Zero Brightness - A Podcast About Horror Video Games

Justin joins to talk about his obsession with Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within - a sci-fi action movie set at Christmas time. We also talk about other non-holiday movies set at Christmas, how Square tried to go Hollywood, whether or not you should watch Eyes Wide Shut with your family and why Jingle All the Way is the best movie.

Some thoughts on the Horror game Horses and the censorship surrounding it.

We're back with another Halloween indie game roundup - featuring discussions of "Buckshot Roulette," "Exit 8," "Umigari," "Heartworm," "Children of Clay" and "That Night, Steeped By Blood River"

Some thoughts on Bloober Team's latest - as well as the history and future of survival horror

A bonus episode from the Patreon. Sign up there for more like this! https://www.patreon.com/zerobrightness

Exploring the Horrors of AI through the lens of Ridley Scott's Alien and Blade Runner films.

An episode exploring the shortcomings of media analysis, video essays and online activism - and why we should go outside and do real world stuff.

Justin joins to talk more about Slitterhead but we mostly ended up talking about how the video games industry is cooked, the internet is cooked, America is cooked, etc.

Let's talk about the brilliant works of Keiichiro Toyama and how nice it is to see 90s Japanese Auteurs get a second chance at fulfilling their bizarre creative dreams.

Josh tells a dedicated hater all of the reasons why Returnal is an all-time banger. Hater responds.

...in which we take a look at Carrier, Illbleed, Blue Stinger, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and The Ring: Terror's Realm

Because America is the Real Survival Horror

This time, we talk about the rise of the Sega Dreamcast. Next time, we talk about its library of Horror Games.

Episode 177 is all about getting back into fighting games, loving the Darkstalkers series, embracing weird hobbies, growing up in the early 00s, playing a lot of different 90s capcom classics and going to the arcade. Watch Some Documentaries: The Lost Arcade: https://tubitv.com/movies/100026747/the-lost-arcade Insert Coin: https://youtu.be/7zx5GunyUS4?si=XraDqYx3P2UDjCU1

Justin joins to talk about three amazing indie horror games: Shinkansen 0, Mouthwashing and Hollowbody. Happy Halloween, ya filthy animals!

Vincent joins to discuss the highs and lows of Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 Remake - a game that we do not agree on, sort of. We get into the things they've changed as well as the many references to the original - and how it all comes together in this year's biggest AAA horror game.

It's supposed to be phrased like a question but. c'mon, we all know these games suck. Justin and Bea join to help me sort through this lamentable group of games. What is a 3D Castlevania game? A miserable pile of secrets!

a short seminar.

This is a little taste of the Patreon-exclusive show ZB+. Subscribe for more! https://www.patreon.com/zerobrightness

We played Crow Country and wanted to talk about how amazing it is - but then we also wanted to talk about 90s rap, bad remakes, the video game industry, BBLs and how we're the world's pre-eminent Horror Video Game Podcast. We the best music!

Monica and I made an episode about the new Alone in the Dark game and we are definitely getting cancelled for it.

A bonus ep from the Patreon giving you a run-down of all the various attempts to reboot Alone in the Dark. We'll have a full episode on the new game soon. Check out our Patreon for more like this!

Ian (from the band/podcast/substack, etc. Lamniformes) stops by to talk about their fantastic new album - a very nu-metal influenced experimental rock record - as well as some favorite topics on this show, including using Dark Souls to process loss and the recent surge in Y2K nostalgia. Ian's new record: https://linktr.ee/Lamniformes The Dark Souls Article: https://lamniformes.substack.com/p/my-time-in-lordran?utm_source=%2Fsearch%2Fdark%2520souls&utm_medium=reader2

Josh stops by to talk about all the recent Kojima-related news and speculate on Death Stranding 2, OD and more. We also sideline into all sort of trifling BS - as Hideo would want it. Check out Josh's music: https://seracmpls.bandcamp.com/album/the-ledger https://cachempls.bandcamp.com/album/cache

Some thoughts on slowing down, changing your brain, playing dungeon crawlers and petting every cat that you see.

A bonus ep from the patreon while you wait for the main show to return. Subscribe over there for more stuff like this!

