The Experience Points Podcast

A weekly video game podcast from the co-writers of ExperiencePoints.net

EXP Podcast #759: 2024 Game of the Year 12/28/2024

EXP Podcast #759: 2024 Game of the Year We've made it around the sun once more and we have a handful of great games to prove it. But which games will be our favorite of year? And will Jorge and I maintain our drift compatibility and choose the same game as our GOTY? All this, along with more Balatro pro tips, in this week's show. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/34636410

EXP Podcast #758: The 2024 Gamey Awards 12/22/2024

EXP Podcast #758: The 2024 Gamey Awards The most prestigious video game award show is back, celebrating once again not just the greatest bummers and mood lifters, but also the best Waifus/Husbandus, the most elegant games, and of course the gameyest. The 2024 Gameys are here! /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/34567745

EXP Podcast #757: Story Time with Shawn Layden 12/09/2024

EXP Podcast #757: Story Time with Shawn Layden Thanks to the recent 30th anniversary of the original PlayStation launch, there's been plenty of retrospectives about the system and the era it ushered in. This week, we dig into Eurogamer's extended interview with Former Sony CEO Shawn Layden. Layden's tenure at Sony spanned the pre-PlayStation era all the way through the PS4 and he offers some candid thoughts about the state of the industry, development costs, and why he may be the last of the console warriors. Plus, he floats the concept of triple-A development being akin to building a massive cathedral and now I'm obsessed with the image of a stained-glass Dual Shock. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/34342235

EXP Podcast #756: This Is My Favorite Xbox on the Citadel 11/16/2024

EXP Podcast #756: This Is My Favorite Xbox on the Citadel According to Microsoft you probably have an Xbox in your pocket. So what's an Xbox again? This week on the podcast we chat Microsoft news and venture into the future... of television with the Mass Effect TV series. Show Notes: - Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/33952657

EXP Podcast #755: Time to Face the Music 11/12/2024

EXP Podcast #755: Time to Face the Music Leave it to Nintendo: we turn our backs for just a couple of weeks and they exponentially increase their wackiness. Well I can officially tell this to our favorite baffling company: Chill out, we're awake and we have ready access to the Internet! Your clock and your music app is very cute, but shouldn't you be working on a new console or something? Wake me up once you're ready to tell me what the Super Mario Odyssey team has been working on. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/33893292

EXP Podcast #754: Silent Hyrule 11/02/2024

EXP Podcast #754: Silent Hyrule Sick kids are on the mend so it's back to the gaming mines for us. This week on the show, we fight our way through fog to bring you debriefs on the Silent Hill 2 Remake, Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Balatro mobile, and the Plucky Squire! Show notes: Music by Brad Sucks /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/33753872

EXP Podcast #753: The PlayStation Paperclip and other Weird News 10/06/2024

EXP Podcast #753: The PlayStation Paperclip and other Weird News I can't believe we missed out on the most important PlayStation Pro news when we talked about it a couple weeks ago. Yes, your long nightmare of dealing with disorganized lose paper is over: Sony has created a solution and it only costs $1000. But hurry: there's only 12,300 in existence, so act quickly or else you'll have to go crawling back to Clippy. We dig into this as well as more stories on Professor Layton, Microsoft R&D, and Nintendo's secret police this week. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/33348287

EXP Podcast #752: Astro Bot and UFO 50 Debrief 09/28/2024

EXP Podcast #752: Astro Bot and UFO 50 Debrief This week on the podcast, we discuss two of the most charming love-letters to video games of all time, both of which are not just loaded with nostalgia, but also amazing games (or games-in-games) all on their own! Show notes: - Music from the and the /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/33246287

EXP Podcast #751: PlayStation 5 Pro and Con 09/16/2024

EXP Podcast #751: PlayStation 5 Pro and Con The PlayStation 5 Pro was formally announced and I have to say that my favorite part by far was listening to the calming timbre of Mark Cerny's voice as he explained highly technical things in a way that made me feel like I could understand it. His sonorous, professorial presentation was perhaps the only thing that could have calmed my jangled nerves after seeing that $700 price point. This week, we discuss the announcement and what we think it means for the PlayStation landscape. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/33066782

EXP Podcast #750: Concord Confusion 09/08/2024

EXP Podcast #750: Concord Confusion As the saying goes: "Grand opening, grand closing." This week we recap the baffling Concord situation and what it means as part of the broader game landscape. Along the way we check in on some other games, ranging from Flock, to Black Myth: Wukong, and Deadlock as part of a late summer check in. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/32963542

