Sacred Symbols: A PlayStation Podcast
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435 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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#85: Going Viral
14 februari 2020 · 2 uur 28 min
By now, you've undoubtedly heard of the Coronavirus, a lethal illness originating in mainland China that has so far claimed the lives of more than a thousand people. What you may not have considered, however, is how this might affect PlayStation 5. No: We're not kidding. Game consoles are manufactured in Chinese factories, and it's entirely possible that Coronavirus could delay PS5's launch, a possibility so real that even a mainstream investment firm is warning its clients of such an eventuality. Should we really fear such a delay? Would Sony launch a supply-constrained console instead of being late to market? Do people really need to be eating bats to begin with? We discuss. This episode is chock-full of other news, too! Long-time Rockstar creative lead Dan Houser is leaving the studio he helped create, Sony shut down a first party studio that never so much as released a game, BioWare and EA simply won't stop trying to make Anthem happen, and much more. Also: Let's hear from you, dear listener! Has Chris been unexpectedly teaching Colin a thing or two about video games? How come Ninja Theory stopped working with Sony? Will we ever give Yakuza a chance? Should one listener return his old roommate's forgotten PlayStation 2 games, even if he hated that roommate? Let's go deep.
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#84: Enraptured
7 februari 2020 · 2 uur 30 min
PlayStation Plus' free game offerings have always been a little hit or miss, but this month, an essential compilation comes to the service: The BioShock Collection. BioShock, BioShock Infinite, and even BioShock 2 are some of the best games last-gen has to offer, and the original title in particular is an absolute must-play. If you haven't enjoyed these gems yet, you should, and we tell you why now's the time, since they're free-of-charge and all. But how about some news, too?! Sony is sending out random surveys asking some mighty interesting questions about Remote Play, Platinum Games is bringing Wii U-exclusive The Wonderful 101 to PS4 via Kickstarter, Respawn's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order exceeds EA's sales expectations, Cyberpunk 2077's delay might not be so dire after all, and much more. Plus: Listener questions! Is the PS3 a retro console? How many AAA exclusives should come to PlayStation 5 each calendar year? Why aren't there more games with destructible environments? Is it time we accept that you can't capture a human being in a Pokéball? Lees meer
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#83: Mao Money, Mao Problems
31 januari 2020 · 2 uur 13 min
When money flows from companies that call communist dictatorships home, those funds typically come with strings attached. Activision-Blizzard learned this the hard way just months ago, but it hasn't stopped western teams from accepting this cash with reckless abandon. The next business about to get gobbled up by Chinese conglomerate Tencent is the Norwegian MMO dev-slash-pub Funcom, and Tencent is even willing to pay a staggering 30% over market value for the honor. The big question is: Why? When bizarre corporate cultures and diverging governments collide, it can make for some choppy waters. So let's chat about this recent acquisition-to-be, and what it might mean. Also: Housemarque makes another sharp left turn, the Uncharted movie no one wants gets delayed again, Daybreak is splitting into three separate teams, and much more. Plus: Could Xbox ever win Colin over? Should Sony purchase Kojima Productions? Is our new cross-gen reality about to create some unexpected problems? Can you capture a person in a Pokéball? Lees meer
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#82: Better Late Than Never
24 januari 2020 · 2 uur 5 min
The year started out quietly enough... that is until all of the delays began and started ruining our lives. Final Fantasy VII Remake. Cyberpunk 2077. Dying Light 2. The Avengers. Even that completely random Iron Man VR game wasn't immune! But should we be concerned about the reworked schedule? Or has the shifting calendar serendipitously bought us precious time to catch up on our backlogs? We discuss. Plus: It looks like Horizon is coming to PC, Call of Duty absolutely dominated last decade's sales charts, Monster Hunter: World continues to crush it for Capcom, and much more. Then, listener questions! Does E3's decline signal the end of The ESA? What's with all of the tiny text in games? Could DualShock 5 have a small screen on it? Was Chris riding a bicycle through the streets of London last week? All of that (and much more) right after you press the play button. Lees meer
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#81: Arkham Assumption
17 januari 2020 · 2 uur 3 min
For nearly a decade, WB Montreal has existed in the shadow of its better-known and more-beloved sister studio Rocksteady. But finally, it appears the Quebecois dev is poised to break out. Yet again, the team has teased a vague image on its social media channels that almost certainly points towards a new Batman game, something WB Montreal has dabbled in in the past with 2013's Arkham Origins. But with Rocksteady's Arkham Trilogy getting all of the respect and Origins getting precious little, is WB Montreal walking into a trap? We talk it through. Then: Media Molecule's Dreams finally goes gold, Platinum Games confusingly accepts substantial Chinese investment, Capcom is emphasizing the Remake in Resident Evil 3 Remake, and Nioh 2 is so friggin' hard that Team Ninja is toning it down. Plus: Will Beyond Good & Evil 2 ever come out? How do we define "hardcore" gaming? Is Tetris Effect dropping the ball when it comes to DLC? Should a man be murdered for thinking Friends is better than Seinfeld? There's much to discuss! Lees meer
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#80: A Roll of the DICE
10 januari 2020 · 2 uur 17 min
Most of you know EA-owned DICE as the Scandinavian creators of the Battlefield series (and the resuscitators of Star Wars Battlefront, too), but tucked quietly away in Los Angeles is a DICE support studio aptly called DICE LA. DICE LA is essentially the remnants of the old Medal of Honor team Danger Close that's since been relegated to secondary status, but it appears all of that's about to change. Electronic Arts has opted to dispatch the creative might of Respawn co-founder Vince Zampella to revitalize and rebrand the dev, with a new game promised for the coming years. Is this a wise move, or is EA getting distracted by shiny objects to the detriment of perhaps its most reliable talent? Let's chat about it. Then: Sony talks PlayStation 5 at CES (kinda), Dragon Quest XII is officially in development, Final Fantasy VII Remake is getting a demo, and much more. Plus: Listener questions galore, and Colin tells Chris he's getting drafted and going to Iran to fight on our behalf. How unfortunate for him. Lees meer
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#79: Game of the Year Awards 2019
3 januari 2020 · 1 uur 44 min
2019 was an interesting year for games. While we eagerly await The Next Generation (no, not the Star Trek show, you godforsaken nerds), a litany of good, great, and even fantastic games hit our precious PlayStation 4 in recent months, and now that the last year is in the books, it's time to look back on some of the best titles '19 had to offer. Without further ado, here are our favorite games of the past 365 days or so, with a special Sacred Symbols twist: A bunch of completely made-up awards, some of which no developer would actually want to win. Alas! We simply couldn't help ourselves. Lees meer
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#78: The Witching Hour
27 december 2019 · 1 uur 27 min
It wasn't even a year ago that prolific Polish developer CD Projekt and The Witcher's creator Andrzej Sapkowski found themselves in a legal battle over the beloved fantasy IP. But times certainly do change. Both sides of the dispute have announced that, in the wake of their dispute, they'll now be working more closely together than ever. Go figure. But what does it all mean?! We discuss. Plus: What's with this new DualShock 4 peripheral? Should we be excited about these fresh Capcom trademarks coming out of Japan? Who will buy the Nintendo PlayStation prototype going up for auction next year? Plus, listener questions! Does Sony San Diego have Xbox Series X dev kits? Will Colin get Twin Breaker's Platinum Trophies before anyone else? Why do PlayStation gamers love PornHub so much? How does "Peggy" come from "Margaret"? Lees meer
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#77: Summer Samurai
20 december 2019 · 2 uur 10 min
As PlayStation 5 lumbers toward us like an AT-AT stomping across Hoth (but in a good way), the calendar has left us with precious few PS4 exclusives of consequence. The Last of Us: Part II is obviously the King of the Unreleased, and Dreams is a commercial long-shot, but Ghost of Tsushima might just be the most intriguing of the bunch. One part third-person action game and another part historical fiction, Sucker Punch's eagerly-anticipated PlayStation 4 swan song finally has a release date. Well, window. So let's chat about it. Oh, and have we mentioned we're making a PS4/Vita game of our own? It's true! It's called Twin Breaker, and we're super excited to tell you more. Along with other announcements out of The Game Awards and news from parts elsewhere, we fit in some of your inquiries, too. Does Final Fantasy VII Remake's lack of PS4 exclusivity matter? Does Capcom risk going overboard with the remakes? Is Death Stranding getting critically short-changed? Why is Dick a nickname for Richard? Mysteries abound! Lees meer
