Indie Game: The Movie

The game developing process. What goes into it? What are the stresses that one may endure? This documentary takes a fairly in depth look at the lives of 3 particular games being developed, and the personal lives of those creating it(Fez,Super Meat Boy and Braid). Focusing more on the positive and negative aspects of how the process effects the people involved is what draws you in. There is no acting, action, etc. just the real life drama that goes into deadlines, marketing, and all things aside from what code to put on what page. The presentation may not be for all viewers but it definitely is interesting to see where a person can snap, or reap the rewards of years of hard work even when others wrote them off as crazy. I was personally drawn into the inner conflicts that were shown to real feel the real life emotions. Must see for gamers, that is for sure, but also for a casual viewer, I believe that it is something interesting to see just what goes on day by day (they seem to keep hours like me). 6.4/10

I don't know how to react to this intriguing and engrossing documentary. We are voyeurs into the lives of a few Indie game computer programmers who produce and distribute their products alone, as against the vast corporation produced games we are more familiar with.

There are three different projects examined here in the run up to their release of their creations, and it's a rough and at times uncomfortable viewing. Their road to release is really quite hellish.

Very basic low budget filming puts the onus on the conversations with these programmers. In truth, of the four programmers it's hard to believe you'd wish to have a drink with three out of the four of them and in any case the other one is so busy he'd likely pass you up. Yet you still seem to empathise with them and the key of this documentary is how you do hang out to the end wishing them to succeed.

As said, at times you will feel uncomfortable watching these guys. They've all admitted to practically cutting themselves off from normality and having social lives, and it shows. One is married and that marriage seems to make him the most grounded something that becomes clearer as the film moves on when you compare him to the rest.

I'll state that I don't play computer games at all and have not done so for donkeys years, bar Angry Birds. So really the twee type of games these gamers are making appeals to me as I'm not familiar with the modern gaming market. I don't fully understand their world and maybe I never will, but I did like their products and maybe that's why I wanted the best for them.

However, I still admired these guys through their travails and stresses. The documentary doesn't build them as heroic but they are winners in my eyes no matter their quirks, and as viewers we are given a very broad overview of them to form our opinions.

Enjoyable and engrossing. I'd say it's worth a watch.

The filmmakers focused on four of the most eccentric, pretentious, controversial indie developers they could find -- three of whom were essentially starving themselves while working on their games. It makes for an entertaining film, but it doesn't really represent indie development. That being said: I watched the film 5 times. 9 stars.

Before the end of this movie, I cried, cried twice. I deeply realized that it is never ever easy for an ordinary man to get huge success. But there is still some chance to help you get here only if you are open-minded to yourself and throw yourself into the business totally, work hard, delay gratification, you'll see success beckons to you. To implement that goal, you need to have an extremely clear understanding of yourself, such as what you want most out of life, what you are best in, what things you are really really want to do, what's the goal of your life and so on. Now then you have the direction, the rest of the way is pursuing it, straining all your nerves to it. Don't worry when there's no any joys, no social in your along way, hold on, finally, you'll can't help crying out because you made it.

For many people, there is never a second thought going in to how a game is developed; they will never stop to think how it materialised into the finished piece of absorbing, slice of entertainment that they hold in their hand (or download manager!). This film helps to put human faces and personalities on to the development process, and offers a truly unique look into the pressure and personal sacrifices that can often be found for a new (or experienced) indie developer.

Make no mistake, this film will be interesting to you even if you are not much of an indie games fan yourself and you would rather stick with the shiny, big-budget productions such as Halo and Call of Duty. It might however, even go so far as to change your mind and give the underdogs a shot when looking for a new game. As this film shows, these somewhat socially-hermitted developers (due to their passion for perfection) go to extreme lengths to provide a thoroughly engrossing and enjoyable experience for you, the user. You will see them eat, breathe and live for their games, with the possibility of failure truly emphasised when they are asked what they might do if their game is a failure.

The film focuses on two major story lines, the development of two eagerly awaited indie games that are being developed by only a couple of highly-focused people for each game. You will begin to learn why they chose the hard-life they now live, how it has affected their social, emotional, physical and financial lives and you will most-likely develop a respect for these guys that you wouldn't necessarily associate with a game developer. Watching the stories unfold will leave you longing to know what is going to happen next, if they can overcome the problems they face; but mostly, if they are satisfied with the life they have chosen.

While the film could have benefited with perhaps waiting a little longer to allow for all of the stories to unfold fully, this is one of the best documentaries (and the first of its kind of this subject I have seen) released in the last few years, and I would urge anyone to watch it regardless of how much the behind-the-scenes of the indie game industry interests you.

Oh and of course, you should go and buy the games featured in this film because they are just as good as the developers describe them. You can check out the websites of the associated games and their developers to check out the progress they have made since the film was released, it will likely be of some interest to you after watching this!