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KnockBack, Episode 122: Do the Right Thing

There are times when an older movie feels like it could have been made yesterday. 1989's Do the Right Thing -- one of Spike Lee's very first films -- is just such an offering. Based in the racially-mixed Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn during one hot summer day and night, Do the Right Thing is ostensibly about a group of black people (children, teens, and adults) and their daily experiences, particularly through the lens of a white-owned pizzeria that sticks out like a sore thumb in an era ...

Side Quest, Episode 71: What Makes A Good RPG?

Dice rollin'.

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XLV: The Future of Destiny 2

We are officially in the age of the ubiquitous multiplayer shooter. It's no longer about how many new games devs can get out the door (unless you're in the Call of Duty orbit); instead, it's how long and how well devs (and publishers) can support their games that have already been released. Destiny 2 came out nearly three years ago, and whether it was under Activision's direction -- or more recently Bungie's itself -- the enjoyable FPS has earned a reputation for being stickier and more addic...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 101: Unrest

Here in America, a cop's murder of an unarmed black man has temporarily torn our society asunder. It's caused peaceful mass protests around the country, and the situation has occasionally fallen into outright rioting and looting as well. In other words, we're experiencing a period of substantial unrest. That unrest has naturally transferred its way into the World of PlayStation, where Sony's much-awaited reveal event for some first (and second and third) party PS5 games was delayed out of res...

KnockBack, Episode 121: Our Childhood Friends

We've been recording KnockBack week-in and week-out for more than two years, and while we tell lots of stories about our time with video games, TV shows, movies, toys, and much more, we also include mentions of some very important people: Our childhood friends. These folks aren't just random characters from our past; they're people who helped shape who we were then, and still are today. To celebrate some of the individuals most important to us in our youth, we thought we'd dedicate an episode...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XLIV: The Future of Gaming PS5 Event Predictions

We've waited for long enough, it seems: On June 4th, Sony is finally gonna show first and third party PlayStation 5 games for the very first time. And we couldn't be more excited. This week's episode of + is dedicated to the showcase, with 10 predictions for the event. As always, we went to you -- our precious audience -- for more predictions, hopes, and concerns, and you delivered in spades. (Because of the timely nature of this episode of +, we've made this available to all Patrons immediat...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 100: The Century Mark

We've somehow made it 100 episodes, and it's all thanks to you, our precious listeners. To celebrate our auspicious milestone, we thought we'd do something a little different: Answer 100 minutes worth of listener questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas. You can find that at the end of the normal show. In the meantime, though, there's a ton of news to get through, and we discuss it all. We cover Naughty Dog's impressive 30+ minute State of Play for The Last of Us: Part II, discuss t...

KnockBack, Episode 120: EarthBound

Nintendo is undoubtedly best-known for its long-running, ubiquitous franchises: Mario, Zelda, and the like. But sprinkled in the mega-selling mixture are games that sold far less, but have earned their own level of reverence. EarthBound -- launched in 1994 in Japan and 1995 in the US -- is one such adventure. Known as Mother 2 in Japan (the original Mother was a Famicom game that didn't see western release for more than two decades), EarthBound is a truly peculiar, truly charming title, one t...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XLIII: Ninjutsu

With its fledgling PS4 franchise Nioh, Koei Tecmo's internal dev Team Ninja has found success with what is, in many ways, a Dark Souls clone. But perhaps that's selling studio director Fumihiko Yasuda's squad a tad bit short, because before Nioh -- in between Dead or Alive games, and even a voyage to Nintendo Land with Metroid: Other M -- Team Ninja was best-known for its Ninja Gaiden revival, a dormant 2D series it revived in 3D back in 2004. On today's mailbag-centric episode of +, we discu...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 99: The Approach

We're getting close now. Really close. Compelling rumors are now circulating (along with some vague words from Sony's CEO himself) that PlayStation 5's official reveal is close on the horizon, and may happen in just a few weeks, along with the first showcase of Sony's first party, next-gen offerings. So let's chat about the rumors, what we think will happen, and when we can expect everything to go down. Plus: Let's delve deeper into Ghost of Tsushima, talk about that bizarre (and very real) G...

