

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

Jan 29, 2021 • 1h 30min
358: 80% Bathroom by Volume
Kole, Ben, and Dennis talk about the Resident Evil Maiden demo, the GameStop short squeeze phenomenon, and we ask you which side character should get their own game.
The Grind:
Kole: Resident Evil 8: Maiden Demo. Saw.
Dennis: The Textorcist.
Ben: Satisfactory.
The Multiplayer:
Which minor character should get their own spinoff game?
The End Boss:
Early reactions to the GameStop short squeeze.
Shakeup at Blizzard might save the Diablo 2 remaster.

Jan 22, 2021 • 1h 59min
357: Does... (Sigh)
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about Pokemon Sword, Satisfactory, and we ask you about bad lines of video game dialogue.
The Grind:
Jala: Pokémon Sword.
Kole: Assassin’s Creed II.
Ben: X-COM: Chimera Squad. Satisfactory.
Dennis: Trackmania 2020. Doom 2016.
The Multiplayer:
What’s the worst or most embarrassing line in games?
The End Boss:
Reddit user creates tool to turn Reddit drama into Ace Attorney cutscenes.
Rocket Punch sends off the PS4 camera in style.
Hitman 3 PC players won’t have to re-buy Hitman 1 and 2 levels on Epic.
CD Projekt Red inadvertently digs themselves a deeper hole.

Jan 15, 2021 • 1h 37min
356: SatisFaustory
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about the Glass Staircase, Trackmania 2020, and we announce the 2020 Title of the Year winners.
The Grind:
Ben: Satisfactory. XCOM: Chimera Squad.
Kole: The Glass Staircase. Assassin’s Creed.
Dennis: Trackmania 2020.
David: Nioh 2.
The Multiplayer:
2020 Title of the Year Results.
The End Boss:
Ghost of Tsushima fans raise money to save a famous shrine.
Fallout 76 roleplaying group swept up in Facebook militia ban.
Epic Games buys RAD Game Tools.
Bethesda teases Indiana Jones game.

Jan 8, 2021 • 2h 27min
355: The Waffle's Getting in There
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Maneater, Rust, and we ask you about game design bummers.
The Grind:
Ben: Rust. Satisfactory.
Kole: Maneater.
David: Nioh 2. Touhou Luna Nights.
Dennis: Paper Mario: The Origami King. Trackmania 2020.
The Multiplayer:
What design decision or shortcoming is always a bummer in games for you?
The End Boss:
Breath of the Wild NPCs are just gussied up Miis.
Slay the Spire is going to be a board game.
The Sinking City is back on digital storefronts.
A Muppets Christmas Carol is the best adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

Dec 25, 2020 • 2h 21min
354: Don't Gatekeep Gaming
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Among Us, Trackmania 2020, and we ask you about song and game memories that are linked.
The Grind:
Dennis: Genshin Impact. Trackmania 2020.
Kole: Echo Night: Beyond. Among Us.
Ben: Among Us. Cyberpunk 2077. Heaven’s Vault. The Pedestrian.
David: Nioh 2. Tee-KO.
Multiplayer:
What songs/sounds and games are linked in your memory?
The End Boss:
The KFConsole is nonsense.
The Space Force is calling its troops “Guardians”.
CDProject Red caves to the Chinese government, doesn’t list Devotion.
Among Us fans can preview new map on Switch thanks to a bug.

Dec 18, 2020 • 1h 51min
353: Demon Blood is a Good Moisturizer
Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about Cyberpunk 2077, Myst VR, and we ask you about hard-hitting moments in games.
The Grind:
Ben: Cyberpunk 2077.
Kole: Myst VR.
Jala: Pokemon Sword. Resident Evil 5. Night Call.
David: Nioh 2. Dungeons and Dragons.
The Multiplayer:
What moment from a game hit you especially hard?
The End Boss:
Family bankrupted by in-app purchases, Apple does nothing.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut announced for March.
Cyberpunk 2077 woes.
People are kind of gambling by opening rare card packs on Twitch.

Dec 12, 2020 • 1h 19min
352: Congratulations, Dennis and Jen
Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about We the Revolution, Rock Band 4, and we ask you about important games and important moments.
The Grind:
Jala: Kuukiyomi: Consider It. Pokémon Sword. We, the Revolution.
Kole: Rock Band 4.
David: Nioh 2.
Ben: Raft.
The Multiplayer:
What game do you associate with a particularly important moment in your life?
The End Boss:
The video game interface archive.
Cyberpunk 2077 has a real seizure problem.
Cyberpunk 2077 will have a 43GB pre-launch patch.

Dec 6, 2020 • 2h 13min
351: CollegeCoaster
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Demon’s Souls, Nioh 2, and we ask you to come up with your own video game theme park.
The Grind:
Dennis: Roller Coaster Tycoon 2. Pokemon Sword. Jak III. Star Wars: Squadrons. Slay the Spire.
Kole: Astro’s Playroom. Demon’s Souls (PS5).
Ben: Phasmophobia. Half-Life: Alyx. VR The Diner Duo. The Pedestrian. Raft.
David: Nioh 2.
The Multiplayer:
Come up with a video game theme park!
The End Boss:
Super Nintendo World is opening on February 4, 2021.
Haunted PS1 announces the Madvent Calendar.
There’s a Forbes first person shooter, Forbes Corporate Warrior.

Nov 20, 2020 • 2h 10min
350: ... But You Can Bring it Back
Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Superliminal, and we ask you about your favorite gaming related holiday gifts.
The Grind:
David: Watch Dogs: Legion. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.
Kole: Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. Xbox Series X impressions. Among Us.
Ben: Superliminal.
Jala: Resident Evil 5. Headliner: NoviNews. She Sees Red.
The Multiplayer:
What is the best gaming-related holiday gift you’ve ever received?
The End Boss:
Promising new anti-cheating software is on the way.
Phasmophobia lets you play a ghost after you die now.
The Demon’s Souls remake didn’t entirely get rid of the cat.
Blaseball is all we have for sports now.

Nov 13, 2020 • 1h 36min
349: Negative Zero is Still Zero
Kole, Ben, and Jala talk about Teardown, Manifold Garden, and we ask you what it would be like if your favorite game hero was a villain.
The Grind:
Jala: Aragami: Shadow Edition. Speed Dating for Ghosts. Kākāpō Run.
Kole: Teardown. Little Hope. Dark Nights with Poe and Munro.
Ben: Harmony Square. Supraland. Ring Fit Adventure. Manifold Garden.
The Multiplayer:
What would your favorite game hero be like as a villain?
The End Boss:
CCP creates game that lets players help research COVID-19.
Xbox Live goes down on Series X launch day.
Fall Guys gets meaty mid-season update, and geese.


