Like virtually any gigantic multinational corporation, Sony has seen its share of ups and downs. Its most recent upswing, however, was overseen by Kaz Hirai, who -- from 2012 to 2018 -- served as Sony's CEO after nearly two decades cutting his teeth on the PlayStation brand. Now, he's on the verg...
2019-04-02 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Over the last two months, I've rolled out Patreon-exclusive episodes starring my beloved big brother, Dagan. Dagan, of course, is the co-host of CLS' retro and nostalgia podcast KnockBack, but in reality, Dagan has quickly become a fan favorite. I think that's awesome.
So let's ...
What can you say about the best-selling home video game console of all-time? PlayStation 2 -- launched in 2000 -- completely morphed the way we looked at gaming machines. The fact that PSone could even play audio CDs was a revolution; now we were looking at a machine that could play game discs an...
2019-03-28 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Every week, CLS gets messages from could-be guests of the show, and when I received one such inquiry, I knew I had to make this conversation happen. Meet Tyler Bello. Tyler is an everyday kinda guy from South Dakota, but what makes Mr. Bello notable for the purposes of our chat is that he's black...
2019-03-27 16:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
We're barely through the first quarter of the year, but the new releases keep piling up. This week, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice joins the fray (and many others' backlogs), and we have a word or two to say about it. But after catching up on what we've been playing, we take a sharp turn into the news...
2019-03-26 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
If there's one true reason why the American adaptation of The Office resonates so much with people, it's because it feels hauntingly real. Lots of us know a Michael Scott or a Dwight Schrute, a Pam Beesly or a Jim Halpert. And lots of us understand, in one fashion or another, the 9-to-5 grind, an...
2019-03-21 16:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
When it comes to Fireside Chats, we don't focus nearly enough on art. Let's change that. Today, we welcome Daniel Vail to the show. Mr. Vail is an amateur (and very talented) woodworker, and he has a serious passion for it. So let's pick his brain. How does someone get into this unique form of ar...
2019-03-20 16:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi.
Today is March 20th, and that means it’s Colin’s Last Stand’s birthday. Two years ago today, I launched CLS here on Patreon, and although we’ve taken some twists and turns along the way, it has turned into a brand that has wildly exceeded even my most optimistic expectations. I...
The Division 2 has finally arrived, and players around the world are having a blast. So too are we here at Sacred Symbols, and so we delve deep into our experiences so far, while also pondering the obvious: Does this game have the long tail its competitor, Anthem, so severely lacks? There's lots ...
2019-03-19 16:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Five Studios Sony Should Buy!
2019-03-19 06:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Reasonable expectations.
2019-03-18 19:17:18 +0000 UTC View Post
Do you remember your first "girlfriend" or "boyfriend?" Your first date? Your first kiss? Today's episode of KnockBack -- as voted on by the show's Patreon supporters -- is dedicated to just such topics. As adults, matters of the heart are often incredibly complicated and high stakes. That's why ...
2019-03-14 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Around the world, millions upon millions of people suffer from addiction. It can be an addiction to pills, or heroin, or even sex. But this week's guest -- Kris Hall -- suffers from one of the most common, timeless addictions there is: Alcohol. Today, Kris tells his story, a story that begins nor...
2019-03-13 16:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
When it comes to the gaming industry, the war for your time and money is a relentless slog. It almost makes you wonder if -- in trying to give you more -- you're actually getting less, not only in content, but in creativity and wonder, too. A listener question sparks a conversation surrounding ju...
2019-03-12 16:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostHi!
Colin's Last Stand is a benevolent monarchy. However, as you know, I like to flex the muscles of democracy every now and again. In fact, I insist.
During Episode 37 of Sacred Symbols, we present you with a simple question based on some recent listener feedback: In short, should ...
We don't often talk about music on KnockBack, which is strange, considering it's a massive part of Moriarty Life. So for only the second time in our show's run, we're dedicating an episode entirely to music, particularly live music. What have been our very favorite concert experiences? What were ...
2019-03-07 17:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Illiteracy in action.
2019-03-06 21:04:04 +0000 UTC View Post
There's good news for gamers: We're on the precipice of a new console generation, and the possibilities are seemingly endless. But, as many of you know who have been following me for years, I loudly proclaim my technical ignorance, which is where today's episode of Fireside Chats comes in. Joseph...
2019-03-06 17:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
The longest slow death in world history is about to finally conclude. After more than seven wonderful, memorable, and possibly even unnecessary years, Sony has finally pulled the plug on the production of new PlayStation Vita units, signaling the end of the handheld's tortured life. But are we re...
2019-03-05 17:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Last month, you may remember that the Patreon-exclusive podcast was a Q&A with Dagan, my brother and the co-host of KnockBack. You sent in 100+ questions for him to answer, and we thought we'd get a show out of it. Thing is, Dagan answered every single one of your questions over ab...
Video games have unrivaled narrative potential, and 2007's BioShock is possibly the single greatest example of how gaming and storytelling can expertly intertwine. BioShock is the story of an underwater libertarian utopia run by a brilliant business magnate, and how the weight of his own stringen...
2019-02-28 17:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Anthem is finally out in the wild, and it's arrived with a noticeable commercial and critical thud. But is it as thoroughly mediocre as it seems? We go in-depth into BioWare's newest online loot grind, and give you our candid thoughts. Then -- per usual -- we delve into the news. Media Molecule's...
2019-02-27 17:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Here in America (and elsewhere on the planet), we have a really terrible habit of sending our brave men and women to fight in dangerous conflicts, but not sufficiently being there for them when they return home. Today's guest, Zack Gobie, has dedicated his life to trying to bridge this unfortunat...
2019-02-26 20:18:30 +0000 UTC View Post
'80s movies are a goldmine for a nostalgia and retro podcast like this one, but few films of the era are held in as high esteem as 1984's Karate Kid. The story of Daniel LaRusso and his trials and tribulations as "The New Kid" -- a new kid who just happens to learn lethal karate from an old, unas...
2019-02-22 19:25:50 +0000 UTC View Post
I've always had an immense fascination with and respect for the British people. Their history, their customs, and the Special Relationship we here in America share with our kindred spirits across the pond. But what's it like actually being British? What is it like growing up there and living ther...
2019-02-20 17:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
At the center of any enterprise is money, and the gaming industry is no different. But with the recent layoff of a staggering 800 people at gigantic (and profitable) publisher Activision Blizzard, questions are starting to be raised about the financial viability of game development as-is, and the...
2019-02-19 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
When we launched KnockBack, we didn't know what to expect. We had this idea to do a nostalgic, retro-driven podcast, but nothing was set in stone, and Dagan had never co-hosted a show before, so we had no idea how it'd turn out, or if anyone would like it. The end result, though, has been extraor...
2019-02-14 17:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Please welcome Sean Clinton back to the show. Last time Mr. Clinton came by, we talked about his history growing up as an American soldier's son in Europe, and how that painted his life both personally and politically. Today's episode is quite different, though, because Sean is a professional per...
2019-02-13 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Late last year, we learned that Sony would skip E3 in 2019, an unprecedented exit from the world famous trade show that began way back in the mid-'90s. But with the recent words of a top PlayStation executive, we now know for sure what we earlier suspected: The company feels June's annual gatheri...
2019-02-12 17:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
The Truth About Game Developer Unionization!
2019-02-12 07:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post