Episode 167 is: a conversation with Justin about Parasite Eve - an appreciation of that game's weirdly awesome mechanics, insanely good music and unexpected Christmas spirit - an exploration of why Jingle All the Way is the best xmas movie by far - some thoughts on goop

Episode 166 is: about Palestine - about sci-fi - about humanism - about empathy - about people

Episode 165 is: a slightly unhinged chat with Josh about Hollow Knight and game design in modern metroidvanias - a list of my favorite internet videos - another list of the weirdest places I've ever slept - kind of a weird one

Episode 164 is: some thoughts on Alan Wake 2 after playing about half of the game

Episode 163 is: a discussion with Justin about a bunch of indie games - a list of stuff for you to check out this Halloween - some thoughts on How Fish is Made, Maple County, Parasocial, Stop Burying Me Alive Beautiful, Other Side and C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D.

Episode 162 is: an exploration of the original Resident Evil 3 and the approach Capcom took when remaking one of the more unique entries in the RE series

Episode 161 is: a run-down of the various versions, editions, remakes and re-releases of one of the greatest horror video games of all time - Resident Evil 2

Episode 160 is: sort of about the time I tried to make an episode and failed - sort of about Shadow Hearts, Koudelka and Baroque - sort of about memory and nostalgia - sort of about media consumption

Episode 159 is: a discussion with Justin about the fantastic narrative horror game Decarnation - some thoughts on good storytelling in video games - a few random observations on topics including Metal Wolf Chaos, Afroman and mispronouncing words

Episode 158 is: a discussion of Death Mechanics in video games - some thoughts on Death as a Diegetic element - an essay that touches on Shadow Man, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Dark Souls, Nier: Automata and others - not actually as foreboding as the title makes it sound

Episode 157 is: a conversation with Vincent and Monica about Supermassive's The Quarry - an interrogation of Vincent's love for these games (even though they are highly questionable) - an argument about the new Scream movies (and like 15 other movies and TV shows) - some thoughts on werewolf dicks

Episode 156 is: very low-key - some thoughts on the Amnesia series as well as its new entry - kind of an ad for the patreon

Episode 155 is: a conversation with Josh about Hideo Kojima's Snatcher - a discussion of the things that have (and haven't) aged well about the game - an appreciation of Blade Runner and the game's many other 80s film influences - a few thoughts about SimAnt check out Josh's new album at https://cachempls.bandcamp.com/album/cache

episode 154 is: a conversation with Justin about two anime-inspired action-adventure games, Code Vein and Scarlet Nexus - a discussion about good and bad tropes in anime - the discovery that anime vampires are maybe cool actually

Episode 153 is: a conversation with Ellie (You Don't Need Maps)about horror elements in just about every mainline Legend of Zelda game - a deep dive on 80s Dark Fantasy - a discussion of the series' influence on Action-RPGs and internet horror - a breakdown of the shocking similarities between Twilight Princess and My Chemical Romance

Episode 152 is: a conversation with Vincent about the Resident Evil 4 Remake - an exploration of all the different ways we now have to play RE4 (including VR) - some speculation on where the series will go next - a brief discussion of impractical spy gadgets

We discuss the last 7 months of Hollywood News in the Hollywood Minute before going down the rabbit hole to visit a beautiful fantasy world

Episode 151 is: a discussion of the Dark Souls-inspired Soulslike genre including thoughts on Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, Death's Gambit, Code Vein, Tunic, Hollow Knight, Mortal Shell and many more; a dissection of the impact that FromSoft has had on modern games; a run down of our likes and dislikes as it pertains to the genre; just a good old-fashioned free-wheeling games discussion

Episode 150 is: a conversation with Justin about what's new in the RE4 remake - a reflection on the surprisingly complex economy of Resident Evil 4 - an appreciation of the suplex - the reveal of the greatest line in video game history

Episode 149 is: two conversations (with Monica and Josh) about the Last of Us TV show - a discussion about writing adaptations - an attempt to figure out how to survive the apocalypse - a psychoanalysis of angry gamers

Episode 148 is: a different take on Resident Evil 4 - a love letter to Funcoland - a defense of my favorite game in the series - an exhaustive breakdown of the best intro sequence in video game history

Episode 147 is: a discussion of the works of Sam Barlow, focusing on Immortality and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories - a consideration of FMV games - a deep dive on very weird game design - a conversation about whether or not turning Mulholland Drive into a sort-of-interactive "game" thing was a brilliant idea or the dumbest thing anyone has ever done

We check out another beloved video game movie, Warcraft (2016) and discover new ways to enjoy ourselves in VR.

