This is it: the moment we've been anticipating and/or dreading all year. It's the 2019 Gamey awards! At the end of the year, everyone (including us) starts to get really serious about bestowing accolades, so we think it's fitting to hand out some of the most ridiculous awards we can think up. Join us in recognizing the essence of what makes video games so great and so silly: the inherent gameyness of it all.

Small birds, big geese, boyfriends swords, and more this week as we discuss some end-of-the-year news out of Sony's State of Play 2019 and Nintendo's recent indie games showcase. While some of these games are exciting, 2020 remains a big question mark. What does the future hold!?

Well, for one, it holds the annual Gamey Awards! Join us next week when we discuss the gameyist games. If you have a game nominee, send us an email and let us know!

 - Runtime: 38 min 18 sec

 - Music by Brad Sucks

As we continue our headlong sprint towards the decade's end, we pause to recognize some of the memorable characters of the past 10 years. Using Polygon's list as a starting point, we discuss some standout examples and take stock of where games are in terms of character development. After all, this might be the last decade where we can safely treat these things as fictional characters rather than sneaky AIs waiting for us to drop our guard long enough for them to launch their conquest of humanity. You hear that, Shovel Knight? I'm on to you.

It's American Thanksgiving this week, and I know one thing that I'm thankful for: a new version of Sonic that doesn't look like the monkey-kid from Jumanji. This week on the EXP Podcast, we emerge from the uncanny valley unscathed and carrying a VR headset and some pokeballs!

 - Runtime: 36 min 00 sec

 - Music by Brad Sucks

All the sudden it's November and we find ourselves in the thick of release season. This week we took a break from delivering packages long enough to do an in-progress check-ins on Luigi's Mansion 3, The Outer Worlds, and Death Stranding. Now that I think of it, Gooigi seems like the sort of thing that would be right at home in a Kojima game.

The decade is almost over and we've come a long way since Y2K crashed our computers and sent modern civilization spiralling towards a Mad Max Oblivion. This week on the EXP Pocast, we discuss the games that got us through the last 20 years and why picking our favorite or the most important games of the 21st century is so damn hard.

 - Runtime: 36 min 16 sec

- "The 50 Best Games of the 21st Century," by Keith Stuart and Keza MacDonald, via The Guardian

- Music from the The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening soundtrack

Rise and shine, adventurers! Your dream has come true: a debrief on this year's Link's Awakening remake. We ask the hard-hitting questions: Who is this game for? Has Breath of the Wild ruined everything? Why would a banana man want dog food? Don't worry about it too much; just enjoy the adorable tilt-shift goodness.

We are back after a brief work/life-induced hiatus! And we brought an obnoxious feathered friend with us and... uh... also a girl on a motorcycle.

This week on the EXP Podcast, we review Untitled Goose Game and Sayonara Wild Hearts in a double debrief! While very different, both games are well worth your attention. Especially if you're into either A) pop albums or B) being just a total asshole to strangers.

Show Notes:

 - Runtime: 38 min 57 sec

- Music from the Sayonara Wild Hearts OST and Untitled Goose Game Trailer

If there is one thing I've learned from years working at a white-collar job, it's to never underestimate the destructive power of a thrown office chair. This week on the EXP Podcast, we toss around all kinds of office equipment using the telekinetic power in Control, the latest game from Remedy Entertainment. 

For good and bad, this is an interesting game full of excellent ideas (some of which are readily available online via the SCP Foundation). Give the episode a listen and send us email with your thoughts on the game!

Show Notes:

 - Runtime: 46 min 45 sec

- Music from the Control OST

Our 6-part Final Fantasy VII debrief comes to a close this week as the dust settles on Sephiroth's reign of terror! We share some potentially controversial opinions on the conclusion to one of the most beloved RPGs of all time, craft some fan fiction of our own, and ponder what the remake holds for players still smitten with FF7 nostalgia.

