Zero Brightness - A Podcast About Horror Video Games

You knew it was coming, but did you know it would be 4 hours long? Our epic-length and extremely in-depth discussion of Resident Evil 8 starts with a spoiler-free overview of our thoughts and feelings on the game before diving into a spoiler-light, beat-by-beat analysis of the game. Topics discussed include the massive changes to combat, aesthetics and storytelling that the game introduces; the economics of crystal skulls; horny gamers and much, much more. To be continued!

Justin joins for a discussion of Outlast 2, a problematic game that has lurked in the margins of the show since the very beginning. We finally break down why this game was such a disappointment as it overstuffs it gameplay with wonky mechanics and its story with try-hard edginess - a choice that ultimately reveals why writers need to carefully consider the themes and topics they want to explore in a game. Also discussed: just generally dunking on edgelords, that's most of the ep.

Vincent joins for a discussion of Silent Hill 3, the anachronistic and often underrated gem of the series - and maybe survival horror overall. We also discuss the concept of "peak survival horror," how humor can enhance horror and why Heather is an extremely relatable protagonist that stands out amongst the sea of sad-man survival horror protags. Also featuring my cat Clovis because she wouldn't leave me alone for two seconds.

I talk a little bit about what's going on in Minneapolis right now before trying to rank every Resident Evil game, tier-list style, and giving some thoughts on the RE8 demo.

Justin - our resident 7th gen expert - and I unpack the shade constantly thrown at the seventh video game generation by this show in an attempt to figure out if the 360/PS3 era was actually bad or if there is something there worth returning to. We also discuss some of the biggest 7th gen horror games like Alan Wake, Fear, Bioshock and Dead Space. It gets complicated!

I address some recent negativity surrounding the show, offer some thoughts on the recent episodes and talk about what listeners can expect from the show in the future.

I'm joined by Cole for a discussion of Dying Light - the parkour zombie action adventure game - that mostly ends up being a lengthy and weird conversation about problematic media, overly horny reddit comments, toxic fandoms, spy movies, abusive workplaces, badly done accents, trying for a better future and loving something in spite of itself.

Episode 95 is all about perception; a discussion of Resident Evil 6 that tries to understand the weird reputation that this game has earned through years of trash talking and dismissal. I'm joined by Justin for a discussion that also touches on the weird way that the RE games are ranked, the time-vs.-money dilemma in gaming, breaking your body while playing Mario Party, skipping cutscenes and what makes a game Survival Horror in the first place

Cole Benson joins me for a conversation about Killer7, experimental music, Boris, scammers, bad movies, etc.

Musical interludes by Otomo Yoshihide, Masafumi Takada and Family Computer

Episode 93 is a love letter to Hyper Light Drifter, a game that unexpectedly perfects the "super hard post-apocalyptic ambient hack and slash" genre that has rose to prominence on the strength of games like Dark Souls, Breath of the Wild and Nier. Joined by returning guest Justin, we break down how HLD delivers on the promise of those games in a way that is more fun and emotionally resonant while also delivering an amazing aesthetic experience. Also discussed: buying a GPU at a Burger King, the fear of death, difficulty in games and soundtrack recommendations