Exploring Belief Systems with Mike Monroe & Scott McKie

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So, picture this. I’m hanging out with Mike Monroe and Scott McKie from Belief Engine—seriously cool guys, if you ask me. They’re doing this indie horror game thing, DEAD LETTER DEPT., and it messes with your head in this whole ‘what’s real?’ kinda way. They’re up in the Pacific Northwest, but currently, they’re soaking in all the vibes from Japan. They’ve been at this game-making gig for like 12 years now, which, whoa, time flies, right?

Meeting the Guys

I ask them how they hooked up. Mike’s all like, “Yeah, it’s been 12 years. We didn’t know if it was gonna work, but look at us now!” He moved from Colorado to Washington back in 2004, for some game school thing. Scott’s journey sounds a bit nuts—dudes got a Fine Arts degree from Mass. Art, then tried the whole Computer Science thing but, well, life is expensive! He needed a job, pronto.

Trying Stuff Out

Mike was always into video games, and—get this—3D art for them. He’s all about making something real and cool. Tons of fail experiments and “what ifs.” Scott doesn’t just follow suit, though. He’s all into his own thing with a weird twist—and I mean that with mad respect.

Inspiration Station

I bring up the inspiration question. Mike throws around ideas like they’re happy accidents. Basically, they influence each other’s quirks—a mix of defense games and some other niche stuff that I’m not gonna lie, goes a bit over my head.

Brain Talk and Game Ideas

Oh, and there’s some brainy philosophy connection they chat about. James Alcock’s “belief engine,” perhaps? Scott’s overnight data entry job, though—now, that’s relatable. He talks about taking the train to this warehouse, crossing tracks with this eerie, quietness. I can almost hear that late-night silence.

Game Mechanics

They’re chatting about this flow state—like, you know when you’re doing something mindless, and suddenly, time warps? Like Tetris-level zen. This typing horror game is supposed to get you there and spook you. Odd combo? Yep. But let’s face it, odd is what makes stuff memorable.

Literally Haunted Code

Here’s the fun part. Mike spills about the “haunted codebase.” Like, legit semi-serious ghost in the machine vibes. Code doing its own creepy thing, and he’s like, “I didn’t code that, but I dig it.” Totally insane!

Japan Adventures

Then, boom—they’re off to Japan. Mike’s hunting down creepy tunnels, cause why not? There’s this one with oily floors and a broken PA system. If that doesn’t scream Silent Hill inspiration, I don’t know what does. Scott’s snapping pictures of quirky Japanese architecture, every house a different character.

Future Plans

They’re also planning a trip to the Japan Oni Cultural Museum—looks like they’re gonna trek over mountains or something wild to get there. Hope their Japanese skills are sharper than mine. The dedication is real, though.

And that’s pretty much them in a messy nutshell. Belief Engine’s not just about games; it’s this whole journey into weird creativity and the occasional creepy tunnel. DEAD LETTER DEPT. is on Steam if you’re curious. Oh, and keep an ear out for its soundtrack—bet it’s as trippy as the game itself.

Oh, man, I rambled. Anyway, steam game, soundtrack, Japan—good stuff.