Mark of the Ninja: Bugging Out

What's dark, has a million ravenous mouths, and is sneaking up right behind you? Jorge and Scott discover that ninjas bring a whole new meaning to the word "insecticide."

Christmas Crashes

We're still on holiday schedule around these parts, but I figured I can take a break from Super Mario 3D World and stuffing my face with leftovers for a quick update as well as a little grousing. Afterall, just as Batman and the Joker need each other, you can't have Santa without Krampus.

Christmas day brought an unexpected windfall of video games this year:

Not pictured is The Wonderful 101, another game I'm looking forward to digging into.

It's been a long time since I set up a new console and even longer since I set one up amidst the giddiness of Christmas morning. If I recall correctly, that honor goes to the Nintendo 64 and may have even involved an RF switch. Different times.

I completely expected a lengthy set up and update process, because that's just the way electronics ship these days. What I did not expect was this:

I thought I had outsmarted Nintendo by staying away from the Wii U and 3DS until they had a functioning, cross compatible online account and store strategy, but I guess the joke was on me. As I write this, I'm still unable to redeem my coveted Wind Waker HD game. It's a shame, since a game of that length is perfect for a week away from work.

It's cold comfort to both me and Nintendo, but they're not the only ones having a hectic holiday. PSN, XBL, Nintendo's Online services, and even Steam have experienced widespread network issues. It would be kind of impressive if it weren't so inconvenient. I can't remember another clean sweep of all four major online gaming networks.

It's hard to complain too much, as I know the services will eventually recover. A few days of shaky connections isn't the worst thing in the world, especially since my coveted Mario is safely contained on physical media. More important are the various implications issues like these make.

We're at the precipice of a wholly-digital games industry, but clearly companies either can not or have not properly invested in the infrastructure and logistics necessary to handle service surges. Maybe the fact that we're living in a hybrid world of both physical and digital media makes it hard to estimate demand? This might be true, but I'm even more certain that the network folks at all these companies are probably under-funded and understaffed. By their nature companies want to minimize expenses, which means that the philosophy of "It will probably be okay," often wins the day.

I'm thankful for the folks that are probably stuck in the office or trying to get their VPN connection to work from their homes in order to get things back on line. They were the ones that warned management of the need for more resources but were shrugged off and now they have to deal with the mess. The coal that rolls downhill is rarely produced by the people who ultimately have to deal with it.

Ultimately, episodes like these demonstrate the ongoing utility of traditional physical media. Until the technology and money behind it can support the desire to instantly play the new games you bought, you better hope Santa brings you disks.

EXP Podcast #256: Gift Giving and More GoTY

It's the last podcast of 2013 and it just so happens to fall on Christmas Day. In the spirit of giving, Hanah gives up some of her time to drop by and talk about gifts in games and some of the games that received her attention this past year. Presents, pirates, and pyromaniacs: we cover all this and more as we make plans for our cube-shaped utopia.

- 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: 26 min 39 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Batman: Arkham Asylum: Batsquats Edition

Hanah and Scott discover how Batman keeps himself in fighting shape.

A Note on the AK-47

A golden AK-47 from Call of Duty 2

Mikhael Kalashnikov died on Monday at the age of ninety-four. For FPS fans, the name probably sounds familiar. Kashnikov invented the AL-47, the most widely used assault rifle of all time, and we would be remiss if his passing went unnoticed by the games industry.

You have seen this weapon in almost every shooter you've played. While its efficacy changes from game to game, some characteristics remain generally consistent. The AK-47 tends to unload a clip of 39mm rounds incredibly quickly. The AK-47's incredible stopping power still makes it a perfectly suitable primary weapon in even modern day shooters. While its accuracy leaves something to be desired, its power in short and mid-range often makes up for its faults.

The gun is so common in games precisely because it is so common on the world stage. The weapon achieved some renown because it cheap to make, easy to use, and surprisingly durable. The weapon didn't jam or overheat as often as its competitors either, which made is a remarkably reliable weapon as well.
Produced by the Soviet Union, the AK-47 traveled across the world, fueling Cold War conflicts and falling into the hands of some of the world's more seedy elements. The AK-47 outlived the Soviet Union and its popularity and accessibility remained as strong as ever. The weapon became much used among rebels and warlords alike.

In video games, it is often the weapon we first encounter when facing whatever villainous terrorist organization the creators invent or borrow, and rightly so. The AK-47, and subsequent models, are plentiful the world over. Shipment of the weapons, from various nations, find their way into the hands of hateful organizations, pirates, freedom fighters, and farmers. In some ways, the AK-47 is a "third-world weapon", it is no wonder it appears so frequently in the hands of our video game enemies.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kalashnikov became a sort of hero in his time. He climbed the ranks quickly because of his invention, and his imprint on Russian history in particular was strong enough for the creation of a museum in his name. naturally, he also knew the mixed feelings people might have towards the inventor of so destructive a weapon, even if it was just one of many. Kalashnikov called it "a weapon of defense" not a "weapon of offense," perhaps to undo the negative connotations associated with his invention. The difference, of course, is moot. All weapons are weapons of offense.

I don't know if I have a particular message here other than an oft repeated one that maybe we all know. In games we treat weapons as toys, but the real world footprint of these things are immense. The creator of the AK-47 died this week. It does us well to remember our in-game objects often have real world origins.

