EXP Podcast #687: The 2022 Gamey Awards

The cat from Stray eyes the Animal of the Year award

It's time to sum up the year in the most traditional way: by having animated discussions about superfluous game mechanics, waifus/husbandos, and the most "gamey" games of the year.  This is the episode that most exemplifies our "serious but not humorless" take on medium and it is one we look forward to all year.  Thanks as always for listening!

- 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:

- Run time: 1 hr 6 min 6 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #686: Game Awards 2022 Debrief

This song's for you!

It's time to dive into all the adorable, terrifying, and black goop filled goodness from the Keighley's 2022 Game Awards extravaganza! Armored Core? Death Stranding 2? Another Crash Bandicoot game!? Yes please!

- 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

EXP Podcast #685: Marvel Snap Chat

Galactus will eat your world and your cards.

Oh snap, it's time to get obsessed with a new card game!  What's that you say?  You think you're fully saturated by Marvel already?  Well check out these foil-variant chibi avengers cards and then despair at your own weakness as you begin another game.  Yes, this week we talk about Marvel Snap and its impact on the current gaming landscape.

- 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:

- Run time: 38 min 05 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #684: Steam Deck Debrief

Caution: Weighs 3 Tons

It's time to deck the halls... STEAM DECK the halls! This week on the EXP Podcast, we dive into Scott's latest handheld device - the Steam Deck.

- 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:

- Run time: 40 min 47 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #683: God of War Ragnarök First Impressions

What a great father-son apple cutter.

Ah: Feel that brisk chill in the air?  Smell that seared flesh?  Hear that deafening groan of the world serpent?  That's fimbulwinter baby and we are 100% here for it.  This week to have an initial discussion about God of War Ragnarök's opening hours.  Pull up a seat next to the fire and let's work through some father figure issues together.

- 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:

- Run time: 40 min 47 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #682: Date Night

Crank it!

Back after some rough colds, we bring with us a tiny yellow Play Date, which is great for sick days! Also, Scott has made a great accomplishment in the Lands Between.

- 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

EXP Podcast #681: Hello Mario and Goodbye Stadia

Mario needs a cough drop

Google decided to shut down Stadia, so unfortunately all those games you may have bought are evaporating in what you might call a cloud-like manner. Don't worry though: something has appeared to fill the spiritual void: it's Mario's new voice. This week we talk about the artistic and moral tightrope that is the Super Mario Bros. Movie as well as the postmortem view of Stadia.

- 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:

- Run time: 33 min 40 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #680: Chess Cheating & Fishy Business

Hans translating morse?

This week on the EXP Podcast, cheating is everywhere! From a chess story that includes major upsets, multiple cheating accusations, and rumors of butt-plug involvement to a fishing scandal that almost riled up a violent mob. Could it be that digital competitions are more authentic than real world events?

- 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:

- Run time: 40 min 46 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #679: The Immortal Cult of Kirby

Exploit those i-frames, Kirby.

It's officially Fall, which means we have precious few weeks to wrap up some of the other games we've been playing before the end of year release bounty arrives.  This week we come with a pretty wide selection, both thematically and mechanically.  We explore the goofier side of cult-life with Cult of the Lamb.  We have a snack at the end of the world with Kirby and the Forgotten Land.  And we get side eye from our significant others as we painstakingly scrub through full-frontal sex scenes in Immortality.

- 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:

- Run time: 40 min 46 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP #678: News & Kojima Check-in

Oh hi. It's me again!

This week on the EXP Podcast, we check in on Kojima's podcast - apparently there's a robot? We also dive into some news and games from Nintendo and Sony. Where will it take us? Let's fall out of the sky with Link and aim for somewhere good.

- 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:

- Run time: 32 min 04 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #677: Gamescom 2022 Grab Bag

I would love if it was a live call in show.