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#76: It's Outta Here
13 december 2019 · 2 uur 12 min
Since 1997, Sony has published an annual baseball game -- once eponymously called MLB and more recently dubbed The Show -- that has lived exclusively in its ecosystem. Indeed, for the last 15 years or so, PlayStation has dedicated a first party studio to essentially (and obsessively) focusing on America's pastime. So recent news that MLB: The Show would begin publishing outside of PlayStation platforms beginning in 2021 came as a bit of a shock. It's a first for Sony, and it's a story that requires some study and analysis. So let's dance. Of course, other news occurred since we last met, too, particularly surrounding 2019's final State of Play stream. Dreams is ready to emerge, Resident Evil 3 is real (and spectacular), and Ghost of Tsushima is quietly creeping up. Naturally, dear listener, we could never forget about you. Ever! So let's take some of your questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas as we do each week, on topics ranging from political ads in games and the return of Resistance to the future of SOCOM and the power of Jesus Christ. In gaming form, anyway. Lees meer
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#75: 25 to Life
6 december 2019 · 1 uur 54 min
In December of 1994, the original PlayStation launched in Japan, and the rest (as they say) is history. Fast-forward 25 years, and the PlayStation brand is an absolute powerhouse. PSone, PS2, and PS4 have all surpassed 100 million sold (only one other home video game console has ever done the same), and even those that fell short -- PS3, PSP, and even Vita -- have all left an indelible mark on our industry. So let's celebrate, shall we? Then, let's get into some news! Hideo Kojima's longtime producer has officially left his side after nearly two decades, more PS5 dev kits have popped up in the wild, Codemasters made a new studio purchase, and Titanfall 2 dramatically returns as a free PS+ game. Also, listener inquiries! What does the increasing prevalence of digital marketplaces mean for game sharing? Is PS4 Remote Play on iOS and Android viable? How do games with broken Trophies make it through certification? Does anyone in this world like Long John Silver's? Let's talk it through. Lees meer
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#74: R3make
29 november 2019 · 2 uur 18 min
Beloved publisher-slash-developer Capcom has been experiencing a renaissance of sorts over the last few years, fueled not only by new games like Monster Hunter: World, but by a litany of re-releases and remakes, too. At the top of the pile is Resident Evil 2, an astounding revisiting of a '90s survival horror classic that sold millions. So it should come as no surprise that a remake of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is right behind it, at least if recent rumors are any indication. How excited are we? Very! Plus: Amy Hennig finally returns to gaming, Final Fantasy VII Remake's Part II is in development, Activision's CEO says his company isn't interested in making any political statements, and Shenmue IV might be en route (even if Shenmue III is in the midst of bombing). And how about some listener questions?! Will Half-Life: Alyx come to PSVR? Could Rockstar ever revisit Bully, Manhunt, or Midnight Club? When will Sony finally show us PlayStation 5? Is it okay to rip farts in public bathrooms? Let's go! Lees meer
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#73: Try, Try Again
22 november 2019 · 2 uur
Did you know that -- in the United States -- Anthem is the eighth best-selling game of the year? This little factoid tells us a whole lot. It indicates that our instincts as enthusiasts don't always speak for the wider market. It suggests a void in our understanding of meaningful metrics in the world of games-as-a-service. And it confirms perhaps the most unfortunate fact of all, at least for EA and BioWare: Lots of people paid good money to play their game, and few people cared to stick around. Yet, in a bold move, the publisher-developer combo are secretly planning to revive their beleaguered shooter with a slate of reported updates, tweaks, and overhauls, begging the question: Is such a move wise? We discuss. Then: DualShock 5's patents suddenly appear from out of Japan, it looks like Dreams may be hitting retail sooner than we thought possible, Microsoft's X019 event serendipitously reveals new PS4 games, and Deep Silver reaches out to the hardcore. Plus: Listener questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, and ideas! Could Sony engineer a PS4 buyback program to help sell PS5? Is Remedy running damage control over Control's sluggish sales? Does Shenmue III stand a chance? If vegans hate meat so much, how come they're so eager for food that tastes like meat? Lees meer
