Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#320 | Closing Walls and Ticking Clocks Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

We're getting into the late summer now, and it's no surprise that the news is beginning to pick up, starting with word of more Xbox games migrating to PlayStation. By our next episode, we should have at least one more Microsoft-centric title lined-up for PlayStation 5, a sign of the times as -- ultimately -- much of that catalog finds itself elsewhere. Meanwhile, problems are brewing in Sony's games-as-a-service initiative. On one hand, Concord's release is imminent, and the excitement level is precariously low. It's unclear whether Firewalk can really pull this thing off. On the other hand, we have second party title Helldivers 2, which has been tinkered with to such a degree that players are being rebuffed en masse. Can Arrowhead turn it around and keep a good thing going? Other news this week includes Dragon Age: The Veilguard's release date, the revival of Tango Gameworks, Final Fantasy VII Remake: Part III's potential move to Unreal Engine 5, and more. Then: Listener inquiries. How bad can the Borderlands film actually be? What kind of power does Fortnite wield these days? Is controller drift caused by faulty hardware or aggressive players? Did Chris really think he could win a breakdancing gold medal at the Paris Olympics?

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#319 | Just A Taste of All That Might Come to Be Aug 12, 2024

Show notes

We're pleased to present to you a decidedly old-school-coded episode of Sacred Symbols, recorded in the traditional 1v1 fashion. And we've plenty to keep us busy, starting with Sony's quarterly financials showing a thriving games division hampered by slowing console sales. But with PS5 Pro around the corner (and the inevitable first true price cut for the core hardware), can we count on things picking up once more? Meanwhile, as we've long-assumed, Santa Monica Studio is indeed working on a new IP, its first since the original God of War launched in 2005 (and only its second, period). When can we expect its reveal? Plus: Our first look at The Last of Us on HBO's second season, PC specs for God of War: Ragnarok, the closure of one-time Sony second party Ready at Dawn, PlayStation 4 still drawing ports like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor after 11 years, and more, followed by listener inquiries. What are our expectations for Insomniac's Wolverine? Can the heyday of Guitar Hero and Rock Band after be recaptured? Could The Last of Us Online quickly have become Sony's most expensive game ever? Did Dustin's absence inadvertently cause the Japanese stock market crash?

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self

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#318 | Hey Man, Wake Up and Smell the Concrete Aug 05, 2024

Show notes

While Sony may have purchased Bungie with specific end-goals in mind, it's clear -- some two years later -- that the deal hasn't improved PlayStation whatsoever. In fact, it's becoming increasingly nebulous why the acquisition was made at all, with Bungie hemorrhaging money, laying off hundreds, shedding high-end talent, and churning through funds that could be better spent by Sony's actually reliable stable of teams. With further layoffs, the creation of a new spin-off first party squad, and drama galore, there's plenty for us to get into on this topic alone. But there are other things to discuss, too: Firesprite is seemingly making a PlayStation 6 game, Until Dawn Remake got an ESRB rating, Activision's compelling white paper makes a great case for skill-based matchmaking, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Do we have any nostalgia for pandemic-era gaming? Would Sony have been wise to rely more heavily on established IP for their games-as-a-service push? With studio failures aplenty, is it even worth getting into game dev at this point? How has Colin been dealing with Boar's Head's darkest days ever?

Tickets to Sacred Vs Dukes live show: https://bit.ly/sacreddukes

Get a free gift with your Journey Pack at https://www.tryfum.com with code SACRED

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:28:15 - San Diego Live show!

0:29:55 - where baby?

0:36:39 - Will CCDF work at LSM?

0:45:46 - Boar's Head listeria outbreak

0:53:52 - Stolen pet waste basket

0:59:22 - Mega Man figure jar

1:03:51 - Cleaning in the shower

1:07:50 - New PSVR2 and PS5 pricing

1:14:33 - Astro Bot Dualsense

1:16:44 - Until Dawn Remake gets rated

1:20:43 - Voice actors strike

1:23:12 - Skill Based match making works

1:32:51 - Legacy of Kain returns?

