#All Secret Stage episodes ranked from worst to greatest – Destructoid

Secret Stage, the animated anthology sequence set on the planet of well-known video video games by Tim Miller’s Blur Studio of Love Demise and Robots fame, is lastly (all) out.

There are some gems right here, however the total output is slightly unbalanced. Let’s rank all of the episodes in a means nobody on the Web will dare disagree with, lets?

15. PAC-MAN: Circle

Keep in mind Bomberman: Act Zero, the reimagining of the traditional for the Xbox 360 that appears to have mistaken one of the vital instantly recognizable characters in gaming historical past with a cyberpunk model of the Unabomber? Everybody loathed the brand new rendition a lot they condemned it to serve solely as good cautionary story towards pointless gritty reboots.

I assume the individuals behind PAC-MAN circle checked out Bomberman: Act Edgy and thought, “It was so shut; it simply wanted much more edge.” The result’s one thing so mind-bendingly counterintuitive that you simply’ll must see to consider. For those who’re in search of an inexplicably darkish origin story that includes extraordinarily creepy-looking characters and ridiculous quantities of gore — sure, I’m speaking about that Pac-Man — then that is the one for you. For those who’re one thing that can make you ask essential existential questions, corresponding to “Is that this actual?” And “No, actually, is that this actually actual? then that is additionally the one for you. For those who’re trying into trolling outdated people by telling them Pac-Man has been secretly one of many vilest entities in gaming this complete time, and that they’re evil for letting you play it as a child, then that is undoubtedly the one for you.

For those who’re not in search of essentially the most ill-advised idea and execution for a brief I’ve ever seen, then that is in all probability not for you.

14. Crossfire: Good Battle

Crossfire‘s Secret Stage and PAC-MAN: Circle sit on reverse ends of the dangerous spectrum. Whereas one is a completely weird and fairly disrespectful adaptation, Crossfire leans too near the (extremely lackluster) supply materials.

Good Battle options little extra depth than an precise Crossfire match, and not one of the pleasure. I keep in mind watching the trailer for Crossfire X — the primary Crossfire title to place emphasis on a single participant marketing campaign — and feeling fairly hyped about it. That sport turned out dangerous, but it surely positive did present promise for an adaptation that might seize the enjoyable of a smooth Steel Gear Strong rip-off. It doesn’t. Good Battle simply reveals a shootout between two completely different groups by the numbers, which is neither fascinating nor enjoyable.

13. Playtime: Success

If Arcane taught us that one of the best ways to adapt a online game to the massive or small screens is to maybe ignore all semblance of the particular sport, then Playtime: Success is the coed desperately attempting to insurgent and do the precise reverse. Both that, or it’s a straight-up PlayStation advert. The animation is nice, however all the pieces will get so slowed down by the visible noise of as many cameos as you will discover that you may barely even take note of the extremely skinny plot.

At greatest, Playtime: Success will go down in historical past as an unnecessarily prolonged model of the “Lengthy Stay Play” PlayStation 3 advert from some time in the past — an excuse to point out you a bunch of well-known PlayStation characters doing issues. At worst, we’ll keep in mind it as a Prepared Participant One ripoff. Most definitely, nonetheless, we’ll simply neglect about it.

12. Mega Man: Begin

The PAC-MAN episode had me very scared for Mega Man for an extended whereas as I’d solely study his destiny upon the discharge of Secret Stage’s second half. The excellent news is that they didn’t bloodbath our boy by turning him right into a grimdark hero by way of a grotesque origin story. The dangerous information is that the episode isn’t nice, both — albeit its largest downside is incidental.

Mega Man’s most evident downside is that it’s a quite simple origin story, one that includes zero precise Mega Man motion. Essentially the most insidious downside — and the one the makers are to not blame for — is that its animation, although good, can’t assist however to seem like the thousands and thousands of infinitely cursed clips of AI attempting to do actual CGI animation presently plaguing each inch of the Web. Once more, I’m fairly positive Studio Blur isn’t utilizing AI, so that is in all probability only a case of utmost dangerous luck.

The actor portraying Dr. Mild feels like a superb model of the infamously poorly voice-acted Dr. Mild from Mega Man X, and I’m all the time right here for a superb story of redemption.

11. Spelunky: Tally

Tally options animation that many are more likely to take pleasure in because it’s extremely harking back to the one seen on Arcane. The episode is in keeping with the tone of the sport, and likewise manages so as to add a neat little heartwarming plot to it. It’s a slightly brief episode, one which doesn’t do something spectacular, but it surely checks all of the containers and doesn’t overstay its welcome.

10. Unreal Event: Xan

For those who’ve performed the unique Unreal Event, you’ll know Xan is the toughest NPC to beat, however he’s additionally a robotic, that means that the one smart origin story for him to have could be “he’s a bot made to mess everybody up”. I suppose I’d be right down to see an episode the place he will get improved upon additional and additional as he frags the solid of the unique sport, however that’s not it.

They made Xan’s story one a few robotic rebellion, however one which’s, in some way, good. Ultimately, Xan wins not as a result of he’s the strongest however as a result of he hacks the system. The episode’s motion isn’t significantly riveting, nor does it characteristic any of the sport’s beloved maps, however the conclusion is very bonkers as you in all probability don’t need an episode a few aggressive shooter selling dishonest.

