Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#60: Welcome to the Family Aug 23, 2019

Show notes

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 light of Microsoft's recent splashes in the exclusive studio space. So let's chat about the biggest news in the PlayStation universe in quite some time, and then wrap things up with delightful listener questions on topics like retro game collecting, couch co-op, loading up on sales, and generation-defining experiences.

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#59: Tantalizing Possibilities Aug 16, 2019

Show notes

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 draws a line in the sand and makes a bet on reach as next-gen's most valuable currency. So let's talk about it. Plus: Quantic Dream jumps head-first into independent waters, Death Stranding's PS4 exclusivity causes confusion anew, another game gets whisked away by the digital storefront grim reaper, and Shenmue III and Destroy All Humans Remake up the ante on collector editions. Inquiries from the audience round things out this week, as always. Thanks to you, we chat about our expectations for Remedy's Control, Infamous and Infamous 2's conspicuous absence from PS4, the persistent high cost of Vita memory cards, and much more. Like Microsoft and Sony of the future, let's be friends and have fun together (or die trying).

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#58: The Unpersoning Aug 09, 2019

Show notes

The popular gaming convention PAX West chose to host the first-ever live show in Sacred Symbols' history. We were excited, and so were many of you. Oh, but wait, never mind! Weeks after confirming our panel, the powers-that-be at PAX uninvited us from the show without explanation and with no recourse for fans. It's completely unacceptable, and we dedicate the beginning portion of our show to what went down. And yeah, fine, things happened in the video game world that had nothing to do with this, too. PS4 passed a staggering sales milestone, August's free PlayStation Plus games are a step in the right direction, Borderlands 3 is just about ready for primetime, and GameStop inches one step closer to death. Listener inquiries round out our show as always, touching on topics like Ninja's lucrative jump to Mixer, the future of game-sharing, the limits of retro appreciation, and the erosion of the console generation. And, of course, there are topics aplenty unmentioned in this meager write-up. So come aboard, friends. We still love you, even if PAX doesn't.

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#57: Dreamstate Aug 02, 2019

Show notes

Sony-owned Media Molecule is hiring for a most unusual task: The studio is seeking small dev teams to create experiences inside the Early Access version of its PS4 exclusive Dreams. And they're willing to pay. The question, of course, is what that says about the state of Sony's absurdly long-in-development sandbox, and if we're now officially entering Insane Territory. Is there something here we simply cannot see? We discuss. Plus: PS4's next firmware update is officially in beta, Dying Light 2 is crossing generations, Remedy's Control has gone gold, and Ready at Dawn's recent office move suggests some interesting behind-the-scenes happenings. And yes... yes! Of course we let you, the listener, in on the action, with inquiries about the popularity of Mario Maker 2 (and how Sony can replicate its success), Tokyo RPG Factory's quiet existence, the possible physical size of the PlayStation 5, and the likelihood of Red Dead Redemption 2 single player DLC. So wake up, sit up straight, and listen up closely. You can sleep once we're done.

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#56: The Sinking Ship Jul 26, 2019

Show notes

Resistance is futile: The future of video game distribution is digital whether you like it or not. But we're an agile sect of consumers, and even the most stubborn among us can change our buying habits. Corporations entrenched in the ever-stagnant status quo, on the other hand, will inevitably be less fortunate. GameStop in particular seems destined to be consumed by creative destruction, but can the American mega-games-retailer stop the inexorable march of progress? We discuss. Also: PS4's Spider-Man sets sales history, current-gen consoles sales slow to a crawl, Sony's slow censorship march continues, and Plants vs. Zombies is mounting a quiet comeback. As always, listener questions round-out this week's episode, touching on subjects like the future of Konami, Rainbow Six Siege's changing Trophies, the next step for Capcom's Breath of Fire, and much more. Oh, and Sacred Symbols is coming to PAX West 2019! Details within.