1:42:57 - Alien Hominid 1 and 2 remastered

1:46:20 - Armored Core and Silent Hill sales and downloads

1:47:37 - What are we playing?

2:08:23 - Bungie Layoffs

2:52:06 - Firesprite's future game

2:59:00 - New PS Plus games

3:03:31 - Gaming with Biden and Trump

3:06:23 - PlayStation's creativity

3:12:34 - Pandemic gaming

3:19:58 - New vs old IP for live service

3:26:43 - Why pursue a career in games?

3:38:06 - Requirement to keep games going

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#317 | Cater to the Hollow Jul 29, 2024

Show notes

Anything can happen, but it seems likely that Firewalk's upcoming hero shooter Concord is essentially dead-on-arrival upon launch in late August. But with less than a month to go until release, what more can really be done? Making it free-to-play in the pre-release environment is an admittance of defeat and a sacrifice of what paying customers you managed to garner at all, while delaying it just... well... delays the inevitable (just ask Kill the Justice League). Does this game have a chance? Did Sony make a mistake by buying Firewalk at all? Why don't publishers pursue projects that fill a specific need, as opposed to copying what already exists? Other news this week includes details about Helldivers 2's Escalation of Freedom update, more tantalizing rumors concerning PS5 Pro, College Football 25's meteoric success, Ubisoft's fumbling Assassin's Creed Shadows statement, three fresh China Hero Project announcements, and more. Listener inquiries wrap things up, per usual, on topics like the best time of day to game, catching up on series you may have missed, forgetting games you've already played but don't remember, and the preposterousness of defrosting bread and there somehow being no water left behind.

Tickets to Sacred Vs Dukes live show: https://bit.ly/sacreddukes

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:09:50 - Frozen bread again for some reason

0:13:39 - I vs. Me

0:31:24 - Political secrets

0:40:00 - deadass

0:46:51 - Colin goes to Vegas

0:48:31 - Summer Olympics

0:57:25 - Entertainment during delivery

1:08:27 - PSVR2 PC app

1:12:47 - PS5 Pro settings appear

1:20:47 - New PS5 beta firmware

1:23:37 - NCAA is huge

1:32:07 - Ubisoft's statement on AC Shadows

1:48:53 - WB buys Player First Games

1:52:13 - Humble Games closing?

1:59:57 - More Mega Man coming?

2:07:08 - SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos

2:08:08 - Capcom physical games

2:10:12 - Tales of Xillia Remastered?

2:11:36 - What are we playing?

2:41:32 - Helldivers 2 update

2:54:32 - Concord info and woes

3:09:27 - New games from China Hero Project

3:17:07 - Space Marine 2 gutcheck

3:23:20 - Favorite time to game

3:29:35 - Games we forgot

3:34:52 - Loot lexicography

3:40:51 - Series to get into from scratch

3:45:46 - Staggered release dates

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#316 | Days Pass, and This Emptiness Fills My Heart Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

We're truly in the doldrums of summer when it comes to console gaming, at least when considering news, releases, and other notable happenings. But we have a show to do nonetheless, and there are still a series of interesting tidbits worth discussing. Nexon's Bungie-inspired shooter The First Descendant has found itself in some controversy around in-game art, Amazon's Fallout TV series received a ton of Emmy nominations (with Twisted Metal on Peacock receiving one of its own), Sony will show off a slew of games on the show floor at Beijing's ChinaJoy '24 convention, Black Ops 6's beta details have been revealed, and more. We round things out with listener inquiries, as we usually do, this week approaching topics like our game of the year so far for 2024, immersion, playing games with our spouses, and the generational gap (in player age) when it comes to the hardcore space.

Tickets to Sacred Vs Dukes live show: https://bit.ly/sacreddukes

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:41:47 - Snark Tank dash cam crash update

0:46:10 - F Cancer

0:48:56 - Where was Dustin on Saturday?

