Secret Level – Season 1 (TV Series) review

Announced at Gamescom in August of 2024, Secret Level took the gaming world by storm. A 15-episode anthology series from the folks who made Love, Death + Robots, all centered around different video game properties (see that official trailer here). For those unfamiliar, Love, Death + Robots is an ongoing anthology series on Netflix that tackles sci-fi short stories in uniquely told ways, with a different animation style and (often) animation studio for each episode. This format is mostly kept for Secret Level, with each short episode being animated in a slightly different way to suit the story being told.

Each of the 15 episodes ranges from 7 minutes at the low end to 18 on the high end. I will say that the good ones all felt too short, and the bad ones felt too long, regardless of the actual runtimes. That said, most of the episodes range from good to great, so I was definitely left wanting more.

In this review, I will give a very brief breakdown and “review” of each episode and then discuss and score the show as a whole. Since each episode is its own self-contained story, it can be watched in any order and should each be judged individually.

Episode 1 – Dungeons and Dragons: The Queen’s Cradle
15-minute runtime

The Queen’s Cradle is one of the very best episodes and a smart choice to lead with. A universally recognized property, adapted across the board in every format imaginable, and one with the built-in freedom to create whatever you want. The graphics for this episode are reminiscent of Diablo cutscenes, and I say that complimentarily. The showrunners based this short story on the Hoard of the Dragon Queen/Rise of Tiamat module, which was yet another excellent choice. The Queen’s Cradle excellently translates D&D combat and spells to the screen. I was able to see the exact moment a Dwarf Monk rolled a Nat 20 and caught an arrow, only to send it slinging back toward the shooter, killing him. The titular Tiamat is also breathtakingly impressive. After the episode, I was left impressed but desperately wishing to see this module fleshed out into a full-length series of its own (which ends up being a running theme for each of the great episodes of Secret Level).

Episode 2 – Sifu: It Takes a Life
9-minute runtime

It Takes a Life is gorgeously cell-shaded and fits the tone of the game and the story being told here. Short enough to feel like an opening cutscene but complete in the story it wants to tell, It Takes a Life is one of the more emotional and grounded episodes of Secret Level. Full of excellent Martial Arts action and plenty of homages from the John Wick club fight to the hallway fight in Oldboy. With a surprisingly touching and tender conclusion, It Takes a Life is another one of the “great” episodes despite being one of the shortest.

Episode 3 – New World: The Once and Future King
13-minute runtime

Here is where we get into the not-so-good portion of the series. Amazon MGM Studios is the producer for Secret Level and owns the New World property. Whether New World was always intended for the show or was a contractual addition once Amazon picked up the show, we may never know. Whether the showrunners intentionally made this arguably the worst episode to spite Amazon for forcing it on them, or if it just naturally occurred that way, we may also never know, but this one is pretty terrible. From the absurd choice to have Arnold Schwarzenegger voice the main character and include the infamous “Epic Handshake” meme from Predator to the tonally discordant humor, nothing about this short worked for me.

Episode 4 – Unreal Tournament: Xan
18-minute runtime

I will be the first to admit that I am not intimately familiar with Unreal Tournament, having only casually played it a handful of times growing up. That being said, this episode might genuinely be the best of the series. Xan is, at its core, a story about what happens when the downtrodden have finally had enough and have the opportunity to take back control from their overlords. With excellent graphics and voice acting across the board, Xan takes a story about the bots that fight in the arena and infuses it with such humanity that you can’t help but find yourself relating to the metal protagonist. On top of the story, little touches like a battle announcer calling out kills to quips like “we don’t have time for camping” keep the episode firmly grounded in its video game roots. It’s a smash hit that feels completely fine as a one-off episode.

Episode 5 – Warhammer 40,000: And They Shall Know No Fear
18-minute runtime

If Xan isn’t the best episode in Secret Level, it is because this episode takes the crown. Stunning, photorealistic style graphics grab your attention immediately. And They Shall Know No Fear showcases the absolute power of a Space Marine in a way that it feels no other media has successfully done. Not only the power of the Marines but also the mindset and determination that roost at the core of those who make it through that program. The episode has very little dialogue, relying almost entirely on the action and silent looks between characters and their environment. It also fully captures the abysmal, utter hopelessness of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. In my notes, I simply wrote “I want approximately 1000 more episodes” and I think that about sums it up for me.

Episode 6 – PAC-MAN: Circle
10-minute runtime

This episode is more of a “Pac-Man thought exercise” than it is in any tangible way connected to the arcade game that folks are familiar with. That being said, it’s visually arresting and is built around an interesting concept. A character attempting to escape the maze designed for it, and only able to do so through the “player.” The phrase “There’s strength in repetition” is used throughout the episode, which can apply to pretty much any game, but holds even more true for classic arcade games like Pac-Man.

