We finally did it: we played Gears of War: The Board Game!"  Last year, Jorge and I discussed the game in a podcast about the general relationship between board games and video games.  Being fans of Gears and games in general, we decided (for better or worse!) we would play it once it was released.  We finally did so and now we've regrouped to offer our thoughts on the game and its relationship to its source material.  As always, feel free to jump into the comments with your thoughts.

Some discussion starters:

- For those who played the game: did you like it?  What worked and what didn't?

- It was somewhat surprising that the Gears board game felt very faithful to the video game.  What are some video games might lend themselves to board game adaptations in a similarly counter-intuitive way?

- What lessons can video games take from their more tangible brethren?

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: 41 min 35 sec
- Official website for Gears of War: The Board Game and some discussion at Board Game Geek
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Are you a "Gamer" and proud of it? Some actually shy away from the term or want to abandon it entirely. The name "gamer" evokes images of basement-dwellers and incredibly long sessions of World of Warcraft, at least for those outside the community. But can we salvage this form of gaming identification? Should we reclaim the word and shout "I am a gamer and proud of it" from the rooftop? This week on the EXP Podcast, inspired by an article from Jason Johnson, Scott and I discuss the gamer moniker, knitting circles, and more. As always, you can find the original article in the show notes below and we encourage you to leave your thoughts in the comments section below and while you're at, feel free to leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening!

Every week, it seems like there is some sort of mini-controversy happening.  Whether it is outrage over a shady DLC scheme or frustration over a classic series' new artistic direction, there is never any shortage of noise and fury.  This week, we use Sean Sands' observations on the recent Super Bowl to explore the line between constructive criticism and pointless rage.  Feel the need to get something off your chest?  We're always here to listen, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments

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: 29 min 00 sec
- "The Noise and the Fury," by Sean Sands, via Gamers With Jobs
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Scott and I have returned with another selection of independent games that deserve your attention for more than a few reasons. We begin with two browser-based MMO's, the first a bullet-hell RPG the other a surreal cat roleplaying game, both of which will tickle your... fancy feast (YEAAAA!) We round out the show with a more serious look at Triple Town, Yeti Town, and the dangers of clones and patent laws. You can find links to all the games in the show notes below along with a few articles of interest. As always, we encourage you to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

This week's podcast is brought to you by...you!  We solicited questions from readers and listeners and received a great batch of topics.  We touch upon a huge variety of issues, including region locking, games with historical settings, and the different approaches to games criticism.  This was a fun show to record and we'd like to do it again, so keep those questions coming via email, twitter, or singing telegram.  Thanks for your questions and thanks for listening!

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: 39 min 50 sec
- Krystian Majewski on Mass Effect and Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Music provided by Brad Sucks