Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

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#200: Ranking PlayStation 4's 25 Best Games May 02, 2022

Show notes

It's a celebration! Our PlayStation podcast-that-could has reached its 200th week of existence, which of course means its 200th core episode is here. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, we decided to do thing proper-like, renting out a famous theater in Richmond, Virginia entertainers much more talented than us typically play, and recording live in front of 400+ fans. The topic? PlayStation 4's 25 best games -- ranked! -- based on a combination of our individual lists, as well as the audience's. The results are going to be controversial, of course, but we were wise enough to mathematically split things up in such a way that you have yourselves to blame just as much as us. Such is the way of life with Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast. Thank you for your support. Here's to the next 200. (While this episode can be enjoyed as an audio experience, it is meant to be viewed. We hope that, if given the choice, you will watch Sacred 200 as opposed to listen to it. But how you proceed is up to you.)

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#199: Turning Agnostic Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

Where is Kratos? Belief that we'd see God of War: Ragnarok by now has left us dismayed, particularly in light of a rather odd video from Santa Monica Studio that gives us little information about a game originally slated to launch in 2021. But without a release date (outside of year) and no confirmation it's even incoming by year's end (except for from a random Tweet from a dev), PlayStation fans are left wondering if their faith in getting something timely from Santa Monica Studio was ill-founded. Other news this week includes the return of Amy Hennig to the Star Wars universe, endless rumors about a new Uncharted game and The Last of Us' remake, the arrival of the NFL on PSVR, the increasing perils of in-game advertising, and more. We wrap up with listener questions galore, as usual, including inquiries on what Netflix's fall in fortune means for gaming subscription services, circumventing old-school punishment with save states, the bad design around level caps, and so much more. Would we do it with an alien? We talk about that, too. Enjoy!

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#198: The Kingdom Stirs Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

The recent 20th anniversary celebration for Kingdom Hearts came with a major surprise: The announcement of Kingdom Hearts IV. While leaked in unintentional (and obviously completely accurate) GeForce documents last year, the new Square Enix-Disney collaboration is the talk of the industry, and obviously, we dedicate plenty of time to it. We also touch on the week's other news, including Ghost of Tsushima's film project procuring its writer, CD Projekt taking the Witcher III PS5 port from Saber Interactive due to their Russian ties, PlayStation's fresh investment into Epic, Bungie's dedication to work-from-home, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! What's the most-aesthetically pleasing PlayStation console? Why hasn't Star Trek made the jump to AAA games? Are we reaching a breaking point when comparing physical and digital game prices? How young can we indoctrinate children to ensure they become Sacred Symbols superfans?

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#197: Remedying the Payne Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

The studio behind Alan Wake, Remedy, has certainly come into its own in recent years, particularly on the back of its surprise-hit third-person shooter Control. Now, they've decided to go back to the near-beginning, remaking both the original Max Payne and its sequel on behalf of publisher Rockstar. Thing is, this spreads the team to at least five projects helmed by four publishers, so a big question needs to be asked: Is Remedy overextending itself, particularly on the back of its ill-received supplement to Crossfire X? We discuss. Then: A new Tomb Raider is PS5-bound, and is being built on Unreal Engine 5, Capcom raises salaries across the company by an average of 30%, SNK is officially owned by a murderer, and more. Plus: Listener inquiries galore. How are we going to take advantage of the upcoming slow release schedule? Is IGN's poor freelance pay indicative of a wider industry trend? Are fighting games perfect for the free-to-play model? Will Chris and Colin ever settle their bad blood over the quality (or lack thereof) of Home Improvement?

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#196: This Is Spartacus Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

As long-rumored, PlayStation Plus is receiving its first major refresh since the subscription service launched in 2010. Beginning in June, the PS+ will split into three, with its base form being the PS+ we're all familiar with. Atop that will be two more tiers, however, giving players access to hundreds of PSone, PS2, PS3, and PSP games, and more. But there are, of course, many catches. We spend a great deal of time delving into the ins-and-outs of PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium, and deliver the rest of the week's news, too, including information on April's free PS+ games, details surrounding a possible Knack revival, Gran Turismo 7's ongoing microtransaction saga, Firesprites trio of in-development games, and more. We also focus-in on our experiences with Ghostwire: Tokyo on PS5, which we like a lot. Then: Listener inquiries! Has Elden Ring permanently altered players' expectations for open worlds? How useful are spoilercasts to our audience? What license should get the Hogwarts Legacy treatment? Can we help one listener find love at work?

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#195: Expanding the Map Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

In recent years, Sony's first party family has grown mightily, with sensical additions like Housemarque, Insomniac, Bluepoint, and others filling obvious roles. That's why the outright purchase of fledgling, game-less second party partner Haven is a little confusing. Yet, through the lens of the modern industry -- which is crunched by worker shortages, high budgets, and even higher expectations -- perhaps this acquisition can be justified from personnel, creative, and even geographic perspectives. Either way, let's welcome Haven to the family with a candid discussion about what Sony's turn in strategy may mean. Plus: Gran Turismo 7 is a complete mess, The Witcher IV has been officially acknowledged, Rocksteady's Suicide Squad game has been delayed, NFL football is coming to PSVR, and much more. Then: Listener inquiries! Do we believe in the 'metaverse'? Are we tired of crafting systems? Does Hogwarts Legacy have any chance of being treated fairly by the media? What happens to Sacred Symbols when Colin dies? All of this (and more!) on the other side of play.

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#194: Stunning Wizardry Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

After much waiting, we've finally been treated to a deep-dive into Hogwarts Legacy, the controversial Harry Potter-aligned game slated to launch on PS4 and PS5 later this year. Developed by one-time Disney outfit Avalanche, Hogwarts Legacy is -- in a word -- ambitious. Like, really ambitious. And it looks awesome. So let's discuss. Plus: News! The very Supermassive-2K title we told you was coming on this show a month or two ago, The Quarry, has been announced, while FromSoft's Elden Ring is absolutely obliterating the sales chart. Konami keeps hinting at Silent Hill's comeback, while Dead Space Remake gets a release window, Moss 2 is right around the corner on PSVR, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Is the in-process failure of Microsoft's studio The Initiative a sign of Xbox's inability to manage their teams? Is Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura overrated? How do we find the recent GTA-related rumors about where the new game may take place? Are we going to institute a No Fly Zone over the Keebler Elves' forest?

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#193: The Small Scream Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

God of War is a big PlayStation franchise, and word is it's about to make the leap to the small screen. As in, a TV show, apparently on Amazon Prime, led by the same minds that helped The Expanse and The Wheel of Time make the leap from page to moving image. But can God of War actually work as a serial? We discuss. Plus: Gaming news galore! Returnal is getting free DLC that adds co-op and an endless mode, while Capcom unveiled a Dino Crisis-like game called Exoprimal that's... well... primed to delight. Square Enix revealed PlayStation console-exclusive action-RPG Valkyrie Elysium, as well, along with a RTS called DioField Chronicles and an unfortunate delay for Luminous' upcoming PlayStation 5 console-exclusive Forspoken. Oh, and did you know there's a TMNT 8/16-bit collection en route? There is! We end every episode of Sacred Symbols with listener inquiries, as you know, and this episode is no different. Should Sony's approach with State of Play be rethought? What in God's name was Platinum thinking with Babylon's Fall? Will PlayStation fail to survive the next decade? Why is Colin eating ramen for dessert? All of that -- and much more -- on the other side of play.

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#192: Modern Warfare Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

The eyes of the world are on Eastern Europe, where the Russian invasion of Ukraine has unsettled the post-World War II order. Perhaps not surprisingly, external forces in the west are bringing their economic might to bear to help halt the senseless violence. While Ukrainian politicians ask the gaming industry to do more, some have already started to do what they can. EA, for instance, has removed the Russian national teams and associated clubs from their FIFA and NHL games, while developers like CD Projekt have halted game sales in Russia, full-stop. Is this the right answer? Will it do any good? Or is the industry contributing to the demonization of a society that doesn't support its government and didn't ask for these actions? We discuss. Plus: Ghostwire gets a visual novel prequel, Twisted Metal's TV show is greenlit by Peacock, Trails From Zero receives a western release date, Capcom's renaissance continues unabated, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Is PlayStation 5 officially a must-buy? With Infamous and Sly Cooper rumors circulating, which teams would be appropriate to tackle both? What's Epic's intent in buying Bandcamp? Should the boys go to a fan's wedding?

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#191: Forbidden Whispers Feb 28, 2022

Show notes

It's been five years since Horizon: Zero Dawn launched, and finally, we have its sequel. Forbidden West has arrived on PS5 and PS4, and it's awesome. We have a lot to say about it, so we dedicate over an hour to talking about Guerrilla's new open-world action-RPG in spoiler-free terms. But of course, we can't ignore the news. Fresh Project Spartacus rumors suggest a three-tiered subscription that will include hundreds of digital games, classic access, and more. Yet, the upcoming day-and-date release of Shadow Warrior 3 on PlayStation Now seems to conflict with potential timing. What gives? After that, we get into rumors about Call of Duty's new release schedule, the unexpected success of the Uncharted film, Electronic Arts' daring move away from the FIFA brand, Street Fighter 6's underwhelming reveal, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Were David Jaffe's recent comments truly unsavory, or just taken out of context? Why doesn't the games press care more about Japanese RPGs? Can a dying studio ever truly recover its lost reputation? Will Colin ever be able to escape the shadowy specter of Sonic the Hedgehog?

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