Labor Relations and League of Legends

My latest PopMatters article is now live: Labor Relations and League of Legends.

Troubling news from eSports recently after Riot Games announced they would prohibit their LCS players from streaming their competitors' games. Riot quickly changed their tune after community backlash, but the issue has already been set. eSports has matured enough to begin raising issues of exploitation and commodification of its players, which means we've basically arrived, right?

I spend a good deal of this piece comparing League of Legends to the NFL, partly because this is what the game's creators are measuring themselves against. Riot calls their players athletes, people who have started an eSports career. Yet what these terms mean is still ill defined, especially when a "career" can start and end in just a few years. If we are meant to take the idea of professional gaming seriously, then we must consider it a legitimate profession, which in turn should be understood with labor relations in mind. Contract transparency and a collective association of competitive eSports players would be a great way to start.

The push for an organized player body must, eventually, come from the players themselves. Sorry LCS Champions, but I don't foresee ESPN coming to your aid any time soon:

EXP Podcast #255: 2013 Not Quite Games of the Year

Maybe next year, Aliens.

Last week we talked about our favorite games of 2013. While these were our favorite experiences of the year, they were not necessarily the games that took up most of our time and attention. Sometimes rough edges and flawed experiments make for the most thought-provoking discussion, so we decided to dedicate an entire episode that didn’t quite make it on our final list for 2013. We cover everything from anti-heroes, to indie darlings, to esports, all of which kept our minds occupied throughout the year. As always, feel free to jump in with your comments on what made the biggest impression on you in 2013.

- 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: 38 min 11 sec
- "On Videogame Reviews," by Tevis Thompson, via TevisThompson.com
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Dishonored - The Knife of Dunwall: Free the Whales

Join us as we assume the roll Daud, master assassin, connoisseur of fine canned meats, and animal rights. It's Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall and it's a sneaky, stabby good time.

Year-end Bests and Worsts in the Video Game Landscape

Image from PopMatters

This week at PopMatters I do a little year-end ranting and raving.

I’ve come to enjoy the retrospective seasons. Game releases slow down and you get a chance to take a look back not only on the year’s most interesting games, but also on the broader trends in the medium. In fact, Jorge and I like it so much that we recorded a podcast on our favorite games of the year and will release a second one about the most thought-provoking games that, while they weren’t our favorites, took up lots of our brainspace throughout the year.

As far as the bulk of the negative stuff goes, the fact that the VGX show just happened very much helped to encapsulate most of the stuff that bothers me about “video game culture.” I use that term hesitantly as that phrase seems increasingly tied to a loosely affiliated group of ideas held together by stereotypes, exclusivity, and immaturity. In enjoy a good Cheeto joke as much as the next guy, but it has to feel like it's mocking the stereotype, not the group of people being stereotyped.

As for the positive stuff, it's all pretty straightforward. Broadcasting, the most exciting feature of the new consoles, seems to be a smashing success and the barrier of entry when it comes to content creation is historically low and still falling. Maybe a collection of small voices can drown out the idiotic isolated roar of the VGX vision of gaming?

I don't know, but here's to hoping 2014 will be a step in the right direction.

EXP Podcast #254: 2013 Games of the Year

Is Ride to Hell our GOTY? Probably not.

2013 is coming to a close and it was, well, a strange one. As is tradition, it is time to choose and discuss our personal selection of favorite games! Join us this week as we revisit some of this year's best, and be sure to come back next week when we talk about all the big games that didn't quite make our list. Of course we would love to hear from you. What were your top three games of 2013?


- 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: 40 min 07 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

What is this: Scoregasm

Pulling once again from the depths of the Steam library, Scott and Jorge explore Scoregasm. We also explore the true meaning of "bullet hell", wrestle with technical challenges, and discuss the strange politics of eSports. Check out the video below and let us know your thoughts on all of the above, as well as keyboard recommendations for Scott!

Game Lessons Learned from the Films of 2013

Poster for Short Term 12

My latest PopMatters article is now live: Game Lessons Learned from the Films of 2013.

As someone whose live is heavily dominated by games, I tend to think about them even when I don't plant to. Sometimes I'm sitting there in the movie theater thinking "Wow. Keanu could definitely take over for Nolan North in an Uncharted spin-off." Alright, maybe we can't take too many lessons from A Walk in the Clouds. Still, movies matter to games, and vice versa. We can learn a lot from storytelling across mediums, and every year I find a handful of movies that resonate with me not just as excellent cinematic works, but as spotlights on ways games can experiment and explore certain themes or styles. This piece is my exploration of five such films that came out this year, some of which are viewable right now, either in theater or online.

Since we are already on the subject of movies, why not talk about a few more of my favorites from this year. Of my list five films, only two make it into my personal list of Top 5 films I have seen so far this year. To this personal ranking, I would add the nearly perfect Blue Jasmine. Woody Allen's latest is amazing, a funny albeit deeply depressing and unrelenting story.

Nearly every character in the film is despicable in one way or another, particularly the men. Unfortunately the two sisters leading the film have their personal self-identities so entwined with the men in their lives that they are incapable of escaping their implosive destinies. Blue Jasmine is an excellent look at the perils of gender identity and compromised agency. Good times! I almost put it on my PopMatters list, but felt Frances Ha covered some of the same ground well enough.

