The Belief Engine: Featuring Mike Monroe & Scott McKie

Sure, let’s dive right in:

—

So, I had this sort of chat with the folks behind Belief Engine. They’re the brains behind “DEAD LETTER DEPT.,” you know, that freaky typing horror game that messes with your head. Mike Monroe and Scott McKie are the dudes running the show, currently soaking up vibes in Japan. The Pacific Northwest was home, but maybe Japan’s got that extra something. I mean, was never really sure how all that worked, but whatever.

Okay, let’s rewind real quick. Belief Engine’s been kicking around for 12-ish years—wild, right? Mike’s like, “Indie games? Yeah, sign me up,” when he made the jump full-time in 2020. Picture this: a Colorado dude hauls off to Washington, DigiPen college-bound, back in ’04.

Scott? Different story. Dove into Fine Arts in Boston. Gets smacked with the realization, “Oh dang, computer science? Sounds expensive,” but hey, a job’s a job. Needed cash—hardly unusual.

Funny side note: they didn’t really start with games. Lots of prototypes, failures wrapped in failure. Couldn’t shake the thought, “How about a game?” Fast forward, here we are, whatever that means.

Anyway—wait, got a bit sidetracked—what really fired them up? Games that grab you, but not always the same way. Mike’s peculiarly into niche stuff, a defense game not on his radar at all, but Scott digs it, that’s for sure.

Now, the thing is, DEAD LETTER DEPT. isn’t about that “belief engine” stuff James Alcock goes on about. Nah, Mike’s more in on finding home in a chaotic world. Lost letters, anxiety from uprooting—sounds like a peculiar metaphor festival to me. But you know what? It works. Weird.

Scott jumps in. He had this odd overnight job in Boston—just data entry, but the eeriness stuck. Wandering train rides to nowhere, desolate warehouses. The job itself? Kinda Zen, let’s his brain wander. Ugh, can’t say I’d enjoy that, but whatever floats your boat, right?

Mike and Scott got talking about flow states. You know Tetris, right? Once you catch the groove, your mind just drifts? They aimed to replicate that in a horror twist. Scott’s tales blended into DEAD LETTER DEPT. It was a genuine “Huh?” kind of journey, but it kept them glued.

What’s insanely weird? How off-course stuff just morphs into place. They had bits from a whole different game—coding surprises that made the game oddly spooky. Happy accidents, like AI hijacking a music playlist. It just fits, somehow.

Choppy perspective stuff? Sure, first-person for that immersive “OMG what’s even going on?” vibe. A dash of P.T. inspiration. They figured, “Time to streamline, no designing characters.” Makes sense—time’s always too short, isn’t it?

Fast-forward to Scott wrangling a Japanese learning game now. Mini-slice by slice, with stunning old-school game vibes. He’s all about these JRPG aesthetics—fair enough. Quirky way of growing, little by little, even contracting ‘admin’ help with cookie payments. Seriously, where do they find these folks?

Now, soundtrack droppings and stuff are looming; the tunes, integral. Some bits the guys didn’t even know they needed—until they blew their minds. Sneaky, right? Playtesting covered in secrecy to keep the feedback raw, not skewed. Got to handle it, right?

But what about Japan adventures, you ask? Creepy tunnels totally on Mike’s checklist. Shades of Silent Hill vibes, no lie. Scott adds cultural deep dives, seeking out these unforgettably distinct architectures. Houses with more flair than you’ve seen anywhere else, guaranteed.

So they’re on a quest—a Kyoto cultural museum awaits, though a tricky maze up a mountain. Navigating with cookie-cutter Japanese skills—wish them luck. It’ll be curious to see how a city seems without the language anchor.

In a nutshell, these guys are up to some interesting stuff, navigating each twist and tug. Exploring, creating, while savoring the journey—bit of a ride, huh? Go snag DEAD LETTER DEPT. on Steam if you’re curious, it’s definitely a wild spin through a world unseen.

—

Voilà!