Episode 146 is: a conversation with Vincent about the new Dead Space Remake - an exploration of what makes a good remake - a total reconsideration of the game in the title - a love letter to the flamethrower

Episode 145 is: A compare/contrast of the original Resident Evil and its Remake - a time lapse video of a grave being cleaned - a small journey through time - the start of season 3. Welcome back

An update on the show and some thoughts on Tunic, one of my new favorite games

We break down our favorite games that we played in 2022 and shoot off into all sorts of hot-take filled tangents

Some thoughts on how genres change over time, including observations about Sitcoms, Super Sad RPGs, Yume Nikki, Earthbound and Omori

We tackle the new DLC content for Resident Evil 8 - including a new story chapter - and discuss why DLC and the constant digital churn of modern capitalism is uhhhhh pretty bad

We watched Walking Tall (2004) and explored the world of seasonal holiday recipes. Yum!

Happy Holidays! We watched Taken (2008) and Christmas with a View (2018) to find out the true meaning of Christmas and Thanksgiving

Justin joins for a discussion of the various elements of Signalis, from the often frustrating survival horror elements to the stunningly well-realized aesthetic and design. We also discuss "daddy games," your mom's favorite book, Bible lore and much more. Spoiler-free until the last 20 minutes, which are marked within

Some thoughts on Signalis, Cyberpunk, Survival Horror and other classic hits. (No spoilers for the first 45ish minutes, light spoilers marked at end)

We played a bunch more indie games and curated a mixtape of short scares for you to check out. Games discussed include Nightmare of Decay, Bloodborne PSX, The Night is Darkening, You Left Me and Carbon Steel

We watched Doom (2005) and it was great

Monica joins to talk the big seasonal indie horror hit Madison, a game that is equally engrossing and frustrating. We break down the over-the-top story as well as the heavily PT-inspired gameplay. We also match the game's insane energy with conversations about long-lost vine clips, Halloween food challenges and Coleslaw's new church (spoilers marked within)

A few thoughts on the legacy of Hideo Kojima's PT and the development of First Person Exploration-Based Horror Games over the last decade - ahead of our review of Madison, coming later this week.

We watched Morbius (2022) and it was great

We watched The Punisher (2004) and it was great

We recorded this so long ago, i can't even remember what it's about. I'm sure it's awesome, because I'm fairly certain we cover Dexter, Devil House and my distaste for MFM

The first day of the rest of the podcast

We play a bunch of sick indie games that all share a fixation on the mundane; twisting simple tasks like going to work, walking through a house, and grocery shopping into surreal and terrifying experiences. Spoiler warning: we fucken love it. Games covered include Milk Inside a Bag of Milk, Anatomy, House in the Woods and The Convenience Store

Monica joins for a conversation about spoiler warnings, content warnings and the way that the internet is reducing conversations about media to juvenile nonsense.

(Content and Spoiler warnings marked in the episode) Some thoughts on Yoko Taro's Action-RPG epic Nier - including some thoughts on its humanist themes, the differences between its various versions (including the 2021 remake Nier: Replicant) and the intangible charm of its messy plot and lore. Also discussed: oversexualization of women characters in video games and anime, horny Japanese auteurs, a really succinct plot summary of Nier, how much I hate styrofoam packing peanuts and more.

Josh rejoins to finish our discussion of Hideo Kojima's gameography, this time joined by our mutual bandmate Christian. We discuss the first three Metal Gear Solid Games as well as being old, cursed streamers, arabic ringtones, our favorite PS1-era character designers and metal gear waifus

We talk about all the various film and TV adaptations of the Resident Evil franchise, from the original film series to the recent CGI and live action takes on the franchise. We discuss the best and worst of what is, admittedly, a pretty mixed bag of properties ranging from pretty great to completely unwatchable. Listen in to find out what falls where!

Justin joins for a discussion of game length. We talk about how expectations and realities have changed over time, what makes a good long or short game and (briefly) about how I think the new Resident Evil TV show is actually... good? We also talk about a lot of different games (including: Nier, the Resident Evil series , Silent Hill, The Witcher, Metal Gear Solid V and more) in an effort to unpack our feelings about the discourse surrounding how long a game should be - and what gamers can do stay sane in the middle of it

An exploration of Cruelty as a theme/narrative device in video games and the way that it's developed over time. Tracks its introduction in the PS2 era (via classics like Silent Hill 2, Shadow of the Colossus and Rule of Rose) through to modern games that question the necessity of violence in video games (Nier, The Last of Us, Undertale, etc.)

