Zero Brightness - A Podcast About Horror Video Games

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