It’s quite unexpected just how entertaining Secret Level’s Concord episode turns out to be. The characters are incredibly engaging and charming, making you wonder if releasing it before the game’s abrupt cancellation could have changed Concord’s fate in the crowded realm of sci-fi shooters.
The episode, “Tale of the Implacable”, penned by the sci-fi and fantasy writer Rachael K. Jones, boasts a lot of intriguing elements. Its narrative is a straightforward heist adventure peppered with unexpected twists, focusing on a group of mercenaries called the Freegunners, who never appeared in the original Concord game. This episode serves as a prequel, setting up the vast possibilities of space exploration and the hazards tied to faster-than-light travel. It tells the story of misfit characters swiping a star map of the universe from powerful hands. While this map is the main narrative driver within Concord, here it’s merely the object of desire, setting the stage for the marauders.
Acting as a prelude to the main game, this episode sets the tone for the sci-fi world and its eccentric characters far better than Concord itself ever managed. Initially, players had to dig for lore updates through weekly animations or search within the game’s map. Secret Level’s presentation of the episode, however, serves as the ideal appetizer for Firewalk’s game—it’s just unfortunate we didn’t see it sooner.
Concord had its set of challenges: a price tag that wasn’t justified, gameplay mechanics that felt flat, and characters that didn’t quite connect with players. In contrast, the Freegunners in “Tale of the Implacable” have a certain charm that resonates more than the characters players got to control. They’re refreshingly less sarcastic and not just cookie-cutter copies of characters from Guardians of the Galaxy, unlike those in the game.
Yet, the episode also highlights Concord’s core issue. The clever deception, pulse-pounding action, humor, and camaraderie experienced during the Implacable crew’s heist was absent from the game itself. Concord was more of a standard shooter that attempted a few novel feats but failed to leave an impression. The riveting, cinematic thrills of “Tale of the Implacable” were unlikely to ever make it into the actual gameplay.
Although Concord didn’t succeed in the gaming sphere, it has at least left us with an outstanding piece of television entertainment. For those interested, all episodes of Secret Level can be streamed on Prime Video.