9. Dungeons & Dragons: The Queen’s Cradle

D&D‘s episode options what might’ve been a really abridged have a look at a D&D marketing campaign instructed by a really edgy Dungeon Grasp. The individuals behind Secret Stage both failed to appreciate or uncared for what’s giving individuals a newfound love for D&D. Exhibits like Essential Position, the film Honor Amongst Thieves, and Baldur’s Gate 3 have caught the hearts of so many due to their enjoyable shenanigans. Queen’s Cradle has respectable motion, but it surely’s simply so extremely darkish and dour that you need to in all probability ponder a bit earlier than recommending it to a present D&D fan.

8. Exodus: Odyssey

This one tells the story of a father who’d actually cease nowhere to rescue his daughter, however there’s a twist — a time twist. You see, we’re not speaking about discovering a lady in a distinct nation, however slightly within the far reaches of house the place she’s ageing at a quicker price than he’s. If that sounds a bit an excessive amount of like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar it’s as a result of, nicely, it’s as a result of it’s, however there’s a silver lining. Although it’s not authentic, or significantly riveting, Odyssey is lower than quarter-hour lengthy, that means it additionally cuts down lots of the additional stuff making Interstellar one of the vital bloated Sci-Fi films of all time.

7. Sifu: It Takes a Life

Secret Stage’s episodes are brief and thus higher used to inform a small story set on the planet of a sport slightly than clarify the whole idea of the sport’s universe. Sifu’s It Takes a Life chooses to condense the story of the sport right into a single 10-minute or so episode, and the result’s uneven.

The motion is cool, it does a superb job of explaining the character’s specific talents, but it surely additionally finally ends up feeling too near the sport — an issue in a post-Arcane world. You may take pleasure in it whether or not or not you care concerning the sport, however this one actually received’t be world-changing for anybody.

6. Honor of Kings: The Approach Of All Issues

The plot of this episode could be very easy. Probably taking cues from The Seventh Seal, The Approach Of All Issues pits a daily particular person towards a seemingly unbeatable opponent in a match of an insultingly easy sport the place all the pieces is at stake.

For those who’re in search of a visible feast, then you definately’ve come to the fitting place. Honor Of Kings does a superb job of exhibiting a easy match of GO actually is affecting a complete kingdom. Moreover the visible spectacle, although, The Approach Of All Issues tells an unoriginal — if respectable — story of self-sacrifice.

5. Armored Core: Asset Administration

Asset Administration‘s best asset is Keanu Reeves, who simply doesn’t seem to be he’ll be slowing down anytime after he started his renaissance with the unique John Wick, however that’s not all. This episode incorporates a slightly easy plot, however does an awesome job of capturing the essence of Armored Core’s motion, and even has some house to characteristic a pleasant little twist in the long run.

The one draw back right here is the pointless quantity of darkness that so many episodes of Secret Stage appear to have been injected with, but it surely works higher right here than within the different episodes, that are additionally affected by this malaise.

4. Harmony: Story Of The Implacable

When the primary Secret Stage trailer revealed Harmony could be part of the sequence despite the fact that the sport had already been just about cancelled by Sony, I believed, “I’d be so humorous if this turned out to be the most effective episode”. It’s not the most effective one, but it surely’s fairly rattling good.

Story Of The Implacable is a visually attractive story about house pirates, betrayal, and comradery that masterfully averted feeling like a Guardians Of The Galaxy clone. There’s good motion to remind you of Harmony’s gameplay, however Implacable is usually its personal — good — factor.

This one will in all probability go away the few who obtained to take pleasure in Harmony on a bittersweet be aware, however at the very least they’re getting a good sendoff this time round.

3. Warhammer 40,000: And They Shall Know No Worry

Keep in mind me complaining concerning the unusual darkness polluting a few of these episodes? Effectively, And They Shall Know No Worry doesn’t endure from that, and never as a result of it’s darkness-free. It’s as a result of the darkness is sensible right here. The Warhammer episode is a straightforward and brutal story of what I assume on a regular basis life in that universe is, and it really works. The motion is nice, the grit doesn’t really feel misplaced, and it nonetheless manages to offer an ideal introduction to the principle character.

The one potential draw back right here is that the episode feels a bit an excessive amount of like Astartes, the well-known fan-made Warhammer 40,000k brief from just a few years again. Nonetheless, Astartes was good, and this one is healthier, so I received’t be complaining a lot about that.

2. The Outer Worlds: The Firm We Hold

For those who’re going into The Firm We Hold anticipating the enjoyable instances you’d naturally get from The Outer Worlds; I should warn you’re about to have a shock — however not essentially a nasty one. The Firm We Hold isn’t grimdark and options no motion, but it surely packs one hell of a intestine punch.

It’s a narrative about unrequited love in a universe swallowed and nearly-digested by greed and boundless ambition. It’s an awesome episode, one whose darkness stems extra from its themes than from its visuals, an issue plaguing lots of the episodes on this sequence.

1. New World: The As soon as and Future King

I don’t a lot take care of the New World, so I undoubtedly wasn’t anticipating to get fully floored by The As soon as and Future King.

I don’t need to spoil something about it, so I’m simply going to say that New World: The As soon as and Future King is hilarious, options a sublime and constructive lesson concerning each gamer entitlement and the dredge that’s colonialism, and ties all of it up with a surprisingly heartwarming ending.

Secret Stage’s New World episode is a masterclass in (brief)storytelling that I hope the individuals trying ahead to doing related stuff ought to take proper now.