Reviews

• gamedeal user

  Jun 14, 2014

  After watching this movie I have a whole new outlook and admiration for anyone who inspires or any small indie game developer.Since I've been on steam I have reviewed over 20 games .All the other games I either liked or found ok and was just too lazy to review as sometimes I feel who really cares what I think.Having said that who I'm to decide who likes or dislikes a game.I've giving 1 bad review that I have since deleted.I will never for any reason bash a game for as long as I continue to play them. This movie has opened my eyes to what really goes on behind scenes .Kudos to all Indie game developers.
• gamedeal user

  Oct 2, 2014

  [b]Before you ask "Why is a movie on Steam?!", allow for me to give you an explanation:[/b] Indie Game The Movie is so much more than your average movie/documentary as it allows ANYONE remotely interested in the gaming industry to gain some powerful insight into the world of programming and creativeness as well as the obstacles that often come with it. What makes this so much more special is that it's all coming from indie developers (indie = independent). Video games today are becoming arguably less interesting, unique or fun. A prominent example would be the Call of Duty series. This is often due to corporations or big companies pressuring developers to not take risks, to follow a formula or to indulge in what has been termed "shady game practices". I'm talking about controversial DLC or downloadable content (now associated with small content cut from the main game and sold for a large price afterwards), lack of support after a title's release, paid reviews, and more. Go back roughly 2 decades and there was a time when: developers were always seeking to create unique experiences for all platforms, there was never any hesitation to release free additional expansion packs and the consumer base weren't treated like buffoons and were engaged with directly. Indie games or indie developers are essentially a revival of that golden age of gaming. It's true, the indie scene have been around even in the early 1990s but due to advancing technology, growing expectations and an increasingly competitive market (consoles, PCs and other gaming platforms) - small teams have become big teams and these teams have since sought companies that will fund their large projects. Viewed initially by many as a good thing, it's attributed to what the majority now term a "gradual decline in game ingenuity". Indie is the response to that. So that's what Indie Game The Movie is all about. It showcases what it means to be indie and some of the big names behind the indie rebirth in the late 2000s. Braid; Super Meat Boy; Fez. Video games which are now extremely recognizable but only because of how different they were to what else was being offered to gamers at the time. "Different" comes at a cost though. Risk. The teams behind these 3 video games contained groups as big as 5 people or as small as just 2. Not only was their life sacrificed but money, wellbeing and in most cases, time, that could have been spent looking for a job elsewhere (that wasn't dominated by well-known series and developers). You will personally see the payoff in making something that's your own and that you can share; despite how impossible it may seem at first or the light at the end of the tunnel appearing dimmer than ever. This is especially true with Fez. Fez took 5 long years and a large chunk is spent on Phil Fish. Sympathy, disappointment and joy is what I felt when I saw the development journey or rather, development hell, of Fez. At the same time, Fish is also tackling the ongoing stigma against video games and hoping to prove it wrong. For example: video games are often viewed as a lower form of entertainment and that they can't express ideas and concepts as well as any other medium. Incredibly, all 3 indie games later go on to be some of the most critically-acclaimed video games of all time. You may never have heard of them before or never realized that something like Minecraft or Amnesia was made with very little manpower but after this experience: you will hopefully begin to respect and appreciate this great twist in the gaming industry. I've always supported indie games and my expectations are time and time again blown away due to the chances taken by the amazing people behind these typically ambitious projects. Being indie was something that was initially laughed at or not taken as seriously as it should've been, and Indie Game The Movie goes to great lengths to make you believe and feel like you're a part of the indie scene. That's why Indie Game The Movie is so good. I've never witnessed anything like it before, let alone for something video game-related. It's professionally made, has a great soundtrack and if you buy the Steam version: has tons of extras, additional commentary (from the developers themselves) and a hidden video game! If you do like Indie Game The Movie: buy the DLC "Special Edition DLC". It focuses on more lesser known indies and also follows up the 3 main indie game teams after Indie Game The Movie was finished in production. If you're even remotely interested in the gaming industry and want to know what it's like to be indie - get this now. The $10 price tag is perfect and shouldn't be a barrier for anyone. I'm giving this documentary a score of 8.5/10. [h1]P.S. If you like these reviews and want to see more of the same, you're more than welcome to follow my curator page. If you don't like curators or groups, I completely understand (I'm not a big fan either). It's just a much easier way to find old and new reviews I've made:[/h1] http://steamcommunity.com/groups/rblc#curation
• gamedeal user

