Indie Game: The MovieArt is possibly the most impossible thing to define, and by association what defines an artist. Case in point is the persistent argument: "Are video games art?" There are certainly those who plant their banners deep in either side of the trench, just as there are those who see video games, like any medium, as just another form of entertainment; of course, art can be entertaining, too. Indie Movie: The Game is the story of the adventures and milestones of the creators of three exceptional independent games, a documentary chronicling the hopes and fears, the dreams and nightmares, the blood, sweat, and tears that makes a game...more than just a game, a unique form of expression.
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Indie Game: The Movie is about not just the creation of video games, not even just the creation of unique video games by artisan-like craftsmanship, but it is about the artists themselves. Throughout the documentary, encompassing months of time, we get to know the creators of these individual expressions of fun, of themselves, works that are special not just on the merits of their achievement, but because of what they represent to the artists. There is Phil Fish, developer of the at-the-time-of-filming unpublished "Fez", perhaps the most emblematic representation of the indie developer, his attitude a mix of arrogance and passion as well as soul-gripping terror at the mountain he has been climbing for years. There is Jonathan Blow, the soft-spoken, contemplative developer of the already published "Braid", who exudes a kind of zen genius serenity, whose success serves as a model for others to thrive in a digital marketplace. And there are the artist and programmer duo, Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes, whose game, "Super Meat Boy", is released as Indie Movie: The Game progresses, giving us a concentrated dose of their reactions immediately at its inception. To look at any of the four featured creators would be too look at someone familiar, someone who might be a buddy or pal you know. These are not the stuffed shirts bandying about excruciatingly dull metrics and pie charts at a stodgy board meeting in some mega-corporation; no, these are dudes like you and me, both dorks and artists, in graphic tees staring into a computer with a passion to create. (The irony as I type this line does not escape me.) Don't we all want to express ourselves?
Several relevant points are made early on in Indie Game: The Movie, setting the stage for the story. There is the talk of how today, guys like these artists were of the first generation to be raised on video games, now of consumer age, as well as now being at an age to create one's own business and one's stamp on the world. There is the discussion about how independent video game development was never a real possibility prior to the online distribution platform called "Steam", but is now a staple. Downloadable content (DLC) isn't an afterthought anymore, it is the way of things in the 21st century, opening the floodgates for craftsmen with dreams of adding their poetry to the gamescape. I remember each of these featured, iconic releases on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) during a time when I was fully immersed in gaming culture myself, and remember playing them with enthusiasm, marveling at their identity, their message, and simply how much fun they were. What is interesting about that sentence is that it is tinged with nostalgia, regardless of the fact that these games are not even ten years old, but comparatively older in the high-speed, rapid consumption that has become a trope of video game consumerism. Each of the three titles discussed in Indie Game: The Movie is influenced in varying degrees by classic video games, nostalgia for the iconic titles which have come to represent video games as a whole. As Phil describes, he wishes to create a game that recalls the kind of emotions and memories he experienced when he was younger, enjoying the magic of games for the first time. Tommy describes select games which influenced his perceptions on what a satisfying game should be, and he carries that into "Super Meat Boy", while visual and design elements in Jon's "Braid" are immediately identifiable as being inspired by classic gems from the Nintendo Entertainment System, such as "Donkey Kong" or "Super Mario Bros." For these devoted craftsmen, nostalgia is the lifeblood they pump into their own creations to give them life.
Watching Indie Game: The Movie, one understands the herculean effort involved in creating a video game, combining expression and entertainment, more so when in the hands of a very small development group. The result is that when you consider the kind of shattering vitriol spewed at these artists by those who purport to be the most devoted fans of the medium, it becomes more appreciable as to the kinds of anxiety and breakdowns which can transpire. Sometimes the aggression is largely in the form of enjoyable frustration, as shown in the YouTube videos of people playing the challenging "Super Meat Boy"; others include Jonathan's impressions that the deeper message of the interactive poem that is "Braid" gets lost in the cut-and-paste praise of the most superficial elements of his game. For Phil Fish, one of video game history's most controversial figures--before and after Indie Game: The Movie--the roller coaster of emotions is like someone running a nail file over an exposed nerve. There is an inescapable arrogance to some of the developers' reactions, the kind of pretentiousness often attributed to an auteur, not unlike their most devoted fans, quick to bash a triple-A developer or franchise like "Call of Duty" for lacking personality. Are they wrong? You may disagree with the arrogance, but man, to see how people react to video games online is a sobering experience, and the unfiltered venom which comes with it is enough to curdle one's blood. And should there not be some great deal of pride for the sacrifices and efforts made by these men, devoted fans of the medium themselves? Can creators like Phil Fish be blamed for being obsessive perfectionists about their work, when they know better than anyone that all too often in the hyper-critical venue of video games that a game that fails to perform outstandingly is often quickly dismissed or disregarded at least, and at worst prompts death threats from psychotic consumers (no exaggeration, this has proved to be a reality). Shouldn't a community passionate about the hobby be more supportive? Perhaps this comes back to the great question about whether video games are art, when the proverbial thorn in the lion's paw is that video games have also been long associated with consumer products, and that the measure of its value is by definition a subjective one relative to one's enjoyment, even if on a superficial level.
