Let's take the example of one of Edmund's past projects, Aether. The game follows a
young child as he explores space with a strange, octopus-like creature. As the boy explores the various planets and
stars, he meets many of the various planets denizens, most of whom have
problems or fears that the boy must solve.
But, as the boy solves more and more the creatures’ problems, the
smaller the Earth becomes until he tries returning at the end of the game, and
the earth shatters under his weight. This
concept might seem bizarre to the outsider, but to Edmund, the game had deep
artistic and psychological meaning.
According to Edmund, the game itself is a commentary on the dangers of
isolation and obsession, for the boy is so focused on solving the creatures’
problems (which are the same problems Edmund experienced as a child, including
painful stomach aches and extreme loneliness) that he forgets, and eventually
destroys, his connection to Earth and the real world. In many ways, this reflected Edmund’s
experiences as a child, when he lived with his grandmother due to a poor
relationship with his stepfather, and often felt isolated within himself and
his graphic artwork. To truly convey how
much this game means to Edmund, the filmmakers of Indie Game: the Movie often compare the gameplay of Aether to some of Edmund’s childhood
drawings, with one particular drawing of young Edmund imagining himself in
space eerily resembling the game as a whole, as if the young Edmund knew he was
going to make a game about this exact topic in the future.
Even the game focused on in the film, Super Meat Boy, has a large significance
to Edmund. The filmmakers focus on
Edmund’s face, and also use clips from the game where the eponymous character
dies over and over in the game’s death traps.
Solemnly, Edmund admits that the character is not supposed to be a
light-hearted character. With no skin
and constant resurrections from grisly deaths, Meat Boy feels only pain and
dread of his next demise. But, there is
more to it than that. The objective of
the game is to rescue Meat Boy’s girlfriend, who is made of bandages. As Edmund explains how Band Aid Girl
completes Meat boy and takes away his pain, the filmmakers drop heavy hints of
this having a double meaning to Edmund, as we see a woman’s hands sewing plush
toys of the two characters. It is only after
this explanation that we see Edmund’s wife, who is his moral support, and the
relief to the pain and suffering that comes with his artistic mind and pursuits
and the constant work that comes with game development. In many ways, the game presents itself as a
love letter to Edmund’s wife and all that she does for him. When Super
Meat Boy is eventually a massive success and critically praised, this is
not only a victory for Edmund on a financial
basis. As Edmund tearfully admits, the idea
that a child would stay home from school to play his game and be inspired by
his life’s work – just as old games were an inspiration to him as a child – is
the ultimate victory. He was able to put
himself out in the world, and was not only accepted, but also praised and even
adored. For a person who suffered all his life with isolation and escapism,
this acceptance means everything to Edmund.
 |
| VICTORY! |
And these are just two examples of Edmund's brilliance. Another would be The Binding of Isaac, Edmund's commentary on religious extremism and the dangers of imagination, as well as a love letter to games like The Legend of Zelda. Or Team Meat's next game, Mew-Genics, which does not, as of yet, have many details released about it, but will sure to be an interesting, and maybe even twisted, experience.
As Always We Have Some Links:
- INTERVIEW WITH EDMUND: https://www.opendrive.com/files?OV8zMzYzOTYyX0tNbGp3
- WGTB (Click the "Listen Live" Button to Access WGTB's radio feed; Our show is on Saturday's from 7 to 8 PM): http://georgetownradio.com
- Team Meat's Website: http://supermeatboy.com
- Team Meat's Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuperMeatBoy
- Indie Game: The Movie Website: http://www.indiegamethemovie.com
