Branching Paths, a documentary by Anne Ferrero which offers a close look into the Japanese indie game scene, has just been released. Filmed over the course of two years, it documents how Japan's indie and doujin developers struggle with a lack of visibility and appreciation - not just at home, but worldwide - and how this evolves over time. Featuring not only Japanese developers but also international devs who chose to live in Japan, and visiting the most important events such as the Tokyo Game Show or BitSummit, it paints a broad, varied picture of a truly interesting scene.

Thankfully, the documentation spends relatively little time on the big names. While the likes of Kenji Inafune and Koji Igarashi get their say, the spotlight rests on lesser known creators such as Nanmo and Nigoro, Lexaloffle, Aliceeffekt, or ZUN. And this works just as well: learning about Ojiro Fumoto (Moppin) and his sudden success with Downwell made me so much happier than all of Indie Game: The Movie combined, as it emerged from some common ground. It didn't feel like some extraordinary success story, but rather something that could happen to just about anyone working in games. We need more of these little stories. Indie gaming doesn't define itself through a few successful individuals, but rather through the diversity and community it creates, and Branching Paths offers a fascinating glimpse into that.
The lovely soundtrack by Low High Who" deserves special mention. Overall, Br...