Common Sense Media Review
By Matt Cabral
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Game-based anthology is violent, gory, sometimes scary.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Secret Level
What's the Story?
SECRET LEVEL is an anthology series consisting of short – 10-20 minute – standalone stories based on popular video games, including Pac-Man, Warhammer 40,000, Armored Core, and Dungeons & Dragons. Some of the episodes serve as fairly faithful adaptations of their source material, while others subvert expectations to offer entirely unique takes on the games they borrow inspiration from. The animated series, created by Deadpool director Tim Miller, features voice performances from several Hollywood stars, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Keanu Reeves.
Is It Any Good?
Recent video game-based TV series, like The Last of Us and Fallout, have proven that the thumb-blistering pastime serves as pretty good source material for the small-screen medium. The latest polygon-spawned adaptation, Amazon Prime's Secret Level, continues the trend, but adopts a fresh, albeit somewhat flawed, anthology approach.
The show features some standout episodes, including a Pac-Man-inspired tale that turns the pellet-chomping arcade classic into a sci-fi/fantasy yarn that's more likely to appear in your nightmares than your Nintendo Switch. But for every surprising, ambitious entry, there's one that feels too short to support a satisfying story, or comes off more like a marketing-spun music video than a meaty, nuanced narrative. Still, there's at least a handful of episodes well worth a watch, and their bite-sized runtimes generally make it a satisfying binge for gamers of all stripes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how adaptations serve their source material. Do they add anything to the games they're based on? Do the episodes make you want to play the games that have inspired them? Do the episodes make you feel differently about the games you've already played in any way?
How does an anthology series differ from a more traditional show? Do you prefer the anthology format? What is better or worse about a series presented in this way?
Would you rather watch stories unfold in a TV or movie, or interact with them in a game? Can games tell stories as well as a movie or TV series? What are some of the pros and cons of experiencing a story in a video game versus a more traditional medium?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 22, 2024
- Cast : Laura Bailey
- Network : Prime Video
- Genre : Action
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes , Adventures , Robots
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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