There is an image presented in Indie Game: The Movie of what the quintessential "indie game developer" is, sometimes derisively referred to as a "hipster"; Phil Fish has the look in spades, but is this a fair estimate of the man as a person, or more so, as an artist? Do I honestly believe that Jonathan Blow is coding a video game from his laptop computer in a coffee shop, eating a blueberry muffin and drinking a cappuccino sprinkled with cinnamon? No; but I do believe that these men have worked exceedingly hard to produce a quality product with their audience's tastes in mind, and that requires an understanding of human nature and courage to take that risk. Any kind of venture is fraught with peril, and the leaps of faith the indie game designers presented in this film are just that, both financially and emotionally. Tommy comments that his hopes for "Super Meat Boy" to be a success is in part motivated by his desire to support the family who has cared for him his whole life, and panics when on the game's release day, it is not prominently featured as expected on the marketplace. Edmund recalls this kind of distinct form of expression dating back to his childhood, where his misunderstood artwork was encouraged by his late grandmother. Jonathan sees "Braid" as his way to open a channel of communication with the world; only, as he learns, not everyone will hear the same message, no matter how you say it. Phil describes the varied tribulations he has endured during the time he has been working on "Fez". Apart from his personal struggles with his friends and family, he has been involved in a legal battle for the ownership of his development studio, one which endangers the release of "Fez" and its debut at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX). This colors his big debut at the expo, and is compounded by an abundance of glitches, leading viewers of Indie Game: The Movie to expect an inevitable implosion. As he hovers behind each patron demoing his very personal creation, you can only wonder if he is desperately hoping they will love it--and him by association--or whether he is challenging them to dislike it, a la Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard with her script of "Salome". The creators' respective efforts involve unique and personal crises, sometimes contemplative, sometimes excruciatingly nerve wracking and intense, revealing key human fears and anxieties, the kind that come with reaching for the stars and attempting to pluck one from the sky. There is a brief shot near the end of Indie Game: The Movie where Phil is taking down the "Fez" booth at PAX, and he returns to Quebec, the camera staring out through the airplane window, looking out above the clouds...soaring aloft, as Phil is high on the praise he received at the show. This is the place the artist hope to find themselves--high up, floating, where one dares to dream.
Recommended for: Fans of a documentary about artists who committed themselves to produce not just an artistic expression, but a form of fun entertainment. It's especially interesting for fans of video games, true, but don't hesitate to watch it even if you are not, as it is a very frank and authentic inside look at the garage-level development of video games today.
Several relevant points are made early on in Indie Game: The Movie, setting the stage for the story. There is the talk of how today, guys like these artists were of the first generation to be raised on video games, now of consumer age, as well as now being at an age to create one's own business and one's stamp on the world. There is the discussion about how independent video game development was never a real possibility prior to the online distribution platform called "Steam", but is now a staple. Downloadable content (DLC) isn't an afterthought anymore, it is the way of things in the 21st century, opening the floodgates for craftsmen with dreams of adding their poetry to the gamescape. I remember each of these featured, iconic releases on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) during a time when I was fully immersed in gaming culture myself, and remember playing them with enthusiasm, marveling at their identity, their message, and simply how much fun they were. What is interesting about that sentence is that it is tinged with nostalgia, regardless of the fact that these games are not even ten years old, but comparatively older in the high-speed, rapid consumption that has become a trope of video game consumerism. Each of the three titles discussed in Indie Game: The Movie is influenced in varying degrees by classic video games, nostalgia for the iconic titles which have come to represent video games as a whole. As Phil describes, he wishes to create a game that recalls the kind of emotions and memories he experienced when he was younger, enjoying the magic of games for the first time. Tommy describes select games which influenced his perceptions on what a satisfying game should be, and he carries that into "Super Meat Boy", while visual and design elements in Jon's "Braid" are immediately identifiable as being inspired by classic gems from the Nintendo Entertainment System, such as "Donkey Kong" or "Super Mario Bros." For these devoted craftsmen, nostalgia is the lifeblood they pump into their own creations to give them life.
