Let’s not forget our humble beginnings — High Score Netflix Documentary impressions

Video games have become a common part of many peoples’ everyday lives, especially with the popularity of online gaming, streaming, and esports. At this point, many people expect high quality graphics, engaging gameplay, and so on, but sometimes it feels like some of us forget where our modern games came from. We’re used to big companies and indie developers alike supplying us with tons of games each year, but it hasn’t always been this way. The video game industry started off small, but it gained a momentum that many people didn’t quite expect. Netflix has a new 6-episode documentary coming out on August 19th that takes us down various roads of this journey. At first, I was a little concerned that it might be a slog through information that I already knew or didn’t care about, but I was pleasantly surprised. My girlfriend, who doesn’t play games all that much, even got into it and wouldn’t let me continue watching without her.

Each episode in this documentary series revolves around a different topic or breakthrough in the gaming industry. For example, one of the episodes focuses on games like Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat, making sure to discuss the new ability to play against other players in arcades, how parents felt about game companies “endorsing” violence, and what other games they inspired. Various other topics include how random guys started tinkering with the insides of computer and gaming consoles in order to alter existing games, how Sega created Sonic the Hedgehog, the process behind popularizing online gaming with games like Doom, and so much more. No matter what kind of gamer you are, you’ll easily find at least one episode that catches your eye. I don’t normally like watching documentaries, but High Score kept me engaged through a combination of information that felt relevant to me and the way those stories are told.

Stories are told from the series’ narrator and a variety of people who are connected to that episode’s topic. These include legendary game developers, pioneers of new technology, and even video game competition winners. These multiple points of view make each episode more interesting because you not only get plenty of unbiased information, but you also get to hear from the people who lived through it all. Hearing what they were aiming to accomplish, how they did it, and how it impacted their lives was fascinating. You can even hear their passion and joy as they recount these monumental events in their lives — it makes you want to keep watching.

Another cool storytelling device that I loved was the inclusion of pixel art animations to go along with some stories. They’re crisp, colorful, and very funny; they weren’t needed in the episodes, but they enhanced them greatly. My girlfriend even told me that those segments were her favorite parts of the episodes. The extra attention to improve the stories and help you visual them better is appreciated and wasn’t done in vain.

Overall, High Score isn’t the longest documentary series, but it still sports six episodes that are around 45 minutes each. They hit that sweet spot of length where you get plenty of information without overstaying its welcome. Episodes don’t feel like they were dragged out too long, which can be a problem with certain shows. That being said, if you’re a gamer, I definitely recommend checking High Score out, and if you’re not a gamer, I ask that you give it a chance to learn more about this constantly growing industry. You might just learn something about any gamers in your life.