Secret Level – Episode 9 “The Outer Worlds” Recap & Review

The Outer Worlds

Episode 9 of Secret Level begins with us following a guy called Amos. He lives and works in Argos Mining Town and is always on the hunt for a new opportunity. The latest stems from a poster, which he gets one of the locals to read for him. Here, it details test subjects needed for Auntie Cleo’s Brand Research and Development. This is over at Numa Research and fronted by a woman called Felicity.

Turns out Amos knows her, given they used to be good friends, but he’s certainly not the sharpest of guys. He hasn’t put a single point into intelligence it seems, as he can’t lie and he’s scammed out of extra Bits.

Amos eventually makes it to Numa Experimental Station, where he dives headfirst into these various tests. The thing is, with each passing test, he loses a little part of himself, physically evidenced through a metal arm and other accessories.

Eventually he does meet Felicity, after over 100 tests, but she’s a very different person now. She’s blinded by her ambition and wants to become somebody great. Felicity has her eye set on becoming the next Auntie Cleo, which is apparently an idea passed down through generations. She scoffs at the idea of remaining a nobody like Amos, which he doesn’t take too kindly to.

Felicity gets her promotion though, but she also intends to use the customers as a much larger sample size for her testing. Amos, angry and bitter at being used and discarded in this way (especially as the test program is shut down), decides to show off the recorded data of Felicity admitting to her dastardly plan.

However, when Amos shows up to see the Chairman, he finds Felicity in tears and this time he decides to lie to her. Amos changes his mind and allows her to be Auntie Cleo after all. Felicity hugs him but when she does, her demeanour changes completely, showing that she’s just using him to get what she wants. Well, it works and while Amos heads home, Felicity becomes the new Auntie Cleo.

The Episode Review

The Outer Worlds is an intriguing RPG and Secret Level manages to capture the right tone and vibe so this does feel like it slots right into place for this game. The story itself plays on ideas of corporatism, along with the rat race and daily grind of work and the sheer pointlessness of it all.

By the time Amos is done with his work, he’s no longer an innocent human but more machine than anything else. This is captured physically of course through his body modifications, but mentally he’s a very different person by the end too, able to lie but also still manipulated by Felicity, who’s the real villain in all of this.

Tis is a strong, thematically relevant chapter and a definite highlight, all things considered.