Watching Indie Game: The Movie, one understands the herculean effort involved in creating a video game, combining expression and entertainment, more so when in the hands of a very small development group. The result is that when you consider the kind of shattering vitriol spewed at these artists by those who purport to be the most devoted fans of the medium, it becomes more appreciable as to the kinds of anxiety and breakdowns which can transpire. Sometimes the aggression is largely in the form of enjoyable frustration, as shown in the YouTube videos of people playing the challenging "Super Meat Boy"; others include Jonathan's impressions that the deeper message of the interactive poem that is "Braid" gets lost in the cut-and-paste praise of the most superficial elements of his game. For Phil Fish, one of video game history's most controversial figures--before and after Indie Game: The Movie--the roller coaster of emotions is like someone running a nail file over an exposed nerve. There is an inescapable arrogance to some of the developers' reactions, the kind of pretentiousness often attributed to an auteur, not unlike their most devoted fans, quick to bash a triple-A developer or franchise like "Call of Duty" for lacking personality. Are they wrong? You may disagree with the arrogance, but man, to see how people react to video games online is a sobering experience, and the unfiltered venom which comes with it is enough to curdle one's blood. And should there not be some great deal of pride for the sacrifices and efforts made by these men, devoted fans of the medium themselves? Can creators like Phil Fish be blamed for being obsessive perfectionists about their work, when they know better than anyone that all too often in the hyper-critical venue of video games that a game that fails to perform outstandingly is often quickly dismissed or disregarded at least, and at worst prompts death threats from psychotic consumers (no exaggeration, this has proved to be a reality). Shouldn't a community passionate about the hobby be more supportive? Perhaps this comes back to the great question about whether video games are art, when the proverbial thorn in the lion's paw is that video games have also been long associated with consumer products, and that the measure of its value is by definition a subjective one relative to one's enjoyment, even if on a superficial level.
There is an image presented in Indie Game: The Movie of what the quintessential "indie game developer" is, sometimes derisively referred to as a "hipster"; Phil Fish has the look in spades, but is this a fair estimate of the man as a person, or more so, as an artist? Do I honestly believe that Jonathan Blow is coding a video game from his laptop computer in a coffee shop, eating a blueberry muffin and drinking a cappuccino sprinkled with cinnamon? No; but I do believe that these men have worked exceedingly hard to produce a quality product with their audience's tastes in mind, and that requires an understanding of human nature and courage to take that risk. Any kind of venture is fraught with peril, and the leaps of faith the indie game designers presented in this film are just that, both financially and emotionally. Tommy comments that his hopes for "Super Meat Boy" to be a success is in part motivated by his desire to support the family who has cared for him his whole life, and panics when on the game's release day, it is not prominently featured as expected on the marketplace. Edmund recalls this kind of distinct form of expression dating back to his childhood, where his misunderstood artwork was encouraged by his late grandmother. Jonathan sees "Braid" as his way to open a channel of communication with the world; only, as he learns, not everyone will hear the same message, no matter how you say it. Phil describes the varied tribulations he has endured during the time he has been working on "Fez". Apart from his personal struggles with his friends and family, he has been involved in a legal battle for the ownership of his development studio, one which endangers the release of "Fez" and its debut at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX). This colors his big debut at the expo, and is compounded by an abundance of glitches, leading viewers of Indie Game: The Movie to expect an inevitable implosion. As he hovers behind each patron demoing his very personal creation, you can only wonder if he is desperately hoping they will love it--and him by association--or whether he is challenging them to dislike it, a la Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard with her script of "Salome". The creators' respective efforts involve unique and personal crises, sometimes contemplative, sometimes excruciatingly nerve wracking and intense, revealing key human fears and anxieties, the kind that come with reaching for the stars and attempting to pluck one from the sky. There is a brief shot near the end of Indie Game: The Movie where Phil is taking down the "Fez" booth at PAX, and he returns to Quebec, the camera staring out through the airplane window, looking out above the clouds...soaring aloft, as Phil is high on the praise he received at the show. This is the place the artist hope to find themselves--high up, floating, where one dares to dream.
Recommended for: Fans of a documentary about artists who committed themselves to produce not just an artistic expression, but a form of fun entertainment. It's especially interesting for fans of video games, true, but don't hesitate to watch it even if you are not, as it is a very frank and authentic inside look at the garage-level development of video games today.