

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

May 11, 2018 • 2h 10min
241: Dislocated Circulatory System
Kole, Dennis, Jala, and David talk about Trackmania, learning foreign languages through games, and we ask you about your favorite peaceful moments in non-peaceful games.
The Brief:
Framed Collection is coming to PC and Switch.
Indiana university uses Assassin’s Creed to teach Italian.
Charles Martinet will appear in Runner 3.
The Multiplayer
What’s your favorite peaceful/serene moment in a non-walking-sim game.
The Grind:
David: Bloodborne. Far Cry 5. Subnautica.
Dennis: Subnautica. Trackmania.
Kole: Reigns.
Jala: Corpse Party: Blood Drive.

May 4, 2018 • 1h 27min
240: Chibi 3D Boo-bii
Kole, Ben, and Jala talk about, Corpse Party: Blood Drive, the 2018 NPD Game Gear Game Mystery, and we ask you what moment in your life most resembled a video game.
The Brief:
Paratopic is what Back in 1995 should have been.
Someone bought a Game Gear Game in 2018.
Xbox One adds Discord integration.
The Multiplayer:
What moment in your life was the most like a video game?
The Grind:
Jala: Abyss Odyssey. Fire Emblem: Awakening. Corpse Party: Blood Drive.
Ben: Subnautica.
Kole: Nintendo Labo. Deep Town.

Apr 28, 2018 • 2h 16min
239: A No-Trenchfoot Guarantee
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about the Nintendo Labo, Valve’s acquisition of Campo Santo, and we do a Free Play Multiplayer.
The Brief:
Dark Souls port for Switch delayed to “Summer”.
Valve buys Campo Santo.
Detroit: Become Human demo gets some favorable coverage.
The Multiplayer
Free play!
The Grind:
David: Bloodborne. Far Cry 5.
Kole: Nintendo Labo Variety Kit.
Ben: Subnautica.
Dennis: Subnautica. Catherine.

Apr 13, 2018 • 1h 43min
238: Cherry Blossoms Fall
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about the Myst 25th Anniversary Collection Kickstarter launch, FRAMED 2, and Freeways.
The Brief:
Cyan has launched a Kickstarter for a Myst collection.
It’s one of those good times to invest in video game stocks if you can.
Canadian lawmakers get free copies of “Orwell: Ignorance is Strength”.
Healer’s Quest is a game that casts you as the healer in an RPG party.
The Multiplayer:
Describe your favorite game in haiku.
The Grind:
Dennis: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Wet.
Jala: Fire Emblem: Awakening. FRAMED 2.
Kole: Plague, Inc. Freeways.
Ben: Viticulture. Scythe. Divinity: Original Sin 2.

Apr 6, 2018 • 1h 40min
237: Consider the Roomba
Kole, Ben, and Jala talk about Divinity: Original Sin 2, Gorogoa, and Spy Party going Early Access.
The Brief:
Spy Party is going Early Access on Steam.
Amazon has canceled its game.
The Multiplayer:
What physical object best represents the game you played most recently?
The Grind:
Jala: Fire Emblem: Awakening. Hidden My Game By Mom. Gorogoa.
Ben: Hand Simulator. Divinity: Original Sin 2.
Kole: Back in 1995. Plague, Inc.

Mar 31, 2018 • 2h 7min
236: Jump Scare Fart
Kole, Ben. Dennis, and Jala talk about A Way Out, the Oculus Go, and we ask you to name your funniest game moment in four words or less.
The Brief:
Indiana school teacher gets results from gamifying education.
Hori is making an actual d-pad .
Occulus Go is a $199 VR entry point.
alt.ctrl.GDC gives us the bartending game wii deserve.
The Multiplayer:
Name your funniest game moment in four words or less.
The Grind:
Kole: Subnautica. Pokémon Picross.
Ben: A Way Out.
Jala: Breath of the Wild. Cube Escape: The Cave. The Inner World 2.
Dennis: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Alienation.

Mar 23, 2018 • 1h 45min
235: Schrödinger's Skin
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about the Shrouded Isle, Amazon’s new move into gaming, and we ask you which modern indie games need cool instruction manuals.
The Brief:
Amazon releases GameOn APIs.
Sony class action deadline
Nvidia is bringing in real-time ray tracing.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 releases August 28.
The Multiplayer:
What modern indie game should get an old fashioned print manual?
The Grind:
Ben: Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy.
Jala: Fire Emblem: Awakening. Resident Evil 7. The Shrouded Isle.
Dennis: Knack. Zombs Royale.
Kole: Pokémon Picross.

Mar 17, 2018 • 1h 58min
234: When You Die in the Game You Die in the Game
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and Jala talk about a whole bunch of strategy games, the most recent Nintendo Direct, ask we you about rule subversions in games.
The Brief:
Nintendo Direct announcements, including Smash Bros. for Switch.
Valve claims they will make games again.
“Where the Water Tastes Like Wine” releases.
The Multiplayer:
What’s the best way a game has subverted its rules?
The Grind:
Jala: Metroid: Samus Returns. The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild. Fire Emblem: Awakening.
Ben: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Into the Breach.
Dennis: Into the Breach. Kingdom of Loathing. Hand of Fate.
Kole: Alan Wake. Yume Nikki.

Mar 9, 2018 • 2h 4min
233: Prince Fleshswallow
Kole, Ben, Dennis, and David talk about Into the Breach, the Diablo-on-Switch rumors, and we ask you which games remind you most of elementary school.
The Brief:
People think there’s going to be Diablo on Switch.
Cyan announces their new game, Firmament.
AI finds glitch in Q*Bert.
Procedurally generated chiptunes.
The Multiplayer:
What game do you most associate with your grade/elementary school years?
The Grind
Dennis: Into the Breach. Door Kickers.
Ben: Into the Breach. Gloomhaven.
Kole: DOOM 2016. Celeste.
David: Monster Hunter: World.

Mar 2, 2018 • 2h 3min
232: My Violent Tendencies and Murderous Heart
Kole, Ben, Jala, and David talk about Metal Gear Survive’s strange monetization scheme, DOOM, and we do a Free Play Multiplayer.
The Brief:
Papers, Please inspired a short film adaptation.
Warcraft III gets an official tournament and widescreen patch.
Metal Gear Survive has a possibly exploitative monetization scheme.
Colonel Campbell reads the recent Mueller indictments.
The Multiplayer:
Free Play!
The Grind:
Jala: Metroid: Samus Returns. Nintendo Switch. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Ben: Subnautica.
David: Monster Hunter: World.
Kole: Picross S. DOOM.


