En Sattaur

I love games. I chose to be a game designer because since I spend all my time playing, thinking about and discussing games anyway, why not do that for a living? I love to make things, physically and digitally, and always have a project or two going. When I’m trying to relax, I like to go out for walks, preferably up mountains. I also love languages, films, and musicals.

_Favourite Game

I can’t pick just one! Here are some others that I haven’t mentioned yet: 80 Days, Bayonetta, Braid, Crypt of the NecroDancer, Final Fantasy XV, Hi-Fi RUSH, Mirror’s Edge, Outer Wilds, Osu!, Virtue’s Last Reward.

_Favourite Book

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin.

_Currently Learning

As ever: game design.

Questions & Answers

Earliest gaming memory

Answer

Probably playing backgammon with my dad. I remain terrible at backgammon to this day. The first videogame I ever bought was 2003’s The Hobbit, not to be confused with the much-more-famous 1982 version for the ZX Spectrum. I remember thinking that the long jump in that game was one of the most fun things I’d ever seen.

What was the game that triggered you looking at games as a career?

Answer

Probably Portal. That’s the one that really got me into games. I remember chatting with my friends and thinking about the implications of the portal gun while I was saving up money to buy the game.

What did you study at School or Uni that you feel was valuable for a career in games?

Answer

I studied physics at university, which beyond the obvious, taught me problem-solving and how simple rules can lead to surprising, delightful and beautiful results.

Game that has inspired you the most?

Answer

Tabletop role-playing games have definitely inspired the most work out of me. In terms of professional inspiration, Windows’ “3D Maze” screensaver and Baldur’s Gate made me feel like whole worlds existed inside my PC; Persona 4 showed me how even a janky, problematic mess of a game can evoke genuine emotion; and Disco Elysium showed me that you can in fact make something amazing if you just write enough text.

What is the first game you worked on?

Answer

Everwild at Rare

Games you’re the proudest to have worked on?

Answer

Need for Speed Unbound

If you weren't making games?

Answer

I’d be making something else. Game controllers. Websites. Toys. I need to make stuff

Top 3 games of all time?

Answer

#1 - I always say The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind #2 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild #3 - Persona 4. But I’m not sure that’s true any more.

Hardest game boss?

Answer

I think fighting game bosses are almost universally terrible, because fighting game characters are designed to fight other fighting game characters. They feel awkward doing anything else. I think the Super Smash Bros. series probably has the worst of the lot, so I’ll say Master Hand/Crazy Hand for being as awkward, frustrating, boring and difficult as any boss I can think of