In Secret Level (Prime Video), the new animated anthology series created by filmmaker and visual effects artist Tim Miller (the Emmy-winning Love, Death & Robots), major gaming titles get new stories told inside their respective universes, with all of the game-specific visuals and references to match. Secret Level kicks off its first seasonâs 15 installments with Dungeons & Dragons, and will also include tales told in the worlds of games like Sifu, Honor of Kings, PAC-MAN, Armored Core, or in tribute to a game system itself, like PlayStation. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Keanu Reeves, Claudia Doumit, Merle Dandridge, Temuera Morrison, Emily Swallow, and Kevin Hart are among the Secret Level voice cast. Â
SECRET LEVEL: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?Â
Opening Shot: A young man with runes tattooed on his face stews in the cage where he is a prisoner. Suddenly, the sound of clashing swords in the camp, and new voices. âThese are the hallowed lands of the Loyal Fury, protected by the great Oriel!â
The Gist: The Dungeons & Dragons-themed first episode of Secret Level introduces us to Solon (Noah Manzoor), the boy in the cage, and his rescuers, a group led by the brave elven paladin Mora (Madeline Knight) and including Tally (Laura Wohlwend), a spellcasting gnome, the powerful monk Luzum (Delroy Atkinson), and a shape-shifting warrior called Ahokal (Umulsa Gahiga). When they encounter Solon, Mora and her pals immediately pivot to rescuing him from his current predicament. But when they take him to see Oriel (Paul Ridley), the benevolent golden dragon they serve, it soon becomes evident that forces from evil realms are determined to keep Solon in their grasp.
Cue a battle sequence, set on a bridge that was hewed from white limestone to emulate a two-handed long sword. A White Walker-type appears, which does not bode well for our heroes. Follow Mora into a great cavern, the vast chamber of Oriel. The kind dragonâs powers can counteract the possession of Solon by a cult of evil dragon-worshippers. And thrill to the little bandâs courage as they turn to face a new threat, one that has evolved out of their still-dangerous present situation.
All of this is happening within a slim quarter of an hour, the average runtime for installments of Secret Level. And if it feels like it could be one of those D&D choose-your-adventure stories, thatâs probably on purpose. Tim Miller, whose Blur animation studio created Secret Level, has said each episode of the anthology will expand on the storytelling from a particular game. So fans of that lore, whether itâs part of Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, Sifu, Spelunky, or the rest, should find full immersion into these stories pretty easy. Itâs like a game titleâs introductions and summary screens came to life and started talking. Or, in the case of the D&D installment, started fighting the hero characters. âAstahii plythu nah!â the entity inside Solon screams at Oriel and Mora in the cavern. âLoaw tah nah! Pluthu tah voraeâ¦â
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? An as-yet-to-appear fourth season of Love, Death & Robots was announced back in 2022, when Season 3 dropped. Netflix also features the short vignettes of anime series Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance, as well as Arcane, which is set in the League of Legends video game universe.  Â
Our Take: But wait, what if we get attached? As Secret Level strides confidently into the established worlds of heavyweight game titles, itâs with large amounts of visual splendor â the series animation, always sharp, bends and evolves within the style of each featured game â and with well-conceived characters, who it feels like weâve known forever. Which is where that initial question comes in. After the events of the D&D episode of Secret Level, for example, what if we would like more? What if we wished to rejoin the paladin Mora and her fellow travelers as they mounted their next exciting quest? We canât. In Secret Level, no matter how compelling it is, the action and characters from one installment donât carry over to the next, which starts anew inside the visual space and storytelling of an entirely different video game.
This is both a big credit to the series and a minor detriment. It shows so much proficiency in creating these deeply-imagined addendums to established worlds, all we want is more. Who knows, maybe Secret Level returns to what itâs created alongside these games in additional seasons. But for now, weâre just going to imagine these installments like fun little daydreams, imagined storylines from games played set to motion, punctuated with smart details imported from each of those universes.
Sex and Skin: None.
Parting Shot: The screen is awash in flame as Solon, Mora, Tally, Luzum, and Ahokal turn to face their next adversary. Over the years, Solon got used to doing this kind of thing all alone. But now he has friends.
Sleeper Star: Laura Wohlwend is a standout as Tally, a gnome conjurer, in the first installment of Secret Level. She can wield a fireball with the snap of a finger. But Wohlwend is also able to move the characterâs arc from suspicion to trust effectively in the tight space of the first episode, which is essentially a Dungeons & Dragons-themed short story.
Most Pilot-y Line: âWhat in the Nine Hells?â Itâs a quick line in an otherwise larger battle sequence. But the reference to a mysterious land of devils inside the Dungeons & Dragons narrative shows off Secret Levelâs flair for a deep cut. Â
Our Call: Stream It! Secret Level should be a boon for gamer heads, as it emulates and expands upon the established look and feel of heavyweight video game titles like Dungeons & Dragons, Unreal Tournament, Sifu, and Warhammer 40,000.
Johnny Loftus (@glennganges) is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift.
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