KnockBack, Episode 119 | Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

Did Disney's Star Wars trilogy end with a loud bang or a resounding thud? It depends on who you ask, of course. But just late last year (in 2019), the new galactic journey that began with Episode VII ended with Episode IX, and the results were about as divisive as you'd probably imagine. Mired by rewrites, production problems, roving directors, and the death of an iconic actor, The Rise of Skywalker tried to undo many of the problems introduced by Rian Johnson's Episode VIII, but whether or n...

Side Quest, Episode 70: Video Game Title, The Definitive Edition

Just what is a Definitive Edition of a game? Hell if we know. But Matty tries to get to the bottom of it.

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XLII: Persona 5 Royal Spoilercast and Review Discussion

While Persona 4 Golden was arguably Vita's most beloved games, the series didn't hit true mainstream, western success until Persona 5 came to PS3 and PS4 several years ago. Now, with Persona 5 Royal -- 2020's best-received PS4 title, exclusive or otherwise -- developer P Studio and publisher Atlus have followed up P5 with a revised and expanded version of the game titled Persona 5 Royal. Royal holds a stunning score of 95 on Metacritic, and it features fresh social links, a new palace, dozens...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 98: An Apparition No More

When it comes to Ghost of Tsushima, Sony-owned Sucker Punch has the distinct honor of delivering PlayStation 4's very last first party AAA exclusive. Yet, there's no doubt that both the publisher and developer of the 13th century samurai adventure have been pretty quiet about it, which raised some doubts about whether it'd be any good. The silence has been broken, though, with an 18 minute-long presentation shining some much needed light on the open world action game. Were we impressed? Well....

KnockBack, Episode 118: Far Cry 3

Do you know the definition of insanity? After playing 2012's Far Cry 3, you just might. While this open world FPS series began inauspiciously enough under the direction of none other than Crytek, it's when Ubisoft brought the shooter franchise in-house that it truly began to shine. And it perhaps shines brightest with its third core entry, one that takes place on the fictional Rook Islands in the Pacific Ocean, pits rich kids against drug-and-slave-trading thugs, and challenges players to fin...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XLI: Crossings and Xpectations

Last week was pretty eventful for PlayStation's two primary competitors. On one hand, you had the Inside Xbox third party event, and on the other, word about a meteoric Nintendo first party success. Today's lengthy episode of + is dedicated to both of these topics. First, we comb through each and every game from Microsoft's next-gen festivities, talking about what we loved, what we didn't, and what we think about Xbox Series X's emphasis on features like Smart Delivery and services like Game ...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 97: X Misses the Spot

The hunger for next-gen information is palpable, and with this week's Xbox event, it seemed like Microsoft was keen on going first in some sort of substantive way. Instead, most fans were left confused by their showing. But there's good news for us here in PlayStation Land, because concentrating on third parties simply means that what's coming to Xbox Series X is coming to PlayStation 5, too. We discuss. Plus: Sony reveals more details about TLoU2's catastrophic leak (as the game goes gold), ...

KnockBack, Episode 117: The Patriot

For Americans, the year 1776 is sacred. It isn't the year the American Revolution started (that's 1775), nor is it the year it ended in victory (that's 1783). Instead, '76 represents the year the US declared its independence from England, changing the course of domestic and global history alike forever. The 2000 film The Patriot -- starring Mel Gibson and the late, great Heath Ledger -- is one of the few flicks that actually delves into the War For Independence in any substantive way, and whi...

Side Quest, Episode 69: Is Persona 5 Royal the Best JRPG Ever?

Matty does what Colindon't.

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XL: Resident Evil 3 Remake Spoilercast and Review Discussion

Unlike 2019's Resident Evil 2 Remake, this year's Resident Evil 3 Remake has been a divisive product, a game that has as many detractors as supporters. While RE2R was largely faithful to its source material and provided players with a decently-long campaign and lots of replay value, RE3R strays quite a bit from the original, doesn't give customers many reasons to come back for more, and places its replayability in a largely-ignored multiplayer spinoff. Thing is, people are probably being just...

Reminder: We Are A Spoiler-Free Community

Hey All,

I hope you're doing well (all things considered), and that you're staying safe.

