LastStandMedia

Fireside Chats, Episode 63: The Hospitality Grind

As we move through the years, many of us end up in front-facing jobs, whether that's at a restaurant, or in retail, or in some other capacity. But few people have to work in an environment where the quality of a customer's experience hinges on a ton of things going just right, potentially for consecutive days or weeks at a time. Today's guest is a manager at a global hotel chain, and his insight into the workings of a hotel (and the many challenges they face) offers an awesome glimpse into th...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 20: Final Fantasy Fiasco

Just when things seemed to be going swimmingly for Square Enix, bad news strikes: Not only has most of Final Fantasy XV's DLC been cancelled, but the game's director -- one of their most vital employees -- has left the company. Combined with a $33 million loss over the past six months, the famous Japanese publisher may not be in fighting shape. We discuss. Plus: Red Dead Redemption 2 keeps selling huge, Activision is disappointed with Destiny 2's performance, Supermassive Games is still in the P...

Fireside Chats, Episode 62: Assessing the Midterm Elections

Here in the United States, the 2018 midterm elections are behind us, and so our long national nightmare is finally over. Right?! Wrong! To make sense of the split decision rendered by the American people, I've brought in popular guest Jeff Cannata to talk through the results. With the House in Democratic control, the Senate in Republican control, and the US obviously more Balkanized than it's been in 150 years, it seems like things may just get worse before they get better. So join us for a r...

KnockBack, Episode 39: The Music of Our Youth

For many kids, music is a gigantic part of life, and the bands, albums, and songs we grow up listening to and enjoying often help shape the people we end up becoming as adults. With that in mind, we dedicate the longest episode of KnockBack to date to 10 albums each (or 20 albums total) that indelibly influenced us as children and teenagers. Indeed, much of our focus is on our middle school and high school years, represented by an enormously eclectic collection of music... an assortment of mu...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 19: An Unexpected Blizzard

The PlayStation news never stops rolling in, and with new PS4 global sales figures, random NPD releases concerning lifetime Vita and PSone software numbers, and fresh information about both the Medievil remake and the recently announced MLB 19: The Show, we have plenty to keep us busy. But we also wanted to take time to focus on the non-PlayStation fiasco surrounding Blizzard, Activision, the Diablo franchise, and... well... many gamers, including many of you. Why is the gaming industry becoming...

Colin's Last Stand: Side Quest, Episode 49 (Audio)

Diablo Immortal and Building A Better Games Industry!

Side Quest, Episode 49: Diablo Immortal and Building A Better Games Industry

KnockBack, Episode 38: Lunchtime and Recess

For virtually all students, lunchtime (and the recess that often followed) was a pivotal moment of each school day. Indeed, going off to eat and goof off with your friends acted as the perfect respite from never ending waves of math problems and reading assignments. Today's episode of KnockBack -- framed heavily around listener comments -- is all about lunchtime and recess, and the many, many stories we (and all of you) have about those times. This episode is full of laughs, and tons of nosta...

Fireside Chats, Episode 61: Fighting the Culture War with Roaming Millennial

You may know today's guest, Lauren Chen, by her digital pen-name (of sorts): Roaming Millennial. Lauren was born in Hong Kong, moved to Canada as a kid, and heavily engages in politics both at home and in the United States, primarily through her YouTube channel and through her work on CRTV. So naturally, I invited her for a Fireside Chat all about the political climate in The Age of Trump. As a Christian and a social conservative, Lauren and I come down on the opposite side of quite a few iss...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 18: PlayStation Classic Blues

Sony has finally revealed the 20 games that are set to come loaded onto each and every PlayStation Classic. The lineup has pleased some, but has left many others disappointed (and dare we say aghast). Not surprisingly, we jump into the ongoing conversation. Plus, Shawn Layden finally talks specifics when it comes to PS4's Medievil remake, Spider-Man sets sales records, Bethesda continues to pay for the trap it set for itself with Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI, there are problems galore with...

Colin's Last Stand: Side Quest, Episode 48 (Audio)

Castlevania Requiem Review!

Side Quest, Episode 48: Castlevania Requiem Review

Great games. Shockingly lazy presentation.

Patreon-Exclusive Sacred Symbols (October, 2018): Long Lost Letters

I marinated for a while on what the nature of this month's CLS Patreon-exclusive podcast should be. Should I use one of the episodes of Fireside Chats I'm sitting on? Perhaps it's time to get Ramon back in here for another exclusive KnockBack? Well, both of those things will eventually happen, but this month, I opted to go back to Sacred Symbols instead. Each Friday, I post a thread here on Patreon for $2+/month subs, so that they can submit their questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ide...

Colin's Last Stand: Side Quest, Episode 47 (Audio)

Red Dead Redemption 2 Review!

KnockBack, Episode 37: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

It's almost always true that "the book is better than the movie." But when it comes to the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory -- which is based on the 1964 Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -- the movie is definitively better than what inspired it. Starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a timeless mix of humor, music, and zaniness, and, nearly five decades after its release, it's as amazing as ever. So join us as we take a t...

Side Quest, Episode 47: Red Dead Redemption 2 Review

The very definition of Production Value.

