'High Score' Review: Netflix docuseries is an energized exploration of video game industry's origins and history
The video game industry is in a bigger place now than its ever been. With game companies like Epic taking on tech giants like Apple and Google, eSports becoming as big a deal as regular sports, and high-profile video games raking in more money than ever before, it's easy to forget what humble beginnings they had. It's easy to think of games like 'Super Mario', 'Sonic', 'Doom' or 'Street Fighter' popping up fully formed and perfect, but there's a story behind each of them that provides a fascinating insight into the history of video games, providing some insight into the way things are today.
Starting with the origins of the first major commercial video game hit, 'Space Invaders', tracked all the way to the first online multiplayer game with 'Doom', the six-episode docuseries is a fascinating look into how the video game industry gained its foothold in Japanese and American cultures. Filled with interviews from dozens of designers, artists, programmers, engineers, and businessmen, it is a comprehensive look at the emergence of several major video games and the companies behind them. While it may have been marketed as a celebration of the video games of yore, 'High Score' is less about nostalgia and more about understanding the legacy of games by charting the industry's first major breakthroughs.
It's very well put together, tracking down some of the industry's lesser-known stories, displaying the diversity that has been baked into the industry from the start before slowly being choked out by corporations. The narrative that gaming was always designed for straight white men is proven false with stories from people all across a diverse spectrum, who were all an integral part of gaming's history. From fans who became gaming's first world champions, to CEOs who revolutionized the gaming industry while undermining companies thought to have a monopoly on the market, everything you'd want to know about this history is covered.
It's done in a very upbeat style. Even as it covers the near-decline of the industry in the early 80s due to oversaturation, the enthusiasm for the stories being told is something that never fades. The stories are helped along with animated sequences -- some Augmented Reality on real-life shots, some retro animation done to showcase history with delightful caricature, and a quick pace that never allows a single story to drag on long enough to bore a potential viewer. In a way, it's a perfect documentary for longtime gamers, used to entertainment that expertly keeps those with short attention spans focused on what's important.
For fans of classic games, the documentary is a must-watch. For those interested in how industries grow and shift over time, and adapt as they become big enough to leave a societal impact, it's a must-watch as well. For modern gamers who couldn't care less about the classics, it's worth seeing as well, as many of the industry's biggest problems, such as crunch time, a focus on hyperviolence, and toxic work environments were all problems that the video game industry has been dealing with from the very beginning. 'High Score' is a great watch, and its insight into the origins of the industry are invaluable.
All episodes of 'High Score' are now available to view on Netflix.
