EXP Podcast #458: 2017 Game of the Year Leftovers

Gorogoa: 2017's secret prettiest game

2017 was such a buck wild year for games, there's no way we could cover all of our top picks in a single podcast.  Luckily, we had the chance to dig into all the delicious leftovers and highlight more of the year's outstanding games!

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 40 mins 10 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #457: 2017 Games of the Year

Our Gamey Winner loved 2017!

One of the best years in gaming is coming to a close. Seriously. Throw a dart at a pile of 2017 games and you're likely to hit an absolute classic. Polygon even called 2017 "the best year in games since 2007," and that brought us The Orange Box, BioShock, Super Mario Galaxy, Rockband, and Mass Effect - and it's true. In other words, it was really difficult to cull down our favorite games to just three each.

Enjoy this week's podcast (we sure did). And hey. Let us know your 2017 GOTY, won't you? You can reach us by email, in the comments, or you can find us on Twitter. Be sure to come back next week for 2017 leftovers.


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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 57 mins 17 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #456: The 2017 Gamey Awards

Cheep cheeps and champagne; the perfect gamey pairing.

It's that time of year: the time where we gather together to celebrate the wonderful absurdity that is the video game industry.  2017 has been an outstanding year for games, but which game will win the coveted title of The Gamey-est  Game of the year?  Bust out the liquor and eggnog and listen in to find out.

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 57 mins 17 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #455: Nier: Automata Debrief

Casual Friday

This week on the EXP Podcast, we review the much-lauded Nier: Automata, a game that hides far more in its rusty, goofy-looking robots than you might expect. Love it or hate it, this is a one-of-a-kind game, so this is a debrief I've been eager to release. Give it a listen! When you're done, definitely look up the soundtrack - it's pretty great.

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 64 mins 38 sec
- Music from the Nier Automata OST

EXP Podcast #454: Loot Box Lunacy

So much turmoil in such a little box.

Download this podcast and open the file.  Surprise!  You have a 1 in 4000 chance of winning a special version in which our voices are played at 3x speed.  Most of you will get an episode in which we take a look at the recent loot box discussions and monetization plans in high profile games.  Sorry to disappoint those looking for a Chipmunks version of the podcast.

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 31 mins 43 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #453: Giving Thanks

Thanks Mario!

It's that time of the year where friends and families gather around an offensively large portion of food and give thanks. This time, Scott and I are joining the festivities by serving up some of the things we're thankful for in games. From esports money to in-game settings, here are some of the underappreciated life-changers we're glad to have in our gaming habitat.

Thanks, of course, to our listeners. We'll be back next week with more EXP Podcast. In the meantime, happy holidays!

If you listen to this whole episode, you unlock a Moon.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by 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
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #452: Mario Odyssey Debrief

There are moons EVERYWHERE!

Put on your travelling cap, it's time to take an Odyssey with Mario to save Princess Peach from a bad Tinder date. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss the much-anticipated Mario Odyssey. Join us while we discuss the dark origins of this particular tale.

If you listen to this whole episode, you unlock a Moon.

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 39 mins 08 sec
- Music from Super Mario Odyssey

EXP Podcast #451: News from Paris Games Week

Bask in the glory

Ah, Paris: city of Zombies, ninjas, and procedurally generated adventures.  This week, we talk about Sony's showing at Paris Games Week.  There was a surprising amount of brand new stuff, so we dig through the announcements and maybe even commit a bit of light blasphemy by comparing Spelunky to the bible.

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 40 mins 32 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #450: Cuphead Debrief

The splitting image of the podcast hosts.

Scott and I have weaved our way through a barrage of bullets, over fields of violent vegetables, and through terrifying trainyards to bring you this week's EXP Podcast. At least, Cuphead is here and we've drunk down all (or most) of what the game has to offer. What makes this game so special? How difficult is Cuphead really? And did the conversation around its challenging nature tarnish our anticipation for this cartoon-era-inspired gem? All this and more down below!