Show Notes:

- Intro and fight scene music from the Final Fantasy VII OST

- Outro from "Black Materia" by Mega Ran

Dear listeners, Jorge has reached a critical point in his continuing mission, his trek through the stars if you will: the holodeck. This seminal piece of science fiction tech was inspired by and in turn has inspired the types of video games we play and how we even conceive of a virtual world. This week we dig into the concept of the holodeck, something that is simultaneously a blueprint and an source of aspiration for many of the games we play. Also: Jorge correctly and impressively predicts the holodeck-related plots of many Star Trek episodes that he has yet to watch.

We are back in the cockpit of the Highwind this week in our continuation of our Final Fantasy VII debrief. Our adventure has taken us up to the stars and down to the deep recess of the ocean. Also, we killed a big ol' kaiju.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 46 min 38 sec

- Music from the Final Fantasy VII OST

Another month, another Nintendo Direct full of the hottest, most delectable morsels a person could ask for.  Or at least that's the case for fans of Terry Bogard (you weirdos).  This week we offer our takes on all of the recent announcements as well as try our hand at some international cultural analysis by way of region-specific Smash character requests.  Apparently there's a huge diversity of opinion out there, except when it comes to Kingdom Hearts.

The fall season of games fast approaches and we've got some fresh (albeit mediocre) beats to discuss. This week on the Podcast, we chat about Remnant, Control, Pathologic 2, Cadence of Hyrule and few other things to come. Got a game you're loving right now? Send us an email and tell us about it!

We're back in the saddle...the chocobo saddle! This week it's part 4 of our Final Fantasy VII debrief. Things are really heating up at this point what: startling revelations about Cloud's past, honest-to-goodness kaiju, and hidden menu options all make huge impacts. And speaking of huge, check out this materia! I mean I've seen big materia before, but this is just huge.

Google held another big announcement recently revealing some pricing around their games streaming platform and an assortment of games that will appear on the platform when it soft-launches this year and becomes fully available sometime in 2020. Google has lofty ambitions, but does the messaging live up to the dream? 

This week on the EXP Podcast, we help sell Stadia to all the boys and girls of the world!

Shownotes:

- Runtime: 39 min 00 sec

- "Google still has no idea how to pitch Stadia" by Ben Kuchera, via Polygon

- Music by Brad Sucks

Bust out your grill and put some sandals over those socks, Guardian: it's time to build the dad loadout. This week, we discuss the phenomenon of the "dad build." It's a concept that has arisen from players pursuing in-game equipment that is useful but also attainable in the hopes that they can stay competitive without having to neglect their real-world responsibilities.

Like his feudal warrior class namesake, Ninja - one of the biggest gaming streamers on the internet - has disappeared and reappeared on a different platform. It seems like a minor thing for a gaming culture celebrity to move from one service to another, but it could be a sign that Microsoft is setting the stage for retaking their place at the forefront of the gaming culture landscape.

Or maybe Tyler "Ninja" Blevins is so damn he rich he can just do whatever he wants!

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 34 min 06 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

Look out Jigglypuff mains: your precious ledges are being taken away from you! This week, we talk about an upcoming Smash Bros. tournament with a new rule meant to tamp down defensive play. It's a small change, but it brings up big questions about esports, tournament rules, and overall game balance.

This week on the EXP Podcast, we duck, dive, and dodge our way through the endless levels available in Super Mario Maker 2. We are both big fans of the first game on this show and we're thrilled not just to talk about the new features and experiences available in the latest game - but to invite you to try our levels as well!

Find Scott's levels Mario Maker code SWD-HY5-1HG and my levels at JH4-TKG-DRG. If you've got some levels to try, send us an email!

- Runtime: 42 min 34 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

The sun is shining, the fireworks are popping, and I'm desperately trying to avoid the genetically engineered ultra-mosquitos released by one of the many tech CEOs/super-villains that live on the west coast. That's right, it's summer and with it comes a specific set of games that just feel right during those long warm days. Seasonal gaming is a topic we've covered before, but this time to dissect a recent Esquire list and revisit some of our historical summertime picks.