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#55: Game of the Year 2019 (So Far) Jul 19, 2019

Show notes

Our beloved industry has a decades-long tradition of declaring a Game of the Year, which usually occurs in December or January. But such decisions can be quite overwhelming, especially with 12 months' worth of content to go over. So we thought we'd do things just a little bit differently. While you can count on a "proper" Game of the Year episode when you'd usually expect it, we thought we'd throw a six month checkup into the mix, giving us the time and space to discuss the titles we love most now that 2019 is halfway finished. Of course, such an endeavor requires a lot of feedback from you, too, which we've included in this episode. So let's chat about what's impressed us the most as we move into the back half of what can easily be described as one of gaming's strongest years in recent memories. At least so far.

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#54: eGirl Arms Race Jul 12, 2019

Show notes

The free market is a splendid thing. And sometimes, it's even a little scary. Today -- unplanned and at the tail end of our episode -- we discuss the eGirl Phenomenon on the back of the Gamer Girl Bathwater controversy. Just what in the actual hell is going on out there? We discuss (and we don't even judge anyone that much). If you're not into perverted stuff, though, that's okay, because most of this week's episode is of a more normal fare. The Batman Arkham Trilogy is coming to PlayStation 4 (again?), Sony pulled 'the ol' switcheroo' with July's free PlayStation Plus offerings, the weeb games are still coming in hot, Dragon's Dogma Online is about to quietly fade away, and an obscure FromSoft game is on the brink of its first western release. Plus, listener inquiries! About what, you might ask?! Possible console tariffs, the upside of censorship, the future of Skate, and Guerrilla's mysterious multiplayer game, of course! C'mon, you godforsaken nerd. Let's do this thing.

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#53: The Plot Thickens Jul 05, 2019

Show notes

Until recently, we've been left to wildly speculate about PlayStation 5. And boy, have we speculated! But since spring, Sony has been more than willing to talk about its next-gen machine, though it still declines to name it publicly. In a wide-ranging Wall Street Journal article, sources both at Sony and familiar with their internal happenings describe a gaming machine with great capabilities, one being aimed at a specific, hardcore market in mind. But does Sony's approach to hardware, games, and player satisfaction in turn satisfy us? We opine. Then: July's PS+ games are lackluster (to say the least), Remedy has reacquired the rights to Alan Wake, a third Ni No Kuni game is incoming, Bernie Sanders gets crazy with the kids on Twitch, and much, much more. And, to close, listener questions about GI Joe video games, Colin's obsession with in-game clocks, the plague of terrible PSVR games, and one Sacred Symbols fan's quest for everlasting love.

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#52: Lost in Translation Jun 28, 2019

Show notes

Did you know words are important and have specific meanings? The gaming industry learned these essential lessons this past week, when a mistranslated and misunderstood Japanese interview concerning Final Fantasy VII Remake made it seem like the dev team was ordered to make one of the character's breasts smaller. And so we spiraled into madness... except... that's not what was said at all. Oh well! Also: Ape Escape may be making a comeback, EA failed to let everyone know Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a Metroidvania for some reason, Disaster Report 4 is finally finding its way to the west nine years late, and Platinum Games is none-too-impressed with PlayStation 5. As is tradition, we rounded our episode with some listener mail, on topics like the ever-rarer third party exclusive, the return of Dead Space, and Konami's lack of love for Suikoden. Fear not! We'll speak clearly so there's no confusion.

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#51: Uncanny Valley Jun 21, 2019

Show notes

E3 2019 is behind us, but -- like the persistent radiation of Chernobyl -- its effects still linger. Indeed, there's much to discuss in the afterglow of the show, and we do just that, revisiting The Avengers, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Cyberpunk 2077. We also touch on Square Enix's plans for its own subscription service, the future of Amazon Game Studios, Konami's surprise new Contra game, and more, and take listener questions on Crash Team Racing, PlayStation 5 backwards compatibility, Assassin's Creed, and what our Game of the Year is thus far. As usual, though, all of that merely skims the surface of this episode of The Internet's Most Beloved PlayStation Podcast. So strap in, Little Billy, or whatever your name is. Let's talk about video games.

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