Spawn On Me with Kahlief Adams: A Video Game Podcast · Spawn On Me LLC

Lee Petty on Keeper — The Weird, the Whys, the Wow

·36 min·3 clips

Lee Petty shares how hiking near old mercury mines during lockdown sparked the idea for Keeper's post-human world.

This episode features host Kahlief Adams interviewing Lee Petty, the Creative Director of Double Fine's new game *Keeper*. Petty has a long history at Double Fine, having previously directed games like *Stacking*. The conversation centers on the creative process behind *Keeper*, a wordless, surreal puzzle-adventure game. Petty explains the game's origin during pandemic-era hikes, where he pondered a world after humanity and the search for meaning. The game follows a walking lighthouse and its bird companion, Twig, as they explore a strange island. A core design pillar was removing all dialogue to create an open, interpretative experience focused on emotion and discovery. The team relied heavily on animation, authored camera angles, and environmental storytelling to guide players without traditional objectives or fail states. Petty details how sound design was integrated from the start, with composer David Earle creating 111 tracks and even custom instruments for the score. The game's puzzles are designed to be discovered organically within the world, avoiding complex mechanics or extensive backtracking. Petty reflects on recurring themes in his work, such as identity and the meaning of life, citing filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky's idea of "creating for yourself a soul." He shares that working under Microsoft since Double Fine's acquisition has been supportive, allowing for continued creative freedom. The episode has a conversational and appreciative tone, blending industry insight with personal reflection on game design. Listeners interested in the creative philosophy behind unique, narrative-driven games will find this discussion compelling. Those seeking hard news or critical reviews of *Keeper* might find the focus on development processes too niche.

As heard by us

Keeper's puzzles get a careful, world-first breakdown that keeps the conversation clear and grounded.

Spawn on Me finds its sharpest footing when the host sits down with Lee Petty, Creative Director on Keeper from Double Fine, and lets the game explain its own puzzle logic.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a Keeper chat where the lighthouse beam does real work for once.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Spawn On Me with Kahlief Adams: A Video Game Podcast