The Experience Points Podcast

Nothing says "summer fun" like a bleak journey through a ruined society whose inhabitants are more deadly than the monsters that caused their original downfall!  This week, Jorge and I talk about The Last of Us. There's a lot to talk about: stealth mechanics, family dynamics, and doomsday preppers all make appearances.  As always, we'll give a spoiler warning when we dive into specific plot points...

We live in mad times folks. Mad times! Just one week after podcasting about Microsoft's draconian DRM policies and the company does a complete one-eighty, succumbing to popular demand and economic pressure. Why the crowds largely celebrated the shocking occasion, some lamented it as well. Had Microsoft caved too quickly? Are we losing something valuable as a result? And most importantly, what do B...

What is going on in this crazy world!? This week on the EXP podcast, Scott and I discuss the games and revelations coming out of E3, but since the time of recording, importance announcements have already broke! Microsoft took a lesson from countless politicians and flipped their stance on DRM. The complete reversal comes as a shock, albeit a positive one, to many gamers eager to see the company sa...

This week, we take a mid-week breather from all the E3 madness to talk about a subject that's actually one of the bigger features of both Microsoft and Sony's new consoles: screencasting.  What once started out as "Let's Plays" on obscure corners of the internet have now become regular events for a growing multitude of players.  Inspired by Kris Ligman's article on the origin, evolution, and strug...

The Humble Indie Bundle 8 is in full swing, so this week we discuss some of the games we've been able to play so far. The bundle's wide range of games means we discuss everything from the competitive, skill-driven systems of Awesomenauts and Hotline Miami to the experiential, story driven environments of Proteus and Dear Esther . At the risk of sounding like an advertisement, the Humble Indie Bund...

Curiosity  screen via  IGN We have opened the cube and holy cow, Peter Molyneux was inside the whole time! But what else is inside the controversial designer's bizarre experiment? And what does cube's contents mean for the young grand-prize winner, the future players of Godus, and the games industry as a whole? Join us this week on the podcast as Scott and I search for crumbs inside the box that m...

We're all still trying process Microsoft's vision of the future, so why don't we take a short break and consider one of Valve's recent reveals. In a move that both Jorge and I find bizarre and terrifying, Valve is piloting  Steam trading cards . While there doesn't seem to be any specific game tied to the cards themselves, the rules and rewards about obtaining, trading, and crafting cards may in f...

We thought Lucas Arts and  Star Wars 1313  was our last hope for a great Star Wars game. But no. There is another. With the recent announcement that Disney will be handing over the video game licenses for Star Wars to EA, the internet has been abuzz with mixed feelings. Some are eager to see what Visceral or BioWare can do with the franchise. Others are  a bit more pessimistic . This week on the p...

This week, we open a gateway to the spirit realm to call forth a podcast that defies the feeble constraints our earthly plane and human minds.  "What sorcery is this?" you ask.  It is precisely that, mortal: this week we talk about magic.  Actually, we use Robert Rath's recent article on the subject to push past the usual focus on psychic missiles and black cauldrons.  Magic is a common mechanic i...

The spring lull is upon us. Without any huge release on the immediate horizon, Scott and are using this time to visit some of the games currently taking up space in our busy calendars. From gamified exercise to eSports and beyond, Scott and I have plenty of game mechanics to both love and hate. Check out all the games listed below in the show notes and be sure to chime in with your thoughts in the...

This week's podcast was inspired by Katie, an intrepid reader who recently left a comment on something Jorge wrote way back in 2008 (talk about a deep cut!).  Jorge's post came at the beginning of this generation's co-op boom and Katie's response provides a good starting point to discuss the ways in which the trend has affected the way we play games.  How have different styles of collaborative gam...

Scott and I have ventured deep into Yamatai's hidden tomb and returned with a treasure trove of insight into the exciting Lara Croft reboot from Crystal Dynamics. After a painfully long, and troublesome, hype cycle, we can at last return from the island and share our thoughts on the game. Does this re-imagining of this pop-culture heroine breathe new life into the old franchise? Are quick time eve...

