Game Loading: Rise of the Indies is another documentary celebrating the Second Golden Age of Indie. Often referencing the indie game explosion of the early 80s, Game Loading broad strokes the new indie movement as an expression of individuality, creativity, art, and emotion.
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Although there are certainly some obvious similarities to Indie: The Movie, Game Loading gives the viewer a much less personal experience, but covers more ground. Game Loading spends a little time getting to know the folks who made Soundself, The Path, That Dragon, Cancer, Depression Quest, and The Stanley Parable. The movie actually spent quite a bit of time on The Stanley Parable, which was a huge hit and the one game in the movie with name recognition outside the indie circle.
The movie highlights a few points of interest for indie developers, like the indie scene at PAX East and the IGF awards, and a game jam on a train. Game Loading spends a frustrating small amount of time talking with John Romero, who still looks like a rock star. While Romero’s movie appearance is brief, it is also profound. The movie also spends a short amount of time with Zoe Quinn, who offers her perspective on harassment and misogyny.
Game Loading: Rise of the Indies is a good movie that could have been great. It tries to cover all the bases without going deep on any particular subject. The movie is appealing in its approach that anyone can make a game, but not every game succeeds. It covers some of the highs and lows that aspiring indie developers may need to know, but doesn’t get personal enough for the rest of us to care. An extra thirty minutes spent with the personalities in the movie could have made all the difference.
