Zero Brightness

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Podcast by Two musicians talking about Horror Video Games

Two musicians talking about Horror Video Games


    • May 15, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 22m AVG DURATION
    • 203 EPISODES

    4.6 from 106 ratings Listeners of Zero Brightness that love the show mention: horror gaming, silent hill, loads of fun, gaming podcast, video games, niche, definitely worth a listen, chill, guys are hilarious, audio quality, james, dudes, references, art, discussing, politics, pop culture, gone, discussions, music.


    Ivy Insights

    The Zero Brightness podcast is a must-listen for horror game enthusiasts. As someone who has an avid interest in the genre, I appreciate that this podcast provides a space where I can indulge in my love for horror games without feeling like I'm burdening my friends with my unusual interests. From the moment I started listening, I was hooked. The production quality and atmosphere of the podcast are top-notch, and hosts Ali and Justin are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate. They delve deep into their topics, providing insightful analysis and engaging discussions.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is its dedication to horror gaming. It's refreshing to find a podcast solely focused on this specific genre, as it allows for more in-depth exploration and analysis. Whether they're reviewing classic horror games or discussing themes across different forms of horror media, Ali and Justin bring a level of care to their content that is rare to find in the oversaturated world of podcasting. I have discovered some of the best movies, games, and music through their recommendations, making this podcast a valuable resource for any fan of horror.

    While the overall quality of the show is exceptional, there was a period where host Ali seemed less enthusiastic about the content. This resulted in a slight dip in quality during episodes 84-97 or so. However, Ali eventually regains his passion for the subject matter, leading to a significant improvement in the show's overall quality. Additionally, some listeners may not agree with all of their views on certain topics; however, this diversity of opinions adds depth to the discussions and encourages critical thinking.

    In conclusion, The Zero Brightness podcast is without a doubt one of the best video game podcasts out there. Its focus on horror gaming sets it apart from others in the genre, while its excellent production value and knowledgeable hosts make it an engaging listen from start to finish. Despite minor dips in quality during certain episodes and potential disagreements on certain views, this podcast remains a standout in the gaming community. Whether you're a hardcore horror gamer or simply interested in exploring the atmosphere, aesthetic, and history of horror video games, The Zero Brightness podcast is sure to leave you with more knowledge and enjoyment than when you started.



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    Latest episodes from Zero Brightness

    Zero Brightness Ep. 182: You Should Play Slitterhead (and Siren and Gravity Rush)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 82:50


    Let's talk about the brilliant works of Keiichiro Toyama and how nice it is to see 90s Japanese Auteurs get a second chance at fulfilling their bizarre creative dreams.

    Zero Brightness Ep. 181: Why Josh Thinks You Should Play Returnal

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 79:40


    Josh tells a dedicated hater all of the reasons why Returnal is an all-time banger. Hater responds.

    Zero Brightness Ep. 180: The One About the Dreamcast (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025 160:27


    ...in which we take a look at Carrier, Illbleed, Blue Stinger, Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and The Ring: Terror's Realm

    Zero Brightness Ep. 179: How to Survive in America

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 62:43


    Because America is the Real Survival Horror

    Zero Brightness Ep. 178: The One About the Dreamcast (pt. 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 55:00


    This time, we talk about the rise of the Sega Dreamcast. Next time, we talk about its library of Horror Games.

    Zero Brightness Ep. 177: The One About the Arcade (Darkstalkers, Street Fighter, Etc.)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 125:05


    Episode 177 is all about getting back into fighting games, loving the Darkstalkers series, embracing weird hobbies, growing up in the early 00s, playing a lot of different 90s capcom classics and going to the arcade.

    Zero Brightness Ep. 176: Maybe I am a Depressing Bastard (2024 Halloween Special)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 106:29


    Justin joins to talk about three amazing indie horror games: Shinkansen 0, Mouthwashing and Hollowbody. Happy Halloween, ya filthy animals!

    Zero Brightness Ep. 175: The one about the Silent Hill 2 Remake

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 88:11


    Vincent joins to discuss the highs and lows of Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 Remake - a game that we do not agree on, sort of. We get into the things they've changed as well as the many references to the original - and how it all comes together in this year's biggest AAA horror game.

