The Experience Points Podcast

This week we hop onto the Pokémon Snap train... that slow, trudging train though a bizarro zoo, and report back with our findings. We also gush about some upcoming chill games that caught our interest ahead of the big E3 weekend!

This week we take a breath between Returnal runs and before what is most definitely going to be a very weird E3 to talk about some news stories. Lots of loose talk swirling around about everything from new Final Fantasy games to new Valve hardware, so join us in the rumor mill. Just know that if anyone releases a semi-portable console with the form factor of a standard computer keyboard, they stole the idea from us.

Everywhere you look, Rogue-likes abound! What a time to be alive, then die, then be alive again. This week on the EXP Podcast, we review Returnal, discuss our favorite weapons, and tackle a challenging question: is Returnal too difficult?

Heads up: you might think we've been podcasting drunk for the past couple weeks, but you're wrong. We're just tired. Doing the late night shifts can make it tough to stay awake, but that's where we seize the opportunity to catch up on some games. But not all games perform equally well under the hazy darkness of the wee hours. This week, we dig into the games that keep us up and are as satisfying as that late night sleeve of Ritz crackers that I totally didn't eat while standing over the kitchen sink.

We're back! And just in time to defend Earthrealm from Outworld. This week, we go to the movies (by way of our couches) and debrief on the newest Mortal Kombat movie. Blood, guts, and fan service abound!

This week on the EXP Podcast, we venture into the spooky Alps of Mundaun, get dizzy looping through Loop Hero, and mend a relationship in It Takes Two!

It's time to travel back to the far flung past to analyze a pseudo-future that never came to pass. But don't worry, you have expert guides at your disposal: Jorge and I came of age in this world of virtual insanity. Ah, yes: Y2K (and the adjacent years). Inspired by a recent article from Fanbyte, we don our cyber goggles and strap on our fish-eye lenses to examine the Y2K aesthetic, its legacy, and its rediscovery.

Out of the way Michael Jordan, we've got a new set of Hall of Famers! Today on the EXP Podcast, we celebrate the latest finalists vying for a spot in the Strong Museum's Video Game Hall of Fame. We also question the purpose for a Hall of Fame, veto some games off the list, and submit our own entries in the category.

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks

Hey, far be it from me to criticize someone for quitting. Walking away from something is a great feeling. But when that "something" is Journey, I just have scratch my head. This week, we talk about why people seemed to play through Ghosts of Tsushima all the way to the end while leaving other open world games unfinished. This quickly leads us down a rabbit hole of trophy stats and psychoanalysis to figure out why, after purposely getting a game, so many folks walk away.

There is one fruit that reigns above all others. A fruit whose protective peel hides untold possibilities for play. Is there any other fruit that can play a pivotal role in the future of gaming? No, say I, and Sony agrees. This week on the EXP Podcast, we talk about patents, peripherals, and bananas.

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