We couldn't move past Gamescom without taking a look at some of the announcements that got our attention.  But really, we should all acknowledge the elephant in the room Hideo Kojima's new podcast.  We implore you: find room in your heart for two podcasts.  But if you can't, we get it: morbid curiosity alone is enough to check out Kojima's new show.  Just know that, after it's revealed that his podcast was just an elaborate way to get all your Internet-connected devices trapped in a massive botnet dedicated to forming a strand-based compute cluster for optimizing egg recipes while listening to mp3s of Bauhaus vinyl records, we will welcome you back with open arms.

- 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:

- Run time: 32 min 04 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #676: From the Source

"This would make for a great game."

Inspired by a conversation about the Netflix Sandman adaptation, we venture through dream to discuss the creative origins of some of our favorite (and less favorite) games. Some have changed dramatically from the source material, many for the better!

- 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

EXP Podcast #675: Manual Nostalgia

You know, just the details you need to get started.

Sometimes you just make one of those wholesome internet finds that completely derails your afternoon in the best way possible.  My most recent example is my realization that a bunch of old video game manuals and guides have been lovingly digitized on Archive.org.  Not only has this enabled me to pump those sweet nostalgia chemicals into my brain, it allows me to harass my family about how cool retro game art was with complete visual aids.  This week we dive into some of our favorite instruction manuals and game guides and attempt to not sound a million years old.

- 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:

- Run time: 37 min 44 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #674: Goodbye Accolades

"Now teabag him boy!"

This week on the EXP Podcast, we say goodbye to a rarely used features on the PS5: Accolades. Is praise for your opponents dead? Have we given up on saving ourselves from toxicity with positive reinforcement!?

Almost certainly.

- 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

EXP Podcast #673: Call of Duty: Essential Warfare

Maybe Soap can buy himself a new haircut post-acquisition?

Corporate machinations make for some strange arguments.  This week in bizzaro mergers and acquisitions land, Microsoft is trying to downplay any potential regulatory roadblocks to the Activision deal by threading a hilarious needle: Call of Duty (while clearly valuable enough to be worth billions of dollars) isn't important enough to put them into anti-monopoly danger.  Sony is of course twisting the knife and claiming Call of Duty is an "essential" franchise within the gaming sector and beyond.  Regardless of who wins, we decided to take it as an opportunity to talk about the long-running franchise, its current influence, as well as what other franchises seem essential in today's landscape. 

- 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:

- Run time: 31 min 16 sec

- "Sony Says Call Of Duty Is An ‘Essential Game’ Series While Microsoft Argues It Ain’t," by Zack Zwiezen, via Kotaku

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #672: Stray Debrief

Who's a good kitty? I am!

Get our your cat ears and ready your fursona, it's time to talk about Stray, a game all about being a cat, hanging out with robots, and knocking things off shelves.

- 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 the Stray OST

EXP Podcast #671: Surprise, Courtesy of Kratos

"Surprise, mother fucker!

Well it figures: we voice our doubts about God of War Ragnarok's release date and Sony turns around and dunks a 2022 date right in our faces.  We were both totally surprised by the news, which got us thinking about other big and unexpected video game releases from past years.  This week, we talk about some of the events that have slipped by our prognostication prowess and why they were such memorable surprises.

- 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:

- Run time: 33 min 21 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #670: Neon White, Live Alive, and We Were Here Forever

Is this heaven or hell?

This week on the EXP Podcast, it's co-op puzzlers, action puzzlers, and a curiously-named RPG from the early 90s. We are chatting about some games we've been playing!

- 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

EXP Podcast #669: Summer Game Fest 2022

Summer fun with a freaky gun

For all its troubles, E3 has still managed to leave a vacuum in its absence.  But just like nature, the game industry abhors a vacuum and plenty of summer previews have rushed in to take place.  This week we talk about Summer Game Fest, the Xbox showcase, and various other announcements.  We also get very philosophical about space, much to nobody's surprise.  

- 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:

- Run time: 41 min 56 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #668: Another Sonic Facelift

"This shit again?"

Sonic fans are back at it again, this time demanding Sonic go...slow? Also on this week's podcast, we chat about Resident Evil coming to Netflix with a new live-action TV series and some of the cool looking games from Sony's most recent State of Play!

