth installment of All Systems Brough, our yearlong special series exploring the playable arcana of Michael Brough.

This episode: Corrypt

Next Month: VESPER.5

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.

Discussed in this episode:

Corrypt https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/12/corrypt.html

868-BACK (Launching May 28, 2026! Wishlist now!!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/

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

The Talk of Magicians – Liz Ryerson https://ellaguro.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-talk-of-magicians.html

I Solved Klotski – 2swap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGLNyHd2w10

Corrypt Post-Cariem – Michael Brough https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2014/07/corrypt-post-cariem.html

Michael Brough: Going with the grain (A MAZE. Indie Connect 2013, Berlin) – A MAZE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYXInr3N5UQ

Game Title https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/2258

Game Title: Lost Levels https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/2268

Stephen Gillmurphy's definition of videogames https://www.harmonyzone.org/Videogames.html

Fractal Block World https://store.steampowered.com/app/1540570/Fractal_Block_World/

Road to the IGF: Michael Brough's Corrypt https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/road-to-the-igf-michael-brough-s-i-corrypt-i-

Michael Brough - The Roots of Roguelikes in Fantasy Fiction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpX2wWwhKdE

Corrypt Speedrun (5:44) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BAVUc_2SEc

Donkeyspace (Frank Lantz's Blog) https://franklantz.substack.com/

NYU Game Center Spring Showcase https://gamecenter.nyu.edu/event/nyu-game-center-spring-showcase-2026/

https://secretlives.games/

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 5. Who is the Mole, and how will this episode's big twist echo throughout the rest of the season?

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.

Links:

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 4. Who is the Mole, and will Doug end up getting the lowest possible score in our Mole guessing game? (this isn't golf, Doug).

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.

Links:

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 3. Who is the Mole, and why was Yannis laughing so hysterically at some November rain?

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.

Links:

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're recapping the 2026 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 14).

Laura, Jey, and Doug recap Episode 2. Who is the Mole, and should they receive an Oscar for their duplicitous performance?

Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us.

Links:

Four Wishes (independent Korean reality tv show) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLimMCLxaXz0Gj-2ueyEdshOaKK9mQzj_0

Every Game in this City podcast (S1, which includes Laura, Jey, Doug) https://soundcloud.com/idlethumbs/sets/every-game-in-this-city

Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://secretlives.games/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol

TSLOG Interview with Wouter Verstichel https://secretlives.games/eggplant-tv-plays-de-mol-2025-season-interview-with-wouter-verstichel

TSLOG (formerly "Eggplant") De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/tslog

https://secretlives.games

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog