Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

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#70: Halcyon Days Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

Obsidian's all-new open world RPG The Outer Worlds is a blatant (and in some ways even shameless) ode to its 2010 cult hit Fallout: New Vegas... and it should come as no surprise that it's pretty damn good. So let's spend some time talking about why, and celebrate the many things it does so very right. But let's also not neglect the news! The Last of Us: Part II has been delayed, Ubisoft admits its recent critical and commercial reception has been tepid, Fallout 76 gets perhaps the most unpopular subscription service ever concocted, and WWE 2K20 is an unmitigated disaster. Plus: Audience questions! What's the specific definition of Metroidvania? Is 3D audio here to stay? Is anyone else experiencing inconsistent performance on PS4 Pro? Has Chris really never eaten corn-on-the-cob? All of that and more on the other side of the play button.

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#69: Rumor and Innuendo Oct 25, 2019

Show notes

As we settle into the fall months, rumors abound. A new photograph seems to confirm the v-shaped PS5 dev kit design that was earlier making the rounds, much to our chagrin. But does it actually matter? Guerrilla Games is mo-capping, while Sony Bend is pre-producing. But should we be surprised? The US Congress has officially put Activision-Blizzard on notice over its behavior regarding Hong Kong and China. But will it be enough to bring change? Plus: Fallen Order goes gold, League of Legends is PlayStation-bound, Fallout 76 DLC gets delayed, and THQ Nordic goes to Japan. Then, listener questions! Could AI become sophisticated enough to make games without human intervention? Should Sony be willing to take significant financial losses to ensure PlayStation 5's proliferation? What should Square Enix do with Final Fantasy after VII Remake? Why do British people pay for goods with squid instead of money?

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#68: Visions of the Future Oct 18, 2019

Show notes

We were spoiled last week, what with lots of new PlayStation 5 details to obsess over. But Sony has another piece of PS-themed hardware that's worthy of next-gen attention, and no, we're not talking about a third handheld (which is surprising, since we talk about Vita constantly). PlayStation VR was launched just about three years ago, and some five million units later, it has quietly found its way into the living rooms of one-in-twenty PS4 owners. Now, thanks to some patent leaks and tech analysis, we may just have a glimpse at the next iteration of what PSVR looks like, from its purported new controller to its apparent wirelessness (!). Let's talk about what we know, what we think we know, and what the future just might look like (literally). Also: Layoffs quietly hit PlayStation Europe at the exact time PS5 is revealed in Wired (weird!), IO Interactive gets to work on something that isn't Hitman (mysterious!), Ubisoft invests in cartoons galore (bold!), and Donald Trump is the next major political figure to join Twitch (...JYNA). Plus: Listener inquiries on what happens to first party studios when they die, the far-flung fate of our digital libraries, the ruthless mediocrity of the PlayStation Store, and much more. Let's podcast, old friends!

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#67: PlayStation 5 Is Alive Oct 11, 2019

Show notes

We've been calling Sony's next-gen console PlayStation 5 for quite some time now, but we weren't sure that's what it would actually be named. Now, we know PS5 is indeed PS5, and along with that news comes lots of fresh details straight from the horse's mouth. From the console's release window to the nature of DualShock 5, there's a whole lot to talk about, and we do just that. Also: Activision-Blizzard appeases communists, Doom Eternal has been delayed, PS4's firmware livens-up the party, and SEGA's House of the Dead is being revived. Finally: Listener inquiries! Is Madden really just a turn-based RPG? Why does such a liberal industry like gaming glorify gun use? Can a bad boss fight ruin an entire game? Is Earth a ravioli...?

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#66: See Ya Layder Oct 04, 2019

Show notes

We recorded this week's podcast, flipped off the microphones, and went on Twitter, where we discovered a surprise piece of late-breaking news: Shawn Layden is leaving Sony. Layden used to be CEO of the American branch of PlayStation, and most recently held the position as Head Honcho of PlayStation's fully-owned, first party studios. So let's discuss his departure (albeit briefly, because we don't have all the answers yet). Beyond all of that, though, is our usual run of show, an episode littered with news. Sony is starting to cut the middleman out of its retail sales, there are lots of fresh details concerning The Last of Us: Part II, Call of Duty is absolutely dominating the historic PS4 sales charts, and Death Stranding is apparently finished and primed for publishing, whether you're ready or not. Plus: When will we learn more about Ghost of Tsushima? What's the actual definition of "Adventure Game"? What are the best places to buy and sell used hardware and games? Why are Colin and Chris so confused about the difference between sheep and a lamb?

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#65: We Just Survive Sep 27, 2019

Show notes

The silence surrounding The Last of Us: Part II has been somewhat deafening, what with PlayStation 5 hurtling toward us on the horizon and PS4's most important and anticipated exclusive still unreleased. Our patience has been rewarded with precious new information, however, including the game's release date, and there's a whole lot to discuss, including for all you Joel fanboys and fangirls out there. Then: Borderlands 3 sells big (with seven out of ten copies purchased digitally), Sony promises a green PS5 (though not literally), and WB Montreal's Twitter account comes out of a long and dark slumber to tease a new Batman game (or so it appears). Listener questions on issues ranging from the lackluster state of the physical games market to the perilous finances of subscription services round out this week's offering, including tons of non-TLoU information from Sony's State of Play event concerning both PS4 and PSVR . Let's trek forward, friends! It can't be for nothing.

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#64: Boredomlands Sep 20, 2019

Show notes

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, how 'bout some news?! GameStop keeps tanking, Final Fantasy VII Remake appeals to the old-schoolers, Control's sales are soft, and Ubisoft promises massive open-world games galore in its future. Finally, to round things out, we take some listener questions. Are publishers and developers releasing DLC too far after a game's launch? What do we think of Katamari Damacy? How do we carve out time to game? If you get a DiGiorno Pizza delivered via Amazon, does it rip a hole in space and time?

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#63: Ghosted Sep 13, 2019

Show notes

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 coming to PlayStation for the very first time, a leak suggests Remedy's strange action game Control is getting story DLC, and a Fairy Tail game is coming to PS4 next year, which is no doubt exciting news for all you weebs out there. Then, listener questions! Is PlayStation 2 Classic a non-starter? Are we being robbed of our gaming abilities by Father Time? Is Sony losing the Indie Battle to Nintendo? All of that and more in another stunning episode of Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast!

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#62: Incoming Biohazard Sep 06, 2019

Show notes

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 about our hopes and dreams for what's next for Raccoon City and beyond. After that, we delve into the apparent return of Telltale Games, September's surprisingly strong PS+ free games offering, the relaunch of some classic 16-bit Disney platformers, and much more. We then round out our weekly offering, as always, with questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas from the audience. Will game prices really go up next generation? Does Sony have any intention of playing nice with Stadia? Has 2K gone too far with NBA 2K20's gambling features? Is a Pizza Roll just an Italian Gusher? (That last one made Chris really angry.)

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#61: Assuming Control Aug 30, 2019

Show notes

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 of an MGS-like political thriller with a supernatural twist, and there's a lot to say about it. Then: We discuss GameStop's most recent round of layoffs, Final Fantasy VIII Remaster's imminent release date, Persona's big sales milestone, and much more, back-loading our fresh-out-of-the-oven episode with listener inquiries. Where's Mafia 4? Can Sony make a portable PS4 on the cheap? Could mandatory demos increase game sales? Do Shrek and Han Solo have the same stylist? Turns out, it's more complicated than you think. (Not really.)

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