I was also struck this year by Destin Cretton's Short Term 12, about a few staff members at a foster care home for trouble youth. Director and writer, Cretton based a lot of the script on his own experiences working at a foster care facility. The film itself is touching, intimate, and extremely hopeful. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Gone Home, which approaches its subject matter with the same level of care and affection. Both experiences feel personal, in both the drama and the warmth. Like Blue Jasmine, I also wanted to put it on my list. Ultimately, I thought both Frances Ha and The Stories We Tell covers the intimate approach to storytelling. There are also a growing number of games, Dys4ia to Gone Home, that have figured what many filmmakers already do: good storytelling comes in many forms.

EXP Podcast #253: Meet the PS4

Santa came early to the Experience Points household and he brought a shiny new PlayStation 4 with him! This week, we dip a toe into the next generation and report back with some early impressions of the new system's controller, operating system, and social features. I don't know if you heard, but this thing also plays games! With this in mind, we share some thoughts on a few of the early releases. As always, feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts!

- 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: 37 min 33 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Fez: Owls, QR Codes, and Gimmicks

Jorge and Scott step back into the Fez's inter-dimensional mystery. Is Fez the Lost of video games? Will Fez's map finally push Jorge over the edge and into a murderous rage? Will Scott's notebook full of frantic scribbling pay off? The answers lie within.

Turkey Talk

Image from Giant Bomb

It's Thanksgiving here in the US, a holiday in which we try our darndest to ignore all the awkward historical baggage behind the occasion and focus on something more broadly agreeable: eating. More specifically, eating turkey. Since this is ostensibly a website about video games and not homespun recipes, I decided to keep things digitally focused and share some of my favorite results from searching "Turkey" in Giant Bomb's database.

Turkey Stuffin'

I can't do much better than the database summary: "Turkey Stuffin' is a mobile game where players are tasked with cramming ingredients into a live turkey's butt." Upon investigation, it seems like this is a completely accurate description. Have I been making turkey the wrong way all these years?

Farmville 2

I notice that the original Farmville isn't listed, so maybe "NOW WITH TURKEYS!" was a marquee feature for the sequel? When it comes to social games, I'm clearly out of the loop.

Farmerama

A turkey David to Farmville 2's turkey Goliath?

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

Before pandas there were (apparently) turkeys. Proof that you should always check the patch notes.

South Park

The game that always comes to my mind when I think about video game turkeys. If I recall correctly, you had to fight hordes of mutant turkeys bent on your destruction. Given that real American Thanksgiving also involves mass slaughter of genetically-modified birds, this seems to be a fitting tribute.

If it sounds like I'm bitter towards all the attention turkeys get, it's because I am. For me, turkey is largely a hurdle standing in the way of pie. But that's a topic for another day.

Have a great holiday, everyone! Enjoy the break and see you next week.

EXP Podcast #252: Beyond: Two Souls Debrief

Film poster cover for Beyond: Two Souls

The infamous and controversial David Cage of Quantic Dream is at it again! This time, he's got Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe on his side. Is this a huge departure from Heavy Rain? Has Cage achieved his vision? Is Aiden the "Ghost Dad" we've always wanted? Join us this week as we explore the "Infraworld" and let us know your thoughts on the game below!

- 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: 59 min 42 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

What is This: Jolly Rover

So when browsing our Steam library, Scott and I realized we each own a slew of weird games we have no recollection of buying. This week, we try out a strange new segment, "What is This?", in which we play these games with absolutely no foreknowledge of their contents. Join us on our first "ruff" encounter with Jolly Rover.

Asymmetry and Android Netrunner

Kate the Tinkerer

My latest PopMatters article is now live: Asymmetry and Android Netrunner.

I love asymmetric games. Natural Selection 2, Left 4 Dead, even, to some extent, the unfortunately named F.3.A.R. play around with asymmetry in rules systems in wonderful ways. Asymmetry is still a rarity, but when it does crop up, I find it endlessly fascinating. There is something wholly and wonderfully special about asymmetry in games. This week on PopMatters, I try to suss out exactly what makes these games so special.

Here's the problem: it's actually not that easy to do. See, plenty of multiplayer games, digital or analog, feature asymmetry, in a way, as a core mechanic. If you are a Pyro and I'm a Heavy in Team Fortress 2, we functionally play under a different set of rules. Hell, even chess could be considered asymmetric the moment one player loses his queen. When one player's affordances differ significantly from other, interesting dynamics emerse.

But still, games like Android Netrunner differ somehow from this casual definition of asymmetry. After thinking over a variety of asymmetric rules systems, I settle on the "safe practice of lopsided power struggles" as a defining feature in asymmetric games. There are certainly more design factors that set these games apart from their compatriots and I'll undoubtedly give the subject more thought. In fact, I would love to hear your theories. What do you think makes asymmetric games uniquely compelling?

Asymmetry aside, there are a lot of reasons to enjoy Android Netrunner. For one, the theme resonates beautifully with the game mechanics. The systems also work together so wonderfully, so tightly, that I find myself awed at new cards, my mind racing with all the ways it can be combined with others to make really cool decks. Since I rarely have the opportunity to actually play the game, I have spent more time in the deck construction process than in actual matches. I especially enjoy the limitations to corporation use that forces you to be judicious and adaptable when designing a deck. Building a customized system that suits your play style is a thrilling process in its own right.

