The Making of Jett: Exploring Superbrothers' Contribution to Indie Games

Indie gaming has seen a tremendous rise in popularity over the past decade, allowing creative individuals and small studios to showcase their unique ideas and push boundaries in the gaming industry. One game that stands out in this realm is Jett: The Far Shore, developed by the talented team at Superbrothers. In this article, we delve into the making of Jett, discussing Superbrothers' creative process, the challenges they faced, and the impact of the game on the indie gaming landscape.

Superbrothers: Pioneers of Artistic Gameplay

Before we jump into the making of Jett, let's take a moment to explore the journey and influence of Superbrothers in the indie gaming scene. With their previous title, Sword & Sworcery EP, Superbrothers showcased their unique approach to storytelling and gameplay mechanics. The game garnered critical acclaim for its beautiful pixel art, atmospheric soundtrack, and engaging narrative.

Building on the success of Sword & Sworcery EP, Superbrothers embarked on an ambitious project that would later become Jett: The Far Shore. The team aimed to create a visually stunning game that combined exploration, narrative-driven gameplay, and a thought-provoking storyline. Let's dive into the creative process that brought Jett to life.

The Far Shore: Indie Games, Superbrothers, and the Making of JETT

by Adam Hammond (Kindle Edition)

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	928 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	220 pages

FREE

The Genesis of Jett

The idea for Jett: The Far Shore started to take shape in the minds of the Superbrothers team back in 2017. The initial concept revolved around exploring an unknown celestial body, encountering unique alien species, and unraveling the mysteries of the universe. This idea laid the foundation for what would become an emotionally charged and visually captivating experience.

To bring their vision to life, Superbrothers enlisted the help of renowned composer and sound designer Jim Guthrie, who had previously collaborated with the team on Sword & Sworcery EP. Guthrie's hauntingly beautiful compositions would serve as the perfect soundtrack for Jett, enhancing the sense of wonder and mystery throughout the game.

The team also emphasized the importance of player agency and exploration in Jett. They wanted players to feel a sense of freedom and curiosity as they explored the vast landscapes and encountered unique characters and creatures. The game's open-world nature allowed players to chart their own course, uncovering secrets and forming their own narrative as they progressed.

Tackling Technical Challenges

As with any ambitious project, developing Jett presented its fair share of technical challenges. Superbrothers had to strike a delicate balance between creating a visually stunning experience and optimizing the game's performance across various platforms. The team's dedication to delivering a smooth gameplay experience meant spending countless hours fine-tuning the game's mechanics and visuals.

Another significant challenge was incorporating the seamless transition between exploration and narrative-driven sections of the game. Superbrothers wanted players to feel a sense of immersion and continuity as they switched between controlling the protagonist on land and piloting Jett's spacecraft in deep space. This required a meticulous design approach and creative coding techniques to ensure a seamless player experience.

The Impact of Jett

Upon its release, Jett: The Far Shore garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success. The game was praised for its stunning visuals, thought-provoking narrative, and the sense of wonder it evoked in players. Jett also contributed to pushing the boundaries of what indie games could achieve in terms of immersive storytelling and gameplay.

Superbrothers' bold approach to blending art, music, and interactivity has inspired aspiring game developers and indie studios worldwide. Jett's success has served as a testament to the creative possibilities within the indie gaming space and encouraged further exploration of non-traditional game mechanics and narratives.

In , Jett: The Far Shore stands as a testament to Superbrothers' creative prowess and their contribution to the indie gaming landscape. By combining stunning visuals, captivating storytelling, and thoughtful gameplay mechanics, Superbrothers has paved the way for future indie game developers to take risks and create unique experiences that captivate players.

The Far Shore: Indie Games, Superbrothers, and the Making of JETT

by Adam Hammond (Kindle Edition)

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	928 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	220 pages

FREE

The genius and artistry behind Superbrothers and the making of an indie video game, from inception to its highly anticipated launch.

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery was released in 2011 at the forefront of an exciting era of “indie games” – with the aesthetic of punk rock and the edge of modernist fiction, indie games pushed gaming into the realm of the avant-garde. Superbrothers (Craig D. Adams) was hailed as a visionary in the video game world.

Now, his long-awaited follow-up, JETT: The Far Shore, has been released for Sony PlayStation and Epic Games Store. In the decade from inception to launch, Adams brought author Adam Hammond along for the ride, allowing unprecedented insight into the complicated genesis of Jett.

The Far Shore offers a portrait of the enigmatic Adams and his team, the genius and artistry, the successes and setbacks, that went into building the world of JETT, in which you’re tasked with scouting a new home for a humanoid people after they’ve decimated their planet. To provide context, Hammond recounts the history of indie games and how their trajectory has followed that of independent art and literature. A riveting insider’s look at one of our most popular art forms.