Amazon's latest foray into the world of animated series, Secret Level, has left critics and viewers underwhelmed. The video game-themed anthology, created by Tim Miller, the mastermind behind Love, Death & Robots, promised to bring together a diverse range of gaming properties in a unique and exciting way. Unfortunately, the 15 shorts that make up the series fail to deliver, with a lack of interesting ideas, dull storytelling, and a homogenous visual style that makes each episode feel identical.

The concept behind Secret Level is intriguing: take a collection of beloved video games, from Pac-Man to Warhammer 40,000, and create animated shorts that explore their worlds and characters. However, the execution falls short, with episodes that neither make their source material compelling nor offer new insights for existing fans. The series' biggest problem is its lack of diversity in style and tone, with most episodes adopting a gritty, hyperrealistic aesthetic that makes them feel like a never-ending stream of E3 cutscenes.

Some episodes do attempt to deviate from this formula, but these efforts often come across as awkward and forced. The Mega Man episode, for example, tries to merge realistic and anime styles, resulting in an ugly and disjointed visual mess. The Pac-Man episode, meanwhile, takes a bizarrely violent approach, turning the classic arcade game into a brutal survivor story with copious blood and death. These attempts at creativity only serve to highlight the series' overall lack of imagination and originality.

Another issue with Secret Level is its repetitive storytelling. Multiple episodes explore the concept of dying in a video game, with little to distinguish one from another. The series also fails to provide any meaningful insight into the worlds and characters it's based on, instead relying on shallow Easter eggs and brand recognition. The final episode, "Playtime," is a perfect example of this, featuring a bike courier who gets pulled into a PlayStation commercial-like scenario, complete with Helldivers soldiers and Sackboy cameos.

Ultimately, Secret Level feels like a missed opportunity. With its impressive list of gaming properties and its connection to the acclaimed Love, Death & Robots, the series had the potential to be something truly special. Instead, it's a hollow, confusing, and dull exercise in brand recognition. Secret Level starts streaming on Prime Video on December 10th, but it's hard to imagine who the target audience for this series is, or what they'll get out of it.

As the entertainment industry continues to evolve and adapt to new technologies and platforms, it's clear that Amazon is still struggling to find its footing in the world of original content. With Secret Level, the company has missed a chance to create something truly innovative and engaging, instead settling for a bland, uninspired take on video game-themed storytelling. Here's hoping that future projects will learn from this mistake and strive to do better.