    Zero Brightness Ep. 174: (Are) 3D Castlevania Games Bad (?)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 101:11


    It's supposed to be phrased like a question but. c'mon, we all know these games suck. Justin and Bea join to help me sort through this lamentable group of games. What is a 3D Castlevania game? A miserable pile of secrets!

    Zero Brightness Ep. 173: Magic, Creativity and You (Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 61:21


    Bonus: Are We in a New Video Games Market Crash?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2024 52:34


    This is a little taste of the Patreon-exclusive show ZB+. Subscribe for more! https://www.patreon.com/zerobrightness

    Zero Brightness Ep. 172: You Don't Wanna Know What's Under This Apron (Crow Country)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 103:01


    We played Crow Country and wanted to talk about how amazing it is - but then we also wanted to talk about 90s rap, bad remakes, the video game industry, BBLs and how we're the world's pre-eminent Horror Video Game Podcast. We the best music!

    Zero Brightness Ep. 171: Cucks (Alone in the Dark 2024)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2024 83:44


    Monica and I made an episode about the new Alone in the Dark game and we are definitely getting cancelled for it.

    Bonus: A Rundown of the Alone in the Dark Series

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2024 31:20


    A bonus ep from the Patreon giving you a run-down of all the various attempts to reboot Alone in the Dark. We'll have a full episode on the new game soon. Check out our Patreon for more like this!

    Zero Brightness Ep. 170: Grief, Nostalgia and Rock'n'Roll (ft. Lamniformes)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 122:35


    Ian (from the band/podcast/substack, etc. Lamniformes) stops by to talk about their fantastic new album - a very nu-metal influenced experimental rock record - as well as some favorite topics on this show, including using Dark Souls to process loss and the recent surge in Y2K nostalgia. Ian's new record: https://linktr.ee/Lamniformes The Dark Souls Article: https://lamniformes.substack.com/p/my-time-in-lordran?utm_source=%2Fsearch%2Fdark%2520souls&utm_medium=reader2

    Zero Brightness Ep. 169: What the Heck is Kojima up to?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2024 92:20


    Josh stops by to talk about all the recent Kojima-related news and speculate on Death Stranding 2, OD and more. We also sideline into all sort of trifling BS - as Hideo would want it. Check out Josh's music: https://seracmpls.bandcamp.com/album/the-ledger https://cachempls.bandcamp.com/album/cache

    Zero Brightness Ep. 168: The Slow Burn (Lunacid, A Space for the Unbound)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2024 74:33


    Some thoughts on slowing down, changing your brain, playing dungeon crawlers and petting every cat that you see.

    Bonus: Lies of P Rocks

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2024 49:36


    A bonus ep from the patreon while you wait for the main show to return. Subscribe over there for more stuff like this!

    Zero Brightness Ep. 167: Merry Goopmas (Parasite Eve)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2023 87:14


    Episode 167 is: a conversation with Justin about Parasite Eve - an appreciation of that game's weirdly awesome mechanics, insanely good music and unexpected Christmas spirit - an exploration of why Jingle All the Way is the best xmas movie by far - some thoughts on goop

    Zero Brightness Ep. 166: Who gets to be Human?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 74:30


    Episode 166 is: about Palestine - about sci-fi - about humanism - about empathy - about people

    Zero Brightness Ep. 165: World is Bugs (Hollow Knight)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2023 82:26


    Episode 165 is: a slightly unhinged chat with Josh about Hollow Knight and game design in modern metroidvanias - a list of my favorite internet videos - another list of the weirdest places I've ever slept - kind of a weird one

    Zero Brightness Ep. 164: The Alan Within 2 (Alan Wake 2 Impressions)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 58:16


    Episode 164 is: some thoughts on Alan Wake 2 after playing about half of the game

    Zero Brightness Ep. 163: Halloween Indie Game Roundup '23

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 85:29


    Episode 163 is: a discussion with Justin about a bunch of indie games - a list of stuff for you to check out this Halloween - some thoughts on How Fish is Made, Maple County, Parasocial, Stop Burying Me Alive Beautiful, Other Side and C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D.

