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Sacred Symbols, Episode 124: The Dawn of A New Age

We've covered the lead-up to PlayStation 5 on this podcast from every conceivable angle. In reality, there wasn't much of importance left to say, aside from idle speculation and over-analysis. Yet, the time has indeed come: PS5 is finally here, and now that we've gotten our hands on our consoles and spent time with some games, it's safe to assume we're not gonna run out of things to talk about on this show for years to come. The first 90 (!) minutes of this show are dedicated to our impressio...

KnockBack, Episode 144 | Star Wars: Rogue One

In its mere existence, 2016's Rogue One is an interesting movie. It's the first Star Wars film (per se) that's unassociated from the three trilogies, yet it intimately intertwines with and sets the stage for the very first Star Wars offering: 1977's Episode IV. Of course, it's even more interesting when it comes to what it's about, a daring caper to steal Imperial plans for the original Death Star so that the Rebellion may exploit its weakness and destroy the Empire's moon-sized weapon. We se...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode LXVII: A Look Back at PlayStation Launch Libraries

With PlayStation 5 mere days away (!), we thought we'd look back at PlayStation history yet again, this time with an eye for the brand's historic launch libraries. Beginning in 1994 (well, '95 for the west), PlayStation has seen six major hardware releases so far -- PSone, PS2, PSP, PS3, Vita, and PS4 -- and each console or handheld came along with a unique offering of launch games all its own. Some (like PS2 and PSP) had a high volume of titles; others (like PS3) were more limited, but perha...

Side Quest, Episode 88: Demon's Souls Remake Looks Awesome

Sacred Symbols, Episode 123: Took You Long Enough

There was a time not too long ago when League of Legends was one of the most-played games in the industry, and even today, around a decade after launch, Riot's core offering remains popular. And now, for the very first time, a game taking place in that universe is coming to PlayStation in the form of an RPG called Ruined King, and it's launching sooner than you might think. Question is, what took Riot so long to release a complementary console adventure, and is it too little, too late? What's...

KnockBack, Episode 143: Grey Gardens

If you're a fan of documentaries, then there's a good chance you've heard of Grey Gardens, the 1975 so-called "direct-cinema" documentary that investigates the lives of two women -- a mother and daughter -- who live in isolation and complete squalor on the eastern end of Long Island. Why is that notable? Well, two reasons: They live in the Hamptons, one of the most exclusive and expensive places to dwell in the entire country, and the occupants of Grey Gardens (their crumbling estate) happen ...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode LXVI: Chris Lives

Hey! It's me, Colin. As we've experimented with Sacred Symbols recently -- seeking how it can be better and determining how it will evolve as time moves forward -- I've noticed one thing above all else: Your outpouring of love for Chris, the essential co-host of our show. So let's celebrate our intrepid interlocutor by giving him an hour or so to talk to you, our beloved audience, one-on-one. Not about anything serious or dire, of course. No. Video games and such. After all, we need a little ...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 122: Cyberpunk'd

Barely two months after promising not to delay Cyberpunk 2077 yet again, famous Polish dev CD Projekt has done just that, though for a mere three weeks. This pushes their open world RPG (arguably the single most-anticipated title of 2020, though certainly one of them) precariously close to Christmas, and some candid words from one of the studio's execs indicates they're not entirely sure they'll ship in December, either. Is something wrong with Cyberpunk 2077? Let's discuss. Then: Bugsnax bec...

KnockBack, Episode 142 | Horizon: Zero Dawn

It's not easy for a development studio to pivot from one group of projects to something radically different, but Sony-owned Guerrilla Games did just that when it released its open world action-RPG Horizon: Zero Dawn in early 2017. Horizon was unlike anything Guerrilla had ever done: Rather than an FPS like Killzone, Horizon is a wide-open, non-linear, character-driven affair, an interesting mixture of American Indian imagery, sci-fi tropes, and action-oriented gameplay that makes Zero Dawn am...