Fireside Chats, Episode 60: Saving the Innocent

In the United States -- and around the world -- millions of animals go unloved, uncared for, and discarded. Bryan Finck works on behalf of The Pixel Fund, a Florida-based non-profit that tends to dogs, cats, and other animals that have been abused, abandoned, and put in otherwise awful situations. Through his care, and the care of his colleagues, animals that would have otherwise never found a loving home (or would have outright died or been put down) are living vibrant, happy lives, all than...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 17: Days Further Gone

Just when you thought Sony Bend was actually going to release a game this generation, you were wrong. Well, kinda. The studio's eagerly-anticipated third-person open world game Days Gone has been delayed, and we discuss what that means for PlayStation 4's 2019 calendar year. Plus, the saga surrounding Rockstar's phantom 100-hour work weeks continues, and we sound off with some candid and honest thoughts. Also: News about Medievil Remastered on PS4 is imminent, CoD: Black Ops 4's online functiona...

KnockBack, Episode 36: Castlevania (Symphony of the Night)

For a decade, Castlevania fans knew their beloved series as something traditional. You'd go through a stage full of bad guys, you'd fight a boss at the end, and you'd move on to the next level, where you'd do it all again. But then, in 1997, Symphony of the Night came to PlayStation (and Saturn!), and changed the formula forever. Widely considered one of the very best games ever created, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night took influence not only from Castlevania II: Simon's Quest on NES, but ...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 16: Sound the Alarms?!

In an interview, Rockstar's co-founder seemed to indicate that the massive team working on Red Dead Redemption 2 is pulling 100-hour work weeks to finish the game. But is that actually true, or have his words been completely misconstrued? Is all well, or is it time to sound the alarms? We discuss. Plus: Sony finally confirms PS5 is coming (duh), PlayStation Network names will be a-changin' starting in early 2019, some naughty bits are being removed from the upcoming Senran Kagura game, and Sony ...

Fireside Chats, Episode 59: The Black Moderate

Rondale Williams is a veteran of the US Navy, a software engineer with a college degree in history, and a moderate black man in contemporary America. It's the latter point that makes him unusual, at least from the perspective of modern politics, which often considers minority voters reliable blocs, and not individuals with unique thoughts, ideas, aspirations, and ideologies. Rondale and I sat down for a little over an hour to discuss his unique path through life, growing up in Hartford, Conne...

KnockBack, Episode 35: Random Childhood Memories

Almost every episode of KnockBack is focused on something: A topic, or a product, or a place and time. Today's episode is a bit different, though. Each month, CLS Patrons get to vote on what we should cover in a future episode of this show, and you guys and gals voted for us to tell some of our favorite childhood memories. So we've done just that. From feats of hockey heroism and snowball fights with the older kids, to fake-out birthday gifts and family vacations, to school assemblies and fig...

Fireside Chats, Episode 58: Getting Political With Laci Green

Laci Green is a popular YouTuber, sex educator, feminist, and author. She's also a personal friend of mine. I initially invited Laci to Santa Monica for a Fireside Chat about her new book (Sex Plus: Learning, Loving, and Enjoying Your Body), and intended on discussing sexuality, feminism, and all the rest. Instead, though, we had a wide-ranging political conversation, touching on topics from the deeply divisive Kavanaugh SCOTUS confirmation and the fight between pro-choice and pro-life elemen...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 15: Harry Potter and the PSN Name Change

A few days ago, cell phone footage of a new, triple-A Harry Potter game (purportedly an open world RPG) was leaked, giving us a glimpse into what the popular franchise could look like on current-gen (and possibly even next-gen) consoles. But this week's news doesn't stop there. All signs are pointing to PSN name changing possibly happening very soon, Skybound Entertainment swooped in to save the Telltale Walking Dead franchise, Killzone's revival is looking mighty likely, The Witcher's author is...

Colin's Last Stand: Side Quest, Episode 46 (Audio)

The Game Devs That Can Save Star Wars!

Side Quest, Episode 46: The Game Devs That Could Save Star Wars

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

KnockBack: Wave V Topics Revealed (Get Your Questions/Comments/Memories In!)

Hey All!

I hope that this posting finds you and yours very well.

It's that time! I'm pleased to reveal the next 9 topics that will be covered on CLS: KnockBack. Dagan and I will be recording this wave between October 13th and October 16th in Santa Monica, and we're stoked to reconvene.

Here's what we're thinking, topic-wise. Episode numbers are tentative, and don't necessarily reflect the order in which the episodes will be published.

Episode 36: 2018-10-04 22:51:42 +0000 UTC View Post

KnockBack, Episode 34: Akira

In the late '80s, Katsuhiro Otomo changed animation forever with the release of Akira, the film adaption of his manga series of the same name. His Akira manga began in 1982, and wouldn't conclude until 1990, two years after the movie was released. But one thing was true then, and remains true now: Akira, as a film, is one of the most impressive and important pieces of long-form animation ever created, and continues to inspire artists around the world to this day. So let's delve into all thing...

Fireside Chats, Episode 57: A Sit Down With David Jaffe

It's only in recent years that the gaming industry has become louder, more vocal, and more visible. But in quieter times, David Jaffe led the charge when it came to what we today term "being a personality." Jaffe is most famous for being the driving force behind Twisted Metal (pardon the pun), and was the director and creative visionary behind the original God of War, too. These days, however, Mr. Jaffe lives a quieter and more subdued life. We got together in his hometown of San Diego for a ...

Sacred Symbols, Episode 14: Mega Meh

The fall rush is just about here, and there's much to discuss. For starters, Mega Man 11 has arrived, and Colin -- The World's Biggest Mega Man Nerd™ -- has some feelings about it. News concerning the recent (and very surprising) Telltale closure has also been flooding out, including word of a class action lawsuit, which we discuss. Plus: Our long PS4 cross-platform play national nightmare is over, new PlayStation Plus games have been revealed, Bungie trademarked a new video game title, and yo...