1:13:28 - Dustin's baby publicity

1:29:50 - Too similar?

1:38:14 - Sony at ChinaJoy

1:42:03 - Black Ops 6 beta details

1:49:39 - New Emmy nominations

1:54:07 - Crash 5 cancelled?

1:58:19 - First Descendant copies Destiny?

2:03:59 - Gamers love microtransations

2:11:32 - AAA console games bomb on iOS

2:20:49 - Valve's low employee count

2:24:01 - What we're playing

2:44:29 - GOTY so far?

2:54:20 - Gaming nostalgia

3:13:18 - Immersion problems

3:21:24 - Gaming with your significant other

3:26:30 - Gaming demographics

3:37:45 - DEI layoffs

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#315 | Beta Energy Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

The next PlayStation Studios game in the pipeline is Concord, and we're all interested to see how it pans out. But by opening up its imminent beta weekend to all PS+ subscribers instead of those who pre-ordered the game, it's obvious that the pre-release energy for this title simply isn't there. Will a mass of people going hands-on change its trajectory? Or do things seem a little bit dire for Firewalk's maiden voyage? Plus: Bloodborne for PS5 appears on PlayStation Stars in a cruel tease, Zenless Zone Zero hits 50 million players in only a week, Arc System Works is toiling away on a 3D Double Dragon game, Sony gets into bed with PalWorld studio Pocketpair, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What do we think of the extensive changes Microsoft made to Xbox's Game Pass program? We've talked a great deal about AI, but how do we feel about its distant cousin procedural generation? Which changes do we want to see instituted most in Firaxis' Civilization VII? Will Chris trade his PSVR2 to a listener for standing room concert tickets?

Tickets to Sacred Vs Dukes live show: https://bit.ly/sacreddukes

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:22:41 - Happy Birthday Emily

0:28:45 - Lockmort's patronage

0:30:40 - Stretch our legs

0:34:00 - Heat

0:35:11 - Chingers

0:44:55 - Marriage advice

0:54:53 - New team name

0:57:02 - Trade offer

1:00:51 - Concord beta

1:16:55 - Bloodborne PS5

1:22:24 - Double Dragon reboot

1:26:18 - Zenless Zone Zero success

1:29:58 - Ys X release date

1:32:43 - What the Sigma Star Saga?

1:33:54 - What we're playing

2:02:07 - Pocketpair’s Sony Partnership

2:10:23 - Software and hardware sales data

2:19:55 - New PS Plus games

2:26:25 - Xbox Game Pass price increase

2:44:53 - Stigma to lower difficulties

2:52:15 - Legendary fights

2:56:01 - How much AI is ok?

3:12:56 - Civ VII dreams

3:20:09 - Right-wing grifters

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#314 | Bend, But Don't Break Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Days Gone came to PlayStation 4 more than five years ago, and though it sold very well, a sequel hasn't been greenlit, and will almost certainly never be. So why are we still talking about it? Because the civil war that fractured Bend Studio after Days Gone's release has left a sour taste in some folks' mouths. Fair enough. But ultimately, we've all got to move on, and a public airing of grievances -- while personally satisfactory, no doubt -- solves very little. We discuss. Other news this week includes the cancellation of Netflix's in-development Horizon TV series, Sony confirming it will have a presence at Tokyo Game Show for the first time since 2019, reports of SEGA's Crazy Taxi reboot being an MMO, and more. We wrap up our snug lil episode with inquiries from the audience, per usual. If we had complete immunity as the President of Gaming, how would we abuse our power? Are we attracted to the speedrunning scene? How is Elon Musk's Neuralink already changing the way people interact with games? Is Dustin a fake PlayStation fan?

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:32:14 - Six years of Sacred

0:38:44 - 126 degree party

0:51:31 - Angry Colin?

1:01:12 - Dustin exposed/canceled?