In other words, you should seriously consider checking out Android Netrunner if you are given the chance. For admirers of well designed board game systems, Netrunner is one of the best.

EXP Podcast #251: Grand Theft Auto V Debrief

It took two months, but we finally did it: Jorge and I both finished Grand Theft Auto V. It was a massive game by any measure: its development time, the scope of its open world, it's sales numbers, etc. This week we devote an entire episode to GTA V's sprawling pseudo-Californian world. We cover everything from targeting mechanics to the game's unrelentingly degenerate cast and throw in some classic open-world stories for good measure. GTA V sparked some strong opinions from us, so we're interested to hear what you thought. Feel free to jump into the comments with your stories from Los Santos.

- 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: 54 min 52 sec
- "Two Important Things GTA V Is Still Getting Wrong," by Kirk Hamilton, via Kotaku
- Music by: Brad Sucks

League of Legends: ARAM to Remember

This week go once more into the breach with League of Legends: one lane, two teams, and whole bunch of chaos in the middle. Jorge helps carry his team to the front lines while Scott makes up jokes about alternate-universe X-men.

The Spirit of 'Call of Duty'

Image from PopMatters

This week at PopMatters I decompress from my annual return to Call of Duty.

The column is an expansion on a question Jorge raised in this week's podcast: why bother having a campaign in Call of Duty: Ghosts? To be fair, the question was asked partly in response to this year's mediocre showing. A completely nonsensical story, trite characters, and a critical path that makes Autopia seem like the open road doesn't come across as a compelling argument for creating a mode most people view as an afterthought.

However, there are those weirdos out there (like myself) who think the opposite. I know I'll never get good enough to be competitive or even enjoy the multiplayer very much. The campaign is where I get my fix for new equipment, tweaked mechanics, and manufactured bombast that does an acceptable job at seeming spontaneous (as long as you don't wander from the main path). It's a big, dumb palette cleanser from the independent, emergent, and open-ended games that take up so much of my time these days.

On a larger level, I actually think the CoD singleplayer remains important to study, even if it's increasingly irrelevant to many players. It continues to be the tip of the spear for the CoD marketing machine: the games are always debuted and initially marketed as scripted stories about terrorism and patriotism. Playing them is a glimpse into the shadowy psychology behind American exceptionalism and the blockbuster video game scene (not sure which is scarier). Every once in a while, they make an interesting point (even when they don't mean to), which separates the games from competitors that are unapologetically multiplayer driven.

By the time Ghosts wrapped up, I was at that point where I remembered both why I play the CoD campaign every year and why I was happy these things only happen once a year. CoD campaigns let me be a tourists in the land triple-A games and virtual jingoism and that's something I appreciate in small doses.

EXP Podcast #250: Call of Duty: Ghosts Debrief

Riley as an Xbox Live Companion

Who let the dog out!? Infinity Award apparently. This week on the podcast, Scott and I are joined by Riley, our lovable canine companion, to discuss Call of Duty: Ghost. This Triple-A behemoth is always worth a visit, and now maybe more than ever. Join us this week to chat about the best new addition to the CoD formula, the political ramifications of "Space Rod Technology", and the death of single-player shooters! As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

- 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: 40 min 46 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

League of Legends: The Technical Challenge

In an effort to show off my "1337" MOBA skills, Scott and I jumped into a normal match of League of Legends. The results were unfortunate, but hilarious. Check it out below and do come back again soon, when hopefully I'll make a huge comeback.

David Cage and the Evolution of Beyond: Two Souls

Child Jodie in Beyond: Two Souls

My latest PopMatters article is now live: David Cage and the Evolution of Beyond: Two Souls.

I admit it. I'm a David Cage apologist. The creator of Faranheit, Heavy Rain, and most recently Beyond: Two Souls has a knack for making overblown statements in interviews and press events. He never seems able to fully understand how problematic some of his creations or statements really are, and devotion to filmic qualities in games rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Many seem Cage as a self-proclaimed prophet who is really more madman than seer.

Still, his games are fully committed to some vision Cage believes in passionately, and I appreciate the ardor with which he approaches his games and the games industry in general, even if it can come off sometimes as arrogant or patronizing. Beyond: Two Souls is particularly interesting because of how closely related it is to Heavy Rain, while still deviating in significant ways.

One thing I didn't actually talk about it this week's piece is Quantic Dream's relationship with game fluency. The studio is in an interesting position between making a very accessible game for those unfamiliar with gaming conventions and creating a clean interface free of distracting interface prompts. For the most part, their games feel like lessons in how to play games for new users. Even the difficult prompt, which asks for your familiarity with games and not your preference for Easy, Medium, or Hard, is an interesting attempt to disassociate skill with accessibility.

I once called Heavy Rain  a vocabulary builder, and I think Beyond fits that descriptor as well. For the most part, failure in Beyond is still stripped of its value judgements. Players unfamiliar with games are still welcome in Beyond, and might grow comfortably to branch out and try more games, and better ones. It might not be the success Cage is looking for, but it is a step in the right direction.

