The Experience Points Podcast

Slaying ghouls, drowners, and nightwraiths: a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.  However, are Jorge and I truly cut out for a life of witching?  Only time will tell.  This week we talk about the early hours of  The Witcher 3  and end up wandering down a path full of type faces, open world game design, and griffin heads.

At long last, it is time to cleanse these foul streets good hunter. This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss the much anticipated system-seller:  Bloodborne . Did it meet our expectations? Did Scott prove himself a "filthy casual?" Did we even make it out of this game alive!? Listen to find out. Also, if you are interested in reading more about the lore of  Bloodborne , I encourage you to check ou...

Every so often Jorge and I dive into the virtual newspaper and see if video game news is still weird and scary.  Good news: it is!  This week we talk about potential game to TV crossovers, the strange swamp of well-funded nostalgia is Kickstarter, and our dearly departed P.T.  Jump into the comments with your ideal animal adventure duo.  How about a badger and a fish?

It's time once again to join Ness and friends on their journey through the wild and wacky world of  Earthbound . This week on the podcast, Scott and I find all eight of the melodies, find similarities between  Earthbound  and  Bloodborne , and venture through Fire Spring. We invite you all to play alone and of course you can listen to Part One , Part Two , and Part Three  to catch up. Show Notes:...

In the span of about a week, Valve rolled out a program for monetizing video game mods on Steam.  Then, the Internet kind of blew up and they rolled it back.  Now that the dust is finally starting to settle, we recap what went down and where we should go from here.  How do you balance creative freedom with compensating creators?  What are the consequences of Valve's domination of the PC space?  Wh...

Nothing says "hardcore" like replacing a C with a K. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I dive into an MK/MK extravaganza! First we try our hands at NetherRealm's  Mortal Kombat X , and soon discover our hands are covered in blood and guts. Next we speed through  Mario Kart  at a blistering 200ccs and measure how well the game holds up in its latest batch of DLC. Kart or Kombat fan? Hop into...

My my, hey hey.  Rhythm games are here to stay.  It's better to burn out than to gather dust...if you're a plastic guitar that is.  Yes, after years in hibernation, Guitar Hero and Rock Band are back on stage.  Will that lead Jorge and me back to the altar of rock?  Have our dreams of virtual superstardom faded away like so many missed notes scrolling into infinity?  Fire up the virtual record pla...

We are still in the early days of exploring all that Bloodborne has to offer, but the critical conversation about the game is happening right now. If we wait any longer, Yarnham may be inundated with snake-meatballs and ravens! This week on the EXP Podcast, join us to discuss the madness, the beauty, the painful, painful glory of Bloodborne. Show Notes:   - Runtime: 43 mins 14 secs - Music by  Bra...

Where do your loyalties lie?  Your house or your queen?  Your brothers in arms or your family?  Actually, you probably shouldn’t answer that; that servant boy over there looks a little shifty.  Don’t worry about trusting us though; we’ll keep all your secrets safe.  This week we recap episode 3 of Telltale’s Game of Thrones.  This installment puts us in the middle of some crucial decisions, which...

We have come a long way from Onette Valley everyone! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I join Ness, Paula, and Jeff in the world of Earthbound . From secret waterfalls to parental neglect, there is a lot to discuss If you are playing along with us, we discuss the events just up to Summers. We hope you enjoy your stay at our desert shack on the internet!   Show Notes: - Runtime: 55 mins 05 se...

Classic arcade characters are on the rampage, Kojima has disappeared, and Nintendo has acknowledged the existence of smart phones: what the heck is happening out there?  This week, Jorge and I do a quick news roundup in an attempt to make sense of the chaos.  If we try to predict the box office, the fate of Kojima productions, and Nintendo's 5-year strategy, we have to get at least one.  I believe...

The Game Developers Conference, PAX East/Prime/South/West/Arctic, Twitch Con. There are just so many conventions to attend each year, all hoping to grab your attention with a selection of games, from Triple A to indie. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss the landscape of fan conventions, the presence of virtual reality hardware, and some of the games at the three conventions that jus...