    Zero Brightness Ep. 162: Revisionist Evil pt. 4 - Resident Evil 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2023 54:34


    Episode 162 is: an exploration of the original Resident Evil 3 and the approach Capcom took when remaking one of the more unique entries in the RE series

    Zero Brightness Ep. 161: Revisionist Evil pt. 3 - Resident evil 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2023 51:10


    Episode 161 is: a run-down of the various versions, editions, remakes and re-releases of one of the greatest horror video games of all time - Resident Evil 2

    Zero Brightness Ep. 160: The Nostalgia Cycle (PS1 and PS2 Horror)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2023 56:56


    Episode 160 is: sort of about the time I tried to make an episode and failed - sort of about Shadow Hearts, Koudelka and Baroque - sort of about memory and nostalgia - sort of about media consumption

    Zero Brightness Ep. 159: Decarnation is a 10

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2023 80:50


    Episode 159 is: a discussion with Justin about the fantastic narrative horror game Decarnation - some thoughts on good storytelling in video games - a few random observations on topics including Metal Wolf Chaos, Afroman and mispronouncing words

    Zero Brightness Ep. 158: The One About Death (Soul Reaver, Nier Automata, etc.)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 51:10


    Episode 158 is: a discussion of Death Mechanics in video games - some thoughts on Death as a Diegetic element - an essay that touches on Shadow Man, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Dark Souls, Nier: Automata and others - not actually as foreboding as the title makes it sound

    Zero Brightness Ep. 157: The Quarry is (Allegedly) A Video Game

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 75:00


    Episode 157 is: a conversation with Vincent and Monica about Supermassive's The Quarry - an interrogation of Vincent's love for these games (even though they are highly questionable) - an argument about the new Scream movies (and like 15 other movies and TV shows) - some thoughts on werewolf dicks

    Zero Brightness 156: A Low-Key Review of Amnesia: The Bunker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 40:24


    Episode 156 is: very low-key - some thoughts on the Amnesia series as well as its new entry - kind of an ad for the patreon

    Zero Brightness 155: Kojima is My Dad (Snatcher)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2023 91:10


    Episode 155 is: a conversation with Josh about Hideo Kojima's Snatcher - a discussion of the things that have (and haven't) aged well about the game - an appreciation of Blade Runner and the game's many other 80s film influences - a few thoughts about SimAnt check out Josh's new album at https://cachempls.bandcamp.com/album/cache

    Zero Brightness 154: Anime is the Real Survival Horror (Code Vein, Scarlet Nexus)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2023 61:16


    episode 154 is: a conversation with Justin about two anime-inspired action-adventure games, Code Vein and Scarlet Nexus - a discussion about good and bad tropes in anime - the discovery that anime vampires are maybe cool actually

    Zero Brightness 153: The Legend of Zelda Games Are Horror

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2023 102:37


    Episode 153 is: a conversation with Ellie (You Don't Need Maps)about horror elements in just about every mainline Legend of Zelda game - a deep dive on 80s Dark Fantasy - a discussion of the series' influence on Action-RPGs and internet horror - a breakdown of the shocking similarities between Twilight Princess and My Chemical Romance

    Zero Brightness 152: Ada's Glasses No Longer Explode (Resident Evil 4 Remake Pt. 2, RE4 VR)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2023 80:10


    Episode 152 is: a conversation with Vincent about the Resident Evil 4 Remake - an exploration of all the different ways we now have to play RE4 (including VR) - some speculation on where the series will go next - a brief discussion of impractical spy gadgets

    Turn it Off 1.7: Bandersnatch, Bandersnatch (Alice in Wonderland [2010])

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 64:49


    We discuss the last 7 months of Hollywood News in the Hollywood Minute before going down the rabbit hole to visit a beautiful fantasy world

    Zero Brightness 151: Talking About Every Soulslike Game Ever

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2023 105:45


    Episode 151 is: a discussion of the Dark Souls-inspired Soulslike genre including thoughts on Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, Death's Gambit, Code Vein, Tunic, Hollow Knight, Mortal Shell and many more; a dissection of the impact that FromSoft has had on modern games; a run down of our likes and dislikes as it pertains to the genre; just a good old-fashioned free-wheeling games discussion

