The Experience Points Podcast

40 Episodes
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By: Jorge Albor, Scott Juster, Experience Points

A weekly show from the authors of ExperiencePoints.net. Each episode we will have an in depth conversation on a particular video game related topic.

EXP Podcast #775: Summer Game Fest 2025 debrief
06/15/2025

Forget weather patterns and school schedules; the real mark of summer is a shotgun blast of game announcements.  This week we pick up the pieces of Summer Game Fest as well as some of the adjacent company-focused announcements.  A slew of Souls-likes, combative muppets, and a very cool looking Big Walk are all on the horizon.


James Bond, Silent Hill F, and More State of Play
#774
06/08/2025

This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss the announcements out of Sony's State of Play - recording just a day before Summer Games Fest, so there's a bounty coming! Today it's why James Bond lacks character, what's so unsettling about Silent Hill F, and much more!


EXP Podcast #773: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Doom: The Dark Ages
06/02/2025

Grab your baguette, it's time to le rip and le tear your way through hell.  This week we jump into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Doom: The Dark Ages.  Two games that, while seemingly very different, share a similar commitment to their mechanical and aesthetic themes.  Who knew the mass destruction of an entire age group and jaunt through the realm of the old gods would be so much fun?


The "Dad Game"
#772
05/17/2025

Pull your pants up, put away your smoker, and tuck the kids into bed folks it's time to play a dad game! This week on the podcast, we dive deep on what makes a quintessential "dad game," why Remedy's upcoming FBC Firebreak might fit the bill, and what we look for in game for parents with very little free time.

Show notes:

- "Remedy says it’s made a Control shooter ‘for Dads’" from VideoGamesChronicle
- Music from Brad Sucks 


EXP Podcast #771: Gouging, Gears, and Grand Theft Auto VI
05/11/2025

We turn out back for just one week and everything falls apart: Xbox prices are sky-rocketing.  Marcus Fenix is doing the roadie run onto the PlayStation.  One of the biggest releases of the year and maybe even the last ten years is now delayed.  This week we try to pick up the pieces and figure out how they all fit together.


EXP Podcast #770: Switch 2 Comeback
#770
05/03/2025

We are late bringing this one in but on the bright side, the ripple effects of the tariff policies and the shaky economy are still rocking the games industry anyway! This week we revisit the Switch 2 console after the announcement hype has died down. Some things change but Nintendo isn't one of them.

 

Show Notes:
- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #769: South of Midnight and other Spring Break Gaming
04/21/2025

We're back from spring break and ready to talk about some of the games we've played over the past couple weeks.  Our stops include new destinations like the swamps of South of Midnight, the shifting rooms of Blue Prince, and fungus fields of Avowed.  There's even a return to Hollow Knight's creepy-crawly caverns as we look to wrap up the year's early months.


Nintendo Switch 2 Reactions
#768
04/05/2025

Nintendo unveiled all the juicy details about the Switch 2 this week and in classic Nintendo fashion the news came with a great deal of excitement, bafflement, and surprise. And all of this recorded even before the Tariff's delayed the release of the already expensive console even further! Join as we run down our surprises and disappointments.

 

Show notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #767: 2025 Journey Debrief
03/27/2025

Our annual springtime ritual continues!  It's the time of year when our eyes are watering and we can't quite tell if it's due to the return of seasonal allergies or because of the sheer majesty of thatgamecompany's 2012 masterpiece: Journey.  As always, we share our thoughts on this year's playthrough and we also review a bit of the 2012 video game landscape, review what we were playing, and put Journey in context with other big releases of the year.  Hope to see you in the desert next year!


Citizen Sleeper 2 & Monster Hunter Wilds
#766
03/15/2025

This week on the podcast we venture through the raggedy outer reaches of Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector to the monster filled dunes and valleys of Monster Hunter Wilds. Two vastly different games with enough fascinating and sometimes infuriating designs to chew through. Join us on our adventure and be sure to download the amazing Mr. Broccoli in your Wilds campaign!


Code: F99PE4N38B64 

Show notes:

- Intro from Monster Hunter Wilds
- Outro from the Citizel Sleeper 2 OST


EXP Podcast #765: Pokemon, Prices, and Putting up With It
03/09/2025

A blurry tree here and little upsell there can't be so bad, can it?  But what happens when these little annoyances build into something that truly irritates people into action?  This week we have ugly Pokemon and triple-digit game prices are top of mind as we talk about some recent dust-ups in both the fan and financial circles.


Final Fantasy VII Rebirth & Dragon Age: Veilguard Debrief
#764
02/23/2025

This week on the podcast we share a lot of mixed feelings about two of last year's biggest RPGs. What compels us to finish games like these? Who knows!?


