Stuff We Like #1: Video game projects
I like stuff. You like stuff. Everyone likes some form of stuff.
Said stuff is not always related to the kind of work I do but in some way drives me to do more and do better. That's my favourite kind of stuff.
I always liked to collect stuff, catalogue it and sometimes share it. It can be movies, TV shows, video games, YouTube videos, records or articles I often save to Evernote.
Instead of just sitting on my ever growing pile of stuff I thought I'd create a series of blog posts to share some of it and give context on why it resonated with me.
Maybe these posts can themselves become stuff you collect and share.
This first edition will be dedicated to video games. This is not a list of “10 video games you need to play” but rather a list focused on video game related projects.
Indie Game: The Movie
Directed by James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajor, this documentary follows the journey of the indie developers behind Super Meat Boy, Fez and Braid.
This is a good behind the scenes to an industry ruled by AAA game companies and how smaller teams can make their mark in it. It’s easy to forget, when browsing an online video game store (like PSN or eShop) just the amount of work and dedication that went on each one of the games behind the thumbnails we’re seeing.
I like this documentary because of its focus on the creators, their methodology, process and how their projects affect their lives.
Cuphead
Cuphead is a unique game by a myriad of reasons: art style, gameplay, the story behind its creation, just how hard it is to beat it, among many others.
I have a love-hate relationship with Cuphead: I love the art style and how it was made but I hate losing 40 times in a row against Grim Matchstick.
Putting my lack of skill aside, it’s hard not to be enamoured by this game as we learn about the 2D hard drawn style, very reminiscent from early 30s cartoons, and the live jazz soundtrack.
I like this video by GameSpot because they dive deep into the each individual aspect of the game’s creation with the team at StudioMDHR.
Hellblade: Development Diary
Developed by Ninja Theory, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a third person action game where we play as Senua, a Celtic warrior travelling to the depths of Viking Hell in search of the soul of her lover.
In this diary we follow the team at Ninja Theory in every step of the development of the game. From storyboarding to character design to motion capture to designing a cover for the official Playstation magazine. It really feels like there’s a bit of every department involved in the game here.
I like it because it’s a rare, technical and very detailed look into a usually closed process.
How the inventor of Mario designs a game
Produced by Vox, this 6-minute video dives into how one the most influential creators in the industry thinks. If you’ve ever played Zelda or Super Mario you have Shigeru Miyamoto to thank.
I like this one because in a bite-sized video Vox is not only able to tell us a bit about Miyamoto’s background story but also how of his key principles influenced games for generations.
