TVGB chatted with the brainy folks behind this quirky, chilling typing game, DEAD LETTER DEPT. It’s got you thinking twice about what’s real. Mike Monroe and Scott McKie helm Belief Engine, a team nestled in the misty corners of the Pacific Northwest. But guess what? Their muse comes all the way from Japan! They’ve camped out there for who knows how long. Fascinating, right?
TVGB: So, Belief Engine. How’d you guys cross paths? It’s like a dozen years old now, right?
MM: Yeah, about 12. We kicked it off, thinking, “Let’s see if this even flies.” And boom, it’s been a full-time gig since 2020. There was this opportunity, and honestly, I said, "Why not?" Indie gaming’s where my heart’s at.
I trekked to Washington—to DigiPen, some trade school. Left Colorado behind back in ’04.
SM: Oh man, for me? Arts major out of Massachusetts College of Art, Boston. Got this shiny BFA. I craved a Computer Science degree too. Did a solid eight years of book-cramming. Landed in Washington chasing those CS dreams. But, reality check. Messy, right?
MM: School was more about crafting game art for me. We threw a ton of ideas, prototypes… some stuck, some didn’t. Kinda felt like we were just messing about until something clicked.
TVGB: Was there a specific game that lit the spark for you guys?
SM: We have shared and solo loves. It’s like a buffet here. Belief Engine’s our creative outlet for all our personal geeky pursuits. DEAD LETTER DEPT? Mainly Mike’s brainchild. I was there, but it’s his baby. We’ve both tossed ideas back and forth—sometimes they stick, sometimes they don’t.
MM: It’s fun, like playing with puzzle pieces of our eccentric game tastes. I won’t play all your fantasy defense games, but it’s a trip watching you dive deep. Different strokes, you know?
TVGB: When cooking up DEAD LETTER DEPT., how did Alcock’s concept fit in?
MM: Weirdly, it didn’t make the cut. It’s more about relocating, finding your ground—like lost mail. Moving’s chaos. You know the drill, homesickness, rootlessness.
Friends bounce around or flee situations—especially during the housing crunch. Moving, mingling, repositioning. I get that, coming from a stifling military town.
TVGB: Scott, that late-night college gig inspired this. Spill the beans.
SM: Almost straight outta my past, that job. Heading off to this sketchy warehouse, crossing train tracks—all to deal with mundane address entry. It wasn’t as eerie inside IRL but had its moments.
Loved it though. My brain wandered like a leaf on a stream. Daydreams aplenty amid the data chaos.
MM: Nailed it! Capturing that autopilot vibe was key, like Tetris meditations. Let your mind drift while clicking those keys. I dove into that vibe and fleshed out a creepy gaming world.
SM: That beams right into the “in-the-zone” phenomenon.
MM: Bingo. Nail that sweet spot of engaging yet laid-back. Horror games with a twist. Scott’s data nights sparked this wild ride.
TVGB: Wildest game element?
SM: The game was born from these oddball prototypes. Some magic alchemy there.
MM: We were sketching out this moving-to-a-city game. It morphed. Old code? Creepy by accident. Ghostly hiccups. You know, taming haunted spaghetti code was both a curse and a joyride.
TVGB: Why the first-person viewpoint? Pure immersion?
MM: Starting off simple. P.T. taught me first-person sucks you right in. Third person? Nah. Too distant. Sticks you in the action, no pesky tutorials. Post-it note style all the way.
SM: Currently, I’m dabbling in a Japanese learning game. Tiny snippets becoming a grand RPG someday. Jumping through old-school 80s, 90s aesthetics. Japan loves a good visual novel.
Learning Japanese is this quirky dream. Kind of wild, right?
TVGB: What’s the best bit about game development?
MM: I dive headfirst into soundscapes. Getting lost there’s pure joy.
SM: Oh, the thrill of designing complex systems. Sometimes too deep, too quickly. But sheesh, managing myself? Yikes. Thank goodness for cookie-bribed pals.
TVGB: Closing thoughts on DEAD LETTER DEPT.?
MM: Juggling ideas for the next big hit. Soundtrack’s lingering. So late—typical, I know.
SM: Yet it’s turning out splendid. Practically hums on its own.
TVGB: You’re in Japan—what’s on the agenda?
MM: Creepy tunnels? Sign me up. Tracked a couple already. The eerie vibes are unmatched. You see, Tokyo’s got those abandoned nooks.
SM: Kyoto’s architecture, those quirky houses—all unique puzzle pieces. Capturing these scenes is a treasure hunt.
MM: Fancy microphones, surreal spaces. Japanese culture’s a rabbit hole of wonder.
SM: Planning a trek to Japan Oni Cultural Museum. Might have to bribe, beg, or borrow for transport. Maybe hike it. Oh, the drama of outsmarting mountains and language hurdles. Fingers crossed!
Anyway, catch DEAD LETTER DEPT. on Steam. Soundtrack’s en route, promise!
