The Experience Points Podcast

We are still in the early days of exploring all that Bloodborne has to offer, but the critical conversation about the game is happening right now. If we wait any longer, Yarnham may be inundated with snake-meatballs and ravens! This week on the EXP Podcast, join us to discuss the madness, the beauty, the painful, painful glory of Bloodborne.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 43 mins 14 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

Where do your loyalties lie? Your house or your queen? Your brothers in arms or your family? Actually, you probably shouldn’t answer that; that servant boy over there looks a little shifty. Don’t worry about trusting us though; we’ll keep all your secrets safe. This week we recap episode 3 of Telltale’s Game of Thrones. This installment puts us in the middle of some crucial decisions, which we’re sure will turn out for the best and result in mutual benefit for all involved. On an unrelated note, can you hold this dagger? Oh no, that isn’t a blood stain; it’s just rust.

We have come a long way from Onette Valley everyone! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I join Ness, Paula, and Jeff in the world of Earthbound. From secret waterfalls to parental neglect, there is a lot to discuss If you are playing along with us, we discuss the events just up to Summers. We hope you enjoy your stay at our desert shack on the internet!

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 55 mins 05 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

Classic arcade characters are on the rampage, Kojima has disappeared, and Nintendo has acknowledged the existence of smart phones: what the heck is happening out there? This week, Jorge and I do a quick news roundup in an attempt to make sense of the chaos. If we try to predict the box office, the fate of Kojima productions, and Nintendo's 5-year strategy, we have to get at least one. I believe that's how statistics works.

The Game Developers Conference, PAX East/Prime/South/West/Arctic, Twitch Con. There are just so many conventions to attend each year, all hoping to grab your attention with a selection of games, from Triple A to indie. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss the landscape of fan conventions, the presence of virtual reality hardware, and some of the games at the three conventions that just wrapped up over the past couple weeks.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 37 mins 45 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

Zombies, fits of uncontrollable crying, and idyllic villages full of aliens: just another day in Earthbound. We return to our game to talk about parenthood, friendship, and cryptozoology. We've played up to Ness' arrival in mysterious and (confusing) Saturn Valley. Hopefully we haven't lost any of you to those vicious new age hippies. Feel free to share your spirit journey experiences in the comments.

You probably have a box of them in your house. Some of them might be broken or worn down through use. Others you may have broken throwing against a wall. They are video game controllers, and we love to hate them and argue which are better than others. But how do controllers express their own meaning?

This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I are inspired David Shimomura's recent piece on "The semiotics of controllers." With so many buttons, we'll have plenty to discuss.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 32 mins 28 secs

- "The semiotics of controllers," by David Shimomura, via Kill Screen.

- Music by Brad Sucks

Why is the thimble the best Monopoly piece? What makes naked Shulk so enraging? Why does your best friend always pick the red token? Lots of things influence the avatars we pick in games. Inspired by G. Christopher Williams' piece about his affinity for blue, we dive into the rationale behind the characters we pick. What color palette is near and dear to your heart? Let us know in the comments!

It's time to take the black my sworn brothers and sisters. This week on the EXP Podcast, we jump right back into a world dark and full of terrors: Game of Thrones. Telltale's story continues, taking us on a journey from Essos, to Westeros, and the Wall.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 62 mins 56 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks, HBO's Game of Thrones

The time has come! Grab your baseball bats and and your hamburgers because it's time to play Earthbound. We start our journey with some broad thoughts about this supremely strange game and make it to the Happy Happy Village before calling our dad and turning in for the night. Playing along with us? Don't hesitate to visit the comments and ward off your homesickness.