Indie Game: The Movie
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.
– Real player with 26.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best Documentary Indie Games.
The struggling artist is a trope that we’re all familiar with, but most of us don’t associate it with video game developers. That is pretty understandable because until 2009 or so the only games we saw were big-budget games being put out by large corporations. With the indie game scene exploding in the last few years, it became much more obvious that there were people making games purely out of passion; people who put their financial stability and reputations on the line to create something beautiful. And that’s art.
– Real player with 10.8 hrs in game
Portal 2 - The Final Hours
I bought this game along with Portal and Portal 2. I read a little bit of it earlier but I really read a lot yesterday (I was on a plane, hence the low playtime,) and even finished it. Portal 2 - The Final Hours covers the development, release and post release of Portal 2 inside of Valve. If you like betas, like the Half-Life 2 beta, this is for you. I also reccomend checking out The Final Hours of Half-Life 2. Look it up online and there is a free version.
What makes this so different, though? For starters, it includes interactive content. The second picture (Destroy Aperture) is my favourite, as you can use the mouse to destroy some areas in Aperture Laboratories! There is also music that you can listen to, like the songs that inspired the soundtrack of Portal 2, and lots of pictures. There are chapters and polls even.
– Real player with 25.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Documentary Story Rich Games.
This is my very first interactive e-book. I’m a bit suspect to say anything regarding this e-book (since I’m a crazy lover of the Portal series - and of Valve, their brilliant creators), but I loved this SO MUCH! I was honestly expecting more of a screenshots/pictures showcase and a few gadgets here and there with a little bit of text, but reading about each team and each developer of this game and the problems they’ve faced in this journey was an amazing experience. I always admired Valve products, even before falling in deep love with Portal, and I knew making games as part of such a huge (and world-class famous) company was a tough task, but I REALLY underestimated how complex the process of game creation could be.
– Real player with 6.0 hrs in game
The Book of Distance
What can I say that hasn’t been said already?
About 30 minutes, not much to “do” but so much to read & feel.
You’ll need a solid 1.5m x 1.5m space to get the full effect.
Ok, enough with the technical stuff…
Such a wonderful VR experience!!! Just wow.
It resonated with me so much, (lens got foggy, something in my eye…both eyes, weird) as I am first generation after my father immigrated to the United States.
He worked very hard & for almost nothing for decades to provide for our family. We were very poor, no Nike’s or name brand stuff but always had food.
– Real player with 1.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Documentary Interactive Fiction Games.
This game is a great way to introduce VR to beginners.
Truth be told I did not believe the other review when they said it will make u cry.
The first 3 minutes when i played this the atmosphere just captured my attention and It made me teared up because of the ambient. From the tone of the narrator to his father’s point of view. It got me on edge. Granted there are a few flaws in the game. But from the way The game was made and told You know that the developers wanted to capture the story telling. Making an immersive experience. Keep in mind that this story is a sad one.
– Real player with 1.1 hrs in game
Once Upon a Sea
Once Upon a Sea is a poetic, interactive XR documentary telling the tragic tale of the legendary Dead Sea. Through a physical exploration of the sea’s forbidden, moonlike landscapes, to intimate encounters with local characters, the user gets a rare glimpse into one of the world’s most dangerous, soon to be extinct, wonders. Centuries of human intervention and political neglect have turned the Dead Sea into a precarious place. Its water levels have dropped dramatically, leaving behind sinkholes and collapsing beaches. The experience offers a deep insight into the complexity and very human impact of this ecological and geopolitical crisis. Once Upon a Sea is our call to action.