

The Level
Duckfeed.tv
The Level is a podcast for people who love video games. It's a weekly roundtable hosted by friends and industry outsiders Kole Ross, Ben Merkel, Dennis Furia, David Moneysmith, and Jala Prendes. Every Friday, we discuss video game news, the games we've been playing, and listener mail.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 27, 2021 • 1h 55min
383: Compress the Tedium
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Twelve Minutes, Hell Architect, and Jupiter Hell.
The Grind:
Dennis: Jupiter Hell. SplitGate. Final Fantasy XIV.
David: Final Fantasy XIV. Fallout ’79.
Ben: Twelve Minutes. SNKRX. Civilization Revolution.
Kole: Hell Architect.
The Multiplayer:
What’s your favorite game sound effect?
The End Boss:
Among Us developers call foul play on Fortnite’s Impostor Mode.
Another new Skyrim edition is coming.
Quake Remaster gets surprise release.
Minecraft Dungeons is coming to Steam.

Aug 21, 2021 • 1h 28min
382: Catboy Pugilist: Some of the Hits
Kole, Ben, David, and Jala talk about Axiom Verge 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and we do a Free Play Multiplayer.
The Grind:
Ben: Buddy Simulator 84. SNKRX.
Kole: Axiom Verge 2. Yomawari: Night Alone.
Jala: World’s End Club. Sonic Mania.
David: Final Fantasy XIV.
The Multiplayer:
Free Play!
The End Boss:
Frostpunk 2 announced.
Back 4 Blood needs to patch out inadvertent racist slurs.
Fortnite bites Among Us’s stew.
Twelve Minutes exists.

Aug 13, 2021 • 1h 34min
381: Slop It Up, Piggies
Kole, David, Dennis, and Jala talk about World’s End Club, Jupiter Hell, and Mothergunship.
The Grind:
Jala: Chrono Trigger. Drawngeon. World’s End Club.
Kole: Picross S Genesis.
Dennis: Jupiter Hell.
David: Mothergunship.
The Multiplayer:
What extraneous systems in games would you want to get rid of?
The End Boss:
New AI helps train you to play games better.
Amiga 500 Mini is coming soon.
Idris Elba is Knuckles now.

Aug 6, 2021 • 2h 9min
380: Oh No, Detroit Became Human
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about the Ascent, Splitgate, Strangeland, and more.
The Grind:
David: Atomicrops. The Ascent.
Kole: Strangeland. Lawn Mowing Simulator.
Dennis: Final Fantasy XIV. Splitgate.
Ben: Buddy Simulator 1984. Pico Park
Multiplayer:
What supposedly difficult choice in games was actually easy for you?
The End Boss:
Sponsors drop out of Overwatch league because of Blizzard workplace harassment.
“Short Games With Bad Graphics” bundle on Itch is a good deal.
Heal Hitler looks like a mess.
Tetris board game is coming, heralds change in board game distribution.

Jul 30, 2021 • 1h 39min
379: A Free Willy Situation
Kole, Ben, and Dennis talk about Fatum Betula, Gas Station Simulator, and we ask you about your celebration games.
The Grind:
Kole: Fatum Betula. Gas Station Simulator Demo.
Dennis: Minecraft Dungeons: The Hidden Depths. Harsh Shadows. Relics of Rajavihara.
Ben: SNKRX.
The Multiplayer:
What’s your celebration game?
The End Boss:
Activision-Blizzard employees stage walkout over worker abuses.
Fall Guys Season 5 goes live.
Splitgate delayed because it’s too popular.

Jul 23, 2021 • 2h 11min
378: Normal Oppressive Hot
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about Mundaun, SNKRX, and we ask you about your favorite double jumps in games.
The Grind:
Ben: Phasmophobia. Helltakers. SNKRX.
Dennis: SNKRX. Rime.
Kole: Mundaun. PowerWash Simulator. Viscera Cleanup Detail. Medieval Dynasty.
Jala: Capcom vs. SNK 2. Resident Evil Village. Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York. Alwa’s Awakening.
The Multiplayer:
What’s your favorite double jump in games?
The End Boss:
Sonic porn floods far-right social network.
Valve announces the Steam Deck.
Netflix gets closer to adding games.

Jul 2, 2021 • 2h 11min
377: That Space Two
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about Mario Golf: Super Rush, SNKRX, and we ask you which games you want to like, but can’t get into.
The Grind:
Jala: Viviette. Miitopia.
Kole: Mario Golf: Super Rush. Zombies Ate My Neighbors.
Dennis: Middara. SNKRX.
Ben: SNKRX.
The Multiplayer:
What games or series do you like, but can’t get into?
The End Boss:
Chipotle made an ill-conceived advergame.
Oculus developer pulls out of dynamic Facebook ad program.
Magic: Legends is being canceled.
Marvel’s Avengers bug reveals personal information.

Jun 25, 2021 • 2h
376: My Kids Were Obviously Failing a Lot
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about a bunch of older games and do a Free Play Multiplayer.
The Grind:
David: No Man’s Sky.
Ben: SNKRX.
Dennis: Trackmania. Hollow Knight. LUMI.
Kole: Mr. Driller Drill Land.
The Multiplayer:
Free Play!
The End Boss:
Cyberpunk 2077 is back on the PSN Store, for good or ill.
Don’t buy the re-release of Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties.
Citizen Sleeper looks like a good game.
You can recharge a Tesla by towing it backwards.

Jun 18, 2021 • 1h 25min
375: All the Surfaces of the Ocean
Kole, Ben, and Dennis talk about Slipstream, some E3 announcements, and we ask you which games have you changed your minds about the most.
The Grind:
Dennis: Trackmania. Knockout City.
Ben: Slipstream. It Takes Two.
Kole: It Takes Two. Resident Evil 5. Rocksmith 2014.
The Multiplayer:
What game have you changed your mind about the most?
The End Boss:
Ubisoft announces Rocksmith+.
We’re getting another Mario x Rabbids game.
Outer Worlds 2 announced.

Jun 11, 2021 • 1h 60min
374: Become Enlightened and Kill Everything
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Knockout City, Slipways, and we ask you what stats you wish games kept track of for you.
The Grind:
Dennis: Knockout City. Slay the Spire.
Ben: Room to Grow. Slipways. Subnautica: Below Zero. Portal Reloaded.
David: Outward.
Kole: Bowser’s Fury.
The Multiplayer:
What stat do you wish games kept track of for you?
The End Boss:
The PlayDate handheld has a price and a preorder window.
New Warhammer 40k game from Vermintide team is coming.
Terra Nil is a reverse city builder.
The Bo Burnham comedy special is good.