1:12:20 - The Getaway issues

1:17:27 - Days Gone Drama

1:29:53 - Horizon Netflix canceled

1:36:22 - New PlayStation collectibles

1:40:39 - Sony at TGS

1:47:53 - Dead Rising details

1:54:16 - Star Wars Outlaws goes gold

1:56:27 - Crazy Taxi reboot

2:04:57 - What we're playing?

2:25:37 - Presidential Gaming immunity

2:33:28 - Castlevania speed run

2:40:04 - Waiting to play games

2:41:48 - Neuralink gaming

2:52:27 - Game within games

2:57:04 - Goodbye to goodbyes

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#313 | I Ain't No Mathematician, But I Can Count Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

Good news emanates from South Korea, where developer Shift Up announced that PS5-exclusive release Stellar Blade has surpassed a million copies sold. To the rational thinking person, this is obviously a great accomplishment for a niche and provocative release on a single platform, and yet there are know-nothings debating its success. Thus, we correct the incorrect while also talking about Stellar Blade's future, including DLC, a PC port, and -- ultimately! -- a sequel. Other news this week includes details for Concord's upcoming closed and open betas, the surprising return of Capcom zombie-killing classic Dead Rising, fresh PSone-era collections for the likes of Fear Effect and Fighting Force, percolating rumors about PlayStation 3 emulation finally coming to PS4 and PS5, and much more. As always, we wrap things up with inquiries from you, the audience. What do we think about a Guerrilla producer's desire to get Aloy in Smash Bros? Is poor media literacy stopping gaming from reaching its true potential? Which random PlayStation 2 games would we like to see ported to modern hardware? If we could go back to the 17th century and permanently scar a peasant child with a video game experience, which one would we choose?

Get a free gift with your Journey Pack at https://www.tryfum.com/sacred and use code SACRED

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:13:04 - Independent wrestling promoter

0:15:22 - Bread

0:34:26 - Rotating third chair?

0:45:31 - Chips in the microwave?

0:54:12 - Taking a game back in time

1:05:09 - Concord beta details

1:16:27 - Astro Bot's dev team is 60 people.

1:33:49 - PS3 emulation rumors

1:47:35 - Smaller news items

1:58:00 - What we're playing

2:26:41 - Stellar Blade sells over 2 million

2:38:04 - PSVR 2 woes

2:59:39 - Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

3:08:14 - Limited Run Games announcements

3:15:38 - New PS Plus games

3:27:33 - Retro PlayStation Podcast

3:33:43 - Smash-like PlayStation game

3:50:39 - Media literacy in gaming

4:04:09 - Stranded PS2 games

4:15:17 - Boss Rush mode

4:20:17 - Fixing the amount of games

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#312 | Draggin' Quest Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

Nintendo and Microsoft both had rock-solid presentations during this faux-E3 time of year, and it has some PlayStation fans on their back foot. Why does it seem like Sony is dragging its feet when its competitors are going full steam ahead? Isn't there anything to say? And while many (including some of us on this show) make the argument that its lack of communication doesn't particularly matter in the long run -- PlayStation 5 is doing great as-is -- the consternation is nonetheless growing in the vacuum of silence. Plus: Dragon Quest III HD-2D and a Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Collection are both en route to PS5, as is Hironobu Sakaguchi's Fantasian, while the seventh China Hero Game, Evotinction, is slated for release later this year, Shovel Knight prepares his triumphant return, Bluepoint reconfirms it's working on an original title, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Did developer Game Science really get shaken-down for $7 million by a DEI consultancy? Will Hollow Knight: Silksong ever actually come out, or is it a myth? Whatever happened to the reconstituted Telltale Games? Has Colin gained full royal status, complete with new honorary titles?

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:30:51 - Happy Juneteenth Dustin

0:43:53 - Dustin's demise

0:49:39 - Around the NFL RIP?