EXP Podcast #249: The Secret Meaning of Sequels

Image from Giant Bomb

Theoretically, sequels exist because we want something familiar. But what exactly are we seeking when we play games that are part of established franchises? Is it the next chapter of an ongoing story, a new adventure for a familiar character, or something more mechanical? This week, we use L. Rhodes' article as inspiration to explore these questions and attempt to suss out the difference between an uninspired rehash and an exciting follow-up. If you have thoughts on this latest installment of our ongoing series of podcasts, feel free to jump in with your 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: 31 min 18 sec
- "Opinion: Why sequels are sometimes good for gamers — and how they can be better," by L. Rhodes via Polygon
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Rogue Legacy: You're on My List

Gather round and listen as Scott and Hanah regale you with tales of virtual lists.  Nothing says "winning" like a good checkbox!

And Now: A Confusing Word from Our Sponsors

Image from PopMatters

Don Draper would be proud of this week's PopMatters column: it's about ads.

More specifically, it's about how this season's video game ads don't make much sense to me. I expected to be buried in commercials for the new systems. It's been eight years since a new Xbox, but people have more options now: free to play games, social games, the explosion of the mobile scene. If there was ever a time to get people whipped into a buying frenzy, this is it.

Maybe it's good I'm not in marketing, because the game ads I've been seeing are a suprise to me. Drake songs accompanying 18th century period pieces, commercials for the Xbox 360 (what?!), and Call of Duty spots without any Call of Duty footage suggests that publishers' goals are more complicated than simply blanketing a general populace. To put in Call of Duty terms: instead of firing a shotgun blast at everyone, they are sniping at precise cross sections of players.

On a side note, writing this column made me realize just how far I've strayed from traditional broadcast television. If it weren't for football, almost all my media would be streaming. Because of this, I never really get to see ads alongside the media they subsidize. Seeing a trailer on YouTube or scrolling through a promoted tweet doesn't make as strong a connection between different types of media. Why is the Xbox 360 shown to people watching Parks and Rec while Assassin's Creed 4 is targeted at NFL fans? Aside from the NFL's obvious love of swashbucklers (although I've never seen the Buccaneers or Raiders equipped with wrist blades).

None of these commercials really inspire me to buy what they're showing (largely because they aren't showing much of anything). However, I'm pretty comfortable with being out of touch and just observing the spectacle. I can't wait for the next year's inevitable Miley Cyrus Titanfall trailer.

EXP Podcast #248: Animal Lovers

Big Buck Hunter Screenshot

I ran over a deer today in GTA V and I felt nothing. What monster have a become!? This week on the podcast, we're inspired once again by a Gameological Q&A to discuss our animal-killing ways. Join as we talk about tiger royalty, scarcity, cute baby animals, and so much more. As always, we encourage you to hop into the comments and let us know your strategies for making people feel guilty for the slaughter of digital creatures.

- 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: 27 mins 28 secs
- "Why Can't We Be Friends?", via The Gameological Society
- Music by: Brad Sucks

10/28/2013 Spelunky Daily Challenge

This week I tried to record an epic game of League of Legends. While I failed to record successfully, I lost painfully anyway. Let's watch Scott lose instead! This week, he tries his hand at another Spelunky daily challenge with always humorous results. He also shares some thoughts on video game marketing, so let us know your thoughts on Jimmy Kimmel, Nintendo penguins, and "powerful psychic blasts".

Playing Detective in The Wolf Among Us

My latest PopMatters article is now live: Playing Detective in The Wolf Among Us

I use this article mostly to praise Telltale's ability to take the same core systems from The Walking Dead and apply them better in a pulp detective story. I love The Walking Dead, don't get me wrong, but The Wolf Among Us capitalizes on the natural output of their interactive elements, self-doubt and mystery, to harmonize so well with the narrative and their wonderful world-building.

Now let's put that aside for a moment and talk a bit about actual Fables, the comic series by Bill Willingham that inspired the game. Aside from maybe  the first story arc, Fables is not some pulp detective story. In fact, at times quite on the nose, the story is more an alegory for modern-day Israel and its large diaspora community than anything else. Yes, the narrative draws heavily on classic fairy tales, but it's also its entirely own work. The story doesn't just get dark, it gets downright deeply upsetting. While occasionally Fables can be a little disappointing, it's still one of my favorite comics for its willingness to take pre-established story tropes and tweak them to deliver its own powerful dramatic moments.

Like its own source, I fully expect The Wolf Among Us to deviate from its source. Bigby, and certainly my version and reading of Bigby in The Wolf Among Us, is actually quite calm and measured than Willingham's Big Bad Wolf. He's a keen detective instead of a Sheriff who is more hired muscle than wise law man.

Other character also follow suit. Snow White, in The Wolf Among Us, is surprisingly docile and meek. In her first appearance in Willingham's work, Snow establishes as a strong and boisterous character, more than a match for Bigby's own temper. As a fan of Willingham's work, it's actually a little disappointing to see her so timid and even afraid in Telltale's work. The reason they made the change, I suspect, is to add more pressure on the player to take on the detective role. She asks Bigby who she thinks the killer is precisely because Telltale want's to remind the player to constantly consider character motivations when interacting with the world.

That being said, the subordinate and passive role of women in pulp fiction, historically, is immensely common. There are certain genre conventions that may undermine the existing Fables story for fans of the comic series. Even so, there's still a lot of Wolf Among Us yet to come, and I'm eager to see what Telltale has planned for the world.

