Info about Indie Game: The Movie: Official game description: Special Edition DLC =================== Special Edition DLC now available. With 100+ minutes of new epilogues & short films, the Indie Game: The Movie Special Edition DLC is another film's worth of stories, crafted by the directors of the original award-winning feature documentary. Find out about what happened after to the developers of Super Meat Boy & FEZ, and about other games and game creators. Update ====== Indie Game: The Movie has been updated with new languages, directors' commentary, trading cards & achievements. About the Game ============== Follow the creation of the games Super Meat Boy, Braid and FEZ through this Sundance award-winning feature documentary. Critic’s Pick of the New York Times and declared a “Must See” by Ain’t It Cool News. Watch the full theatrical cut in 1080p HD. After almost two years of painstaking work, designer Edmund McMillen and programmer Tommy Refenes await the release of their first major game for Xbox, Super Meat Boy—the adventures of a skinless boy in search of his girlfriend, who is made of bandages. At PAX, a major video-game expo, developer Phil Fish unveils his highly anticipated, four-years-in-the-making FEZ. Jonathan Blow considers beginning a new game after creating Braid, one of the highest-rated games of all time. First-time filmmaking duo Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky capture the emotional journey of these developers as they sacrifice money, health and sanity to realize their lifelong dreams of sharing their games with the world. Four developers, three games, and one ultimate goal— to express oneself through a video game. Features: --------- * 1080P, full HD video application. * ‘Team Meat’ Audio Commentary Track: Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes provide their various insights throughout the film. Hilarious, informative and sometimes outright lies. It’s a great compliment to the film. * Subtitle / Language Support: Arabic, Chinese (traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish and Ukraine. * Video Extras: Assorted video pieces produced during the production of the film. Festivals: ---------- * 2012 Sundance Official Selection World Documentary Competition
 * 2012 Sundance Winner for Best Editing in World Documentary Cinema
 * 2012 South by Southwest Official Selection
 * 2012 Hot Docs Festival Official Selection * 2012 Sheffield Doc/Fest Official Selection Release date: Jun 12, 2012 Categories: Interactive Documentary, Interactive Movie, FMV (Full-Motion Video), Video Playback, Achievement Hunting, Mini-game Collection, Non-combat Feature scans: - MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair / Traditional DLC; summary: The reviews concern the film Indie Game: The Movie and its Special Edition DLC. Reviewers describe the DLC as worthwhile extra content, and one review notes that achievements require purchasing it. Other feedback contains general industry criticism about gacha and exploitative DLC, but no review states that this title has a real-money shop, paid power, loot boxes, or in-game microtransactions. The Real Money Gate is not passed, and the traditional DLC or achievement gating cannot push the score above 20. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00 - Reasoning: Reviews cluster around the current $9.99 base price. One reviewer calls the $10 tag 'perfect' and explicitly says it should not be a barrier, while another considers it 'fairly high' and advises waiting for a sale, indicating the upper bound of perceived fairness sits near $10. The translated Chinese review judges the $10 base package as reasonable value given roughly 150 minutes of main content plus extras, and the translated Portuguese review affirms the purchase is worthwhile for interested players. DLC and MTX pricing was excluded from consideration. Taken together, the community treats $10 as an acceptable ceiling with clear willingness to buy lower when discounted, placing the fair base-game range roughly between $5 and $10. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 7.0h - Story completion: 1.6h - Session length: N/A - Endgame: 2.2h - Reasoning: gameCompletion is set to 7 hours from a reviewer who reports watching the movie, all extras, and the Team Meat commentary for about 7 hours of total footage. storyCompletion is set to 1.6 hours because multiple runtime reports cluster around 94-103 minutes (roughly 1.5-1.7 hours) for the main film; one review claims nearly 150 minutes, but that is not supported by the other reports. endgame is set to 2.2 hours because the base extras add 30 minutes and the DLC adds 100 minutes of special episodes plus a mini-game. sessionLength is null because no reliable typical session length is reported. - Time-to-fun: No data - Player Archetypes: - Indie Scene Advocate (buy) - Motivation: To champion independent game creativity and its history against mainstream corporate games. - Playstyle: Watches the documentary as an industry story and advocacy piece, reflecting on indie development rather than gameplay. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: Braid - Aspiring Game Creator (buy) - Motivation: To gain inspiration, perseverance, and insight for making games. - Playstyle: Watches as a motivational and educational documentary and follows developer backstories. - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - Achievement Completionist (buy) - Motivation: To complete every achievement and unlock all bonus content. - Playstyle: Achievement hunting with DLC, hidden minigame, and guide consultation. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - Curious General Viewer (buy) - Motivation: To watch an inspiring and accessible documentary about creative people. - Playstyle: Passive, casual viewing with no prior experience in the featured games. - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Honest portrayal of indie struggles (weight 0.66): The documentary depicts the harsh realities of indie game development, including financial difficulties, psychological strain, and personal sacrifices. It offers an intimate and honest look at the passion, struggles, and triumphs of indie developers. - Profiles Braid, FEZ, Super Meat Boy (weight 0.41): The film specifically tells the stories behind the creators of Braid, FEZ, and Super Meat Boy, covering their development journeys from start to release. It provides a true dive into the turmoil and challenges surrounding these three notable indie games. - Unique creativity of indie games (weight 0.3): Indie games are seen as offering unique, personality-driven experiences that differ from homogenized big-budget titles. They allow developers to express themselves in an author-oriented way, providing an alternative form of fun. - Personal and immersive developer insights (weight 0.21): The documentary is immersive and personal, letting viewers get to know the developers behind the games. It is worth watching for the valuable insights from the developers themselves. - Highly praised game documentary (weight 0.21): Many viewers consider it one of the best video game documentaries they know. It is regarded as a very good documentary about indie games. - Invaluable insight into indie development (weight 0.21): The film provides powerful insight into the world of programming and creativity in indie game development. It highlights the difficulties faced during the development process. - Well-crafted and enjoyable viewing (weight 0.2): The film is well shot, easy to watch, and a delight to see. It is described as an interesting watch. - Amazing and gripping documentary (weight 0.2): Viewers found the documentary amazing, enjoyable, and gripping. It was a good watch overall. - Inspiring and great documentary (weight 0.14): The documentary is great and inspiring to watch. It is considered a really good documentary. - Resonates on personal level (weight 0.14): The film resonates and connects with viewers on a personal level. It creates a strong personal connection with the reviewer. - Struggles and rise of developers (weight 0.14): The documentary shows the struggles, climb, and rise of indie developers. It covers their hopes, thoughts, and challenges. - Difficulties and sacrifices of development (weight 0.14): The film focuses on developers struggling to create great games and make a living from it. It shows the difficulties and sacrifices required for game development. - Fantastic and exceeded expectations (weight 0.13): The movie was fantastic and exceeded expectations. Viewers were highly satisfied. - Inspiring for aspiring developers (weight 0.13): The movie is inspiring for people interested in indie game development or game development in general. It has more in common with gaming than many video games. - Heart and soul in games (weight 0.12): Shows how much heart and soul developers put into their games. It highlights developers pouring themselves into a game rather than just making a conveyor product. Common complaints: - Subtitle and localization issues (weight 0.44): Reviewers report missing Portuguese and other subtitles in special edition content, and note that Chinese subtitles are Traditional instead of Simplified. Russian subtitles have profanity, spelling errors, and go off-screen, while extras lack subtitles entirely. - Indie game industry struggles (weight 0.37): The industry is extremely difficult and exhausting, with developers facing pressure, online attacks, and sacrifices. The indie market is saturated with quick-money products, worsening the environment. - Mini-game achievement frustration (weight 0.37): Many players find the hidden mini-game required for the 'Game Master' achievement frustratingly difficult, often requiring memorization of indie game characters and trial and error. Some feel it is hard to complete without a guide. - Technical playback problems (weight 0.31): The app requires Adobe Flash, does not remember playback position, lacks rewind and fast-forward functionality, and cannot be downloaded or viewed in the library. The default Linux build also fails on Steam Deck. - Negative portrayal of developers (weight 0.3): Developers come across as disturbed, arrogant, and self-entitled, making themselves look terrible. The film focuses on their neuroses and presents a dirty scene, with some appearing unlikeable. - DLC and achievement issues (weight 0.29): The DLC should have been included in the base game, and full achievements require DLC. There is an achievement bug in August 2016 and the Behind the Scenes achievement requires manual file manipulation. - Phil Fish segments criticized (weight 0.25): Phil Fish's segments are considered the weakest and not insightful, with his first solo scene being off-putting. Many find him melodramatic and focusing on his issues. - Documentary lacks balance (weight 0.25): The film only follows successful projects and omits failed ones, so viewers miss the full spectrum. It focuses mostly on lows, with few highs, and is not an informative overview of indie development. - Pretentious