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 48 mins 12 sec
- Music from the Cuphead Soundtrack

EXP Podcast #449: Pyre Debrief

Seems like a poster I would've hung in my room as a kid.

Hope in our magic wagon and mind the drive imps: it's time for a full debrief on Pyre!  We touched on it a few episodes back, but now that we've both finished, it's time to talk about the weird intersection of arcade sports, turn based strategy, and dating simulators that is Pyre.

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 42 mins 18 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #448: Too Cool To Be True

"I listen to the podcast with a glass of rosé."

This week on the EXP Podcast, we have reports from Destiny 2's first raid, our thoughts on the upcoming slate of Nintendo games as well as the company's bizarre approach to streaming, and a conversation about Red Dead Redemption 2. Will "Juan" Marston make an appearance? I sure hope so. All this and more, so give it a listen!

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 39 mins 22 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #447: Epic PUBG Drama

This is  business casual, right?

Forget about the carnage taking place within the slowly shrinking blue circle; this week we're talking about a vicious battle taking place outside of Playerunknown's Battlegrounds.  Ok, maybe it's actually more of a slap fight, but even so it's still entertaining.  Epic has decided to release its own Battle Royale mode in their game Fortnite, but Blue Hole (publishers of PUBG) don't like the fact that their engine vendor seems to be directly lifting their playbook.  I think the only way to resolve this is to drop them both onto and island and let them battle for supremacy.

- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by 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 03 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #446: Players Behaving Badly

"Nerf Toxic D.Va Skin. Bliz Plz."

This week on the EXP Podcast, we wrestle with the dark underbelly of online gaming - its own players. With toxicity causing trouble in Overwatch, Steam's failure to address racist community groups, Campo Santo striking back against PewDiePie, the topic is on our mind. Even Bungie is reeling from a piece of armor that looks uncomfortably similar to a white supremacist logo. How should developers and publishers police their own communities? Should they?

This is a touchy subject this week folks. We're sending our positive thoughts your way. Keep up the good fight!

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 29 mins
- "Why I Deleted My Steam Account," by Brendan Sinclair via gamesindustry.biz
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #445: Destiny 2 and Pyre check in

That's one heck of a traffic jam.

Jorge and I have been hard at work.  Jorge has been fulfilling his destiny to become the best-dressed guardian in the universe while I've been practicing my 360 tomahawk jams.  This week we do a check in on two of our most anticipated games of 2017: Destiny 2 and Pyre.

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

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 43 mins 21 sec
- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #444: Tacoma Debrief

"Why do I gotta be yellow!?"

In space, no one can hear you scream against unsafe working conditions and unethical labor contracts with faceless multinational corporations. This week on the podcast, we put on our space pants and drift into Tacoma. What does this short little follow-up to Gone Home have to say about AI, humanity, and the corporatocratic future? Join us and find out!

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

Show Notes:

- Music from Tacoma by Chris Remo
- Runtime: 45 mins 07 sec

EXP Podcast #443: Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Debrief

Maybe she's born with it...

This week we take a journey to the north and debrief on Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.  This game was flying beneath our radar, but we couldn't be happier that we made the time to play it.  Do yourself a favor: grab some headphones, carve out a few hours, and thank your lucky stars that you don't live under the constant threat of being stalked by Fenrir.

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

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks
- Runtime: 53 mins 40 sec

EXP Podcast #442: Titanfall 2 and Mecha Boredom

"I'm cool, right?"

This week on the EXP Podcast, we pay a visit to Titanfall 2 and wonder where everyone went. Was it the dull brown of the landscape that cleared the room? Would this game be more popular if it had brighter colors, cooler names, or banana rockets? The answer is clearly yes.

Everything is better with banana rockets.

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

Show Notes:

- Music by Brad Sucks
- "Titanfall's smartphone game offers a possible insight into why the series is struggling," by Christian Donlan via Eurogamer
- Runtime: 34 mins 22 sec