Sacred Symbols, Episode 340 | Our Most Anticipated Games of 2025
Added 2025-01-03 17:00:15 +0000 UTC2024 is officially in the rearview mirror, which can only mean one thing: We're now in the exciting "next year" of video game releases on PlayStation 5 (and 4, too, to an extent). As is tradition here on Sacred Symbols, we cap-off our dueling annual end-of-year shows with a look ahead, each selecting five 2025 releases we're most amped about. This of course allows us to widely chat about 15 exciting upcoming games with only two rules in mind: Selections have to be slated for (or at least conceivably coming in) '25, and they must be on PlayStation hardware. Thus, we touch on just about everything you can imagine, from the biggest AAAs to our darling indies, and so much in between. Please enjoy, and Happy New Year to you and yours!
Comments
I did want to say too though, when you guys do your games of the year, I don’t think any of us mind if you choose games you played that year whether it’s from the current year or not. I think that’s more organic and could shine the light on some games that may have been missed over time
PairOfShuse
2025-01-10 00:15:44 +0000 UTCDeath Stranding 2 is definitely my most anticipated game. The first one is truly special. Top 10 game of all time for me.
Cyprus Davis
2025-01-08 08:28:10 +0000 UTCI've never understood all of the fellating Naughty Dog gets for making derivative cinematic games, when I'd rather they just make another Jak and Daxter. Even weirder is hearing Last of Us compared artistically to Bioshock when the former is so heavily reliant on cinematics to tell the story, the only thing it's missing is a clapping/weeping audience and a laugh track for some of the kills; whereas the latter organically delivers it's narrative through gameplay and audio-logs.
Rat Pobertson
2025-01-07 18:26:50 +0000 UTCSince Colin can’t seem to talk about Intergalactic without insulting anyone who isn’t interested (instead of just talking about his excitement of the game, ironically), I’m going to throw a weighty two cents in again. I find it HIGHLY ironic that if someone doesn’t like the style or look of Intergalactic, they get called narrow minded or short sighted yet you have two people on the show who do exactly what they are complaining about 1, Colin - can’t be bothered to play a game no matter how good it is or how good it looks, just because it’s on a Nintendo platform. 2. Chris - this is the even better comparison. Unless it’s Dragonball or adjacent to Dragonball, anything that has an anime aesthetic, Colin just says “I’m guessing Chris doesn’t have anything to say about this” and just skips him, with Chris either agreeing or taking the time to make fun of/criticize anything that looks anime. I don’t see Colin going on 5 minute monologues about those games being just looked over because of their feel or aesthetic. The thing is, I think that’s quite alright. It’s fine to not like a game due to how it looks, or not be interested in it. It’s just entirely hypocritical given the tone and constant insulting of anyone who doesn’t like it every time the game is brought up. If you don’t want people who don’t really feel anything towards the game to not get irritated then maybe follow the example you are preaching. I also find it highly interesting that as soon as DEI is being abandoned by huge companies and other voices in the game industry start saying we just want to make good games, that some on Last Stand are pivoting. It’s like….before you said DEI is racist, that it’s bad practice and doesn’t let people stand on their own merit. Now, that position is being softened at a time where that BS can be eliminated. And I’m talking actual DEI. I’m not one of those people that say everything is woke or DEI. Only when it actually is or feels like it. Tales of Kenzera: Zau, for example - I have zero interest in the game but I didn’t think it was woke from anything I’ve seen or even when it was announced. Even Dustborn, which is an abomination upon gaming, I don’t want it banned. Also the people who are the “anti-woke” need to really get their act together. Some of the biggest names don’t even seem like they play games. I’ve unfollowed some people I have before because literally all they do is post screen shots of half naked characters. I’m not even against that and am for the expression to do so and encourage the design on a game by game basis if that’s what the company and artists want to do. But that’s ALL some of these people do. I never see them talk about playing games or discussing games or showing trophies etc. There are some great voices though like Savvy. My problem is when the agendas being pushed are being shoe horned into games. No more Male and Female options but Type A and Type B (utterly ridiculous and anti reality), EVERY game needing to have some type of alternative sexuality in it (these people are a small percentage of the population and are being waaaaay over represented to push an agenda. No issue with gay characters being in games, they have been especially in Japanese RPGs for decades). Even worse when stuff like surgical breast removal scars are being put in to push vile surgeries on children to try and normalize it. When Colin and then talk about oh focus on these DEI things like hiring etc, that’s what actually what affects games. Or when talking about Concord, all three will say oh it’s not wokeness that made the game fall, it just wasn’t a great game. What do you think people who get into the positions to make these games do? The toxic positivity is there because people are afraid to say anything for fear of being fired because one of them might complain. The artists might be talented but if they are coming from the ground up thinking in the whole DEI type of mindset, it’s obviously going to affect everything in the game. I just do not see how they don’t and other people don’t get this. It’s sad when I find myself being more ok with games from Saudi Arabia and China because they aren’t pushing some horrible propaganda from the west regarding some of the things mentioned above as well as seemingly not censoring as much as the west. Insane times we live in That being said: since these games didn’t get mentioned, here are some of my anticipated games in no particular order Atelier Yumia Legend of Heroes Trails through Daybreak 2 Like a dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Xenoblade Chronicles X definitive edition Fatal Fury City of the wolves The hundred line last defense academy Lost soul aside Metal gear delta snake eater Trails in the sky first chapter
PairOfShuse
2025-01-07 15:24:28 +0000 UTCHuh?
Bailey Callis
2025-01-07 01:11:11 +0000 UTCHuh?
sam croese
2025-01-07 01:09:35 +0000 UTCMatt, you are completely right.
Sam
2025-01-07 00:04:37 +0000 UTCKeep dreaming Matt 🤡
Bailey Callis
2025-01-06 23:09:08 +0000 UTCHE HAS A BIOSHOCK TATTOO 🤣🤣
Bailey Callis
2025-01-06 23:08:27 +0000 UTCSo is Colin going to piss and moan about Intergalactic every episode now?
Bailey Callis
2025-01-06 23:07:50 +0000 UTCThe thing about Infinite is the early demos and other promotional material showed a much more interesting, better looking, game. Instead of groundbreaking gameplay sytems and choices, massive skyhook sections, and other neat powers, we got a pretty 'standard' shooter with powers. Even the elemental stuff and physics from the first game were dialed back or completely non-existent. Tears were obviously reduced to a glorified ammo box/turret/sky hook choice, and a lot of other things seemed to be cut or lost in translaion from the concept stage to release. The damning thing to me was that it not only played like a less sofisticated game compated to B1, but it looked and ran worse while being released on the same console and same UE3 engine (3.5 in case of Infinite). Some of this comes down to the bigger scope and environments, but seeing blurry PS1/PS2-like textures in some places and cartoony overly-stylized graphics just couldn't compare to B1 that still holds up to this day. Fire the game up on PS3 and you'll see why reception was worse - first time you get on a roof and look right there's a giant smear instead of a texture, and the final battle on the blimp ran @ like 20 fps. Don't really remember the DLCs but these felt like a different game altogether, I think - more of a stealth game torture porn than B1, or Infinite.
MISZCZOGRZMOT
2025-01-06 12:39:22 +0000 UTCUnderrated? I think you meant overrrated
Mr. Scott If You're Nasty
2025-01-05 18:59:38 +0000 UTCThe nerd-voice is definitely NOT getting old! It kills me everytime
Napoleon in Rags
2025-01-05 01:04:38 +0000 UTCIt’s kind of why I’ve personally dove into Vr. Though that seems to have hit the wall same-iness that flatscreen games have as well
Mosuke Juchiha
2025-01-04 13:09:30 +0000 UTCMan, I would love to know what Balatro did to Colin over the holidays 😄
Chris Strommer
2025-01-04 10:38:23 +0000 UTCTLOU P2 is the most underrated game of the last decade. It’s astonishing but underrated.
Matt
2025-01-04 09:38:52 +0000 UTCPositive comment incoming: I couldn’t agree more with your guys’s questions and analysis on essentially “Does it feel like we’re just playing the same things over and over?“ Because I have felt the exact same myself over the last few years; I find the only games that I truly enjoy anymore are ones that have a prominent gameplay mechanic hook; something that makes me forget I’m playing a game, it is so engrossing. And this could take many forms, but ultimately it boils down to either a reflex test or some kind of novel metric of player engagement. At this point for me, playing any standard third person action game anymore… And maybe that’s what it is. The third person action genre. (It was the one thing that most consistently and actively pulled me out of God of War Ragnarok) It just feels so… pretentiously trite.
Saint947
2025-01-04 08:22:36 +0000 UTCTbh I didn't know it was a thing either
ajwhite
2025-01-04 08:08:05 +0000 UTCCol, I do my laundry the same way here if my machines break down. And I do it in the dead of night. 😅
NeO JD
2025-01-04 06:36:54 +0000 UTCI don’t understand how Chris can be such a huge bioshock fan and also think it take place in the “20s or 30s” lol
Jeece
2025-01-04 05:21:30 +0000 UTCJan-March is going to be nuts! Freedom Wars, Pirate Yakuza, Monster Hunter Wilds, Suikoden 1&2, and Xenoblade Chronicles X. Plus the Switch 2 is likely coming out too🤯
MrFreundly
2025-01-04 03:28:40 +0000 UTCOP trying to take jabs and falling on his face instead.
Dante B
2025-01-04 03:15:53 +0000 UTCOh, wow. Colin broke the chain of letting the boys get their signature sign off farewells in. Felt weird lol.
Na’vi R and B singer, Mary J. Bligger
2025-01-03 23:57:28 +0000 UTCEvery mention of TLOU2, FF 7 Rebirth and/or FF16 results in Colin putting on a serious voice and saying they are "truely extraordinary" or "exceptionally impressive". He always feels a need to come to their defense even if no one is criticizing them. The other host alway just sit in awkward silence for a moment.
LongJohnSivers#1Fan
2025-01-03 21:49:45 +0000 UTCThis image of Doomguy makes me think “hell yeah” every time I see it no matter what. Bring on Dark Ages.
Noah Friscopp
2025-01-03 21:49:21 +0000 UTCAramaic is what he said
Aaron B Vick
2025-01-03 20:59:08 +0000 UTCI’ll be pissed if Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 isn’t mentioned. I am so hyped for it.
Cormac
2025-01-03 19:20:43 +0000 UTC“Arabaic” - Chris Ray Gun
Kevin Whiteacre
2025-01-03 18:33:16 +0000 UTCAnother banger episode
Damien Groome
2025-01-03 18:07:02 +0000 UTCGuess they had to counterbalance the Summon Sign this week lol
Haru Discourse
2025-01-03 17:46:26 +0000 UTCMy aunt is married to Hiroshi PlayStation and he told me that Bloodborne remake is coming in 2025.
Michael Mashpotato
2025-01-03 17:29:29 +0000 UTCNot even 6 hours? Smh Sacred fell off
Deemac
2025-01-03 17:02:05 +0000 UTC
