The Experience Points Podcast

Games for Change, the organization dedicated to games that seek to impact society in some positive way beyond the production of entertainment, just hosted its 11th annual festival in New York this year. I was lucky enough to attend in person and check out a host of speakers discuss this surprisingly large subset of the industry. This week on the podcast, Scott and I discuss some of the festival highlights, insights, and controversies.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 34 min 36 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

Blame it on the war economy, blame it on the nanomachines, or blame it on our secret admiration of mullets; the bottom line is that Jorge and I found ourselves sneaking through Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. It's a fascinating game in both positive and negative ways and we take the opportunity to think about Ground Zeroes and what it says about the series as a whole. Topics discussed include bullet time, the harlem globetrotters, and foot textures; all things that Hideo Kojima undoubtedly has strong opinions about. As always, we're looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments!

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

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

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

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 46 min 01 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

Werner Herzog has been pretty busy lately, so Valve has to take it upon themselves to produce a feature documentary about DOTA 2. This week on the podcast, Scott and I dissect Free to Play, a personal look into the 2011 Internationals. You can actually check out the documentary on YouTube, in full, and when you do, let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Show notes:

- Runtime: 52 min 11 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

As if trying to mimic the vast reach of the river with which it shares its name, Amazon is pushing into the media player market. Unsurprisingly, The Amazon Fire TV will tie into video streaming services, but it looks as if games will also be a significant feature. It has a game pad and Minecraft, so things seem pretty serious. But what does the gaming library and the way it is marketed really say about how Amazon is approaching games? How will this change the console experience? Will Amazon continue on its path to knowing us better than we know each other? All this and more is discussed on this week's show.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

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

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

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 31 min 40 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

Our submersible is ready and our scuba gear is donned. We are ready once again to visit the terrible sunken city of Rapture. This week in the EXP Podcast, Scott and I delve into Burial at Sea, the final story-driven DLC for Bioshock Infinite. Does it wrap up the series with a beautifully designed bow? Or does it stir up more deep-sea sediment than it's worth?

Show notes:

- Runtime: 41 min 10 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

Jack in to net, cyber-citizens: it’s time to talk about virtual reality. More specifically, it’s time to chat about the looming release of several VR headsets. This podcast was recorded a couple days before Facebook-Oculus Rift bombshell was announced, so view it as a quaint time capsule commemorating our pre-Zuckerberg matrix existences. As always, we’re looking forward to hearing about your VR hopes, dreams, and nightmares in the comments!

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

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

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

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 35 min 23 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I drop into Respawn's Titanfall, and what a drop it is! How well does the mech-shooter live up to expectations? Does the multiplayer campaign revolutionize FPS storytelling? Do pilots pee in the suit? Find out by listening to our chat below! And of course, hope into the comments to let us know your thoughts on one of this year's biggest releases.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 43 min 36 sec

- Add us on Origin (EXPShen and SJuster)

- Music by: Brad Sucks

Spring may be on the horizon for us, but things continue to get colder and darker in for Clementine and the rest of The Walking Dead crew. The weather is getting worse, too. As usual, we spend some time discussing the overall story arc and gameplay systems before launching into plot details. Jorge and I had a few notable differences in our playthroughs, so we’re eager to hear about the consequences of your decisions in the comments! - Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

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

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

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 48 min 45 sec

- Thanks to Colin who emailed us about the minimalist UI tip!

- Music by: Brad Sucks

Between Double Fine's first steps into the crowd sourced funding landscape and Broken Age's release this past month, Kickstarter came of age. Our expectations have soared to great heights, plummeted back down like a rock, and risen again, depending on the project. This brave new world has seen numerous indie darlings released, does Broken Age still stand out two years after it first captured our collective heart? Find out in this week's podcast! Also, let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 41 min 15 sec

- Music by: Brad Sucks

There are some weeks when I swear I spend as much time watching games as I do playing them. Let’s Plays, Twitch streams, and tournament broadcasts are thriving. The usual assumption behind all these types of broadcasts is that there are people on the other end controlling them. What happens when there isn’t? Strangely enough, it’s easy to find game broadcasts in which humans are relegated to the sidelines. This week we talk about the allure of AI vs. AI violence, the allure of gambling, and what happens when thousands of people try to plan a Rube Goldberg machine.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes

- Find the show on Stitcher

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

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

- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 30 min 17 sec

- Video Game Championship Wrestling

- Salty Bet

- Twitch Plays Pokemon

- Music by: Brad Sucks