Exploring the Belief Engine with Mike Monroe & Scott McKie

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Okay, so here’s the scoop. I sat down with these two incredible game devs from Belief Engine. They’re Mike Monroe and Scott McKie, doing their thing with this spooky game called DEAD LETTER DEPT. — crazy, right? Not just making games, they’re questioning reality here. No kidding! They’re based in the Pacific Northwest but somehow end up in Japan for a while? Yeah, that’s the vibe.

I asked them how Belief Engine came to be. Twelve years, folks. Can you imagine? Mike’s like, “It was just an idea until 2020 when it became, like, a real job.” Imagine uprooting yourself for your dreams — left Colorado for Washington in ’04. Trade school and all, chasing this game dream. Sidenote: that sounds bold.

Scott’s story? Artsy kid from Boston. Wanted to mix in some Computer Science with his Fine Arts creds — eight years in school! Moved to Washington too, thinking, “Yeah, maybe this computing stuff costs a ton. Oops.” We’ve all been there, right? Ready to do something big, then… well, money.

These two met, and pow! They decided to craft video games. And boy, did they experiment. A lot. Maybe too much? Who knows.

So what inspired DEAD LETTER DEPT.? Turns out, they share some interests but are also polar opposites. They made Belief Engine for their quirky projects. Mike’s brainchild, mostly, but Scott helped too.

Mike digs niche games — like really out there stuff. Fascinated by the idea that your brain’s this “belief engine.” Not in the game exactly, but kind of? It’s more about home and belonging. He’s got friends always moving, trying to find their place. It’s deep stuff, really.

Scott shares a story of his college days in Boston. Working late, like the stuff of urban legends or maybe too much coffee? Typing addresses in a spooky warehouse late at night. Picture this: a train to nowhere, creepy vibes mixed with, well… a cool mental wander? Sometimes those jobs give more than a paycheck, huh?

The weird stuff? Mike’s tales about haunted codebases — spooky isn’t just for ghosts. Working on a game, and suddenly it’s going off rails in a good way? Like haunted tech. Random code doing creepy things. Sometimes not understanding is a blessing.

They’re planning adventures in Japan. Creepy tunnels and trying to get to cultural museums. The language bit? Tricky, but hey — fingers crossed. Scott has this thing for top-down JRPGs and Japanese computer games from the 80s and 90s. Such a distinct vibe!

And games? Oh, Scott wants complicated systems easy enough for a hobbyist but deep enough for a pro. Mike? Loves the music, the sounds — the magic that brings games to life.

Final wisdom here: These two are exploring, learning. Making games that draw you in. DEAD LETTER DEPT. is on Steam. Give it a spin if you dare. And maybe you’ll hear that elusive soundtrack soon.

Catch you later.

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