Does the entire world love a game that you despise? You are not alone! We invited games journalist and brave contrarian Mitch Krpata on the show this week to discuss his criticism of Ocarina of Time, the value of terrible games, love/hate relationships with indie games, and more.

Discussion starters:
- What are some games you have disliked that everyone else seems to enjoy?
- Is there a value in playing a game you despise?
- What are the dangers of universally praised games?

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 49 min 57 sec
- "Hey! Listen! The Case Against Ocarina of Time," by Mitch Krpata, via Joystick Division
- Insult Swordfighting blog by Mitch Krpata

- "Review: Limbo," by Mitch Krpata via The Boston Phoenix- "Mass Effect: Massive Interface Fail," by Krystian Majewski via Game Design Reviews
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

This week, Jorge and I are happy to welcome Peter Brinson to the show.  Peter was one of the lead designers on The Cat and the Coup, a independent game about the 1953 CIA-orchestrated Iranian coup.  After talking about The Cat and the Coup on a previous show, we thought it would be a great idea to have Peter on to learn more about the game's inception as well as his approach to incorporating history, art, and design in creating a documentary game.  As we said before, we highly recommend the game.  Thanks again to Peter for taking the time to chat with us and thanks also to everyone listening.  We hope you enjoy the show!

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 53 min 47 sec
- You can download The Cat and the Coup for free and learn more about its subject matter on the official website: http://www.thecatandthecoup.com/  The game is also available on Steam.
- La Maison en Petits Cubes
- The Power of Nightmares
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

The summer gaming dry spell is upon us, yet Scott and I both have our gaming dockets full. After a long month of work for the both us, we have returned to our backlog with a ravenous appetite. This week on the Experience Points podcast, Scott and I discuss what we have been playing, from Zelda sequels to isometric shooters, and a few things in between. Let us know what you have been enjoying lately in the comments section below, and be sure to chime in with your thoughts on the games we've discussed in the show.

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 32 min 18 sec
- "Cold As Ice," by Nels Anderson via Above49
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Cash-strapped gamers have never had it so good: today, there are plenty of companies literally giving games away for free.  However, developers aren't simply doing this out of the goodness of their hearts; games without initial costs often feature non-traditional ways of making money.  Recently, a few high profile games like Team Fortress 2 and World of Warcraft have started experimenting with free-to-play and micro-transaction payment models.  They join a host to of other games that are trying to change the way players pay for games.  This week, Jorge and I talk about some of the financial, gameplay, and cultural issues surrounding free-to-play business models.  As always, we're always interested to hear any of your valuable thoughts, so feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts.

Some discussion starters:

- What are some of your favorite free-to-play games and how do they implement their non-traditional payment models?
- Do specific types of games or genres lend themselves well to the free-to-play model?
- What kinds of cultural and socio-economic issues arise when transitioning to a micro-transaction payment system?

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the 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:

- Run time: 32 min 23 sec
- "World of Warcraft goes free-to-play until characters hit level 20," via Joystiq
- Music provided by Brad Sucks