Show Notes:
- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #763: Secret Level Debrief
02/05/2025

What with the hectic holiday season and all the game of the year madness, we were so busy talking about games that we didn't have time to talk about games-adjacent things like Secret Level.  The streaming anthology series takes direct inspiration from some very well known (and not so well known) games, so we sat down to debrief on what makes a good short-form cross-media game story.  Honestly, we're still having nightmares about the Pac-Man episode.


Switch 2 Announce Debrief
#762
01/19/2025

The Switch 2 announcement is here and it made a splash, but it's one of those tiny little splashes you see at the Olympics. Classic Nintendo, no notes. Join us this week as we discuss, dissect, and have a laugh with the Switch 2 announce trailer.


EXP Podcast #761: The Year Ahead 2025
01/11/2025

It's the beginning of the year and it's nothing but endless possibilities stretching out before us!  This week we continue our tradition of looking at this year's scheduled (and perhaps not so scheduled) releases and call out what we're most looking forward to.


2024 Leftovers
#760
01/05/2025

This week to take one last look backwards at 2024 and some of the amazing games that didn't quite make out Top 3. Happy near year everyone!

 

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #759: 2024 Game of the Year
12/28/2024

We've made it around the sun once more and we have a handful of great games to prove it.  But which games will be our favorite of year?  And will Jorge and I maintain our drift compatibility and choose the same game as our GOTY?  All this, along with more Balatro pro tips, in this week's show.


The 2024 Gamey Awards
12/22/2024

The most prestigious video game award show is back, celebrating once again not just the greatest bummers and mood lifters, but also the best Waifus/Husbandus, the most elegant games, and of course the gameyest. The 2024 Gameys are here!


EXP Podcast #757: Story Time with Shawn Layden
12/09/2024

Thanks to the recent 30th anniversary of the original PlayStation launch, there's been plenty of retrospectives about the system and the era it ushered in.  This week, we dig into Eurogamer's extended interview with Former Sony CEO Shawn Layden.  Layden's tenure at Sony spanned the pre-PlayStation era all the way through the PS4 and he offers some candid thoughts about the state of the industry, development costs, and why he may be the last of the console warriors.  Plus, he floats the concept of triple-A development being akin to building a massive cathedral and now I'm obsessed with the ima...


This Is My Favorite Xbox on the Citadel
#756
11/16/2024

According to Microsoft you probably have an Xbox in your pocket. So what's an Xbox again? This week on the podcast we chat Microsoft news and venture into the future... of television with the Mass Effect TV series.

Show Notes:

  - Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #755: Time to Face the Music
11/12/2024

Leave it to Nintendo: we turn our backs for just a couple of weeks and they exponentially increase their wackiness.  Well I can officially tell this to our favorite baffling company: Chill out, we're awake and we have ready access to the Internet!  Your clock and your music app is very cute, but shouldn't you be working on a new console or something?  Wake me up once you're ready to tell me what the Super Mario Odyssey team has been working on.


EXP Podcast #754: Silent Hyrule
#754
11/02/2024

Sick kids are on the mend so it's back to the gaming mines for us. This week on the show, we fight our way through fog to bring you debriefs on the Silent Hill 2 Remake, Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Balatro mobile, and the Plucky Squire!

Show notes:

Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #753: The PlayStation Paperclip and other Weird News
10/06/2024

I can't believe we missed out on the most important PlayStation Pro news when we talked about it a couple weeks ago.  Yes, your long nightmare of dealing with disorganized lose paper is over: Sony has created a solution and it only costs $1000.  But hurry: there's only 12,300 in existence, so act quickly or else you'll have to go crawling back to Clippy.  We dig into this as well as more stories on Professor Layton, Microsoft R&D, and Nintendo's secret police this week.


Astro Bot and UFO 50 Debrief
#752
09/28/2024

This week on the podcast, we discuss two of the most charming love-letters to video games of all time, both of which are not just loaded with nostalgia, but also amazing games (or games-in-games) all on their own!

Show notes:

- Music from the Astro Bot Launch Trailer and the UFO 50 Launch Trailer


EXP Podcast #751: PlayStation 5 Pro and Con
09/16/2024

The PlayStation 5 Pro was formally announced and I have to say that my favorite part by far was listening to the calming timbre of Mark Cerny's voice as he explained highly technical things in a way that made me feel like I could understand it.  His sonorous, professorial presentation was perhaps the only thing that could have calmed my jangled nerves after seeing that $700 price point.  This week, we discuss the announcement and what we think it means for the PlayStation landscape.


EXP Podcast #750: Concord Confusion
09/08/2024

As the saying goes: "Grand opening, grand closing."  This week we recap the baffling Concord situation and what it means as part of the broader game landscape.  Along the way we check in on some other games, ranging from Flock, to Black Myth: Wukong, and Deadlock as part of a late summer check in.


