The Experience Points Podcast

The sun is shining, the fireworks are popping, and I'm desperately trying to avoid the genetically engineered ultra-mosquitos released by one of the many tech CEOs/super-villains that live on the west coast. That's right, it's summer and with it comes a specific set of games that just feel right during those long warm days. Seasonal gaming is a topic we've covered before, but this time to dissect a recent Esquire list and revisit some of our historical summertime picks.

From the red stone bluffs of Cosmo Canyon to the strange "underwater" ruins of the Forgotten City, we continue our journey through Final Fantasy VII in Part 3 of our ongoing debrief. This week we experience one of, if not the, most important deaths in video game history. But is it how we remembered?

- Runtime: 52 min 15 sec

- Music from Final Fantasy VII OST

- Music by Brad Sucks

It wasn't so long ago that we were seriously questioning the future of the single player game. "All those multiplayer live games are taking our precious single player games!" we wailed. Fast forward a couple years and single player, predominantly story-based games are thriving on both the indie and big publisher sides of spectrum. But, as Daniel Friedman points out, games like Anthem, Destiny, and Apex Legends are struggling to keep the pace and find the space needed to compete against the Fortnite juggernaut. Take a break from grinding through your battle pass and take a listen!

The yearly gaming extravaganza of E3 has come and gone! But was it really that extravagant? With EA, Activision, Sony, and Microsoft all absent from the show floor, we had a lot more space to sit on couches and think about the handful of 2019 games that we're excited to see. Join and let us know what games you were excited by (or disappointed by) from E3 this year!

- Runtime: 53 min 51 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

This week we make use of the calm before the E3 storm to check in on some of the games we've been playing. Space-faring AI, paper craft dinosaurs, samurais, t-blocks, and a whole shit ton of rats all make an appearance. It's been a pleasantly surprising year so far and we're not even halfway done.

The hottest next-gen console is here. It's small, yellow, and has a crank.

This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss the strange little gaming console called the Playdate, a tinny little console that will launch with 12 games by some indie gaming luminaries. It's a boutique item for a niche audience, but is it right for us? And would we really want to shell out $150 just to get one?

Your favorite game is more than likely watching and reporting on everything you do, but is that a problem? I guess it depends on how much of a pro you are when it comes to pulling off 360 no-scopes and how strongly you feel about being identified as someone who likes to "do the Dew." This week we explore the murky world of data mining and in-game telemetry. It's a largely invisible part of our games that has quietly become ubiquitous, so Jorge and I try to confuse our algorithm overlords by shining a light on them.

It's time to win big $$$ at the Goldan Saucer this week folks! This week on the EXP Podcast, we continue our ongoing debrief of Final Fantasy VI, catching up with heroes as they flee Midgar in pursuit of Sephiroth. If you're playing along, this episode ends once we wrap up all the events at the coolest casino in video games.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 51 min 58 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

This week we dig into two recent news stories: The Valve Index VR system and the Sonic movie. While I'm a bit skeptical of each one in isolation, I just realized that combining the two would be a transcendent experience. Or one that might make you violently ill. I guess those things aren't mutually exclusive...

The father of handheld gaming was once a boy... a Game Boy. This week on the EXP Podcast, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Nintendo's Game Boy, discuss some of our most memorable experience with the hardware, and appreciate the console that ushered in a new era of portable gaming.

Show Notes

- Runtime: 39 min

- Music by Brad Sucks