From the red stone bluffs of Cosmo Canyon to the strange "underwater" ruins of the Forgotten City, we continue our journey through Final Fantasy VII in Part 3 of our ongoing debrief. This week we experience one of, if not the, most important deaths in video game history. But is it how we remembered?

- Runtime: 52 min 15 sec

- Music from Final Fantasy VII OST

- Music by Brad Sucks

It wasn't so long ago that we were seriously questioning the future of the single player game. "All those multiplayer live games are taking our precious single player games!" we wailed. Fast forward a couple years and single player, predominantly story-based games are thriving on both the indie and big publisher sides of spectrum. But, as Daniel Friedman points out, games like Anthem, Destiny, and Apex Legends are struggling to keep the pace and find the space needed to compete against the Fortnite juggernaut. Take a break from grinding through your battle pass and take a listen!

The yearly gaming extravaganza of E3 has come and gone! But was it really that extravagant? With EA, Activision, Sony, and Microsoft all absent from the show floor, we had a lot more space to sit on couches and think about the handful of 2019 games that we're excited to see. Join and let us know what games you were excited by (or disappointed by) from E3 this year!

- Runtime: 53 min 51 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

This week we make use of the calm before the E3 storm to check in on some of the games we've been playing.  Space-faring AI, paper craft dinosaurs, samurais, t-blocks, and a whole shit ton of rats all make an appearance.  It's been a pleasantly surprising year so far and we're not even halfway done.

The hottest next-gen console is here. It's small, yellow, and has a crank. 

This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss the strange little gaming console called the Playdate, a tinny little console that will launch with 12 games by some indie gaming luminaries. It's a boutique item for a niche audience, but is it right for us? And would we really want to shell out $150 just to get one?

Your favorite game is more than likely watching and reporting on everything you do, but is that a problem?  I guess it depends on how much of a pro you are when it comes to pulling off 360 no-scopes and how strongly you feel about being identified as someone who likes to "do the Dew."  This week we explore the murky world of data mining and in-game telemetry.  It's a largely invisible part of our games that has quietly become ubiquitous, so Jorge and I try to confuse our algorithm overlords by shining a light on them.

It's time to win big $$$ at the Goldan Saucer this week folks! This week on the EXP Podcast, we continue our ongoing debrief of Final Fantasy VI, catching up with heroes as they flee Midgar in pursuit of Sephiroth. If you're playing along, this episode ends once we wrap up all the events at the coolest casino in video games.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 51 min 58 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

This week we dig into two recent news stories: The Valve Index VR system and the Sonic movie. While I'm a bit skeptical of each one in isolation, I just realized that combining the two would be a transcendent experience. Or one that might make you violently ill. I guess those things aren't mutually exclusive...

The father of handheld gaming was once a boy... a Game Boy. This week on the EXP Podcast, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Nintendo's Game Boy, discuss some of our most memorable experience with the hardware, and appreciate the console that ushered in a new era of portable gaming.

Show Notes

- Runtime: 39 min

- Music by Brad Sucks

Much like the World Cup, the Olympics, the movies themselves, Star Wars makes a strong showing on our podcast every few years. We're due to return to that far, far away galaxy and what better time to return? Details on Jedi: Fallen Order are coming in hot and the trailer for Episode 9 has all of us searching our feelings for answers. Listen in for some extremely nerdy references to lore and half-baked fan theories.

Grab your materia and ready your chocobo listeners, we're headed to Gaia! This week on the EXP Podcast, we kick off the first in an ongoing debrief of Final Fantasy VII. If you are playing along with us (and you really should!), this episode reviews the beginning of the game through escaping Midgar. It's a renowned introduction to a game world - and for good reason.

Give it a listen and send us your thoughts via email. We'd love to know about your memories and experiences with Final Fantasy VII!