EXP Podcast #749: Gamescom 2024 Debrief 08/24/2024

EXP Podcast #749: Gamescom 2024 Debrief We're off to Germany this week to discuss some of the exciting - and not-so-exciting - news coming out of Gamescom 2024. News, Molyneuxs, and more, oh my! Show Notes: - Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/32725777

EXP Podcast #748: The End of Game Informer 08/17/2024

EXP Podcast #748: The End of Game Informer This week on the EXP Podcast we say goodbye to a games industry institution. We also briefly discuss Fortnite, cultural conglomeration, and gambling! Show Notes: - Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/32622687

EXP Podcast #747: Looking at Lorelei and the Laser Eyes 08/14/2024

EXP Podcast #747: Looking at Lorelei and the Laser Eyes This week we do a summer check in on some of the games we've been playing. Strangely, they're all some form of retro-inspired RPG/adventure style games. There's the Commodore 64-era inspired Skald: Against the Black Priory. There's the Super NES era Super Mario RPG remake. And there's the PS1-aesthetic adventure game homage, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Lorelei was of particular interest, as it inspired us to lean into the artistic approach and go back to pen and paper as a way to solve puzzles and remember information. It's a good sign when a game inspires a notebook full of glyphs and half-crazed riddles. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/32570197

EXP Podcast #746 - Hard Pass 07/27/2024

EXP Podcast #746 - Hard Pass Time and money is at a premium, are we spending it on Game Pass, in-game purchases, or another caramel macchiato? This week on the podcast, we explore some news about digital games and purchases. Show Notes: - , , and - Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/32316677

EXP Podcast #745: Spicy Art Takes 07/20/2024

EXP Podcast #745: Spicy Art Takes The only thing hotter than this summer's weather is this collection of spicy takes. This week, we use Polygon's collection of provocative opinions as a jumping off point to revisit some of the fundamental arguments that started us down this wacky path. Will we ever figure out what art is and do video games qualify? Maybe the real art is the fun we've had arguing along the way. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/32223602

EXP Podcast #744: Steam Deck Charts and More 07/03/2024

EXP Podcast #744: Steam Deck Charts and More Just in time for the Steam Summer Sale, Valve has dropped three lists of the most popular games played on the Steam Deck. These lists are updated in real time and reflect some trends in the industry. This week on the show, we run down the lists and share some of our favorite games on the Steam Deck - including a remaster of a classic: Riven. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31975467

EXP Podcast #743: Miyazaki and the Family Erdtree 06/30/2024

EXP Podcast #743: Miyazaki and the Family Erdtree It's Elden Ring and The Shadow of the Erdtree time and with it comes the predictable discussion about difficulty in games. I guess it makes sense that a game about making looping runs through a punishing world gets people fired up, but I still think it's hilarious that people seem to be surprised at how hard these games continue to be. And thanks to a new interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki, we can be certain that this difficulty is not only intentional, but also pursued out of respect to players. This week, we dissect some of his comments and consider the long-term legacy of his design sensibilities. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31953182

EXP Podcast #742: Nintendo Direct June 2024 06/21/2024

EXP Podcast #742: Nintendo Direct June 2024 The definitely NOT E3 window of events is over with one more big set of announcements. This week on the podcast, we discuss some exciting games coming to the Nintendo Switch - THIS YEAR! Show Notes: - Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31833917

EXP Podcast #741: Summer Game Fest 2024 06/17/2024

EXP Podcast #741: Summer Game Fest 2024 Now that the great collapse of the E3 ecosystem is well and truly complete, we're beginning to see saplings spring from the ashes. And it's not just a few; Summer Game Fest and the numerous other publisher-specific, indie, PC, and various thematic conferences have quickly formed a forest and are spreading the video game news over the wind like a dense cloud of pollen. This week we take our antihistamines and dive into some of the many game announcements we've seen over the past couple weeks. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31767741

EXP Podcast #740: State of Big Budget Play 06/10/2024

EXP Podcast #740: State of Big Budget Play This week on the EXP Podcast, in between Sony's announcements and Xbox's big news, we discuss the state of big budget first-party exclusives and what the future of publishing massively expensive games might look like. Show notes: "" by Oli Welsh via Polygon Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31675217