Zombies, fits of uncontrollable crying, and idyllic villages full of aliens: just another day in  Earthbound .  We return to our game to talk about parenthood, friendship, and cryptozoology.  We've played up to Ness' arrival in mysterious and (confusing) Saturn Valley.  Hopefully we haven't lost any of you to those vicious new age hippies.  Feel free to share your spirit journey experiences in the...

You probably have a box of them in your house. Some of them might be broken or worn down through use. Others you may have broken throwing against a wall. They are video game controllers, and we love to hate them and argue which are better than others. But how do controllers express their own meaning?   This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I are inspired David Shimomura's recent piece on " The s...

Why is the thimble the best Monopoly piece?  What makes naked Shulk so enraging?  Why does your best friend always pick the red token?  Lots of things influence the avatars we pick in games.  Inspired by  G. Christopher Williams' piece about his affinity for blue , we dive into the rationale behind the characters we pick.  What color palette is near and dear to your heart?  Let us know in the comm...

It's time to take the black my sworn brothers and sisters. This week on the EXP Podcast, we jump right back into a world dark and full of terrors: Game of Thrones. Telltale's story continues, taking us on a journey from Essos, to Westeros, and the Wall. Show Notes:   - Runtime: 62 mins 56 secs - Music by  Brad Sucks , HBO's Game of Thrones

The time has come!  Grab your baseball bats and and your hamburgers because it's time to play  Earthbound .  We start our journey with some broad thoughts about this supremely strange game and make it to the Happy Happy Village before calling our dad and turning in for the night.  Playing along with us?  Don't hesitate to visit the comments and ward off your homesickness.

From overturned wagons to the earthquakes, games have long been rife with disaster, but how well have they depicted tragedy? And what risks do we take when designing for tragedy in games? This week on the EXP Podcast, we are inspired by Paste's Maddy Myers when she asks "should disaster games be fun?"  Show Notes:   - Runtime: 32 mins 22 secs - Music by Brad Sucks

This week on the podcast, our very own Jorge Albor creates a new genre: "big small games."  Don't worry, it actually makes sense.  We've been laboring under the majestic weight of sprawling epics like Dragon Age: Inquisition and Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, so we decided to take a break with some games that have a smaller scope.  We talk about Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Infamous: First Lig...

We may have enough games to while away eternity, all from the latest Steam sale alone, but Scott and I still find time to check-in on our regularly scheduled games of the season. This week on the EXP Podcast, we bring up our patch notes and discuss  Titanfall ,  League of Legends ,  Destiny , and  Super Smash Bros . Has anything changed in the games or in our thoughts? Absolutely!   Show Notes:  ...

Gather round, my sweet summer children. Winter isn't coming; it's here, as is the first episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones series. Hanah joins us this week as we recap the story so far and justify our choices. We swear we acted for the good of the realm.

One hundred years ago, the world was at War. Today we are remembering how that war effected the lives of millions, and continues to effect our own lives today, by playing a video game. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss  Valiant Hearts: The Great War  by Ubisoft Montpellier. If you have played the game yourself, be sure to hop into the comments on experiencepoints.net and share your...

We talked about our games of the year and the honorable mentions and now it's time to wrap up 2014.  Let's start 2015 by taking a look at the calendar and talking about the games we're looking forward to playing next year.  What do you see yourself enjoying in the coming year?  What do you hope to be surprised by?  Maybe a visit from a mythical fox-dragon?

Last week we delivered out Games of the Year podcast, but that list is just so short! Scott and I have returned to further unpack the exciting year of video games and give a nod to some of the most interesting games of 2014. Some will will surprise, others not so much. What 2014 games are on the top of your list? Let us know!   Show Notes: - Runtime: 37 mins 52 secs - Music by Brad Sucks

It's that time of year again everyone: the time when we make the painful decisions.  The time when we take stock of the year and elevate three champions that represent the year's high points.  It's our Games of the Year for 2014 (because who could pick just one?).  What experiences from 2014 will stick with you as we get ready for the new year?  Let us know in the comments! Show Notes:   - Runtime...