EXP Podcast #247: The Heroes We Hate

Image from Giant Bomb

We have plenty of heroes in the video game world, but how many of them are likeable? That's the question the Gameological Society staff recently discussed. We run through their picks and throw a few of our own personal picks in the mix. It turns out that there are plenty of video game heroes that range from a bit annoying to downright terrible. Join us with your picks as we talk about sociopaths, 90s baditude, and the Gorton's fisherman.

- 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: 28 min 40 sec
- "The Heroes We Don't Deserve," by via The Gameological Society
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Awesomenauts: Still Awesome After All These Years

Scott and Jorge return to their favorite sidescrolling MOBA game and take the youngsters to school.

Disappointing Discoveries in 'The Cave'

Image from PopMatters

This week I channel my inner Andy Rooney and talk about disappointing discoveries in The Cave.

I'm not sure it ever comes across, but I don't really like writing negative columns. There are so many great games these days that I find my time is usually better spent dwelling on the positive things. Additionally, I know how hard it is to make a make a game (even a bad one) and that designers usually know whether or not a particular title is a winner. Unless there's something overtly offensive, I'm more inclined to let an unremarkable game fade into obscurity.

That whole preamble is mainly to justify my sharp words about The Cave. I'm normally an unabashed fan of anything Double Fine puts out, but questionable decisions pervade throughout the game. The core conceit, an adventure game where you directly control the characters, is novel but actually serves to illustrate why point and click adventure games were a good idea in the first place: the platforming isn't the point. Uninteresting obstacles and meaningless death make it seem like busy work meant to fill time between puzzles.

However, the biggest disappointment comes on the technical side. I played it on iOS and soon realized that The Cave is a port of a game clearly designed for a controller, or at the very least a physical keyboard. The dragging and swiping gestures are nowhere near precise enough for platforming and even seem to have trouble differentiating between a tap to pick something up and a quick swipe to jump. This results in repetitive deaths and sloppy, imprecise character movement. Additionally, the game hitches and drops frames quite often, despite the fact that I have the most recent version of the iPad.

The sad part is that all this seems so avoidable. Spend more time optimizing or implement an on-screen control pad; others have proven if can be done, so why not do it? Any answer I can think of: they were pressed for time, they ran out of money, or they simply didn't care are all equally depressing. Double Fine has built up a reputation of caring about the people who do the right thing both for their team and their players, and it just doesn't come through in the iOS version of The Cave.

EXP Podcast #246: Halo 4 Debrief

Halo 4 poster by 343i

The Master Chief has been floating in space for the past four years, but the entire time, the folks at 343 Industries were busy thinking of ways to reinvigorate the franchise without pissing off millions of fans. This week on the podcast, with a healthy heaping of post-release distance, Scott and I discuss the much anticipated Halo 4. As always, we give ample spoiler warning for those cautious about the narrative, so hop on in and let us know what you thought of 343's first efforts and making Halo their own!

- 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: 36 min 58 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

League of Legends: ARAM Jax OP

I play a lot of League of Legends. In fact, it's easily one of my most played games of all time. And if I do say so myself, I'm actually pretty good at it. Now I have proof!

Shooter's Aren't Built for War

My latest PopMatters article is now live: Shooter's Aren't Built for War.

I basically use this week's article to undermine the Red Cross intent to incorporate international law in military shooters. I should make it clear again here immediately, their intent is admirable. While I don't believe shooter fanatics are more likely to commit genocide, I do believe misconceptions about the efficacy of international laws, treaties, and organization are more likely to remain if they seldom appear in pop culture. Even so, adding a punishment mechanism into a game is a poor solution to convey the importance of regulations on war.

As systems that favor physical repercussions, shooters in particular have few tools to address social repercussions. Yes, locking up a player character for killing civilians might get players to consider the real world implications of their digital violence, it's a poor solution to a larger problem. For the most part, the characters we play in games have no duties or obligations to larger wholes. Any limitations imposed upon us are tested and flexed and punishment itself is an unsatisfying feedback mechanic.

A better solution is to create more powerful roles and embed player into the larger systems that influence real world behavior, from those who wage war and those are are victims of it. Modeling these invisible repercussions is painfully difficult and, just not in the "shooter" wheel house. If the ICRC wants to have some persuasive influence on a wider gaming population, they should encourage a diversity not just of stories, but of the primary systems that shape them.

EXP Podcast #245: Taking Action in Open Worlds

Image from Giant Bomb

Technically, you could play GTA without breaking any laws, but wouldn't that be like playing Mario without jumping? This week, thanks to Mitch Krpata's article about verbs in games, we talk about the gap between the theoretical potential of a game's rules and the practical realities of the actions you can take. Along the way, we do a check in on some recent open world games we've been playing, as that genre seems particularly prone to tension between what you could do and what your available actions steer you towards. We're not here to get in the way of your action, so feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts.

- 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 28 sec
- "Verbs," by Mitch Krpata, via Insult Swordfighting
- Music by: Brad Sucks

FTL: Safety in Space

Watch as Hanah and Scott's stance towards extraterrestrial slavery vacillates wildly while they make as many Star Trek references as possible.

Learning from 'Gone Home'

Image from PopMatters

This week at PopMatters, I write about the lessons we can learn from Gone Home.

It's not really about the "after school special" types of lessons the plot offers; we've all seen plenty of artistic works about the value of tolerance, family tensions, and the difficulty of facing the past. Gone Home certainly deals with such themes more gracefully than most other games, but the bigger point is that it addresses them at all.

