Zero Brightness - A Podcast About Horror Video Games

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

Comics artist Hannah Vardit joins for a discussion of Junji Ito and adaptations inspired by the game World of Horror. We also discuss Horror Manga, 90s toys, J-Horror movies, waiting for a new Silent Hill game and Adam West getting kicked out of an orgy - among other things. You can check out Hannah's work at https://hannahvardit.com/

We conclude our discussion about Resident Evil 8 by discussing the finer details of the plot and the many unexpected detours that the game takes in its second half. We also speculate on where the series will go after this and the lasting legacy that this massive entry in the series will have based on the many improvements it makes to its predecessors. Is RE8 the new RE2? Will the earth run out of codeine soon? Listen on to find out.