Indie Game: The Movie

I want to highlight the moment where an über art geek almost cries because critics and players praise his game and yet misunderstand it, therefore, those evil, stupid bastards don’t understand it at all. I laughed from the bottom of my heart. Otherwise, it’s a well made, though a bit too eager documentary about a topic that I don’t find too interesting. (14.12.2012)

This isn’t a documentary in the real sense of the word; it looks ore like a feature-length version of a well-made Kickstarter video for a indie game creator’s product. Although this is about the independent game scene, it focuses exclusively on the trio FEZ, Braid and Super Meat Boy who, before, during and after the release, were enjoying considerable (well-deserved) media and even critical success; and commercial too. So in fact, it doesn’t address or even mention the “real" indie scene. It’s not about development, not a glance behind the scenes and so it’s primarily about four people. And about what they have to say. And although everybody here has something to say, with the exception of Jonathon Blow and Edmund McMillen they are just chewing the cud, while not saying anything of real worth. On the other hand, this does confirm that for someone to be a genius, they must also be a bit crazy or a complete jerk. Here everybody is unhinged to a greater or lesser extent (each in his own way). This is most surprising when it comes to Phil Fish who is a prime example of a self-centered, aggressive, trans-Atlantic douchebag who, judging by his arrogant demeanor, you might expect to spend his days trolling internet discussions (even though... maybe he really does, it would be no surprise) and not authoring something so boundlessly ingenious, calm and innovative as FEZ, another game that goes to show that the gaming scene can also produce works of art. (22.07.2013)