Gone Home is unique in its normalcy, both in terms of its characters and the actions you take as a player. There are things to learn from this normalcy: the "put back" mechanic is genius. Being able to rummage around in drawers is indulgent, but it makes the house feel full. An intricate environment can be as impressive as a sprawling open world. On a thematic note, Gone Home is a great example of how stories can be dramatic without having to fight a supervillain bent on destroying the world. Everyday struggles can inspire just as much empathy as galaxy-wide wars if they're told with honesty and respect for the characters.

One thing I didn't get a chance to talk about in the column is the idea of a game as a period piece. There are plenty of games set in both the distant (sometimes mythical) past and plenty set in the far-flung future. However, I'm not so sure that are many in which the actual time period is very relevant. True, you can't have guns in a "bronze-age" game, but I can't help shake the feeling that time periods, and settings in general, are mostly aesthetic. Does it really matter that Prince of Persia is in Persia (or mythical Persia?).

Does Gone Home do a good job of justifying its 1990s setting? The pre-Internet world definitely justifies the preponderance of paper notes and the extreme isolation a school-yard outcast has to endure. The punk soundtrack and trappings of the pacific northwest (I do love those X-Files tapes) also evoke very specific cultural touchstones. Then again, could this just as easily be a story about a 1920s kid getting into jazz? I haven't decided yet.

In any case, Gone Home teaches us that these sorts of storytelling and mechanical decisions are valuable, even if they seem ordinary.

EXP Podcast #244: Steam Machine: Hot Air or Hot Commodity

Valve is shaking up the games industry again with a set of three recent announcements (none of which were Half-Life 3 unfortunately). Leaping bravely into the Next Gen Console space, Valve will soon release their very own operating system, set of customizable Steam Machines, and controllers, all to make playing games in your living room easier. While the news was a long time coming, the mix of the three may actually cause quite a stir. Join us this week as Scott and I discuss Valve's endless money-making loop.

- 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: 34 min 17 sec
- News from Valve here.
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Things Get Weird in Saint's Row: The Third

Scott and I recorded a raucous dip into the world of Saint's Row: The Third that included helicopter flights, pedestrian slaughter, and body-surfing on cars. Unfortunately the recording was too awesome for mankind and the file deleted itself. But never fear! Ever an adventurer, Scott once again dove into the strange world of Saints Row. Check out the video below to see exactly how weird things can get.

Molding eSports and the League of Legends Championship

My latest PopMatters article is now live: Molding eSports and the League of Legends Championship.

As you all know, I play a lot of League of Legends, probably in excess. It's my go-to game when I'm looking to unwind or kill time without committing to some epic fantasy RPG or the like. Additionally, I have also be really interested in the professional game scene. This week, I decided to write about the spectacle surrounding the event and what that can mean for the future of eSports fandom.

I actually spend most of the time talking about the exhibition outside of the actual games, but I should say, the matches themselves are fascinating and thrilling to watch. I encourage you all to give at least one match a view, even if you don't play League of Legends at all. Over the past couple years, the shout casters have really improved their ability to call games and analyze them as they happen. They've also done a good job of bring levity to the experience.

Watching professional matches between high-ranking international teams is unlike any other viewing experience. The skill these players bring the table is amazing. In the recent match up between two Chinese teams, Royal Club and OMG, team fights would break out in which both sides went in, dealt massive damage, played incredibly well, then broke away, leaving both teams alive but severely injured. Watching these bursts of calculated action was like watching two skills duelists attack in a flurry of swings and parries without ever getting a hit.  As the Championship games fast approaches, these types of thrilling matches are even more common.

There are also moments of fun and even touching moments of sportsmanship. When some of the teams already knocked out the tournament had to play anyway, they would often mix things up for fun. In one of the best matches of the tournament, 0-7 Phillippine's based Mineski faced the undefeated OMG. Instead of playing a traditional composition, they picked up champions you would never see in a tournament. Likewise, knowing the match was essentially meaningless, OMG played with a strange set of champions as well. It was an exciting match because everyone was rooting for Mineski, even the shout casters, and enjoying the fun of the game above all else. At the end of the match, even though Mineski lost, the crowd chanter their team name to honor their efforts.

These little moments make up the wider concept of League of Legends eSports fandom and it's fascinating to watch it happen live.

EXP Podcast #243: Rogue Legacy Debrief

We've wandered through these castle ever-shifting castle walls for so long, but we've finally escaped. Actually, both Jorge and I are still fighting our way through Rogue Legacy, but after dozens of generations of fallen heroes, we decided it was time to share our experiences. Gather round for tales of martyrdom, mining, and magic.

- 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: 34 min 17 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Naya's Quest: Q*Bert vs. Escher

Terry Cavanagh makes yet another game that hurts Scott's brain in a great way.

Back to Basics

This week my PopMatters column is about getting back to basics.

Allow me to adjust my spectacles, hitch up my waist-high plaid trousers, and declare that games are damn complicated these days. It seems like most games have at least some combination of mechanics that have traditionally been mutually exclusive. I find this usually comes in the form of RPG aspects (character upgrades, different item abilities, etc.), but it is also applicable to aesthetics. Mashups are in high demand.