This podcast started with a single question I posed to Jorge: "If someone who has never played games came to you and asked you to show them what video games are all about, what would you show them?" It's a big question, one that may well be impossible to fully tackle, but it's something that has come up in the wake of BioShock Infinite and the discussion surrounding its violent imagery. Does the g...

Almost six years after  BioShock  took the world by storm and forever changed our relationship to video games, the esteemed Ken Levine is back with another work of fantastical and historical fiction. At last, after several delays,  BioShock Infinite  is in our hands. Columbia might be in the sky, but is the story grounded? Are the systems tight? Does any of this even make sense? Join us this week...

We get it: you're busy.  Professional, familial, and personal obligations have a habit of expanding to the point where video games get crowded out.  However, all is not lost: inspired by Tina Amini's post , this week's podcast is a discussion about how to gracefully fit games into hectic schedules.  Jorge and I talk share the secrets of how we keep up with every game released (spoiler: we don't) a...

New technology that aims to revolutionize gaming is around the corner, yet millions of people are still happy to sit down around a table and place an old-fashioned board game. The two industries have been growing, but have they been growing closer together or farther apart? Join Scott and I this week to discuss the relationships between board games and video games, then stick around while we chat...

This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll look down and whisper "SERVER BUSY." You guessed i...

Oh David Cage, will you always be a source of contention and fascinating design discussions? If my tea leaves tell me anything, it's that the creative mind behind  Heavy Rain  and the upcoming  Beyond: Two Souls  will always be stirring the pot, trying to craft something for the games industry we have never seen before. It might taste terrible, but at least it fuels some interesting conversations....

Bust out your tin foil hats, because you're being watched.  Of course, you probably already knew that; achievement logs aren't all that hard to find, are they?  There's no doubt that we have more data about how we play games than ever before, but what does this mean for game reviews?  Are we due for a New York Times/Tesla controversy?  This week, inspired by Sam Machovech's article, we talk about...

The PlayStation 4 was announced! OMG! But hey, the new console is still a long way from release and we have games to play now. This week on the podcast, Scott and I discuss the games currently on our playlist. From the over-the-top  Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance   to  Legendary , Marvel's marvelous deck-building card game, we browse the games a catalog of games. If you have played any of them, do...

When it comes to conversations, especially between three talkative people, Twitter just doesn't cut it.  Therefore, when Mattie Brice , Jorge, and I started trading tweets about the merits of difficulty in games, we knew it was time to change venues.  This week, we're excited to have Mattie on the show to talk about the meaning behind the challenges games offer.  We cover everything from Super Hex...

America's most widely celebrated holiday, the Superbowl, has come and gone. While all of us over here in the Bay Area are mourning, Scott and I have our minds tuned to video games - well, sort of. Specifically, inspired by an article from Tim Rogers, we're discussing the similarities between American Football and  Final Fantasy Tactics . Is Tom Brady a White Mage or a Black Mage? And what's a safe...

There is a sub-genre of point-and-click adventures with a huge fan-base. Escape the Room puzzles, as the name implies, fill confined spaces with puzzles that hold the secrets of escape. Glyphs might be hidden in couches, parts of a clock could be hidden in a potted plant. From cars, to closets, to art spaces in Japan town, Escape the Room puzzles create a unique experience by hiding mystery behind...

Scott and I have had "insider conversations" with one Mr. Businessman, which ultimately proved fruitless. Instead, we have our own conversation about the upcoming console cycle. Where is all the hype for the next release? Is there anything we should be excited for? What are you excited for? Show notes: - Runtime: 30 mins 59 secs - Music by  Brad Sucks

Remember when we asked you about your favorite things of 2012?  Well, you all delivered!  This week, we formally give 2012 a stylish send-off by talking with old friends, listening to new voices, and discussing some great reader submissions.  We want to give a huge thank you to everyone who contributed by talking with us, sending in an audio clip, or simply dropping us a line via email or in the c...