Monica and Justin join to talk about The Medium, a game that attempts to update the Silent Hill formula by adding in tropes and ideas from walking sims and other modern horror games. We talk about what they got right and wrong, the weird fan reception, how it compares to its obvious inspirations and if walking sims were kind of bad all along.

We talk about the recent rash of Horror Remake announcements, as well as how we feel about remakes in general and the well-worn trope of remaking/rebooting classic survival horror

Tony rejoins to talk about what we thought about the rest of Elden Ring - including favorite areas, bosses and story moments, as well as a discussion of where it ranks in the Soulsborne series. Come all ye Tarnished and listen to some takes as hot as a freshly lit bonfire!

Justin joins for a roundup of horror games that seek to wrap you in the warm fuzzy glow of nostalgia - or bore you to tears with bad game design, depending on who you ask. We dissect and debate the merits of Iron Lung, Tormented Souls and Daymare 1998 - while also discussing what makes a great survival horror game, the difference between Itch vibes and Steam vibes, the fastest way to get banned from our discord, the struggles of Carl Alfonso and more

Some thoughts about nostalgia, memories, mourning and why I don't like throwback horror games.

A discussion of Ghostwire: Tokyo - the latest from Horror innovator Shinji Mikami - and the ways in which it uses the ideas and tactics of J-Horror to create a slice-of-life horror game. Also discussed: ruined worlds, media in post-WWII Japan, the importance of drama in ghost stories and how East Asian Horror movies changed the way that I view and define horror media. Also the fact that this game has cute animals that you can pet

Cole joins to talk about Dying Light 2, a game that feels a lot like its predecessor with all the fun parts taken out. We discuss the various ways in which they ruined a perfectly good game by filling it full of wonky mechanics, endless filler and tons of stilted dialogue. Also discussed: horny gamers, end of the world plans, slapping comedians, cringey stage banter and how Dying Light 2 is a lot like Idiocracy - but completely unintentionally. Whoops!

It's Elden Ring time! Tony rejoins for more Fromsoft talk, this time concerning their new joint Elden Ring. We talk about the many things we love about this game - as well as some things we don't - in this spoiler-free discussion of our first few dozen hours with the game. Also discussed: heavy metal, watching Berserk when you're way too young, political interpretations of dark fantasy, mysterious laughter and much more. See you in there, skeleton

Josh (drummer of the sludge metal band Serac) joins for a discussion of Hideo Kojima's games in reverse-chronological order. In this first part, we spend a lot of time talking about Death Stranding, as well as how the more recent Metal Gear Solid games (IV and V) directly lead into the that game. We also discuss the horror elements of Kojima's works, the influence of PT, trying to figure out the ending of Death Stranding and Kojima's love of drunk uncle-style conspiracy theories. Part two soon!

I give you some introductory thoughts on Death Stranding, a game that will be discussed further in the future. I talk about the many ways that it perfects the Kojima style of storytelling, the influence of Super Sad Grim Dark YA anime series on the game, as well as the all-pervasive climate anxiety that makes it such an affecting story

We discuss the sudden rise of various "Free Market" ideologies in the video games industry, including enthusiasm for crypto/NFTs and opposition to labor unions. We also discuss the ways that politics have changed over the last two years (including some discussion of Jordan "Kermit" Peterson's insane, recent Joe Rogaine interview) and how we think conscientious consumers should respond to these developments.

We tackle Condemned: Criminal Origins, a frequently requested game that seems to be an early seventh-gen take on police procedurals and dark detective dramas. We talk about those dramas as well as the xbox 360 launch, revisionist history, early 00s nostalgia and why Dexter is the greatest TV show of all time.

Some thoughts on Silent Hill: Downpour, the last mainline entry in the series - one that ended up being a surprisingly engaging experience. I talk about the game's cool narrative moments and unique aesthetic, as well as it's less than stellar moments of frustrating combat and clunky weapon dropping. Put down that wood plank and hit play already, bud

In this solo essay, I talk about my two favorite games I played this year - as well as some other stuff that happened.