- 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:

- Run time: 40 min 25 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #667: 2022 Best Seller Check In

This little freak is enjoying your money.

By the time you're done reading this sentence, someone has purchased Mario Kart 8.  This week, we take a look at the NPD group's list of 2022's best selling games to date.  Figuring out true sales numbers is an imperfect science these days, but if this is even somewhat accurate, it means that a whole lot of you out there are could be best described as "Tarnished."

- 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:

- Run time: 40 min 25 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #666: Straight to Hell

Satan from P5 needs a hug

It's episode 666 (mark of the beast!), which means it's time to throw the horns and get down with the devil. This week on the podcast, we chat about devilish and demonic video 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:

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #665: MultiVersus Madness

Shaggy, pictured here going super saiyan

The Iron Giant is back and this time it's personal.  But first, he's going to go on a late night Jack in the Box run with Shaggy.  This week, we talk about the MultiVersus announcement, what it says about media megacorp crossovers, and who we think we could take in a video game fight.  Watch your back, Kojima.

- 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:

- Run time: 36 min 50 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #664: Rogue Legacy 2 Debrief

"I have a gluten intolerance!"

It's time again for us, our children, and our children's children to throw ourselves into the castle that is Rogue Legacy 2. It's been ages since the last game game out - and over 420 episodes, so there are some major changes. But does it reignite our passion and meet the standards of today's Rogue-lites?

All this and more in this week's debrief!

- 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:

- Run time: 45 min 24 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #663: Gaming with The Batman

These new Fortnite skins are getting intense

After watching the recent Batman movie, we came to a couple conclusions: 1) Batman's gamer tag is probably "V3ngence_420" and 2) there are some very interesting parallels between this latest cinematic take on the caped crusader and recent video game portrayals.  This week we dive into the movie as well as various Batman games and how they've built on such an iconic character. 

- 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:

- Run time: 45 min 24 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #662: The Forever Streaming Wars

Flappy Bird Box!

An update to the last podcast, Sony has updated their subscription policies and offerings and it's honestly getting better. Also, Netflix has a very bad week. Will they really invest heavily in gaming in the near future? Subscribe 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:

- Run time: 41 min 35 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #661: Difficulty and Delays in the News

The next person who complains about delays is in trouble.

This week we're dipping into some recent and headlines around game difficulty as well as the difficulty of putting on a physical event in the year 2022.  Games like Eldin Ring and Tunic are still very much top of mind and their popularity has brought people to revisit how best to navigate the balance between challenge and letting players experience all a game has to offer.  Back on the release and conference front, we talk about some MIA Nintendo games as well as the increasingly unpredictable future of everyone's favorite reason to escape from LA: E3.

- 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:

- Run time: 41 min 35 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #660: Vampires, Maps, and Miquella

This is my whip.
There are many like it...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we fight hordes of monsters in the bullet-hill homage to Castlevania - Vampire Survivors. We also revisit and share some closing thoughts on Tunic and Elden Ring. Now, on to the Pacifist Pete run!

- 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 and Vampire Survivors OST

EXP Podcast #659: The Playstation Plus Premium Puzzle

Can I subscribe to those abs?

The video game subscription scene got a bit more crowded this week after Sony revealed their new PlayStation Plus tiers.  It's clear they're leaning into the retro angle as well as streaming games, but how does it compare to what Microsoft and Nintendo are doing?  This week we do some analysis as well as grapple with the tangled web of monthly recurring bills that has come to comprise the bulk of our entertainment budgets.

- 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:

- Run time: 57 min 32 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #658: Oops, All Castles

Souls players before Blight Town.

This week on the EXP Podcast, we get into Tunic - an adorable little homage to Zelda that actually seems pretty difficult. We also get back on the Elden Ring horse (Torrent, I guess), and explore what makes this game, or all Souls games, special.

- 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

EXP Podcast #657: Journey - 10th Anniversary Debrief

Here's to another 10 years!