and uninformative content (weight 0.2): Some parts are hard to watch due to pretentious artists complaining about being misunderstood. The reviewer learned nothing, feels a Wikipedia page would be more informative, and finds it not informative. - Pricing concerns (weight 0.19): The movie costs $10 and Steam charges far more than other sources, making the price seem fairly high. - Focus on personal struggles over development (weight 0.19): The film is an extremely personal look at developers, sometimes very intimate, and forgets about actual game development. Reviewers wanted more about how games were made. - Not touching or impactful (weight 0.18): The film is not particularly touching or impactful, and non-English speakers may not feel empathy. It is just average level. - Too beautiful, lacks cruelty (weight 0.17): The film is too beautiful and decorated with more bright sides than dark sides, lacking the cruelty of real indie development. - Phil Fish's personal struggles (weight 0.14): Phil Fish endured immense pressure and verbal attacks during FEZ development, leading him to leave the industry due to too much pain. - Negative comments affect developers (weight 0.14): Negative comments took a toll on developers, some left the internet, and few supporters and developers get attacked online. - Lack of diverse developer stories (weight 0.13): Reviewers wish the film featured developers who struggled or found little success, and wanted more interesting personalities in the gamedev sphere. - Gameplay and interactivity issues (weight 0.13): There are no buttons to press and no discernible way to defeat enemies, making the experience feel non-interactive. - Repetitive and meaningless segments (weight 0.13): Some segments are repetitive and meaningless, and the film feels like 94 minutes of crying and complaining. - Wanted more truthful depiction (weight 0.13): Reviewers wish the film had been more truthful and shown that indie game production is rough, rather than focusing on neuroses. - Dislike of specific developers (weight 0.08): Reviewers dislike the inclusion of Phil Fish and Jonathan Blow, calling their comments self-righteous. Gameplay feedback: - Hidden mini-game for achievement (weight 0.51): The movie includes a hidden mini-game where players must recognize indie game characters by name to earn an achievement. The achievement is considered easy to complete. - Documentary covers Braid Super Meat Boy Fez (weight 0.37): The documentary focuses on the creation and development of three influential indie games: Braid, Super Meat Boy, and Fez. It provides in-depth coverage of these games and their developers. - Follows lives of indie developers (weight 0.36): The film profiles four indie developers, exploring their personal stories and the challenges they face. It is a character-driven documentary rather than a broad overview of the indie scene. - Behind-the-scenes of indie development (weight 0.36): The documentary provides a behind-the-scenes look at indie game development, including coding sessions, financial risks, and the creative process. It also features interviews about motivations and challenges. - Extra materials and mini-game included (weight 0.31): The release includes extra materials such as interviews, commentary, and a mini-game based on indie game characters. The Special Edition DLC adds more content focusing on lesser-known indie games. - Documentary format and focus (weight 0.25): The film is described as a documentary about creating something important to the creator and the person behind the game. It is presented in a video journal format. - Includes director and Team Meat commentary (weight 0.21): The release includes audio commentary tracks from the director and Team Meat, offering additional insights into the film and the games. This is a notable extra feature. - Mini-game for achievement farming (weight 0.19): Some users note that the movie can be used for farming achievements via its mini-game, which involves quick identification and memory skills. This adds a gameplay element to the documentary. - Documentary about indie scene 2009-2012 (weight 0.15): The documentary covers the indie game scene from 2009 to 2012, focusing on the launch phase of indie game development. It highlights the experiences of various indie creators during that period. - Runtime and DLC content (weight 0.14): The main film runs about 150 minutes with 30 minutes of extras, while the DLC is about 100 minutes and includes a mini-game. This provides substantial additional content. - Features Super Meat Boy footage (weight 0.08): The documentary includes footage from Super Meat Boy, showcasing gameplay and development. This is a specific highlight for fans of the game. - Movie with additional scenes (weight 0.07): It is primarily a movie, not a game, but includes additional scenes and extras. This distinguishes it from interactive media. Performance notes: - Broken Linux build on Steam Deck (weight 0.08): Cluster 2 reports that the default Linux build fails to run on Steam Deck, preventing users from playing on that popular handheld platform without workarounds. - Flash dependency limits access (weight 0.08): Cluster 1 indicates the game requires Adobe Flash to run, which is outdated and no longer supported on most modern systems, creating a significant barrier for potential players. Recommendations: - Highly recommended for indie enthusiasts (weight 0.66): Many reviewers strongly recommend this documentary to indie game fans and enthusiasts, highlighting