We grapple with Silent Hill: Homecoming, the fifth game in the series and the first mainline entry developed by a western studio - a game with lots of ideas but no clue how to tie them all together. We discuss searching for ghostly children, janky souls-like combat, the early-00s obsession with Eli Roth and cramming way too many twists into your story - at least, I think that's what happened? Somebody got a drill to the head in a Silent Hill game, I know that much.

We watched Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City - the latest attempt at translating the venerable survival horror franchise from small screen to big screen - and actually had a super good time. We talk lore and story changes, fun casting, being a super villain's secretary, public bathroom etiquette, trying to watch Jurassic Park and why the song Brick by Ben Folds Five is actually really douchey

We talk about the recently re-released (and actually very, very good) Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, an unfairly hated-on game that still has its fair share of problems. Justin joins to discuss the joys of camera combat, modernizing the Fatal Frame series. schlocky J-Horror movies, whatever a Wii U is and the various factors that make the sexual content in Horror games so weird and off-putting

Lucky episode 113 is a journey into the past as I invite you to join me on a Halloween Marathon of classic PS2 games and the Horror movies that seem to have inspired them. I'll be talking about and sharing views on Siren, Clock Tower 3, Fatal Frame III: The Tormented and Rule of Rose - including the things that make these slightly off-beat classics memorable, some weird stories from my teenage years and a few choice horror movies that I like to watch on October 31st - the only holiday that matters

Photographer/Documentarian Tony joins for a discussion of the original Dark Souls, a classic game that stands as one of the most beloved and influential modern games despite being weird, obtuse, frequently janky and largely impenetrable to new players. We explore that duality while also discussing how the series progressed over time, our favorite creepy-laughing NPCs, learning to love souls games, the internet being wrong, game store clerk encounters and more. Don't give up, skeleton

Ali interviews an anonymous Activision employee (and member of @ABetterABK) about the recent developments at said mega-publisher and the movement spearheaded by employees to obtain better working conditions. We also talk about the nation-wide labor movement, why recent events have spurred people to advocate for better treatment of workers and the toxic boomer logic that some fans use to justify avoiding these conversations all together. Thankfully, we recorded this one - so you just gotta press play to be radicalized

Miguel of River Rats ( riverratsrock.bandcamp.com ) joins for a wide-ranging conversation about why Castlevania is the best video game series. We discuss the killer aesthetics and gameplay of many different entries in this long-running series while also touching on topics like failing to collect old cartridges, the unfairly-ignored portable CV games, finding musical inspiration in Symphony of the Night, the distracting shininess of modern games and much more.

Writer/Producer Drew Janda guests to discuss his work in the games industry as well as why Eternal Darkness is one of the best games ever. We also discuss corny 90s rock music, writing lines for Bruce Campbell and the allure of cosmic horror

Michelle returns to talk about Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - the game that basically created the ecosystem that has allowed 2D and 3D Metroidvania games to flourish in the modern day. We talk about the huge influence it's had on modern gaming while also breaking down what makes SoTN such an amazing game, one that still holds up and plays better than pretty much all of the games that have followed in its wake. We also discuss the worst episode of the X-Files, jazz vampires, trying to figure out where Alucard came from and much more.

Justin joins for a discussion that returns to the issue of ethical consumption and what responsibility the consumer bears in the late-capitalist hellscape wherein we currently reside. We talk about boycotts and consumer choices in the face of scandals like the Activision-Blizzard lawsuit and the Cyberpunk fiasco, as well as what consumers can do to support diversity in the industry without blandly congratulating corporations for acknowledging that minorities exist. As if that wasn't enough, there's even some bonus Souls talk in the beginning. Buckle up, it's a longy!

Animator Michelle Brost joins for a conversation about Bloodborne that spans as many topics as humanly possible - including how your artistic temperament effects your gaming habits, the aesthetic of Catholic guilt, losing limbs in heavy machinery, why it's impossible to talk about Neon Genesis Evangelion with other people and much more. You can check out Michelle's work and find links to her new film via the @michellecbrost and @animal_film_ instagram accounts

A little essay on why I found Bloodborne to be so engaging despite my checkered history with the Souls series. Includes some comparisons between the various entries in this long running series as well as an analysis of the ways that Fromsoft incorporate ideas and concepts from some of my most- and least-loved 16-bit action games. Also includes a lot of Shinobi III and cello talk, so you have been warned. Includes additional music from https://diie.bandcamp.com/album/diie-entertainment-system and https://yumenikki.bandcamp.com