Indie Game: The Movie

A documentary about three indie developers and the development of their respective games doesn't sound like the richest subject for anyone other than die-hard fans of the medium. Thankfully Indie Game: the Movie isn’t really what is pertains to be, there is little here in terms of in-depth behind the scenes information on how these games are created, or the technical aspects of design. Instead it is much more interested in the people behind them, what drives them, the fears, worries and neurosis that drive people to spend 18 hour days coding pouring themselves into a game with no guarantee at the end of it of any level of success or acclaim.

The film focuses on three games; Braid, a breakout indie hit that was celebrated as kick-starting a lot of the interest that such games have garnered in recent years, Super Meat Boy, an old school challenging platformer hoping to make it big on Xbox Live and Fez, a years-in-development passion project of one man, hoping to stay relevant in the fast paced world of modern gaming. They are three individual and interesting examples to focus on, and now having lived past the ending of the film as it stands (Fez was not yet released at the time of filming) it’s interesting to look back and see the trajectory that each of the games, and their creators have taken in the years since.

Of the three sections the pieces with Jonathan Blow reflecting on Braid felt the least compelling, but also seemed to serve a different purpose than the others, which were focused more tightly in games being finished and marketed and eventually released into the wild. Instead Blow reflects back on how his game was received, and the reasons behind making it in the first place. All three games come from very personal places from their respective developers (and two are single person projects) and the way these people open up and reveal themselves through their work, and lay themselves out is both fascinating and engaging. I wouldn't say the documentary has an agenda as such it merely found some interesting people and wanted to tell their story.

In the case of Super Meat Boy we had my favourite parts of the film, the work of just two guys, living hundreds of miles apart it is a testament to hard work, skill and good fortune, a real underdog story that builds a surprising amount of tension towards the end through some skilful editing, but also because you find yourself invested in these people. Throughout the film similarities between the personalities are revealed, they are all slightly awkward, and self-critical, each drawn to games creation for slightly different reasons but with a shared passion, and desire to bring a part of themselves to the table, and to produce something that others will enjoy and engage with.

It’s an affirmation of gaming as an art form and means of expression, but also of humanity itself, in all its forms. Phil Fish, the creator of Fez is a divisive figure, and watching him almost implode several times in the film is sometimes hard to watch, but he lays himself out in a way that still garners sympathy. He can be volatile and obsessive, but it’s those qualities that allowed him to make a game as impressive as Fez single-handed. There’s a moment filmed at the annual Penny Arcade Expo is Boston where Fish is showing off the game and you just see the faces of the PAX visitors light up as they get their hands on his demo. There in the background Fish stands, making notes, but a sly grin soon emerges onto his face. It’s a fleeting moment but one that speaks volumes to what drives him, and also to the wonder that gaming can ignite; that spark of imagination that captures people of all ages and backgrounds.

For those unfamiliar with the world of video games there should still be enough here to enjoy, much like King of Kong before it, the games themselves work as metaphors, a gateway into a community or a life. Of course not detailed here are the many similar artists that work on projects without seeing much success, the failures and the bankruptcies, but this isn't a piece focused on the economics of game development. Instead it celebrates the capacity it has to unite people in shared experience.

As one of the creators of Super Meat Boy, exhausted from weeks of non-stop work and years of worry, sites back on his sofa and watches YouTube videos of people playing, loving, hurling abuse at, but always embracing his creation, his wife breaks down. After spending a couple of hours in this world, of fragile dreams and heartfelt expression, you might well do too.