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spitzig's review against another edition
3.0
Well written. Interesting from the conceptual angle. The interviews were interesting.
Maybe the reason I didn't like it more was because I don't find some of the game genres that interesting-much of the book was spent discussing First Person Shooters.
Also, one game he discussed, I hardly remembered-Fable 2. I played the game, but quickly because it was so easy(easiness was mentioned as a complaint in the book).
Maybe the reason I didn't like it more was because I don't find some of the game genres that interesting-much of the book was spent discussing First Person Shooters.
Also, one game he discussed, I hardly remembered-Fable 2. I played the game, but quickly because it was so easy(easiness was mentioned as a complaint in the book).
tobinlopes's review against another edition
2.0
This was a perfectly acceptable book on video games that didn't actually deliver on it's subtitle. While he deconstructs the creative process and the lack of "real" interaction and control of the story by the player I don't know why video games matter.
There has been increasing acknowledgment that the current and coming generations raised on video games are thinking and behaving differently because of that experience. I believed this text would further that discussion, I was wrong.
-tpl
There has been increasing acknowledgment that the current and coming generations raised on video games are thinking and behaving differently because of that experience. I believed this text would further that discussion, I was wrong.
-tpl
kyledhebert's review against another edition
4.0
I devoured this book. Thoughtful writing on a subject near and dear to me.
thecianrice's review against another edition
1.0
This book was bad. Bissell frequently resorts to offensive descriptors to describe moments in games (at one point he describes something as autistic) and that's my biggest takeaway. His anecdotes are uneventful and self-indulgent, and he only shines when quoting people who are much more interesting.
The title of the question isn't really even answered, which is fair... but the book doesn't do anything well AND leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
The title of the question isn't really even answered, which is fair... but the book doesn't do anything well AND leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
scheu's review against another edition
4.0
Bissell has a lot to say, and much of what he has to say is thoughtful and apt. I certainly hope that games move in the direction he wishes. My big gripe with the book: his choice of words at times seemed a bit much. I don't think he ever defines 'ludonarrative'. That's pretty obscure to most people, and if you plan on using the word at least once a chapter, it deserves to be explicitly defined to Average Joe's satisfaction, Average Joe being, in this case, me.
librator's review against another edition
3.0
It's nice to read something on gaming that's both thought-provoking and well-written, and that actually questions the way things are and ought to be. It's also very personal, particularly the last chapter, in which the author delves into the cocaine addiction that dovetailed with his Grand Theft Auto IV experience. A lot of his essays are concerned with games as art and particularly with writing, and he bemoans the cringe-worthy quality of most game writing, which, of course, is usually not done by actual writers. As Bissell describes, however, the act of writing a good story is often hampered by the conventions of game design, which removes agency from either the player (if the game forces you down a linear path a la Call of Duty) or the author (if the narrative is open-world or multi-branched, meaning that much of what was written will never be seen). As he says, a game with excellent gameplay and a bad story will usually get a pass, but a great story combined with bad gameplay will be panned. All in all, a good book for gamers, many of whom (including myself) may not have thought in any depth about the issues he brings up until he describes them.
kylestarr's review against another edition
5.0
I initially thought it was too highbrow for its own good; but after getting used to Bissell's style, I can say that Extra Lives is one of the best pieces on storytelling experienced. The first physical book I've sullied with highlights.
thedoctr's review against another edition
3.0
Excellent for people who barely know what a video game is. Good for people with a passing fancy in Call of Duty willing to explore a bit (just kidding, those people don't exist), and fairly expected content for anyone interested in video games.