Level Zero Literacy

We're Back! After a long hiatus into the Dark Place, we emerge from the lake to bring you our new Episode, feat. Stef!

Ever wanted to solve a murder? How about disentangle the secret lives of two twins, both of whom ambiguously exist within the legal framework of 1990's Great Britain? Well if so, this one is gonna blow your freakin' mind

Step with us into the deranged, twisted mind of(checks notes)the baseball manand explore the RPG maker indie darling of OFF!

Join Sam and Mason on a fun romp that teaches us a thing or two about parenthood, togetherness, and sub-par quest design

This one's going to be a heavy one, folks! Grab some water, ground yourself, and prepare to join us in our discussion of one of the greatest artistic undertakings of previous console generations. Featuring special guest John!

Welcome everybody to the long-awaited Season 2!You have made it through the desert of minisodes and into the promised land of Mass Effect 2!We appreciated this game so thoroughly and were delighted to talk about it here, we hope you enjoy

On our final minisode between seasons, we are talking about Mass Effect, which we definitely said we would not be covering on the show but now we are because we all ended up playing it anyways to get ready for ME2! So enjoy as we talk about this short romp through space.

Come join us for a nice climb as we learn a thing or two about ourselves!Will we triumph or fall? You'll have to listen to find out!

Join us as we analyze the saddest and most somber game to date, That Dragon Cancer

We're getting real weird this week with a between-seasons minisode! There will be a handful of these before we start S2 proper, so we hope you all enjoy!

Wherein we dunk super hard on Dishonored, and Buck makes Mason laugh so hard he gets angry about it.

Dear listener, do you ever simply sit and ruminate on the terrifying vastness of space? No? Well get ready to! It's time to learn just how insignificant you really are!

Welcome to this silly and quirky romp through space! We've got goofy characters like discount Rick Sanchez, cleaning robot turned murderer, and all kinds of side characters who are in over their head. Over the top and sleazy villains at every twist and turn! Oh yeah, and uh, something about everyone slowly starving to death and having to make choices that will inevitably lead to human suffering in some capacity, but don't worry about that!

Everyone likes the idea of going into space right? Everyone likes a Cyberpunk aesthetic right? Everyone likes signing away their consciousness and personality to a multi-billion dollar corporation so they can shove it in a robot body deep in the recesses of space so you can work for them in what is essentially indentured servitude but also the robot is you and isn't you but if they run away then the real you is in trouble right? Citizen Sleeper!

Once in a blue moon the audio would start, rambling; mewling; grumbling with all manners of excitement and interrogation. People asking questions, sometimes talking over each other to try to get their point across, their feelings heard. But at the end of the day, it's really just a bunch of horse girls talking around in a circle about which Clydesdale had the most impact on them as the story unfolded.

War, war never changes. Well, I mean, physically it changes. Like the means of doing war changes a lot, we're really good at making sure that happens. Anyways let's talk about Fallout (the first one) and all the really cool worldbuilding it does.

This week we take a look at Sam's favorite genre of games, character-based, gameplay-light adventure indie titles featuring little guy! I'm sure nothing dark and outlandish will happen in the sleepy town that the game takes place in!

Alright, we have a new Yakuza protagonist this time, surely he will not go through the extreme hardships that Kiryu did right? Hold on let me just take a big bite of this cereal...

What if a sci-fi alien world exploration concept was mixed with some teenage drama and not-so far off geopolitics? All wrapped up in a deceptively cute bow and aesthetic? Well you get I Was a Teenage Exocolonist, but let's explore what it all means!

What do you get when you cross a quaint lower class life with religious apocalypse cults, multi-billion dollar corporations, robots, and an eldritch horror? Well you end up smack dab in the middle of Norco, an incredible indie point and click adventure game.Show Notes Here!

We reach the thrilling conclusion of the Metal Gear Solid trilogy! There were 100% not any mainline games after this one! And what better way to cap it off an stop that whole "Metal Gear" thing from every happening right? Right? Show Notes Here!

This episode it is time to talk about the dazzling, the colorful, the mesmerizing, the adjective, the noun, the Chicory: A Colorful Tale. Join us as we discuss this incredible cast of characters in a place where you decide the color! Show Notes: http://bit.ly/46XH1wq

This week Buck, Mason, and Sam discuss Spec Ops: The Line, a game that captures a slice of the horrors of war and the effects that is has on the people caught up in it. Listener discretion is advised for this episode.

This week we cover one of our favorite* games, one that we do not* regret playing and that we feel whole-heartedly deserves* the accolades it received at launch, Dishonored!* terms and conditions applyShow notes: http://bit.ly/45gBtLT

Certainly the big world ending robots couldn't get any bigger and more introspective about the human condition right? WRONG. It's time for the group to talk about Metal Gear Solid 2!Show Notes: https://bit.ly/48oXydT

Weird Goo? Some sort of biology lesson? A message on the status quo of the world and the horrors humanity will wrought on itself if it isn't careful? What will the group discuss about today's game Parasite Eve? Listen in to find out!

Today on Level 0 Literacy, the guys and a guest talk about Spiritfarer, a nice cozy town builder (boat builder?) where you find yourself in the shoes of Charon, charged with bringing souls to the afterlife after fulfilling their final wishes. How well can such a cute game discuss grief and death? Let's find out!

On this episode of Level Zero Literacy, the group discusses historical fiction game Pentiment. Will the group be able to accurately unravel the deeply entangled mind of Andreas Maler? Did they figure out the many mysteries stored within the town of Tassing? Let's find out!

THIS WEEK on Level Zero Literacy, Mason, BUCK, and Sam play Yakuza Kiwami, the breakout hit from RGG and a remake of the first Yakuza game. Run around, punch some bad guys, and unravel the mystery of who stole ten billion yen. Will you manage to figure things out before the Tojo Clan falls apart?

On today's episode, join us as we discuss Hideo Kojima's classic Metal Gear Solid! The first game of our coverage of the original MGS trilogy, what does this stealth action game have to offer from a narrative angle? Lots and lots of jeans.

On this episode of LZL, the group discusses Bioware classic Dragon Age Origins. A high fantasy setting with lots to explore and discover, but does it hold up to its prestige? Let's find out!

On today's episode of Level Zero Literacy, the group discusses Disco Elysium, which is currently regarded as one of the best narrative video games of all time. Will it live up to the hype? (Yes.)

This week, the group talks about the BAFTA winning game Before Your Eyes; a game where you relive the life of someone telling their story to a ferryman for a chance at passing onto the next phase of the afterlife.

On this episode, the group discusses Not For Broadcast, an FMV game about a man who finds himself as the switchboard operator for a news company while the government is going through the motions of an authoritarian regime.

On the second episode of Level Zero Literacy, the group talks about Bioshock, a revolutionary of the FPS genre that explores themes of Libertarianism, choice & futility, the great man myth, and more!

Welcome to the first episode of Level Zero Literacy! On this episode, the group discusses Road 96, an adventure role-playing game/walking simulator where you play as teenagers looking to escape a tyrannical regime in their country.