Side Quest, Episode 87: Cyberpunk is Delayed Again!

Here's why.

Sacred Symbols+, Episode LXV: PS5 Launch Game Power Rankings

We're so close, now. So very close! With PlayStation 5's launch on the horizon (though sadly without Horizon 2), we figured we'd sit down and sift through the console's launch library, a catalog of titles some are calling the best offerings-at-launch in console history. Is that true? That remains to be seen. But there's no doubt whatsoever that there are some games we simply can't wait to get our hands on. To celebrate, we created a list of 12 pieces of software available for PS5 at (or just ...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 121: Gearing Up

When Kojima careened from Konami's cocoon (that's called alliteration!), he was left to his own devices for the first time in basically his entire career. The result was his unusual Sony-funded project Death Stranding, an interesting (if divisive) game that left us curious what he may pursue next. We don't yet know a specific answer, but thanks to a salvo of job listings out of Kojima Productions' Tokyo office, we know he and his team are revving up. And we're intrigued. So let's chat about i...

KnockBack, Episode 141: Dagan and His Son

When you grow up with a father who's obsessed with all things retro, it's safe to assume the apple won't fall from the ever-nerdy tree. In that spirit, we have a guest on this episode: Dagan's son, Graeden. Together, father and son take a walk through their shared passions -- video games, especially -- and how one dad's love of nostalgia naturally enchanted his kid. The end result is something we hope you find charming, if not a little different. It's almost like getting to interview our youn...

Side Quest, Episode 86: Ghost of Tsushima's Legends Mode is One of 2020's Best Surprises

Killing with friends.

Sacred Symbols+, Episode LXIV: Honing the Chemistry

Just a few days ago, we asked you to submit your questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas, not in relation to a gaming topic, but rather in relation to our show itself. Sacred Symbols is undoubtedly one of the most beloved independent video game podcasts in the world -- and is indisputably the champion of its vertical, if we do say so ourselves! -- but we want to make it even better. In fact, we're obsessed with doing so. Today's episode is dedicated to combing through your feedback...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 120: The Kenzo Conspiracy

We've all been dying to see PlayStation 5's UI, so it's awesome that -- finally! -- Sony has given us a little taste. In a roughly 12-minute video, we grabbed a prolonged glimpse at the basic user experience on PS5, and it looks great. Snappy. Utilitarian. Perhaps even a little crowded and busy. Yet, there was also an overt Killzone Easter Egg put before us that seems to indicate more than meets the eye. Or does it? We discuss. Plus: Miles Morales has gone gold, PS4's new firmware update is b...

KnockBack, Episode 140: The Prestige

On its periphery, the 2006 film The Prestige is about an ever-escalating rivalry between two 19th century magicians, but in reality, its thematic focus is about something far more sinister: Obsession. Christopher and Jonathan Nolan's adaptation of the novel by the same name boasts a star-studded cast and a convincing recreation of late-Victorian London, but -- in true Nolan fashion -- it's what rests far beneath the surface that perhaps matters most. So practice your sleight-of-hand and pay y...

Side Quest, Episode 85: Comparing PS4's and PS5's Launch Libraries

Contrast. (Pardon the pun.)

Sacred Symbols+, Episode LXIII: The State of RPGs

As we all know, RPG stands for "role-playing game," yet decades removed from the first video game RPGs, the genre has changed by an order of magnitude. You can still find your quaint, turn-based dice-rollin' RPGs, sure. But the makeup of the category has emanated outward unlike any of its vertical peers, begging the question: Just what is an RPG, anyway? What does that term actually stand for today? When people use it, what are they trying to indicate? Of course, once those questions are answ...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 119: Seeking Power

A recent video out of Japan finally gave us our first look at PlayStation 5's innards, a nice change of pace from a mysteriously silent Sony as we approach Zero Hour. The teardown gave us a glimpse at the console's technical configurations and setups, though it also revealed the machine to be a bit of a beast, size-wise. Either way, for those in pursuit of power, the newest PlayStation should be a tantalizing product. Also: Sony revealed a surprise reconstruction of the Trophy landscape, Jim ...

