The Experience Points Podcast

It's the last podcast of 2013 and it just so happens to fall on Christmas Day.  In the spirit of giving, Hanah gives up some of her time to drop by and talk about gifts in games and some of the games that received her attention this past year.  Presents, pirates, and pyromaniacs: we cover all this and more as we make plans for our cube-shaped utopia. - Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes - Fin...

Last week we talked about our favorite games of 2013.  While these were our favorite experiences of the year, they were not necessarily the games that took up most of our time and attention.  Sometimes rough edges and flawed experiments make for the most thought-provoking discussion, so we decided to dedicate an entire episode that didn’t quite make it on our final list for 2013.  We cover everyth...

2013 is coming to a close and it was, well, a strange one. As is tradition, it is time to choose and discuss our personal selection of favorite games! Join us this week as we revisit some of this year's best, and be sure to come back next week when we talk about all the big games that didn't quite make our list. Of course we would love to hear from you. What were your top three games of 2013? Show...

Santa came early to the Experience Points household and he brought a shiny new PlayStation 4 with him! This week, we dip a toe into the next generation and report back with some early impressions of the new system's controller, operating system, and social features. I don't know if you heard, but this thing also plays games! With this in mind, we share some thoughts on a few of the early releases....

The infamous and controversial David Cage of Quantic Dream is at it again! This time, he's got Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe on his side. Is this a huge departure from  Heavy Rain ? Has Cage achieved his vision? Is Aiden the ghost dad we've always wanted? Join us this week as we explore the "Infraworld" and let us know your thoughts on the game below! Show notes: - Runtime: 59 min 42 sec - Music by:...

It took two months, but we finally did it: Jorge and I both finished Grand Theft Auto V. It was a massive game by any measure: its development time, the scope of its open world, it's sales numbers, etc. This week we devote an entire episode to GTA V's sprawling pseudo-Californian world. We cover everything from targeting mechanics to the game's unrelentingly degenerate cast and throw in some class...

Who let the dog out!? Infinity Award apparently. This week on the podcast, Scott and I are joined by Riley, our lovable canine companion, to discuss  Call of Duty: Ghost . This Triple-A behemoth is always worth a visit, and now maybe more than ever. Join us this week to chat about the best new addition to the  CoD  formula, the political ramifications of "Space Rod Technology", and the death of si...

Theoretically, sequels exist because we want something familiar.  But what exactly are we seeking when we play games that are part of established franchises?  Is it the next chapter of an ongoing story, a new adventure for a familiar character, or something more mechanical?  This week, we use L. Rhodes' article as inspiration to explore these questions and attempt to suss out the difference betwee...

I ran over a deer today in GTA V and I felt nothing. What monster have a become!? This week on the podcast, we're inspired once again by a Gameological Q&A to discuss our animal-killing ways. Join as we talk about tiger royalty, scarcity, cute baby animals, and so much more. As always, we encourage you to hop into the comments and let us know your strategies for making people feel guilty for the s...

We have plenty of heroes in the video game world, but how many of them are likeable?  That's the question the Gameological Society staff recently discussed .  We run through their picks and throw a few of our own personal picks in the mix.  It turns out that there are plenty of video game heroes that range from a bit annoying to downright terrible.  Join us with your picks as we talk about sociopa...

The Master Chief has been floating in space for the past four years, but the entire time, the folks at 343 Industries were busy thinking of ways to reinvigorate the franchise without pissing off millions of fans. This week on the podcast, with a healthy heaping of post-release distance, Scott and I discuss the much anticipated  Halo 4 . As always, we give ample spoiler warning for those cautious a...

Technically, you could play GTA without breaking any laws, but wouldn't that be like playing Mario without jumping? This week, thanks to Mitch Krpata's article about verbs in games, we talk about the gap between the theoretical potential of a game's rules and the practical realities of the actions you can take. Along the way, we do a check in on some recent open world games we've been playing, as...