    Zero Brightness 150: What's New in the Resident Evil 4 Remake ?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023 127:31


    Episode 150 is: a conversation with Justin about what's new in the RE4 remake - a reflection on the surprisingly complex economy of Resident Evil 4 - an appreciation of the suplex - the reveal of the greatest line in video game history

    Zero Brightness 149: "That's Good TV" (HBO's The Last of Us)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2023 108:31


    Episode 149 is: two conversations (with Monica and Josh) about the Last of Us TV show - a discussion about writing adaptations - an attempt to figure out how to survive the apocalypse - a psychoanalysis of angry gamers

    Zero Brightness 148: Revisionist Evil Pt. 2 (Resident Evil 4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2023 52:19


    Episode 148 is: a different take on Resident Evil 4 - a love letter to Funcoland - a defense of my favorite game in the series - an exhaustive breakdown of the best intro sequence in video game history

    Zero Brightness 147: Into The Barlowverse (Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Immortality)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 100:54


    Episode 147 is: a discussion of the works of Sam Barlow, focusing on Immortality and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories - a consideration of FMV games - a deep dive on very weird game design - a conversation about whether or not turning Mulholland Drive into a sort-of-interactive "game" thing was a brilliant idea or the dumbest thing anyone has ever done

    Turn it Off 1.6: Basting (Warcraft, 2016)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 35:51


    We check out another beloved video game movie, Warcraft (2016) and discover new ways to enjoy ourselves in VR.

    Zero Brightness 146: Did Dead Space Need a Remake? (Dead Space 2023)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2023 70:40


    Episode 146 is: a conversation with Vincent about the new Dead Space Remake - an exploration of what makes a good remake - a total reconsideration of the game in the title - a love letter to the flamethrower

    Zero Brightness 145: Revisionist Evil (pt. 1, Resident Evil and REmake)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2023 42:51


    Episode 145 is: A compare/contrast of the original Resident Evil and its Remake - a time lapse video of a grave being cleaned - a small journey through time - the start of season 3. Welcome back

    Zero Brightness 144.2: Tunic! (and a show update)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2023 17:31


    An update on the show and some thoughts on Tunic, one of my new favorite games

    Zero Brightness 144: The Best of 2022

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2022 112:54


    We break down our favorite games that we played in 2022 and shoot off into all sorts of hot-take filled tangents

    Zero Brightness 143: Entropy, Psychedelia and Super Sad RPGs (Omori, Earthbound, Yume Nikki)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2022 63:08


    Some thoughts on how genres change over time, including observations about Sitcoms, Super Sad RPGs, Yume Nikki, Earthbound and Omori

    Zero Brightness 142: DLC Sucks (Resident Evil 8 Pt. 3)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2022 65:39


    We tackle the new DLC content for Resident Evil 8 - including a new story chapter - and discuss why DLC and the constant digital churn of modern capitalism is uhhhhh pretty bad

    Turn it Off 1.5: White Slurry (Walk Tall, 2004)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2022 54:34


    We watched Walk Tall (2004) and explored the world of seasonal holiday recipes. Yum!

    Turn it Off 1.4: Holiday Special No. 1(Taken [2004] and Christmas with a View [2018])

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2022 48:04


    Happy Holidays! We watched Taken (2004) and Christmas with a View (2018) to find out the true meaning of Christmas and Thanksgiving

    Zero Brightness 141.2: Survival Horror is Maybe Bad? (Signalis pt. 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2022 101:43


    Justin joins for a discussion of the various elements of Signalis, from the often frustrating survival horror elements to the stunningly well-realized aesthetic and design. We also discuss "daddy games," your mom's favorite book, Bible lore and much more. Spoiler-free until the last 20 minutes, which are marked within

    Zero Brightness 141.1: Synthesized Saxophone Blues (Signalis)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 60:46


    Some thoughts on Signalis, Cyberpunk, Survival Horror and other classic hits. (No spoilers for the first 45ish minutes, light spoilers marked at end)

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