Secret Level, the newest animated anthology series from Love, Death + Robots co-creator Tim Miller, recently released all 15 episodes of its first season on Prime Video. Covering everything from tabletop franchises like Warhammer 40,000 to beloved video game icons such as Mega Man, this series showcases the near endless storytelling possibilities of these games outside of their original platforms.
So to celebrate the shows release, we thought we’d take the opportunity to look at every episode from season 1 of this gaming TV series and rank them from worst to best.
15. New World: The Once and Future King
Despite being the weakest offering here there is still some good to be found in this New World themed episode. The animation is great and the episode’s sense of humour does work in some instances. However, it gets rather repetitive very quickly and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s voice can be a little bit distracting the more the episode goes on.
14. Exodus: Odyssey
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Odyssey, it’s just a very by the numbers episode. The animation, as expected, is stunning and the story does what it needs to but everything it does isn’t anything new and is done better in other episodes.
13. Dungeons & Dragons: The Queens’s Cradle
For context, there is a distinct jump in quality from the last entry to this one. Fans of D&D will surely get a kick out this episode as it makes the most of its animation and tells a fairly compelling, if short, story. It does feel a little rushed in places, not giving the audience much time to connect to these characters, but it works well for what it is. The ending does feel a bit abrupt but the journey up to that point was pretty enjoyable if little predictable.
12. Crossfire: Good Conflict
If you’re looking for a Call of Duty/Battlefield style episode set in the world of Crossfire with a straightforward, cat and mouse premise and gorgeously animated action, then look no further than Good Conflict. This is an entertaining episode in the moment and it’s high octane car chases and set pieces are definitely where the episode is at its best but it unfortunately doesn’t deliver much else in the long run to warrant revisiting.
11. Mega Man: Start
Arguably the most anticipated episode of the series, Start is a fun introduction to the world of Mega Man but feels like it is only just getting started by the time it ends. There are other episodes in this series that fall into a similar issue but it does feel like Start is the worst offender for this. With that being said, if this is a potential catalyst for a standalone, animated Mega Man movie or TV show, then it has without a doubt done its job as best as could have.
10. Playtime: Fulfilment
In terms of story, this episode isn’t the strongest but for pure enjoyment it definitely delivers. This episode uses the premise of a futuristic delivery driver needing to fulfil an order as a basic template to allow some of PlayStation’s most beloved properties run amok in the same environment. For fans of the console, old or new, there are many easter eggs and references to appreciate here along with cameos from fan favourite franchises such as God of War, Helldivers and many more.
9. Spelunky: Tally
One of a handful of episodes looking at the premise respawning and starting over again, this Spelunky oriented story is short, to the point and enjoyably playful with its themes. The humorous approach to its central theme makes it stand out from the rest of the offerings in the season and this alongside it’s colourful mix of 2D and 3D animation styles result in pretty fun episode.
8. Honor of Kings: The Way of All Things
Possibly the most cerebral offering of the season, The Way of All Things is a visually breathtaking episode full of mind-bending moments and a constantly evolving central conflict that is endlessly engaging. As someone who doesn’t know much about the Honor of Kings game, this episode alone has made me want to investigate this franchise further.
7. PAC-MAN: Circle
Out of all the episodes here, this one is probably the most talked about. A gritty, violent take on PAC-MAN of all things doesn’t sound particularly interesting on paper but the final product is genuinely quite compelling. The runtime absolutely flies by but still manages to pack a lot in. Plus, when it comes to episodes tackling the theme of respawning, this story handles it in a refreshingly dark manner that could feel even more rewarding on rewatch.
6. Armored Core: Asset Management
An Armored Core episode that features Keanu Reeves in the lead role…what more do I have to say to sell you on this one? The animation is the clear standout of this episode along with the central performance from Reeves who really sells this damaged character. The story also becomes surprisingly emotional towards the end which is unexpected but works fantastically for the core themes of the episode as it takes an almost full circle approach.
5. Unreal Tournament: Xan
A simple story of rebellion from a robot’s perspective is brilliantly well realised in this effective take on Unreal Tournament. The story isn’t anything new but works wonders against the themes of repression and arena battles that make up the second half of the episode. The story is well told and the animation is once again fantastic, Xan is just a really good and thoroughly entertaining episode.
4. Sifu: It Takes a Life
This episode alone sums up everything that Secret Level sets out to do as an anthology series. We have a simple revenge story told as efficiently as possible within a 10 minute runtime whilst using the premise/world of the game it is set in, the example here being the 2022 beat ’em up Sifu, to tell its story in as unique a way as possible. It Takes a Life, does all of this as seamlessly as it can, delivering tight storytelling and visceral action whilst staying true to the game it is set around.
3. The Outer Worlds: The Company We Keep
A lot of the episodes here, due to the nature of the games they’re based on, feature many overlapping story beats and themes…that is certainly not the case with The Company We Keep as it goes for something a bit different. Setting this episode in the universe of The Outer Worlds allows this story to achieve a balance of humour and heartbreaking character drama that makes for a refreshing watch amongst all the other episodes in the season.
2. Concord: Tale of the Implacable
Easily one of the most playful episodes on offer, this Concord themed story is downright entertaining from start to finish. Brimming with vibrant animation that bursts off of the screen with colour and a slick style that makes it really standout, Tale of the Implacable is a clear highlight of the season that you never want to end.
1. Warhammer 40,000: And They Shall Know No Fear
In under 20 minutes this episode manages to perfectly capture the immense dread and brutality of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. There is a never-ending sense of darkness that permeates every second of this episode which helps bring this world to life. It also has some intense action, stunningly detailed animation and a thematic thread that comes full circle in such a short space of time. If this is half as good as the upcoming Warhammer will possibly be, then sign me up.
All 15 episodes of Secret Level season 1 are now streaming on Prime Video.
