There’s something absolutely magical about watching a solo developer’s five-year dream finally come to life. It’s like watching a friend cross the finish line of the world’s longest marathon — you can’t help but feel that warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest.
That’s exactly what happened this week when Jerome Coppens from JSLaboratory officially launched BEFORE I GO on Steam. After half a decade of pouring his heart and soul into this project, his Metroidvania passion project is finally in our hands.
“BEFORE I GO has officially launched! 5 years of solo development, an intense journey, but a dream come true: giving back to the Metroidvania community that shaped me over the past 30 years. I hope you’ll enjoy this metaphorical journey as much as I enjoyed creating it.” — @jeromecoppens
Reading Jerome’s announcement feels like getting a handwritten thank-you note. You can practically feel the relief and joy radiating through the screen. Five years is a long time to carry a dream, and seeing it finally reach players has to feel incredible.
Five years of solo development isn’t just a timeline — it’s a testament to pure determination. Think about everything that can happen in five years. People graduate college, start families, change careers entirely. Yet through all of life’s ups and downs, Jerome kept chipping away at his vision, one pixel and one line of code at a time.
Solo development is like being a one-person band, except instead of juggling instruments, you’re juggling art, programming, sound design, marketing, and everything else that goes into making a game. It’s exhausting, lonely work that requires an almost superhuman level of dedication.
But here’s what really gets me about Jerome’s story — he didn’t make this game for fame or fortune. He made it as a love letter to the Metroidvania community that “shaped him over the past 30 years.” That’s the kind of wholesome gaming story that reminds you why this hobby is so special.
We all have those games that left their mark on us growing up. Maybe it was your first time exploring Planet Zebes in Super Metroid, or getting completely lost in the sprawling castle of Symphony of the Night. These games don’t just entertain us — they become part of who we are as gamers.
Jerome clearly felt that same magic, and instead of just enjoying it, he decided to pay it forward. BEFORE I GO isn’t just a game — it’s his way of saying “thank you” to all the developers who inspired him and all the players who kept the Metroidvania spirit alive.
In today’s gaming landscape dominated by massive studios and billion-dollar budgets, stories like Jerome’s remind us that some of the most meaningful games come from the most unexpected places. While AAA studios chase the latest trends, solo developers like Jerome are quietly crafting experiences that come straight from the heart.
The Metroidvania genre has always been perfect for solo developers. It’s a format that rewards exploration, discovery, and that special feeling of gradually becoming more powerful. These games don’t need cutting-edge graphics or celebrity voice actors — they just need that perfect blend of tight controls, clever level design, and the irresistible urge to see what’s around the next corner.
What makes Jerome’s journey even more inspiring is how he describes BEFORE I GO as a “metaphorical journey.” In a way, isn’t that exactly what his five-year development process was? A long, sometimes difficult path filled with obstacles to overcome and new abilities to discover along the way.
Every indie developer’s story is different, but they all share that same core drive — the need to create something meaningful and share it with the world. Jerome’s success with BEFORE I GO proves that with enough passion and persistence, even the biggest dreams can become reality.
As BEFORE I GO finds its audience, it’s exciting to think about what comes next for Jerome and JSLaboratory. Will this be the start of a whole series of heartfelt indie games? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure — the gaming world is a little bit brighter with developers like Jerome in it.