CLS Discord Update: Welcome $5 Patrons!

Hey everyone! I'm happy to announce that $5 patrons now have access to the official CLS Discord. Make sure to connect your Patreon account with Discord to gain access.

As I mentioned in the previous post, the Discord will primarily be moderated by myself and friend of CLS, Ben Smith. While Colin will be on the server to hangout, he wo...

KnockBack, Episode 139: Halloween

There are a few holidays each year that attract near-ubiquitous participation -- think New Years Eve and the like -- but there's one such day that's especially strange: Halloween. The last day of each October is 24 hours dedicated to monsters, ghosts, and other scares... and lots of candy and peculiar costumes, too. As children, of course, Halloween takes on an extra-special dimension, but as we get older, so too does the holiday change around us. One minute you're shoving Reese's Pieces into...

Side Quest, Episode 84: The Questionable Handling Of Spider-Man Remastered

Confusing.

Sacred Symbols+, Episode LXII: First Party Power Rankings

In recent weeks, there's been much chatter about Microsoft's squad of first party talent. After all, in the wake of Xbox's acquisition of all things Bethesda, the Guys in Green now have a staggering 23 studios under their umbrella, more than twice Sony's stable in volume. With all the discussion surrounding Microsoft Studios, we figured we'd look inward at Sony's 11 primary first party teams, see how they're doing, and put them in some sort of crude mathematical order, so that we might figure...

Side Quest, Episode 83: PlayStation Now Is Falling Behind

Complacency.

KnockBack, Episode 138: Kramer vs. Kramer

Divorce is a horrific experience for everyone involved. Spouses falling out of love is brutal, and children -- especially young kids -- end up as collateral damage. Such is the story of the 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer, starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep as a couple on the outs, with a young son caught in the middle. Kramer vs. Kramer is a notable picture because, in 1980, it won the Academy Award for Best Picture... and Best Director... and Best Screenplay... and Dustin Hofmann won Best...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 118: Face-Off

PlayStation 4's smash-hit exclusive Spider-Man game was played by more than 15 million people, and when they jump into the PS5 port, they're going to receive something literally not one of them asked for: A brand-new Peter Parker. Sometimes, the intersection of art and business can be messy and confusing like that. We discuss. Plus: Is the most recent report of crunch at CD Projekt yet another reoccurrence of a troubling trend, or just more ado about nothing? Is JK Rowling's 'transphobia' con...

Surprise! The Official CLS Discord Lives!

Hey, everyone!  It's me, Dustin, Colin's Last Stand's Executive Producer. I know you're used to hearing from Colin here on Patreon, but I have a special announcement for you. You've been asking for it, and we've been listening, so we're launching the official Colin's Last Stand Discord... right now!  The Colin's Last Stand Discord will be Patreon-exclusive for any CLS Patron at any support level $5/month or higher. But before we go any further, though, there are a ...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode LXI: Gut Check

We're about a month and a half out from PlayStation 5's launch, precariously close to the release of a console that at one time seemed unlikely to come out in 2020 at all. Yet, there's obvious trepidation lurking in the ecosystem. There's plenty of excitement too, no doubt, but something just feels a little... well... off. Doesn't it? Well, we'll let you guys and gals tell us, as we conduct a gut check based on five PS5-related parameters: Hardware, Price, Games, Marketing, and Optics. Only t...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 117: Nuclear Winter

Things have been looking great for PlayStation 5, but a seismic event threatens to restructure the entire landscape of console gaming. With Microsoft's purchase of ZeniMax Media (and therefore Bethesda, all of its studios, and all of its IP), Xbox suddenly controls the fate not only of talented teams like id Software, Machinegames, Tango Gameworks, and others, but some of gaming's most iconic franchises, too, like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Doom. It's a huge deal, and it could leave Sony...