its appeal to those passionate about indie games. It is frequently described as a must-watch for anyone interested in the indie game scene. - Valuable for aspiring game developers (weight 0.48): Reviewers recommend this documentary for people who dream of becoming game developers or are interested in the development process. It offers insights into the realities of indie game creation. - Appeals to broad gaming audience (weight 0.44): Many recommend the documentary for all gamers, industry professionals, and anyone involved in gaming culture. It is seen as a must-watch for those passionate about video games. - Inspiring for creative individuals (weight 0.37): Reviewers suggest the film is perfect for artists, creators, and anyone who appreciates the creative process. It resonates with those pursuing personal projects or dreams. - DLC and extras are worth it (weight 0.35): Several reviewers recommend purchasing the DLC or special edition, stating the extras are worth buying for those who enjoyed the film. Some specifically advise getting the DLC if you understand English. - Essential for fans of specific games (weight 0.3): Fans of Braid, Super Meat Boy, and Fez are especially encouraged to watch, as familiarity with these games enhances the experience. Knowing the three games is strongly advised to fully enjoy the documentary. - Watch on YouTube or wait for sale (weight 0.28): Some suggest watching on YouTube if you don't mind, or waiting for a sale due to the fairly high price. Others recommend checking other sources instead of Steam. - Mixed and negative opinions exist (weight 0.22): A few reviewers do not recommend the documentary or advise against buying it, citing disappointment or lack of interest. Some consider it a waste of time. - Offers psychological and cultural insights (weight 0.19): One reviewer recommends it for those interested in human psychology, while another says it's especially for those who doubt gaming is a cultural thing. It may change your view on games. - Great for casual viewing (weight 0.19): Some recommend it for a relaxing couple of hours, and it's worth watching for all players. It's also a rare good game according to one reviewer. - Recommended for industry professionals (weight 0.19): A few reviewers recommend it specifically for those working in the industry, such as CEOs, to remind them why people make games, and for everyone involved in gaming culture. - Suitable for non-gamers to understand (weight 0.15): Reviewers suggest it's a perfect movie for non-gamers to understand the gaming universe, and for anyone who loves stories of pursuing dreams. - Watch if you dream of indie development (weight 0.15): One reviewer says watch it if you dream of being an indie developer, and another recommends it for anyone who aspires to produce a game. - May change your perspective (weight 0.14): One reviewer says it may change your view on games, and another says they will never bash a game again after watching. - Achievements are a minor draw (weight 0.12): A couple of reviewers mention that getting 100% achievements is worth it, but it's not necessary to buy the game solely for achievements. - Must watch for documentary fans (weight 0.08): It is suitable for documentary fans or game enthusiasts and worth watching carefully, according to some reviews. - Watch if you think devs are rich (weight 0.08): One reviewer suggests watching if you think every game developer is rich, implying the documentary reveals the financial realities of indie development. - Not for children due to language (weight 0.07): One reviewer advises against showing the documentary to children because it lacks censorship, likely due to strong language or mature content. - Check other sources instead of Steam (weight 0.07): One reviewer advises checking other sources rather than Steam for this content, possibly due to availability or pricing. Other player notes: - Focus on iconic indie developers (weight 0.99): The documentary centers on the creators of Braid, Super Meat Boy, and Fez, detailing their personal stories and development journeys. It highlights the challenges and triumphs of these influential indie developers. - Struggles of indie game development (weight 0.65): The film portrays the hardships and difficulties faced by independent game developers as they strive to create and release their games. It emphasizes the emotional and financial struggles inherent in indie development. - Available on Steam as documentary (weight 0.48): The product is sold on Steam as a documentary film, not a game. Many users note that it is one of the few remaining viewable videos on the platform. - Bonus content and commentary tracks (weight 0.39): The release includes bonus features such as commentary tracks by the directors and Team Meat, as well as other extra materials. These additions provide deeper insight into the filmmaking and development processes. - Runtime and format details (weight 0.3): The documentary is approximately 103 minutes long and is presented in 1080p resolution. These technical specifications are frequently mentioned in reviews. - Hidden mini-game and extras (weight 0.25): A hidden mini-game called 'Indie Game: The Movie: The Game' by Edmund McMillen is included, along with trading cards and achievements. These extras add interactive elements for viewers. - Multi-language subtitles available (weight 0.25): The documentary includes subtitles in a dozen languages, making it accessible to a wide audience. However, some special edition content lacks Portuguese