secret level An interesting project for me. Created by: Tim Miller and Dave Wilsonwhich is an anthology animated series of original short films based on video game properties. Similar to Miller and his earlier anthology series from Blur Studios Love, Death and Robotsa series that aims to push what’s acceptable in animation beyond the average viewer’s fare. However, it also has to compete with the video games that are the basis of movies.
It’s this dynamic that, when it was first announced, kept me thinking about why I should care. There is the nature of passive entertainment and active entertainment. Watching something is not the same as controlling it. You can still excel at the craftsmanship of it all, and the craftsmanship of it is amazing, but I want to play.
Unlike a regular series or movie, there’s no overview or setup to explain. This anthology series is based on a Dungeons and Dragons its 50th anniversary and ends with a short film celebrating the 30th anniversaryth Sony PlayStation. Shorts from a classic pacman and Mega Man (rock man) to new franchises, e.g. master and Caving. So it’s a massive game that’s covered and explained with a very compelling story and some very unexpected ways to play.
The animation in each of Secret Level’s shorts is incredibly realistic and detailed. They tend to have a more realistic appearance and a more dramatic tone. While there’s some humor in it, all of it is mostly serious stuff. There’s a lot of science fiction and fantasy in each story. There’s a huge variety of shorts, and with the great selection of games, there’s something for everyone and a few surprises too. I say, because I like specific games, and most of them are select games, I’m not interested in them at all, but King of Glory Short is one of my favorites. While I won’t be playing the game or even looking it up, I will probably watch the short over and over again. Some of the celebrity voices in the short film are really nice, especially armored core one.
I have a feeling, though, that for some people, watching these movies instead of their own movies will feel like an advertising movie. I think given the level of animated movies in games and commercials, some people might find this to be no different. I can’t dissuade people from doing this, because the last PlayStation version released did feel more like an ad than the other versions, and it’s hard to resist that feeling.
The highlight for me was mastera martial arts game with interesting death and aging dynamics. It sums up the game’s brief perfectly, with good combat direction, choreography, and a good ending. Unreal Tournament Honestly, as a show, I’d love to see it. crossfire It feels like this could be a live-action movie, with the intense action of one team trying to protect another team’s important figures. Dungeons and Dragons It feels like it captures the spirit of tabletop gaming and is a great way to start the series.
And then there are harmonya PlayStation game that launched earlier in the fall but shut down within two weeks of launch. This short film made me more interested in what this game is about than anything else. I have more criticisms of the way the game was handled and how it was received by the media and players, but I think this short story helped the game not die as sadly and quickly as it did. Hey, maybe someone wants to turn it into a show or something.
Overall, I like it secret level and had a great time. It would be cool if they could do another season and choose different games to explain.