  Nov 29, 2022

  Emotional and inspiring documentary.
• gamedeal user

  Nov 6, 2014

  Worst game I've ever played I loved the cutscenes though
• gamedeal user

  Dec 10, 2022

  A fantastic, personal look at the endeavor of creating something important to the creator, and not just video games. I am sure anyone who would endeavor to create anything has gone through many of the emotions that the subjects of the film have. I imagine it was almost entirely by chance, but the 3 games in this were all massive hits (I am yet to play the FEZ). I wish that they had been able to find someone that had struggled and only found moderate to little success. Not to see the failure of a project, but to learn from that aspect of the human experience. Maybe not focus on them, but to get another view of the creative process. We've all seen a ton of documentary films that have great premises but are flat out awful, poorly made, or just plain dull. This not the case here: The film makers are talented and put together a very enjoyable film to watch and learn from. They ask the right questions, show real emotion and educate, all while entertaining. If you love video games or have ever tried to take on a personal project that had turned out to be a MUCH bigger endeavor than you expected, do yourself a favor and watch this.
• gamedeal user

  Apr 7, 2023

  Jonathan Blow crying about Soulja Boy will never not be funny
• gamedeal user

  Aug 1, 2013

  Main Feature: A candid look into indie game development. We follow Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes of Team Meat through uncertain times during the development of Super Meat Boy. From the insane three month crunch to finish their project to Microsoft's careless handling of their release, it's a harrowing journey. We also follow Polytron's Phil Fish and the drama spiral that surrounds him. He struggles to release Fez, his passion project in development for nearly 5 years, despite a bevy of roadblocks. Like him or hate him the film provides an honest look at the personal difficulties and pressures that affected the game's turbulent development. Fish seems open and vulnerable here, far separated from the man making headlines for inane, egotistical comments. There are also interviews with other indie developers, such as Jonathan Blow (Braid) who provides some unique insight into the indie movement and how developers try to connect meaningfully with their audience. Extras: The extras include some mini-featurettes showing details of the film's production, trailers, a few interviews with other indie developers, and a Super Meat Boy featurette. But by far the greatest extras are the two commentary tracks. The developer's commentary provides lots of interesting technical information about the film, behind-the-scenes exclusives, funny anecdotes, and more. It adds a ton of new information worthy of a second viewing. The second commentary is done by Edmund and Tommy from Team Meat and it is absolutely hilarious as they riff and joke with each other while watching themselves on-screen. It is highly entertaining and especially great to see their sense of humor come out despite the somewhat dark and depressing nature of the film. Special Edition: The special edition adds epilogues for the featured developers to see where they are now. There are also featurettes showcasing some of the criticisms they have received, such as Phil's infamous commentary on Japanese games, and featurettes on Braid, Edmund's other games, and a number of other indie games like Spelunky. There's over 100 minutes of extra content as well as a hidden game to play. Team Meat returns with their hilarious commentary on all the new footage and it is just as entertaining as their previous commentary. This edition adds Steam achievements and trading cards. Limited Edition Blu-Ray Box Set: Only available directly from the IGTM website. This includes everything above, a Steam key for IGTM + Special Edition on Steam, a bunch of physical extras, and an exclusive bonus disc. The extra disc adds about 2 more hours of content, including the entire GDC interview panel. There is also a director Q&A from a film screening and a featurette where the directors explain how the movie was made. Finally, there are 8 new developer interviews, including a lengthy discussion with Edmund McMillen about The Binding of Isaac.
• gamedeal user

  Jan 25, 2016

  A documentary for gamers. And developers. It's for me. And you.
• gamedeal user

  Jun 14, 2012

  Amazing, pretty much a perfect representation of what it's like to work as an indie.
• gamedeal user

  Jul 20, 2012

  A must watch for all gamers.