subtitles. - Behind-the-scenes and interviews (weight 0.15): The film features behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with indie developers, offering an intimate look at their creative processes. This content is frequently praised for its authenticity. - Indie vs AAA contrast (weight 0.14): The documentary explores the differences between independent game development and large corporate AAA studios. It highlights the creative freedom and constraints of each approach. - DLC required for achievements (weight 0.13): Some reviews note that all achievements require purchasing additional DLC. This has been a point of contention for some users. Emotions: - Inspiration (weight 0.13): The documentary portrays the passion, perseverance, and personal sacrifices of indie game developers, motivating viewers to pursue their own creative projects. Seeing enthusiastic developers succeed despite struggles, and witnessing their emotional turmoil, encourages reviewers to engage in game development or coding for fun. - Admiration (weight 0.09): Viewers admire the dedication, artistic vision, and sacrifices of indie developers who endure hardship to express themselves through games. The film highlights the unique creativity and sincerity of these developers, earning applause and respect from the audience. - Appreciation (weight 0.08): The documentary is appreciated for its professional quality, educational value, and focus on developers' experiences. It fills a rare gap by providing insight into game development, with well-executed visuals, music, and localization, making it a love letter to artistic creation. - Disappointment (weight 0.07): Some viewers were disappointed by missing translations or subtitles for DLC and extras, subtitle display issues, and a lack of balanced coverage that showed more lows than highs. Others felt the documentary did not meet expectations for an informative behind-the-scenes look or failed to provide empathy and inspiration. - Frustration (weight 0.06): Frustration arose from technical issues such as lack of rewind functionality, achievement bugs, and a hidden mini-game that required extensive trial and error. Additionally, some found the developers off-putting or were frustrated by a positive review that belittled game developers. - Moved (weight 0.04): The documentary moved viewers through the vulnerability, sacrificial passion, and emotional stories of indie developers. Their hardships, resembling those of artists in other forms, and their serious dedication despite challenges evoked a deep emotional response. - Interest (weight 0.04): The film sparked interest by offering a look into the previously unknown world of indie game development, including creators' personal stories and sacrifices. It appealed to both game enthusiasts and those less familiar with games. - Sadness (weight 0.03): Sadness stemmed from the struggles and depression of developers depicted in the film, as well as the pain, despair, fear, and anguish they experienced during launch periods. Some also felt sadness over harsh realities not shown in the documentary. - Connection (weight 0.03): The documentary created a close connection between the viewer and the developers, making viewers feel personally linked to the subjects and the games. It resonated with reviewers' own dreams of becoming game developers. - Sympathy (weight 0.03): Viewers felt sympathy for the difficult lives and hardships faced by indie developers, including struggles with negative comments and development hell, such as that of Fez. - Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Reviewers enjoyed the documentary, watching it multiple times without getting tired of it, and considered it a really good film. - Empathy (weight 0.03): The documentary's cinematic scenes and narration brought viewers closer to the indie developers' lives, allowing them to empathize with the developers' experiences and openly shared moments that touched the soul. - Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance was caused by the need for Adobe Flash to run the movie, a Russian translation containing profanity and spelling errors, and the film's focus on emotional breakdowns and Phil Fish's behavior. - Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise came from the film's emotional depth and thought-provoking content, as well as discovering hidden aspects behind the curtain of game development. Some were initially surprised to find it was a movie rather than a game. - Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude was felt for the developers finding connection with others and for the film opening viewers' eyes to the fun of indie games. - Reflection (weight 0.01): Reflection was prompted by questioning whether the game industry or the viewer had changed, and by the harsh reality that many indie developers fail, leading to thoughts about paying more when buying bundles. - Dislike (weight 0.01): Dislike was directed at Phil Fish's behavior in his first solo scene and at developers who came across as disturbed, arrogant, and self-entitled. - Realization (weight 0.01): The documentary led to the realization that indie game development involves significant financial and psychological difficulties beyond simple controls. - Self-reflection (weight 0.01): Viewers engaged in self-reflection by comparing their own lack of passion to the developers' dedication. - Touched (weight 0.01): Viewers were touched by the documentary's portrayal of the effort, risk, and fear that developers feel.}