Far be it from me to call this a bad thing; more complexity often means the potential for more interesting decisions. But in an environment where games borrow a little bit from many different base styles, it's nice to have some games with a narrow focus on doing one thing extremely well.

I use Thomas Was Alone, Divekick, and Saint's Row: The Third as examples, but I wanted to expand a little on Divekick. Divekick is especially interesting because it distills the essence of a competitive game. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the wild combos and huge rosters in modern fighting games. Combos and be memorized and practiced; it's the positioning, contextual decisions, and meta game that constitute the core experience. Divekick takes a genre that has grown very baroque and distills it into its essence, which in turn makes it easier to understand the more complicated varieties. Basically, it helps you get your head around the fundamentals.c

It's always hard to understand highly competitive games as a relative newcomer, so I wonder if this philosophy could be applied to other genres? Is it possible to make some basic MOBA game that makes DotA less of an overwhelming mess? Is there some way to make a paired down version of StarCraft
This sort of thing doesn't happen often, but when it does, I think it helps us understand what exactly makes some games truly great.

EXP Podcast #242: The Magnitude of Microconsoles

"Wait! Don't touch that... welp, you touched it."

Ouya might be struggling right now, but the concept of a cheap and adaptable home console alternative to the big three is here to stay. What does that mean for the future of gaming? And what does it mean for Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo? Stick around and ask Mr. Businessman! This week on the show, Scott and I go over the edge with the coming technological tide. As always, check out the article that inspired this week's podcast in the show notes below, it's a good one. We also encourage you to leave your thoughts and predictions about microconsoles in the comments below. Do you own an Ouya? Are you a believer?

- 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: 40 min 05 sec
- "Snuffing out disruptive microconsoles won't be so easy for the 'big three'," by Kris Graft via Gamasutra
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Falling for Rogue Legacy

Scott played it last week, now it's my turn. This week I try to maintain my dislike of rogue-likes while simultaneously lavishing praise on Rogue Legacy.

The Tedium of War in A Few Acres of Snow

My latest @PopMatters article is now live: The Tedium of War in A Few Acres of Snow.

As an avid tabletop gamer, I love getting the chance to write about board games. Their systems are all out on the table, literally. They just invite analysis. In this case, the historical context of A Few Acres of Snow, coupled with a twist on both the deck-building genre and the war game genre, gives it particular appeal. These games necessarily address warfare in one way or another. Interestingly enough, A Few Acres does it by injecting in a circular system of self-destruction. Honestly, it's stunning.

One of the most interesting aspects of board gaming, which I did not discuss in this article, is the tangibility of the experience. Like other two-player games of its type, A Few Acres is built for each player to set opposite the other. To stare another player down from across a table is inherently oppositional, even confrontational. While surely influence by necessity, it gently pushes you towards "othering" the opponent. I firmly believe these physical design choices increase the likelihood you call out your opponent for being a cowardly Frenchman or imperialist Brit.

Moreover, perhaps to accommodate the seating arrangement, half of the text on the board faces the opposite direction. No matter which faction you play, half the city names are upside down and your opponent's discard and siege piles also face the other way. The table is hard to read, particularly as you settle cities closer toward's your opponents side.

While I might find this frustrating in other games (theoretically they could have printed city names facing both directions), in A Few Acres of Snow, it completely resonates with the themes and the systems. War is difficult and unkind, particularly given this geography. The rhetoric of tedious war becomes physical as you attempt to accurately pronounce strange city names while craning your neck to the side. The unified experience is a fascinating act of systems-induced boredom.

EXP Podcast #241: Listener Mail 3

Thanks to you, the EXP mailbag is once again full of questions! This week, we dig through your emails, comments, and tweets, trying our best to sound like we know what we're talking about. Fourth-wall etiquette, the "indie aesthetic," steam sales, Angry Birds: it's all here. Thanks again for your questions and please keep them coming!

- 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: 40 min 05 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Rogue Legacy: Investment Advice

Scott checks in to show off his progress in Rogue Legacy and Mr. Businessman does some back-of-the-napkin investment calculations.

Enjoying the Social Death

Image from PopMatters

This week at PopMatters, I write about death and failure. Don't worry: it's not as depressing as it sounds.

While I focus mainly on roguelikes, it bears repeating that we're still in the midst of a renaissance of challenging games. FTL Dark Souls, Spelunky, Rogue Legacy, X-COM; the list of games with harsh challenges and long-lasting consequences is a long one. There's certainly some sort of ebb and flow effect here in terms of popular opinion, but I think we could be coming to a more homeostatic point where hard games maintain their mass appeal.

The reason behind this is social: not only is it easier than ever to share the knowledge required to overcome obstacles, it's also easier to share failures. What was once a quiet, isolated defeat is now a shared story between you, your friends, and whoever was watching the stream when you decided to get cocky and look before leaping. Even if you're not playing for an audience, many single player games have created social connections through leader boards and latent multiplayer dynamics. Seeing how other players fared or watching their final moments makes death a shared experience, which helps keep the game fresh. When you're connected to other people, there's an opportunity to learn, improve, and simply laugh after shared misfortunes.

Finally, I just wanted to point out The Binding of Isaac League Racing because it's amazing. Competitive speed runs in a game with randomly generated levels? It's more likely than you think.

Yet another reason why the combination of challenging games and capture technology makes "the social death" a good death.