Valve is shaking up the games industry again with a set of three recent announcements (none of which were  Half-Life 3  unfortunately). Leaping bravely into the Next Gen Console space, Valve will soon release their very own operating system, set of customizable Steam Machines, and controllers, all to make playing games in your living room easier. While the news was a long time coming, the mix of t...

We've wandered through these castle ever-shifting castle walls for so long, but we've finally escaped.  Actually, both Jorge and I are still fighting our way through Rogue Legacy, but after dozens of generations of fallen heroes, we decided it was time to share our experiences.  Gather round for tales of martyrdom, mining, and magic. - Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes - Find the show on Sti...

"Wait! Don't touch that... welp, you touched it." Ouya might be struggling right now, but the concept of a cheap and adaptable home console alternative to the big three is here to stay. What does that mean for the future of gaming? And what does it mean for Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo? Stick around and ask Mr. Businessman! This week on the show, Scott and I go over the edge with the coming techn...

Thanks to you, the EXP mailbag is once again full of questions! This week, we dig through your emails, comments, and tweets, trying our best to sound like we know what we're talking about. Fourth-wall etiquette, the "indie aesthetic," steam sales, Angry Birds: it's all here. Thanks again for your questions and please keep them coming! - Subscribe to the EXP Podcast  via iTunes - Find the show  on...

Gamescom 2013, the enormous yearly gaming event in Cologne, Germany, wrapped up about a week ago. While there were no huge splashes this year, we spend this podcast visiting some of the most noteworthy news items. Join us this week on the show while Scott and I discuss Nintendo's scaling back of dimensions, Ghost conspiracies, console launch dates (which we chatted about before Microsoft's announc...

Hot off the heels of our " Homage to Homes ," Jorge and I have made our way through Gone Home, a game whose entire point is to explore a house and its inhabitants. It's dedication to portraying everyday environments and ordinary people actually makes it unique amongst a landscape of fantasy and super powers. The care that The Fullbright Company gives to the game's environments and characters helpe...

The football season is upon us! Yet while the games might be raging in the stadiums, our gaming habits have long since abandoned sports games. Why did we play sports games more when we were young? Why did they fall off our radar? And what could bring us back to the field? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss our professional ping-pong careers, Madden, and free-to-play economics. Let u...

I've come to terms with the fact that there's probably never going to be another Bubsy game .  That won't break too many hearts, but what happens when we're faced with the potential "death" of a widely loved series like Final Fantasy?  Chris Kohler made such a suggestion and was greeted by more than a few irritated fans.  We took his articles and analysis as an opportunity to discuss Final Fantasy...

In one of the moving boxes around my home are my gaming systems, surely one of the nondescript ones at the bottom of a box mountain. While I try to maneuver through the moving process, we thought now would be a good time to discuss homes and the stuff we put in them. Join Scott and I this week as we chat about,  Skyrim ,  Fallout , and haunted houses. As always, share with us your home-away-from-h...

Enclosed, please find one ticket to the Player Haters' Ball.  After last week's podcast about the potential benefits of having a strong personality and being outspoken about your opinion (even if it's unpopular), Jorge and I decided to jump up on our soapboxes.  We try to keep things pretty positive around here, but sometimes you just have air your grievances.  This week, we talk about the things...

Scott and I like to think we are experts on the subjects of jerks, meany-heads, curmudgeonly folk, and brutes. Yet while our opinions on assholes might be settled, the role of the creative asshole in the games industry is still hotly debated. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I wonder if maybe our best game designers are naturally assholes, if their behavior is positive for the industry, and...

As Tuesday's video demonstrated, Jorge and I had a great time watching EVO 2013 last weekend. It was a pleasure seeing players at the top of their games, but it was also a great opportunity to check in on the state of fighting games and eSports (from an amateur's perspective, of course). What does the increasingly digital future have in store for fighting games? Can a balance between decentralized...

Our summer is only a few months long, but in  The Walking Dead , apparently it lasts at least 400 days. Maybe that's just Georgia... This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I hunker down in our tree-fort and discuss the latest episodic DLC from Telltale! As always, we start off this podcast spoiler-free, so jump on in without hesitation. When you're done listening, do come back and let us know: wh...