0:53:18 - Dog pee scandal

1:01:06 - Expectations are the thief of joy

1:03:04 - Corrections

1:08:14 - Horizon at a Nintendo Direct

1:14:33 - Bluepoint's original IP

1:24:51 - Uncharted 2 movie

1:28:45 - PS Portal Update

1:30:58 - Sony will not be at Gamescom

1:33:16 - Sony owned company skipping PS5 publishing

1:39:17 - TimeSplitters rated for PS4 and PS5

1:50:46 - Jedi: Survivor rated for PS4

1:52:02 - Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP release date

1:55:02 - Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition

1:57:05 - Tomba! 2 is being remastered

2:02:24 - What We’ve Been Playing

2:32:13 - Dragon Quest III HD-2D

2:53:37 - Fantasian is coming to PlayStation

3:04:42 - Evotinction

3:10:41 - Marvel Vs Capcom Fighting Collection

3:19:15 - Shovel Knight news

3:28:07 - How long can Sony keep it low key?

3:39:01 - Does Sony need more games?

3:52:38 - Games journalism ethics

4:07:29 - Toxic Silksong fans

4:16:02 - Where is Telltale Games?

4:18:52 - What happened to video game reviews?

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#311 | You Can't Stop Entropy, So Why Even Try? Jun 17, 2024

Show notes

t's getting crazy out there. Fresh off of E3 Lite comes a slew of new game announcements, more than we could possibly cover, nonetheless play. And this brings up a good point, one we burrow down on: Who's gonna be able to buy and play all of this stuff in an ecosystem dominated by vacuum-like powerhouses that leave little room for competition? Are we nearing a breaking point, where there are simply too many games seeking too few players spending too few dollars, even as the industry grows? Well, we're about to find out. The news this week is otherwise copious: Horizon LEGO Adventures is coming to PS5 and PC... and Nintendo Switch?! Mark Cerny gives a rare interview and provides some insight into PlayStation's thought processes. Black Ops 6, Slitterhead, Civilization VII, The Thing Remastered, Doom: The Dark Ages, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and so much more were announced. Sea of Thieves dominates the PlayStation Network, foretelling an obvious continuing migration of Xbox games to PS5. And much more! Then: Listener inquiries. Is Astro's Playroom teasing upcoming PlayStation announcements? How come publishers and developers are keeping specific release dates so close to their vests? Could anything get us excited about Assassin's Creed Shadows? Is Colin accidentally inhaling mind-altering chemicals while he cleans the shower?

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/symbols and get on your way to being your best self
Get a free gift with your Journey Pack at https://www.tryfum.com/sacred and use code SACRED
A Better Paradise is available on all podcasting platforms. Listen now!

Please keep in mind that our timestamps are approximate, and will often be slightly off due to dynamic ad placement.

0:00:00 - Intro

0:11:23 - Cleaning in the shower

0:19:03 - Shoes in the house

0:26:15 - Happy Birthday Cyprus

0:31:35 - Sony acquires Alamo Draft House

0:41:34 - Xbox showcase reflections

1:31:41 - COD: Black Ops 6

1:38:32 - Slitterhead

1:46:36 - Valorant

1:52:12 - Civilization VII

1:59:06 - Metal Gear Solid Delta

2:11:25 - Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake

2:15:23 - Life is Strange: Double Exposure

2:19:36 - The Thing Remaster

2:24:41 - Visions of Mana release date

2:26:27 - Game sales

2:43:20 - New trophies for classics on PSN

2:44:59 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

2:52:05 - Wolfhound

2:54:06 - PlayStation Stars downtime

3:00:12 - FF Tactics is happening

3:03:46 - What we've been playing

3:33:23 - Lego Horizon Adventures

4:12:18 - Epic Game Store leak

4:17:46 - Mark Cerny interview

4:31:48 - Doom: The Dark Ages

4:39:02 - Dragon Age The Veilguard

4:47:40 - New PS Plus Games

4:51:27 - What would get us to play Assassin's Creed Shadows?

4:57:11 - Pixel art more expensive?

5:01:18 - New Xbox console strategy

5:08:35 - Astro teases a showcase?

5:12:11 - Missing dates in 2024

5:15:37 - Are we real hardcore gamers?

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