Over the past week -- since the catastrophic The Last of Us: Part II leaks occurred -- two members of our community have gone well out of their way to spoil parts of the game for other people here on Colin's Last Stand's Patreon. It should go without saying that this is completely unacceptable.

Now, there are more than 8,000 people here, so two out of 8,000+ isn't so bad. That said...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 96: The Leaks of Us

Our shifting podcast schedule couldn't have possibly come at a better time, because it just so happens that the last seven days (or so) in the gaming industry have been among the most news-packed in recent memory. For starters, The Last of Us: Part II has a new release date, but such a revelation comes on the back of something truly traumatic for Naughty Dog, Sony, and TLoU fans: Catastrophic story leaks that threaten to ruin the game for everyone. (Don't worry: We don't discuss ANY spoilers ...

KnockBack, Episode 116: E.T.

This week's episode of KnockBack is a special one, not only because of its subject matter -- the 1982 Steven Spielberg smash-hit film E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial -- but because our guest host this week is none other than Dagan's wife, Helene. E.T. was, is, and will likely always be one of the most seminal movies ever created, and it's because it has what so many other pictures all-too-often lack: Heart and imagination. There's a good reason why, for more than a decade after it launched, it wa...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XXXIX: Virtuous Patience

At $60 a pop, a new AAA video game is no small investment, especially when projects these days are rarely released in tip-top shape. By resisting buying new titles at launch, though, can we force better outcomes for all of us? Or do we (as enthusiasts) simply lack the fortitude to effect real change? Let's discuss. Plus: Why do some publishers sacrifice short-term financial gain for long-term viability? How come Sony trademarked PS6, PS7, and other terms for machines that don't yet exist, and...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XXXVIII: Doom Eternal Spoilercast and Review Discussion

Back in March, the eagerly-anticipated follow-up to Doom 2016 launched in the form of Doom Eternal. Chock-full of fluid combat and lovely graphics -- all buttressed by a buttery framerate and metal soundtrack -- Doom Eternal is a truly wonderful game. It's both fun and funny; indeed, it's an absolute pleasure to play. Today's Chris-solo episode of SS+ is dedicated to id's adventure, celebrating everything it does right, and noting a few things it does wrong, too. As always, we have to warn yo...

KnockBack, Episode 115: The Powerpuff Girls

The Powerpuff Girls might seem like an unassuming piece of animation... yet it's anything but. Nestled within the soul of Cartoon Network's hit show is a surprising amount of depth, an amalgamation of influences ranging from anime to gaming to old superhero TV shows. The result is one of the most charming cartoons of the last 30 years. The adventures of Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles -- three five year old girls, mind you -- are equal parts hilarious and clever, with a cast of memorable vill...

Can Chris Ray Gun Survive in Resident Evil 3 Remake?

Run, Chris, run!

Sacred Symbols, Episode 95: Be Afraid

That face in the thumbnail? That's the face of your doom. It's also the face of a bizarre patent Sony filed for a robot that can experience PlayStation games right alongside you. What does it mean? We don't exactly know, but we're definitely afraid of it. Also: A new Bloomberg article talks much more about PlayStation 5 and when we can expect it, and even how much it'll likely cost, giving us much to discuss. Meanwhile, Crytek is bringing Crysis back (kinda), Grand Theft Auto VI is in develop...

Sacred Symbols+, Episode XXXVII: Twin Breaker Spoilercast

If you didn't know, I (Colin) wrote a video game. It's called Twin Breaker: A Sacred Symbols Adventure, it's currently on PS4 and Vita, and thousands of you were kind enough to buy it. Barry (the developer) and I are incredibly grateful. Thing is, writing a video game was a really unique experience. It's the first time I ever truly put a piece of fiction into the world, and while some people didn't care for the plot and setting, many folks did, which was incredibly gratifying. So for this wee...

KnockBack, Episode 114 | Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Comedian and actor Mike Myers has always been a bit of an enigma. The hilarious Canadian made his bones on Saturday Night Live and drew international acclaim for his Wayne's World skits and films, but it was 1997's James Bond spoof Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery that might be his most famous and most beloved work. Playing both the movie's protagonist (the titular Austin Powers) and antagonist (the amazing Dr. Evil), Myers put in work. After all, he devised all the characters, the...