The Experience Points Podcast

Super Smash Bros. WiiU came out on Friday and yet we still haven't shown our complete and utter dominance as Jigglypuff yet. Why all the rush? Because some games are just meant to be played day one. But which games and why? Join us this week on the podcast while we discuss all the reasons you want to hop into the latest games, lest you miss out on something amazing.

Like a demonic phoenix rising from a feces-laden alter, The Binding of Isaac has returned.Rebirth adds cooperative play, scores of new items, and a visual remake (or de-make?). This week we return from our trip in the basement and rogue-likes, faith, and beasts of unimaginable horror.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed

- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

The yearly barometer for shooters and the games industry at large is out! Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare just hit store shelves we are heeding our own call of duty by reviewing and discussing the latest in the multi-million dollar franchise. How advanced is it? Will we ever defeat Robo-Putin? What is the most user-friendly design of a grenade? All this and more in this week's episode!

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Let’s talk about your most trustworthy companion. No, it’s not your dog or that flask you’re keeping in your jacket pocket. I’m talking about the thing that’s tucked into the corner of your vision, quietly monitoring you and keeping track of where you’re going and who you’re meeting: the mini-map. It’s a convenient tool, but how does it impact the way we impact the way we interact with a game’s world? Is there a line between a navigational enhancement and a crutch? How does this all relate to the Galactic Empire in Star Wars? Join us as we navigate are way through these questions.

This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I get up out of our seats and jump around! It's time to dissect the art and design of the perfect jump.

Oh! One other thing we forgot. The EXP Podcast has reached 300 episodes! Thanks to each and every one of you that have listened to the show over the years and jumped into this crazy experiment with us. We appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to filling your ear holes with more of "serious but not humorless" chatter.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 40 mins 43 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

Your digital library might be limitless, but your entertainment center only has so much space on it. At a certain point it’s time to box up your old consoles and join the next generation. Before that happens, it’s worth taking a time to look back on some of the games that probably won’t make the generational leap. Even in today’s environment of cross-platform releases and remastered releases, there inevitably be experiences that will soon be lost to the sands of time. This week we talk about a few of these games and make some predictions about what will fade away as the sun sets on the PS3, the Xbox 360, and the Wii.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed

- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

On your lunch break? Starving for a mouth-watering podcast to sink your teeth into? Look no further! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I head to the kitchen to discuss food in games. We round out the podcast at our usual thirty-minute mark, but there is a bounty of food topics to discuss in games. What are your favorite hunger mechanics? What are the most effective examples of eating in games? What is your favorite game that features food and why is it Chronotrigger?

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 30 mins 23 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

You wake up and roll out of bed. You strap on the rare gauntlets you found yesterday, you realize you don't have time for breakfast. When you reach the mouth of the cave, you load your rifle and pull the trigger. The thrall's head snaps back, it's body crumples to the ground, and you try to decide whether you hate this daily grind or whether it's the best thing in the world. This week, we revisit the concept of "grinding" in games. Whether it's farming rare items or trying to trying to level up, what lessons can we learn from devoting time to repetitive action? As always, jump into the comments and share stories from your time in the mines.

What does P.T. stand for? Podcast time! This week on the show, Scott and I explore the endless hallways of P.T. and come back with our thoughts on the Silent Hills playable teaser, the creative mind of Hideo Kojima, and what the final product might look like in its most fearsome iteration. Also, after to listen to the podcast, come back and watch the YouTube analysis of the game by Marszie in the show notes. It's pretty great.

"Well-weathered leather. Hot metal and oil. The scented country air. Sunlight on chrome. The blur of the landscape. Every nerve aware." Don't worry, we're not turning the podcast into a prog-rock analysis show. However, we are using this episode to talk about cars. Specifically, how video games might preserve automobile history as they change. This leads into a broader discussion on how games can act as archives or as tools to convey history. Feel free to jump into the comments with your picks for what video games should preserve for posterity.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed

- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format, or click play below.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 35 mins 55 secs

- "Preserving History in Gran Turismo," by Corey Milne, via Play the Past

- Music by Brad Sucks