If I can ever get to do something for a living I love half as much as Sam loves making Remedy games, I'd be ecstatic. The passion is just so apparent, and the work totally reflects that. I don't think there's a more wholesome and beloved guy in the games industry than Sam.
Sam Lake is one of the very few people in the gaming industry who really want to create art with their work - not just entertainment (although this is what the name of the studio implies) I really hope that Sam and Remedy will keep on doing what they do best. Alan Wake 2 surely proved again how brilliant this studio is.
Sam is quite one talented guy and I feel like people don't mention it enough or give him his flowers for his acting skills. He's been doing it for more than 20yrs. Of course he's not Robeet de Niro but talent he got. 😊
He's a jack of all trades in the best way. Perhaps he really is the master of none but his mind is so capable of applying itself however it needs to that there's really nothing more I could ask of a game creator. Wholesome, always challenging himself, and literally been the face of Remedy from the very beginning. It nice when some things don't change. Especially when it comes to a studio like this that should've folded at least two times since opening. So happy they're still here and Sam is still repping his studio so beautifully
@@LordMarlle When I see Sam Lake I see Alex Casey until he starts smiling haha Great actor and great character together with James McCaffrey may he Rest In Peace
Sam Lake is one of the most creative and talented minds to ever partake and contribute in this wonderful medium we call video games. Being able to play through the passion for the arts him and his team(s) over the years have given to us is something we shouldn't take for granted. He's also a damn handsome MF-er too.
Alan Wake 2 is an amazing game. Games such as this are the reason I got into gaming as an hobby. AW2 is my game of the year. Hands down. Remedy is an incredibly talented studio. I've enjoyed all their games and remember them greatly. Love you guys @Remedy. Keep making these impactful masterpieces. ❤
What an absolute mind blowing journey AW 2 was. Thank you for this interview and experience that you give us gamers Sam Lake. You're passion, creativity, and energy is exactly what the gaming industry needs!
Sam's enthusiasm is so contagious. It is so interesting and rewarding to listen to him... I sure would love to see all the scenarios/screenplays that led to today's Alan Wake 2, see the evolution of the creative process.
Have you ever played Alan Wake's American Nightmare? There's also a pitch demo they released for an original incarnation that wasn't greenlit. Plus there's a teaser type east egg in Quantum Break which even features an early concept for Saga Anderson. Between all of those things, you can gleam quite a bit about the ideas that have been percolating over at Remedy for quite some time. The coolest thing is seeing how, even through all the iterations, there was always a solid plan for where to go next. Its crazy playing a sequel to a 13 year old game and seeing all the little pieces they clearly set up and kept in their heads this whole time even if the game is still much different than it originally would've been. I love that one of their pitches turned into Control and that game ended up being what made AW2 possible
@@jarg8 I have not played it no, and I agree that through the different games, you get a pretty good idea of how the story telling built up and evolved... which is absolute genius if you ask me... but there is still a stack of scenarios (from another video I think) that I would love to get my hands on nonetheless, if you see what I mean 😅
This was a fantastic interview.. Ted was actively listening, looked engaged and interested in the responses, asked good questions and follow up q's... and of course Sam's answers were detailed and informative with a catchy enthusiasm. The entire interview on both sides was great listening. I could listen to these two all day..
SAM LAKE FOR ME IS A TRUE LEGEND AND A VERY GREAT WRITER AND HE IS SO INSPIRING FOR ME I LOVE WRITING And for sure Alan WAKE 2 is my best story telling game of all time
Great interview! I know Sam Lake has done many, many interviews over the past couple months or so but he never fails to express his passion and love for the games he helps create.
The blending between live action and actual game in Alan wake 2 is amazing. We went from the complete opposite in Quantum break To the tvs of Control Finally to AW2 where live action and gameplay interchange in a very organic way that it seems you really are playing the reality.
They nailed it on Alan Wake 2! What a masterpiece! I love it so much and still can’t stop thinking about it even though I’m on my second play through and it’s been a few weeks since I first started playing it
How have I not heard of this channel! Insomniac was my childhood with R&C and now Remedy has been my adulthood. Been desperately looking for interviews and dev talks with Sam Lake
Great interview and very interesting to get insights into Remedy's creative process and the challenges they've faced. One thing I really appreciate about Sam and Remedy is that they do make mistakes but keep learning from them and improving those things in their games, whilst always trying to add new stuff. I think Sam is completely right to keep pushing on originality and 'crazy things' because for me that's what keeps Remedy games fresh and coming back for more because you never know what they're going to do next! This is why Sam definitely made the right call in pushing for the Sing chapter in AW2 against big resistance in the company, and it turns out to be one of the most memorable bits of the game!