Every year, Jorge and I play Journey on the anniversary of its release.  We don't always talk about it since, honestly, if you took a drink every time we mentioned Journey on any randomly-selected show you'd probably be rushed to the hospital before the episode ended.  However, this year is special: we are celebrating a decade of Journey!  We're ten years in and still finding new things to appreciate about one of the medium's truly outstanding works.  We hope you can join us in continuing the discussion and perhaps even go with us on next year's trip through the desert?

- 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:

- Run time: 45 min 54 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #656: The Best Intros

"Now what?"

It's back to the beginning to discuss some of the best intros. Inspired by this Top 13 list, we talk about our own favorite introductions and why if you're new to the Souls franchise and playing Elden Ring you should really jump into holes.

- 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

EXP Podcast #655: Elden Ring Debrief, part 1

I'd hate to be the gardener at this castle.

Gather round, fellow Tarnished, and let us trade tales of accidentally falling off cliffs, getting one-shotted by weird tree monsters, and compulsively picking berries.  Elden Ring is here and it's time to do an initial debrief on our early hours with the game.  It appears to be a massive undertaking, so we will likely do subsequent check ins as we progress.  For now though, let's enjoy a moment of peace in our very own site of lost grace.

- 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:

- Run time: 59 min 54 sec

- Music from the Elden Ring OST

EXP Podcast #654: Sifu, Subnautica, and The Elden Wait

Before and after 2020

The Elden Ring is almost here, which means we are just biding our time with some video games and honing reflects and patience. This week on the Podcast, we speculate about what's coming in Elden Ring and follow-up with some thoughts on Sifu, the new Kung-Fu inspired brawler, and Subnautica, an older but fascinating deep-sea survival game.

- 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:

- Run time: 33 min 33sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #653: Pokemon Legends: Arceus and the What If Machine

What if...we caught 'em all?

What if they made a Pokemon game where Pokemon actually roamed the countryside?  What if you could actually interact or be attacked by wild Pokemon?  What if catching 'em all involved stealthy, precision pokeball tosses?  Sometimes we think about the alternate history or hypothetical tangents our favorite franchises and genres could take.  This week, we use Pokemon Legends: Arceus as a starting point to discuss what happens when an established idea or approach takes an unusual turn.  Is it everything we hoped for or should we be careful about we wish for?  All I know is that, no matter what the future holds, I have an army Bidoofs at my disposal.

- 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:

- Run time: 33 min 33sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #652: Big Industry Buyouts

$70 billion? That's a lot of Game Pass subs

Just when you thought tipping your barista 20% was spending big, Microsoft shocked the industry spending nearly 70 billion (yes, BILLION) on an acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. Now Sony's getting in with a Bungie acquisition. This week on the podcast, we talk about the big industry buyouts! - 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:

- Run time: 48 min 53 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #651: The Matrix Resurrections and Awakens Debrief

Members of the coolest discord server

Time to jack in!  Now that all the game of the year and new year's talk is out of the way, it's time to get back to what really matters: The Matrix.  Between Resurrections' divisive reception and the recent Unreal 5 demo, Neo and friends have been top of mind.  This week, we debrief about how video games and the Matrix intersect and evolve together.  Whether we still know kung fu is up for debate.

- 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:

- Run time: 48 min 53 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #650: The Year Ahead 2022

Is this the year of Sonic?

We are back from our short year-end hiatus ready to blast forward into 2022. Which means it's time to talk about some of our most anticipated games of this year, many of which may not come out, well, ever! From little indie darlings to major blockbusters, this is shaping up to be another great year to play all kinds of diverse and interesting 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:

- Music by Brad Sucks

EXP Podcast #649: 2021 Leftovers

Clank, you've had enough cookies already.

It's 2022, but we haven't quite finished the last crumbs of 2021 yet.  This week, we partake in the annual tradition of delicious leftovers: games that we didn't quite get to on our games of the year show.  I wonder what a Lombax's favorite dessert is and whether it's easy to microwave?

- 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:

- Run time: 32 min 29 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks