Secret Level is an adult animated anthology series, brought to life by Tim Miller. It dives into various original stories, each set in iconic video game worlds. The trailer teases these unique adventures, offering a peek at games like Mega Man, Warhammer, Exodus, Armored Core, and Crossfire, among others.
Secret Level Storyline
Secret Level is an anthology series that draws inspiration from popular video games, offering unique stories in each of its 15 episodes. Each episode dives into a different game universe. The project was unveiled during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live.
The series is led by Tim Miller, the director of Deadpool and the executive producer of Love Death + Robots. The team also includes Blur Studio and director Dave Wilson, who is known for his work on Love Death + Robots.
Games Included in Secret Level
The series brings to life stories inspired by a diverse range of games, such as Armored Core, Concord, Crossfire, Dungeons & Dragons, Exodus, Honor of Kings, Mega Man, New World: Aeternum, PAC-MAN, various PlayStation Studios titles, Sifu, Spelunky, The Outer Worlds, Unreal Tournament, and Warhammer 40,000.
Casts Included in Secret Level
The series features an impressive lineup of familiar faces, with well-known actors voicing characters and making cameo appearances. The star-studded cast includes Keanu Reeves, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Temuera Morrison, Ariana Greenblatt, Merle Dandridge, Claudia Doumit, Michael Beach, Clive Standen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ricky Whittle, Gabriel Luna, and Emily Swallow.
Where to Stream Secret Level?
Secret Level is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The platform recently shared the series trailer, announcing, “Enter Secret Level, the groundbreaking gaming anthology series, premiering December 10.” So far, only the first eight episodes have been released, with the remaining episodes set to drop digitally on December 17, 2024.
When is Secret Level Coming to Prime Video?
Secret Level will debut exclusively on Prime Video on December 10. The release schedule for subsequent episodes has not been confirmed yet.
Secret Level Review : A Lackluster Video Game Anthology
From HBO’s The Last of Us to Prime Video’s Fallout, there’s been a wave of success in turning video games into TV series. With Secret Level, an adult animated show created by Deadpool director Tim Miller, Prime Video aims to offer both gamers and casual viewers a new way to experience iconic gaming worlds. The series consists of 15 episodes, each offering a brief exploration of popular games like Pac-Man and Dungeons & Dragons. However, despite the wide variety of game franchises showcased, the show’s repetitive storytelling struggles to engage either die-hard fans or those with little knowledge of the games.
The premise of Secret Level is certainly intriguing. Tim Miller and various game publishers tackle 15 different franchises, including PlayStation’s now-scrapped Concord, Capcom’s Mega Man, and Amazon Games’ New World: Aeternum (which stands out as one of the few highlights in an otherwise average collection). However, with episodes lasting only seven to 17 minutes, most feel more like quick promotional clips for the games than fully developed narratives. The storylines often don’t pick up steam until the final moments, and in many cases, they revisit overused tropes that viewers may have already seen elsewhere.
While many video games explore the theme of death and respawning, Secret Level fully embraces it. Episodes like Sifu: It Takes A Life, New World: The Once and Future King, and Spelunky: Tally focus on death and rebirth. Of these, New World stands out, featuring King Aelstrom (voiced by Arnold Schwarzenegger), a pompous ruler stranded on the island of Aeternum. Despite losing his army, Aelstrom is determined to conquer the island, only to discover the challenge is far greater than he expected. The episode’s humor shines as Aelstrom, a clueless brute, vents his frustrations on his squire, Scaevola, who urges him to let go of his need for power.