Episode 7 – Crossfire: Good Conflict
18-minute runtime

This is the worst episode of the show and one that I believe should just be dropped. A thought exercise around the loose premise of “What if the Blackgate Military Contractors felt bad about all the bad things they did?” Not only is it an offensive and tone-deaf premise, but it’s executed poorly, which removes any potential silver lining from this dud of an episode. It’s a glaring miss in an otherwise mostly excellent TV series.

Episode 8 – Armored Core: Asset Management
13-minute runtime

Another one of the very best episodes in the series and the one with arguably the most hype around it going in. Media darling Keanu f***ing Reeves is piloting the AC, and it’s yet another role that he seems to have been born to play. He is pitch-perfect as the pilot, pulling off dialogue that reads like edgelord porn, but is EXACTLY the type of stuff that an AC pilot would say. The filthy reality of that job is starkly highlighted to great effect. The world is desolate and mostly empty but uniquely gorgeous. Kinetic AC combat, a phenomenal Keanu performance, and some incredible set pieces help elevate Asset Management to the next level, and it earns a spot at the top with the other best episodes.

Episode 9 – Outer Worlds: The Company We Keep
17-minute runtime

The Company We Keep is an interesting story set in the Outer Worlds universe following a poor scrapper trying to make his way in the galaxy by ultimately selling himself off for human trials that can/will ultimately maim or kill him. It’s a true “what we would do for love” story, with his willingness to sell his body stemming from a misguided attempt to reconnect with a woman from his past. The animation here evokes the uncanny valley feeling at first; it is not photorealistic by any means, but it is also not overly cartoonish. It reminded me of the Robert Zemeckis Polar Express movie from 2004. An interesting episode that falls squarely in the middle of the pack.

Episode 10 – Mega Man: Start
7-minute runtime

There is not a whole lot to say about this one. It is a fun but painfully short little Mega Man origin story of sorts. I enjoyed it, but it feels far too short for such a high-profile character. A few additional scenes/minutes would have done this episode a lot of good.

Episode 11 – Exodus: Odyssey
14-minute runtime

Prior to Odyssey, I was completely unfamiliar with Exodus. After watching this episode, it has my full attention. The story itself is an interesting Sci-Fi hunt for family, with a father chasing his daughter through space as time dilation has her aging years for each of his months. He spends time in hyperspace, hunting the ghosts of where she has been all while she is living and fighting through years of hardship. It’s a touching story, well executed, and has me highly intrigued about the final game once it releases in late 2025/early 2026.

Episode 12 – Spelunky: Tally
7-minute runtime

Another very short episode, but this one fits well with the runtime Tally is a fascinating look at the possible realities of being a character in a Roguelike video game, dying over and over again while learning how to progress through the various traps and dangers that these games present. With a cute art style that fits the original game and helps temper the violent reality of dying repeatedly as a child, Tally is another excellent addition to this series.

Episode 13 – Concord: Tale of the Implacable
17-minute runtime

If the video game Concord were half as good as this episode, it would not have flopped. In what can best be described as an animated episode of Firefly, Concord: Tale of the Implacable delivers a pretty damn funny look at the potential high jinks that deep space bounty hunters and contractors might get up to in the future. A truly funny yet still engaging short story that left me wanting more.

Episode 14 – Honor of Kings: The Way of All Things
17-minute runtime

I will admit that I am entirely unfamiliar with Honor of Kings, but this episode still managed to be entertaining and raise questions about how much free will people actually have, and if confronted with their own lack of choice, how might they react? Tied up with a touch of the “human vs. AI” argument that our society is currently so deeply engaged in, The Way of All Things asks genuine questions and leaves the viewer to bring their own answers to bear.

Episode 15 – Playtime: Fulfillment
11-minute runtime

Secret Level ends with this episode, which is less of a scripted story and more of a giant PlayStation commercial brought to life. Characters from the storied history of the PlayStation console make appearances from games such as Shadow of the Colossus, Helldivers 2, God of War, Little Big Planet, and more. While not the most interesting episode, it feels like a fitting conclusion and a celebration of what makes games and gaming so special to so many.

Conclusion

Secret Level often feels more like Love, Death + Robots Season 3.5 than its own thing, but ultimately, that was ok with me. As someone who loves LD+R, getting 15 new episodes “in that series” all brought to life out of video game properties was an absolute treat. There are far more great episodes than bad ones, and I hope the series is received well enough for Amazon to greenlight more seasons. There are so many games that I would love to see get the Secret Level treatment, and I think the stories available to tell are plentiful enough that they could keep the show running for a very long time while retaining the same quality that made this first season so good.

Amazon MGM Studios provided us with access to Secret Level – Season 1 for review purposes.