Video game adaptations are still a bit of a slippery slope in terms of reception with players and viewers, even if the conversation around them has changed for the better in the last few years. With shows like League of Legends' Arcane and movies like Detective Pikachu breaking from the so-called "video game curse," a game jumping to a different medium is often met with optimism rather than pessimism at first. This has led to an environment where these adaptations are sometimes allowed to spread their wings and try something a little different. Amazon's Secret Level aims to do just that with 15 short episodes showcasing a different video game IP in a unique anthology.
The number of titles that Secret Level shines the spotlight on is rather impressive on its own, but so are the particular IPs in question by themselves. Almost every aspect of the gaming industry is represented with classics such as Mega Man, fan-favorite first-party titles, and even indies such as Spelunky finding a place in the line-up. Of course, to be able to work with such prominent properties, those working on Secret Level such as executive producers Dave Wilson and Tim Miller had to not only ask for permission but also submit their stories for approval to the IP owners. In regard to these franchises and names, Secret Level sought to be as respectful to the source material it was made to adapt.
Dungeons & Dragons Has a Place in Secret Level, and Here's Why
Secret Level features an episode based on tabletop RPG Dungeon & Dragons despite being a video game anthology, and it's place is certainly deserved.
Why Some Secret Level Episodes are a Bit Different Than Others
In a recent Game Rant interview, series creator Tim Miller described the creation of each Secret Level episode as cooking different meals. The process is the same, but the ingredients used and the result at the end are very different. Due to Secret Level's nature as an anthology, the duo wanted to make sure the stories covered a wide spectrum of ideas as best as they could. They used creative guides based on the IPs in question to inspire writers, aiming to find those that resonated with the particular games in question above all else.
Miller and Wilson are no strangers to making these lengthy guides of how video game IPs operate, as the two worked on many video games prior to Secret Level at Blur Studio. Blur Studio in particular has been around long enough that some of these guides are still used to onboard different video game employees today, and Miller and Wilson have made a name for themselves through being very respectful of these IPs. When it came time to work with some of these companies again, Miller and Wilson were given complete trust that they'd handle their franchises with care, even when twisting the lore like Secret Level did with Pac-Man.
Secret Level makes it a point to explore the original lore and world of the video games it adapts, telling standalone stories that hopefully won't alienate casual viewers too much. Miller and Wilson explained to Game Rant that the adaptation of the source material is done out of an understanding of what makes each game unique rather than an expectation, and this is in part due to the trust the companies involved gave them to be respectful to these properties in the first place. Wilson explained to Game Rant that the attachment to the source material was done their way as a result, especially when it came to helping games like the unreleased Exodus get their name out there.
We had more of that with established IPs. As I'm sure if you've seen Pac-Man, you might say to yourself, "Yes, there's a lot of freedom here." With games that are sort of finding their feet, like with Exodus, which hasn't even come out yet, we're definitely trying to be a little more faithful to the tone and tenets of the IP so that it has a cohesive sort of voice coming out of the gate.
It most certainly says quite a lot that companies such as Capcom and Sony gave Secret Level such creative freedom, but it was explained that it's due to Blur Studio's 30-year tenure in the gaming industry. Miller and Wilson have stated that being mindful and respectful of these properties is a great way to build the same trust that is shown to Blur Studio for their hard work over the years. Due to the dedication Secret Level carries as its core, those who enjoy its standalone stories should certainly check out the titles highlighted and dive deeper into their worlds to learn more.
Secret Level
- Release Date
- December 10, 2024
- Network
- Amazon Prime Video
Cast
-
Pilot -
Parry ShenMC (young) -
Ping WuMC (Old)
-
Lydia LookLi
Amazon Prime Video's Secret Level is an animated series that explores different gaming worlds, telling short stories within them. Some of the featured games include Armored Core, Sifu, Unreal Tournament, Concord, Ghost of Tsushima, Pac-Man, and The Outer Worlds.
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 1
- Production Company
- Blur Studio, Amazon MGM Studios
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video
- Creator(s)
- Tim Miller
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