Fantastic interview Ted! I’ve been a huge fan of both Insomniac and Remedy games for decades at this point. Great conversation, great podcast as always! 😀
Even if their games were mid, I would still buy them and support Remedy. The passion that Sam Lake holds for the artform and this industry is utterly inspiring, and the way Remedy treats their employees is a shining of example of how the wonderful artists who develop this medium we love so much should be treated. I love Remedy, I love Sam Lake. Cheers you crazy amazing genius 🍻
This was a great interview, so happy that I stumbled on this when scrolling through youtube. Funny enough, the game I'm playing at the moment is Spider-Man 2 and before that I just completed Alan Wake II. Both are great games! I'm from Finland so the world of Alan Wake and the Remedy connected universe truly feels like getting that little bit of home eventhough the events themselves might be really wacky and out of this world. The undertone just is very finnish on many occasions. Maybe the most inspiring thing about these insights is to hear how the developers come up with clever solutions to meet the limitations in the budget.
Amazing person, inspired with what he's doing, inspiring other people, keeping us involved with so many ways. I've enjoyed Max Payne as a 11 y.o. child as a story and action game, i've soaked in first Alan Wake game as a growing man, and now, when i'm 32(and recently finished playing Control and Alan Wake 2) i feel like i am finally able to fully uppreciate all the passion, the power, all hard work needed to make not only the great games, but to connect them, pierce them with one storyline, create universe which you can explore for yourself. I'm not sure if i can express all my feelings about this studio, about Sam and all of this, but i'm proud to be a fan of what they are doing for so many years. Thank you for great interview, i'm glad to know a little bit more of Sam as a person.
really appreciate what was said about live action. i've been loving it in games lately, and i adored how it was done in AW2. not for broadcast is another great example. hope FMV keeps making a comeback.
Lemme just say, AW2 took Remedy from being *one of* my favorite game devs to my favorite game devs. The amount of love and creativity, the respect they have for the players, how seriously they take their work while also NOT taking themselves too seriously, just all makes for one of the greatest games I’ve ever played.
7:29 maybe Sam Lake is one of the godfathers of story driven games? That's really interesting how he started as an accident, I know about a legend of Power Metal, Andre Matos (RIP) and Andre also always said on interviews that he became a vocaist by accident, he was originally a pianist. Amazing history, and fascinating to know that Remedy was founded by his childhood friend. It's always so nice to listen what Sam Lake have to say, the way he speaks and communicates it is really engaging, he definately know how to communicate and of course, how to write amazing story driven games.
Insomniac and Remedy are currently the best studios out there. I love Sam's passion for games and that he wrote DnD campaigns makes him even more endearing to me. So inspiring. His games impacted so many childhoods I am sure.
Sam Lake could be alone in a studio, without any host, and still give an amazing interview by himself. His passion and childlike joy is a force! Also unrelated....Ahti best singing janitor!
I always wondered why as a finn, Mr. Lake always sets his games in America as opposed to Finland. This makes it make sense more, tho I'd still love to see a game set in Finland from remedy
This interview was amazing! I really enjoyed learning more of his past. I looove Sam Lake so much 🧡🥹🕺 and as a Finnish I'm so proud of him for creating such incredible games.
Why do you assume they are in the same room? They may be at the same hotel, but not the same room (they wouldn't be mirrored in the design if this was the same room. Why would there be two lamps and tables left and right next tot he door?). There is still a deadly pandemic going on, maybe Sam Lake isolated after his appearance?
I'm enjoying Alan Wake II but can't give it a 10/10 cause where they make different they are doing it 200%, where what everyone else is doing they are lacking a bit behind. So far I crashed 3 times on pc and encountered at least 6 game breaking bugs. Not being to heal because NPCs were having a chat mid boss was also a let down. 3 events where certain conditions had to be met to advance, I died. I was restarting and doing the very same thing and it was triggering correctly. I prevented myself to get help on the Net the whole game except at the end where I was stuck during a whole 1 hour and a half. The thing I jad to do to continue made no sense to me...