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#72: Timefall
15 november 2019 · 2 uur 10 min
Death Stranding is finally here, and we use the word "finally" lightly. Conceived and developed at light speed compared to many of its AAA contemporaries, Hideo Kojima's new game came to fruition relatively quickly, and with lots of expectations in tow. What it delivers is one of the most unusual experiences we've ever played. And we mean that in the best way possible. So join us as we gush about Death Stranding for a while, and stay with us as we work through the PlayStation news of the week, from a corporate reshuffle at Sony HQ to an all-new first party studio working on PS5 games from Southeast Asia. Then, listener questions round-out the episode, per usual, with a requiem for PlayStation Vue, a lesson on how the Trophy system works, the possibility of Ghost of Tsushima preempting The Last of Us: Part II, and an unfortunate (albeit necessary) revisiting of last week's show, in which a listener pooped his pants on a date. (Turns out there's more to say about that, for some reason.) Lees meer
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#71: The King
8 november 2019 · 2 uur 13 min
Nary a decade ago, many an industry analyst wondered if console gaming was dying. Would mobile take over? Could Facebook become the new dominant platform? With PlayStation 4 now securely occupying the spot of second best-selling home console of all-time (behind PlayStation 2), questions like those sure do seem quaint, don't they? Let's discuss PS4's new sales figures, what they mean for the brand, and how great PlayStation 4 performance may just harm PS5. Plus: Blizzard announces two new eagerly-anticipated games, fresh PlayStation Plus games are coming to a PS4 Nioh you (sorry), Modern Warfare earns its keep for Activision, and Ubisoft takes aim squarely at next-gen. Also: How does Sony make money on PlayStation Now? Why are credits so friggin' long? Does anyone care about Shenmue III? If cereal is a soup, does that make oatmeal stew? We apologize for entertaining these hypotheticals, but we just can't help ourselves. Lees meer
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#70: Halcyon Days
1 november 2019 · 2 uur 17 min
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. Lees meer
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#69: Rumor and Innuendo
25 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 8 min
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
18 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 3 min
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
11 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 9 min
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...? Lees meer
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#66: See Ya Layder
4 oktober 2019 · 1 uur 54 min
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? Lees meer
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#65: We Just Survive
27 september 2019 · 1 uur 37 min
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
20 september 2019 · 1 uur 49 min
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? Lees meer
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#63: Ghosted
13 september 2019 · 1 uur 29 min
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! Lees meer
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#62: Incoming Biohazard
6 september 2019 · 1 uur 49 min
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.) Lees meer
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#61: Assuming Control
30 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 37 min
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.) Lees meer
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#60: Welcome to the Family
23 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 57 min
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
16 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 42 min
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
9 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 59 min
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
2 augustus 2019 · 2 uur 2 min
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
26 juli 2019 · 1 uur 48 min
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)
19 juli 2019 · 1 uur
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
12 juli 2019 · 1 uur 34 min
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
5 juli 2019 · 1 uur 49 min
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
28 juni 2019 · 1 uur 38 min
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
21 juni 2019 · 1 uur 31 min
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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#50: E3 2019 Bonanza!
14 juni 2019 · 2 uur 14 min
It's early June, which can mean only one thing: The NHL playoffs are nearly over, and it's time to hunker down for several long, lonely months without hockey. But something else happens in early June each year that's especially pertinent to this podcast's audience: E3! And isn't it so strange -- serendipitous, even -- that our very first E3 show would also be our fiftieth core episode? Fate's funny like that, sometimes. To celebrate both E3 and Episode 50, let's talk about the biggest, brightest, and most promising games showcased during the various publisher press conferences, the miscellaneous news items that always accompany such a busy time of year, and even hazard a guess as to E3's longterm future. Not surprisingly, there's a whole lot to get through. Could you imagine if Sony actually showed up? The podcast would never actually end. But perhaps that's what some of you wanted all along. You're not fooling anyone.
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#49: Reimagining Warfare
7 juni 2019 · 2 uur 4 min
It's the week before E3, and all through LA, games keep on leaking much to publishers' dismay. A third Watch Dogs is coming. New Destiny DLC, too. And Modern Warfare's being rebooted, though that one didn't leak, it's true. So to welcome E3, we thought we'd cook up a game. One that replaces 'Predictions,' which have become stale and lame. "Fill in the blank!" Colin loudly declared. "Tell me your thoughts, Ray Gun, and your life will be spared!" With all he could muster, Chris gathered his might: "Doom Eternal will win E3, or your soul I shall smite!" Colin looked puzzled, and meekly added, "I can't control that, Chris, like those Nintendo scores that are padded." And so Sacred Symbols preps for gaming's big week, with all of the info and news that you seek. We suppose that's no different than your normal week, though. So enough of all of that: Let's get on with the show.
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#48: Stealing Thunder
31 mei 2019 · 1 uur 44 min
E3 2019 is right around the corner, and Sony ain't gonna be there. But that doesn't mean the company is being quiet. Quite the opposite! Likely in anticipation of big Xbox-related moves and announcements at the annual convention, PlayStation has loosened its spigot even more than it already had in recent weeks, talking PlayStation 5 (or whatever the hell it's going to be called), not to mention PlayStation 4, which it anticipates will be the brand's primary driver until 2022. We discuss. Plus: Mortal Kombat 11 and Days Gone sell big, the new Call of Duty is causing title confusion, Twisted Metal is coming to a TV near you, and The World Health Organization thinks gaming will kill us all. To wrap things up, we take some listener questions, including on Supermassive's upcoming horror game anthology, Sony's possible exclusive return to the FPS genre, and how Oculus Quest may just help PSVR. Oh, and did you know Chris is creamy? More details within!
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#47: Strange Bedfellows
24 mei 2019 · 1 uur 48 min
In recent days, word emerged of a most unusual alliance: It seems Sony is teaming up with longtime arch-rival Microsoft across a series of initiatives that could have significant impact on both entities' future gaming success. Indeed, the announcement was such a surprise -- and seemed to have so much impact for both companies -- that Sony employees were internally fretting that plans for PlayStation 5 might have been altered. But, of course, there's nothing to worry about. Right? We discuss. Plus: Call of Duty's unannounced 2020 entry is in serious production turmoil, Square Enix closed its Tales-like studio just as quickly as it opened it, the PlayStation brand is eyeing the film industry, and THQ Nordic may just be tantalizing Chris at his innermost core. Also, let's delve into some listener inquiries too, on topics ranging from the philosophy behind menu screens and Final Fantasy VII Remake's possible Trophy conundrum
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#46: All the Rage
17 mei 2019 · 2 uur 5 min
This week, the seemingly endless march of open world something-or-the-others continues with the release of Bethesda's and Avalanche's Rage 2. How have we been enjoying the FPSRPG's opening hours? We go into all the highs and the lows. The last seven days have also provided fertile soil for news, especially on the back of Sony's second State of Play stream. PS4's Medievil remake finally has a release date, while a new second-party Predator-themed asymmetric multiplayer game is also en route to the console. Meanwhile, Capcom's mega-popular Monster Hunter: World is finally getting a major expansion, John Wick is now a video game, EA Access is coming to PS4 five years too late, and much, much more. Listener questions also bring us on a wild journey, touching on topics ranging from Final Fantasy VII Remake's episodic nature to the mysterious design philosophy of too-long button prompts. Also: Is Chris' shirt red or crimson? This is a podcast, so perhaps you'll never know.
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#45: Not So Fast!
10 mei 2019 · 1 uur 50 min
SEGA never stops trying to make Sonic the Hedgehog relevant again. Indeed, the storied games publisher even announced a foray into feature films some months ago. But now, that mere announcement has been given life and motion, and... well... the results are highly disturbing. But with the filmmakers' decision to heed fans' calls for design changes, have we reached Peak Entitlement? Let's chat about it. Plus: Sony reveals perhaps the most disappointing lineup of free PlayStation Plus games yet, Dreams is getting its first big update, Rage 2 is ready for launch, and Bloodstained finally has a release date. And what's that, you say? You have some input, too?! Why, of course you do, listener! So let's take your inquiries, per usual, touching on topics like the publisher-developer relationship, how to (maybe?) not support crunch in game dev, and the reinvigoration of the single-player FPS genre.
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#44: Don't You Forget About Me
3 mei 2019 · 1 uur 38 min
PlayStation 4 is getting kinda jealous. After all, we've been heaping all this attention on its successor over the last couple of weeks, and it thinks we've forgotten about it. So let's prove it wrong with a heaping helping of PS4 news and info! For starters, new PlayStation 4 sales figures have been announced, and with PS4's all-new exclusive Days Gone now released, you'll be pleased to know that (free!) DLC is on the way. Plus: Bloodborne is now a board game, Kingdom Hearts III is getting new content, a Persona 5 Musou is en route, Square Enix will announce new games at E3, and much more! Then, to wrap things up, let's talk to the audience (that's you!) about topics ranging from playing Sekiro the really hard way and if DualShock 5 should have more buttons to Horizon's sequel and the reality of 8K gaming.
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#43: Analyzing PS5
26 april 2019 · 1 uur 43 min
Sure, we talked about PlayStation 5 extensively last week, but we just can't get it off our minds. This is especially true considering an extra morsel of information we weren't aware of until recent days, a morsel all about price. We jump into the new info, plus take a bunch of PS5-related questions from the audience, 'cause it turns out you want to talk about it a whole bunch. Then again, we still need to dwell in this generation, and so there's plenty of news to cover there, too, including Mortal Kombat 11's leaked DLC roster, The Last of Us: Part II passing a key production milestone, and all the juicy (and nerdy) details about Konami's upcoming Castlevania compilation, plus more. Then, we put a bow on everything by considering the possibilities of more Xbox-Nintendo collaborations, the future of outrage-driven games journalism, and the possibility of upgrading your PS4 games to PS5 games... for free!
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#42: Sony Talks PlayStation 5
19 april 2019 · 1 uur 36 min
This week was already going to be zany here on Sacred Symbols. That's 'cause there's a ton of news to get through, including the roll-out of the long-awaited, vaunted PSN name change functionality, new tidbits relating to Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us: Part II, kinda-sorta-maybe confirmations concerning new entries in the Horizon and Killzone franchises, and much more. Hell, we even learned more about Respawn's upcoming (entirely single-player?!) Star Wars game. But then something quite unusual occurred: An interview with Sony's Mark Cerny was released, like mana from heaven, and within it was a shocking amount of information about PlayStation 5 (though they won't yet call it that). For the first time, we have actual answers to common PS5-related questions (like backwards compatibility, various confirmations on components, PSVR integration, and more). So it's only right that the World's Most Beloved PlayStation Podcast jumped into the details with all the gusto you'd expect from such a mighty show. Thereafter, we round things out with listener questions, including one that presents a puzzling inquiry: Is there an unsolvable tension between art and play?
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#41: The Great Accessibility Debate
12 april 2019 · 1 uur 31 min
Over the last couple of weeks, a debate has raged within the gaming industry: Should games be easier? Should they be more accessible? And are those two things actually the same, or in some way, shape, or form different? On this episode, we take the time to drill down deep and get to the bottom of some lingering questions about game difficulty, disabled players, and the Games Are For Everyone philosophy. But no episode of Sacred Symbols would be complete without copious news and plenty of letters from the listeners. Borderlands 3 has a release date and couch co-op, the UK's Prince Harry thinks parents are helpless against their Fortnite-playing children, GameStop is hemorrhaging money, and much more, while fan inquires range on topics from Mega Man Battle Network and The Elder Scrolls VI to PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Now, and the dreaded PlayStation Store. Oh, and we gush about Phoenix Wright for a bit, too. Objection?! We think not.
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#40: Kaz Hirai Says Goodbye
5 april 2019 · 1 uur 39 min
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 verge of retirement, and so it's time for us to say goodbye. But fear not, for there's plenty of video game news this week, too. Borderlands 3 is real (shocking, we know), Dreams' Early Access is right around the corner, DriveClub is driving off a cliff, and a prominent Japanese developer left his studio over concerns of censorship. As always, we round out things with your queries, touching on topics ranging from Trophies on other hardware and remastered soundtracks to the status of Ready at Dawn and our lack of Mortal Kombat 11 coverage. Oh, and one listener makes a bet with Chris, and PlayStation 5 is involved. How intriguing!
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#39: Shadows Die Constantly
29 maart 2019 · 1 uur 33 min
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. Sony's new Nintendo Direct-like State of Play initiative debuted, with a few announcements and release dates worth noting, particularly when it comes to PSVR. Persona 5 is also back in the news with a mysterious announcement of an announcement, Konami piles on the classic compilations (Castlevania!), and a new Lord of the Rings game appears to be PlayStation 5-bound (yes, 5). Then, with your encouragement via listener mail, we leave the Sony ecosystem for a bit, diving deep into Google's Stadia announcement, the controversies surrounding Epic's new digital game store, the nature of game pricing, and much more. After all, we may be a PlayStation podcast... but it's good to venture outside every now and again.
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#38: Long Division
22 maart 2019 · 1 uur 33 min
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 of news to get through this week, too. Borderlands 3's announcement is imminent, Turtle Rock's Left 4 Dead spiritual successor is in the works, a new Sonic the Hedgehog game is a-comin', the Uncharted movie's ex-screenwriter apparently loathes Neil Druckmann, and much more. And what would Sacred Symbols be without letters from the listener, letters ranging on topics from Ghost of Tsushima's release window and Capcom's meteoric upswing to the pros and cons of turn-based combat and the glory of the South Park RPGs. There's much to get through, agent. Let's do it.
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#37: Games As A Disservice
15 maart 2019 · 1 uur 22 min
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 just such a topic, and we naturally delve head first into it. But before we get there, there's some news to attend to. One upcoming PS4 exclusive (Days Gone) has gone gold, while another (Death Stranding) seems to be falling behind. New firmware brings PS4 Remote Play to iOS devices. PlayStation is breaking the Chinese gaming industry wide open. And did you know NIS is bringing a new Vita game out... in 2020?! We discuss all of that, plus much more, rounded out by even more listener questions, like: Where's Killzone? Will Legend of Dragoon ever come back? And does Colin really hate gum more than anything else on Earth? The answers may just surprise you.
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#36: Goodnight, Sweet Prince
8 maart 2019 · 1 uur 25 min
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 really, truly in its final chapter? We discuss. Plus: The news! Respawn is readying the reveal of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Horizon: Zero Dawn passed a huge sales milestone, The Division 2's puzzling season pass has finally been explained, Phoenix Wright has been dated for PS4, and more. Oh, and how about some questions, comments, and concerns from the audience, like: Why does EA refuse to publish the Mass Effect Trilogy on PS4? Should great game studios be held to a higher standard than their mediocre peers? Will BioShock 4 ever materialize? Is "moist" a worse word than "damp?" Listen, and find out...
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