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 47 min 35 sec

- Music from the Final Fantasy VII OST

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the katana are thirsty for blood, and we're playing some video games! This week we do a quick check in on some of the games we've been playing over the past few weeks. It's been a busy first quarter of the year apparently, as we're covering everything from FAR: Lone Sails, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince, Baba is You, The Division 2, and (of course) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

OnLive is dead. Long live Google Streaming! We are back after a short hiatus to bring you thoughts on Google's announcement of Stadia, a games streaming service that looks is aiming to transform the way we buy, play, and sell video games. There's a lot to be excited about! But, we also have some big concerns - many of which are related to Comcast.

Show Notes:

- Runtime: 45 min 36 sec

- Music from Brad Sucks

Despite all my rage, I am still just an massive silverback gorilla in a cage. What's this? A single weakened bar? Well this should get interesting.

This week, we debrief on Ape Out. Do yourself a favor: support your fellow primates and play this game.

This week on the EXP Podcast, we say goodbye to Reggie, who will now spend all of his retirement getting good at Smash Bros. Ultimate, hitting the competitive circuit, and making children cry when they dunked on by Isabelle.

Also, the Detective Pikachu movie is coming out and it raises more questions than answers.

- Runtime: 37 min 21 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

Behold the modern battlefield: a dusty techno-future teeming with mercenaries and killer robots.  And then, from the heavens falls a mighty obelisk.  As it slots perfectly into place, the plateau you've been standing on evaporates.  The remnants rain down mercilessly on your opponents and you think to yourself: "Maybe I should go make some Mario levels instead."

This week we do a check in Apex Legends, Tetris 99, and some highlights from the latest Nintendo Direct.

Time is a flat circle and in this timeline, we're playing Resident Evil 2... again. As of today, we'll also be playing Final Fantasy 9 again, which is great because it gives us a JRPG to play while we wait for Final Fantasy 7 - the game that came out before FF9 but whose remake will come out first and may or may not be a significant departure from what the game actually was ORIGINALLY!

Phew... But will Final Fantasy be around in 100 years? You tell us!

Show notes:

- Runtime: 34 min 14 sec

- Music by Brad Sucks

Sometimes, you just accidentally stumble backwards into a podcast theme.  What do Anthem, Travis Touchdown, and apologetic Nintendo execs all have in common?  They're cool dudes in cool suits of course!  Listen in for some impressions on Anthem, Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, and some Metroid Prime 4 news.

This week on the EXP Podcast, we debrief the artfully crafted Gris, one of our top contenders for prettiest game of 2018. The first game from Nomada Studios, Gris brings a ton of inspiration from Journey, drawing not just themes, but almost entire sequences - so you can imagine why Scott and I would be so interested in this game. Check out the podcast then try out the game and let us know what you think!

- Runtime: 36 min 52 sec

- Music from the Gris soundtrack

We've finally reached the end of the long, dusty trail partners.  But what did we find at the end of our journey?  A dead end?  Redemption?  A nice pre-fabricated house?  This week, we do a full debrief on Red Dead Redemption 2.  We cover everything from the UI to spoiler-filled character arcs, so saddle up!

2019 is here and the future is bright! Well, at least for games. This week on the EXP Podcast, we look at some of our most anticipated games of 2019 - from underground platformers to weird space indies, there are many, many, games to look forward to this coming year. What are you most excited to play?

2018 is over but before it's out of site we're going to take a quick look in the rear view mirror.  As always, there were some great games that didn't make it into our GOTY-cast.  This week, we give them their due and ponder another important question: should we call this show "The Leftoveys" or have I truly snapped?

The best games of 2018 are here! This week on the EXP Podcast, we kick-off 2019 with a discussion of our top 3 games from 2018. Some of these choices are predictable and some might surprise you. 

There have been a ton of great games this year, so honing down our favorites took some serious work. Let us know your top games of 2018! Also, be sure to toon in next week when we discuss some of the leftover games that didn't make the list but are worth thinking about (and playing) in 2019.