Gamescom 2024 Debrief
#749
08/24/2024

We're off to Germany this week to discuss some of the exciting  - and not-so-exciting - news coming out of Gamescom 2024. News, Molyneuxs, and more, oh my!

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #748: The End of Game Informer
#748
08/17/2024

This week on the EXP Podcast we say goodbye to a games industry institution. We also briefly discuss Fortnite, cultural conglomeration, and gambling!

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #747: Looking at Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
08/14/2024

This week we do a summer check in on some of the games we've been playing.  Strangely, they're all some form of retro-inspired RPG/adventure style games.  There's the Commodore 64-era inspired Skald: Against the Black Priory.  There's the Super NES era Super Mario RPG remake.  And there's the PS1-aesthetic adventure game homage, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes.  Lorelei was of particular interest, as it inspired us to lean into the artistic approach and go back to pen and paper as a way to solve puzzles and remember information.  It's a good sign when a game inspires a notebo...


EXP Podcast #746 - Hard Pass
#746
07/27/2024

Time and money is at a premium, are we spending it on Game Pass, in-game purchases, or another caramel macchiato? This week on the podcast, we explore some news about digital games and purchases.

 

Show Notes:

- Game Pass Tiers, Capcom Digital Sales, and In-App Purchases - Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #745: Spicy Art Takes
07/20/2024

The only thing hotter than this summer's weather is this collection of spicy takes.  This week, we use Polygon's collection of provocative opinions as a jumping off point to revisit some of the fundamental arguments that started us down this wacky path.  Will we ever figure out what art is and do video games qualify?  Maybe the real art is the fun we've had arguing along the way.


Steam Deck Charts and More
#744
07/03/2024

Just in time for the Steam Summer Sale, Valve has dropped three lists of the most popular games played on the Steam Deck. These lists are updated in real time and reflect some trends in the industry. This week on the show, we run down the lists and share some of our favorite games on the Steam Deck - including a remaster of a classic: Riven.


EXP Podcast #743: Miyazaki and the Family Erdtree
06/30/2024

It's Elden Ring and The Shadow of the Erdtree time and with it comes the predictable discussion about difficulty in games.  I guess it makes sense that a game about making looping runs through a punishing world gets people fired up, but I still think it's hilarious that people seem to be surprised at how hard these games continue to be.  And thanks to a new interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki, we can be certain that this difficulty is not only intentional, but also pursued out of respect to players.  This week, we dissect some of his comments and consider the...


Nintendo Direct June 2024
#742
06/21/2024

The definitely NOT E3 window of events is over with one more big set of announcements. This week on the podcast, we discuss some exciting games coming to the Nintendo Switch - THIS YEAR!

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #741: Summer Game Fest 2024
06/17/2024

Now that the great collapse of the E3 ecosystem is well and truly complete, we're beginning to see saplings spring from the ashes.  And it's not just a few; Summer Game Fest and the numerous other publisher-specific, indie, PC, and various thematic conferences have quickly formed a forest and are spreading the video game news over the wind like a dense cloud of pollen.  This week we take our antihistamines and dive into some of the many game announcements we've seen over the past couple weeks.


EXP Podcast #740: State of Big Budget Play
#740
06/10/2024

This week on the EXP Podcast, in between Sony's announcements and Xbox's big news, we discuss the state of big budget first-party exclusives and what the future of publishing massively expensive games might look like.

Show notes:

"You can’t make AAA games for just one platform anymore" by Oli Welsh via Polygon Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #739: Animal Well Debrief
05/30/2024

I've always lived in areas with municipal water systems, so wells are a bit of a foreign concept.  But now that I've played Animal Well, I'm basically an expert.  I was surprised by the number of hidden eggs and platforming puzzles, but I guess that's just the miracle of underground waterways.  This week we debrief after seeing the credits, but most definitely not all the secrets, hidden in Animal Well!


EXP Podcast #738: Cults, Bullet Hells, and More
#738
05/11/2024

This week on the EXP Podcast, we record live from our sick bed to discuss recent industry news before getting into some games we've been playing - including Balatro, Children of the Sun, and Minishoot Adventures!

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks


EXP Podcast #737: The Fallout TV Series Debrief
04/27/2024

War never changes - the streaming television war, that is!  This week we do a deep dive on the new Fallout series.  Who knew the post-nuclear wasteland would have so many cameos in it?  And are those the jingle of spurs I hear?  Looks like The Man with No Name has become The Man with No Nose.


Goodbye to the Wii U
#736
04/14/2024

The Wii U, one of the worst selling consoles of all time, is finally shutting down its servers and turning off the lights. Today on the podcast we poor one out for a console ahead of its time, a messy, imperfect, but maybe a little prescient attempt by Nintendo to transform the gaming landscape.

 

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks