Chris Ray Gun, Pandora's Greatest Murderer: Sacred Symbols Plays Borderlands 3
They had families.
2019-09-18 18:36:13 +0000 UTC View Post
LastStandMedia posts
Fireside Chats, Episode 107: American Farming
Virtually every culture in the world has a tradition of agriculture, but America takes it to the next level. In fact, the United States takes farming so seriously that, even in a country of 330 million people, the country exports around $150 billion worth of grown and raised food a year, making it a powerhouse on which many other nations rely. Today's guest, Will Thelander, is an Arizonan farmer that provides incredible perspective on what it's like to be part of America's booming agricultura...
2019-09-18 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols, Episode 64: Boredomlands
It may be hard to believe, but it's been nearly seven years since Borderlands 2 launched, and so with Borderlands 3's recent arrival, you may expect fans to be delighted. Some are, no doubt, but many others aren't, and such a situation calls much into question: Are there too many loot-based shooters? Can a game like this compete on the modern market? Is Borderlands 3 simply too late? Chris and Colin don't see eye-to-eye on this much at all, which makes for an interesting conversation. Then, h...
2019-09-17 16:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols+, Episode VI: Control Spoilercast and Review Discussion
Finland's own Remedy Entertainment began inauspiciously enough, quietly releasing a mid-'90s vehicular combat game before happening across an early-aughts classic: Max Payne. In more recent years, though, Remedy found its way around the Xbox ecosystem with the likes of Alan Wake and Quantum Break, and now the developer has returned to PlayStation for the first time in 16 years with Control. Steeped in deep and confounding lore and littered with kinetic gameplay, Control is fun to both play an...
2019-09-13 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostKnockBack, Episode 83: Aladdin
By the early '90s, Disney's much-vaunted animation revival was in full swing. The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast had the company buzzing, yet the decade still had much, much more in store. In late 1992, Aladdin joined the roster, packing a rock-solid cast of voice actors helmed by comedian Robin Williams. Yet, while Williams' ad-libbed performance as Genie is the most celebrated part of the film (and the way Disney treated him perhaps the most notorious), a wonderful crew of animator...
2019-09-12 16:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostSave Colin Moriarty in Habroxia on PS4 and Vita
Lost in space.
2019-09-11 20:04:35 +0000 UTC View PostFireside Chats, Episode 106: The Comic Creator
Over the last two and a half decades, the Internet has revolutionized the free market, and not just when it comes to cheap consumer goods. For artists, writers, musicians, and other creative types, the Internet has been nothing short of a life-sustaining miracle, allowing those who want to explore unorthodox business opportunities nearly endless latitude to do so. Heck: Colin's Last Stand is a product of this new economy, and everyone reading this description is that economy's consumer. It's ...
2019-09-11 16:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols, Episode 63: Ghosted
A rather interesting piece of industry news went largely unreported last week. It seems the Creative Director of Bethesda-owned Tango Gameworks' Ghostwire: Tokyo has randomly left the studio mere months after introducing and showcasing her game at E3. This was clearly unplanned and obviously spur-of-the-moment, so what gives? We speculate. Also: Thriving publisher Capcom has revealed an all-new Resident Evil spin-off with serious L4D vibes, a couple of Xbox and PC-centric Star Wars games are ...
2019-09-10 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols+, Episode V: Cancel Culture
Society seems to be eating itself alive. Whether in the name of righteousness or purity, or for a false sense of justice and control, stepping out of line can get you Destroyed with a Capital D. Professionally. Socially. Personally. Nothing is off-limits. Today, we examine one of modernity's most pernicious plagues -- Cancel Culture -- and its effects on the gaming industry, on devs, players, and passersby alike. Can we survive this seemingly endless war of escalation? Will cooler heads ultim...
2019-09-06 16:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostKnockBack, Episode 82: Our Greatest Childhood Fears
Children aren't exactly the most rational creatures on the planet, and naturally, the Moriarty Boys weren't immune to this reality in their younger years. Today's episode of KnockBack is structured around that irrationality, specifically when it comes to the things kids fear. Dagan was afraid of nuclear war, sharks, and aliens. Colin (that's me!) lived in silent fear of a recurring nightmare known as The Tickley Monster, being buried alive, and often wondered if was he was going to die of AID...
2019-09-05 16:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostDr. Wily vs. Chris Ray Gun: Sacred Symbols Plays Mega Man 2
He won't be intimidated.
2019-09-04 22:06:57 +0000 UTC View PostFireside Chats, Episode 105: Sleep Paralysis
Today's guest -- Eric Dominguez -- suffers from an inexplicable ailment that only strikes when he slumbers. The affliction is aptly named Sleep Paralysis, and for thousands of years, it has left people in civilizations around the world and throughout recorded history completely mystified. To those that suffer from it, however, its effects are anything but mysterious. With your mind awake and alert but your body unwilling and unable to move, falling into a bout of sleep paralysis can be a scar...
2019-09-04 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols, Episode 62: Incoming Biohazard
Capcom's recent resurgence hasn't only been fueled by Street Fighter, Monster Hunter, Devil May Cry, and slick retro collections. Resident Evil -- known as Biohazard in Japan -- has itself been a lynchpin since RE7 shocked us the gaming world early 2017 (not to mention RE2's wonderful remake earlier this year). Now, the Japanese publisher is teasing a new Resident Evil, but it's unclear just what it could be. A mainline entry? Another remake? Or perhaps something else entirely? Let's talk abo...
2019-09-03 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols+, Episode IV: It's Okay to Walk Away
We get a lot of questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas submitted to our show each week. So many, in fact, that we couldn't possibly use all of them -- or even most of them! -- meaning that some really great probes sadly go unanswered. Thankfully, Sacred Symbols+ allows us to navigate around that frustrating issue. Since our new Plus-sized supplement launched weeks ago, we've been keeping a tally of quality listener input we just couldn't fit into our normal run-of-show. The result...
2019-08-30 16:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostKnockBack, Episode 81: Jurassic Park
Dinosaurs are a bit of cultural phenomenon, and have been for a century and a half, since the earliest professional paleontologists ventured out to find the fossilized remains of one of Earth's most mysterious and fascinating prior occupants. Yet, perhaps no single piece of fiction has ever played on that human love of dinosaurs quite like Jurassic Park. While Jurassic Park found its origins as a book, released in 1990 and written by the late, great Michael Crichton, it was intended on a movi...
2019-08-29 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostWe Opened Our Dark Hearts: Sacred Symbols Plays Dreams
Well... we tried to, anyway.
2019-08-28 19:42:21 +0000 UTC View PostFireside Chats, Episode 104: Questioning Faith
A common theme throughout Fireside Chats has been religion. Talking about it, thinking about it, debating it. Today's guest -- Paeter Fransden -- is a knowledgeable, evangelical, friendly, and determined believer in Christ, and out of all of the Christian-themed episodes we've done so far, I (Colin) must readily admit: This one personally made me think about and question my own beliefs the most. Perhaps you'll have a similar experience. Perhaps not. But either way, put on your thinking ...
2019-08-28 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols, Episode 61: Assuming Control
Every once in a while, a game comes along that you think is one thing, but ends up being something entirely different. (This is especially true for those of us who do our best to avoid preview coverage for titles we're excited about.) Sometimes, this is a good thing. Other times, it isn't. With Remedy's newest game Control -- the dev's first adventure on a PlayStation platform in 16 years -- it's a little bit of both. Frenetic to play and puzzling to understanding, Control has all the makings...
2019-08-27 16:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols+, Episode III: Who's Next?
The fumes from this year's Gamescom are just about burned away, and frankly, there's not a whole lot to talk about from the show. But a megaton nonetheless emerged during the its opening day, seemingly by coincidence: Insomniac Games is now part of Sony's first party family. It's PlayStation's first studio purchase in eight years, and if the Dev Arms Race Microsoft is engaging in is any indication, it won't be their last. This week's episode of Sacred Symbols+ is therefore dedicated to the en...
2019-08-23 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostKnockBack, Episode 80 | Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
In May of 1999, the very Earth below us shook as Star Wars fully emerged from dormancy. While George Lucas ate around the edges throughout the '90s, re-releasing the classic trilogy multiple times while launching an absurd amount of toys and other merchandise, it all ultimately led to one thing: Episode I. As the first Star Wars film since 1983's Return of the Jedi, Episode I -- subtitled The Phantom Menace -- had immense pressure put on it from the moment it was announced, and for most fans,...
2019-08-22 16:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostOninaki: The JRPG All About Purgatory
Tokyo RPG Factory's newest game is all about rescuing people from the space between life and death, not to save their lives, but to allow them to actually die.
2019-08-21 21:32:13 +0000 UTC View PostFireside Chats, Episode 103: Top Chef
Meet Jose Horrach, a New York City-based professional chef with a ton of experience, loads of interesting stories, and a whole lot of insight. Our Fireside Chat, not surprisingly, revolves around cooking, eating, and drinking, but for as fun as shoving food in our faces is, tales from the kitchen can be just as riveting. What is it like working in the cutthroat, under-paid, demanding, and daunting world of professional restaurants? And how can newcomers make their way into the field... if the...
2019-08-21 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols, Episode 60: Welcome to the Family
Today's episode was already shaping up to be a sizable one. After all, there's THQ Nordic-related news galore to get through, not to mention the conspicuous exit of two prolific producers from BioWare, new NPD sales data, and much more to discuss. But then a meteor struck: Insomniac Games has been purchased by Sony, the first acquisition PlayStation's first party has made in more than eight years! This news comes unexpectedly, but also represents a seemingly necessary move, particularly in li...
2019-08-20 16:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostSide Quest, Episode 63 (Audio)
Why Stadia Will (Probably) Fail!
2019-08-20 06:38:31 +0000 UTC View PostSide Quest, Episode 63: Why Stadia Will (Probably) Fail
A toss of the dice.
2019-08-16 20:27:08 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols+, Episode II: Violence
Can video games influence real-world violence? It's a controversial question that stokes anger, resentment, and fear from "both sides." But even as countries like the United States become safer than they've ever been, they still fall prey to heinous acts of mass violence that shake us at our very cores, and make us take a second glimpse at our assumptions on a whole host of issues. While we had originally intended to avoid this minefield in the wake of the shootings in Texas and Ohio, we inst...
2019-08-16 16:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostKnockBack, Episode 79: The Big Lebowski
What can you really say about The Big Lebowski? Well... a ton, as it turns out. The Coen Brothers' 1998 cult-classic comedy is one of the most quotable films of all-time, with one of the most bizarre cast of amazing characters you'll ever encounter in the genre. Smart, witty, and wonderfully written, The Big Lebowski rings loudly more than two decades after its release not because of '90s nostalgia or hazy retro glasses. It's an authentically hysterical movie, and more than worthy of an episo...
2019-08-15 16:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostNever Doubt Chris Ray Gun: Sacred Symbols Plays Titanfall 2 (Again)
That ending sure is fitting.
2019-08-14 20:34:47 +0000 UTC View PostFireside Chats, Episode 102: Special Effects
Legions of great films have relied on stellar special effects over the decades, but it's the ones that utilize practical effects that really stand the test of time. Today's guest -- Damon Weathers -- is Studio Coordinator at Legacy Effects, an award-winning practical effects team responsible for some of the awesome stuff you've seen in tons of Marvel movies, the Jurassic Park and Terminator franchises, and even shows like Grey's Anatomy. What does Damon do, and how do he and his team work alo...
2019-08-14 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostSacred Symbols, Episode 59: Tantalizing Possibilities
While they share some commonalities, Microsoft and Sony are chasing next-gen victory in fundamentally different ways. Sony's doubling-down on everything that made it a resounding winner this go-around -- including a full embrace of its proprietary ecosystem -- while Microsoft seems more eager to lower barriers and spread the love. In a recent interview, the head of Xbox's first party studios candidly admitted that Microsoft sees some of its games migrating to other consoles. Such an admission...
2019-08-13 16:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post