EXP Podcast #739: Animal Well Debrief 05/30/2024

EXP Podcast #739: Animal Well Debrief I've always lived in areas with municipal water systems, so wells are a bit of a foreign concept. But now that I've played Animal Well, I'm basically an expert. I was surprised by the number of hidden eggs and platforming puzzles, but I guess that's just the miracle of underground waterways. This week we debrief after seeing the credits, but most definitely not all the secrets, hidden in Animal Well! /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31525297

EXP Podcast #738: Cults, Bullet Hells, and More 05/11/2024

EXP Podcast #738: Cults, Bullet Hells, and More This week on the EXP Podcast, we record live from our sick bed to discuss recent industry news before getting into some games we've been playing - including Balatro, Children of the Sun, and Minishoot Adventures! Show Notes: - Music by Brad Sucks /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31238757

EXP Podcast #737: The Fallout TV Series Debrief 04/27/2024

EXP Podcast #737: The Fallout TV Series Debrief War never changes - the streaming television war, that is! This week we do a deep dive on the new Fallout series. Who knew the post-nuclear wasteland would have so many cameos in it? And are those the jingle of spurs I hear? Looks like The Man with No Name has become The Man with No Nose. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/31008993

EXP Podcast #736: Goodbye to the Wii U 04/14/2024

EXP Podcast #736: Goodbye to the Wii U The Wii U, one of the worst selling consoles of all time, is finally shutting down its servers and turning off the lights. Today on the podcast we poor one out for a console ahead of its time, a messy, imperfect, but maybe a little prescient attempt by Nintendo to transform the gaming landscape. Show Notes: - Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/30816008

EXP Podcast #735: Princess Peach: Showtime!, Balatro, and Red XIII's Moonwalk 04/08/2024

EXP Podcast #735: Princess Peach: Showtime!, Balatro, and Red XIII's Moonwalk I meant to publish the show earlier, but I thought I could squeeze in a few more hands of Balatro. 48 hours later, I realize two things: that was a mistake and I'm now starving to death. This week, we dip into Balatro, make our stage debut with Princess Peach: Showtime!, and evaluate Red XIII's surreal attempt at acting like a human. Now, just a few more hands and then I swear I'll go to sleep. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/30724628

EXP Podcast #734: Call of Cheech Weedzone 03/31/2024

EXP Podcast #734: Call of Cheech Weedzone Everyone's favorite lovable stoners are coming to Call of Duty, about 50 years too late to be culturally relevant. This week on the podcast, we try to draw a line between interesting and relevant in-game partnerships and the pup-culture goop that is Content with a capital "C". Don't puff, puff, pass on this one! Show Notes: - "," by Patrick (H) Willems via YouTube - Music by /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/30612118

EXP Podcast #733: 2024 Journey Debrief 03/23/2024

EXP Podcast #733: 2024 Journey Debrief It's finally Spring again around these parts, which means it's time for one of our favorite annual rituals: the yearly Journey playthrough! For whatever reason, Jorge and I both had cautionary tales of resource scarcity and environmental collapse on the brain (I blame Barrett and the rest of Avalanche) and it just goes to show that you can still get something new out of a game every time you play it. Twelve years on and we're still finding new treasures in the desert. /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/30508643

EXP Podcast #732: Final Fantasy Rules 03/16/2024

EXP Podcast #732: Final Fantasy Rules We discuss why Final Fantasy VIII is actually awesome, how the remake is changing the legacy of the franchise, and what's up with the best (and worst) Final Fantasy games. Show Notes: - Music by Brad Sucks - "," via Polygon /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/30397598

EXP Podcast #731: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth First Impressions 03/09/2024

EXP Podcast #731: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth First Impressions Reports of us rejoining the lifestream have been greatly exaggerated. We're back after being under the weather, but we return having played a bunch of new games. We have Helldivers, Donkey Kong, and more, including 2024 gamiest-game contender Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. While we're only a few hours into what will undoubtedly be an enormous game, there is plenty to talk and speculate about. Grab a comfy cushion to soften this rickety old bench and join us! /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/30298878

EXP Podcast #730: Xbox Updates 02/19/2024

EXP Podcast #730: Xbox Updates Last week the internet was buzzing with Xbox speculations that was quickly deflated by corporate-speech-laden "podcast" from Phil Spencer and his team at Xbox. Yes, some Microsoft games are coming to other consoles, but is that it? What does this, and could this have meant? Join us and Mr. Businessman to discuss the future of Xbox. Show Notes: * Music by Brad Sucks /episode/index/show/experiencepoints/id/30011588

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