Tom Bissell examines the friction between traditional storytelling and the open-ended mechanics of modern gameplay. He analyzes specific titles like Grand Theft Auto IV, Fallout 3, and BioShock to demonstrate how ludonarrative dissonance occurs when a game’s scripted plot conflicts with a player's freedom of action. The text details the industry’s struggle to merge cinematic writing with interactive systems, while also providing a candid look at the author's personal addiction to Far Cry 2 and its impact on his creative life.
This book serves readers who want to move beyond surface-level reviews into a deeper analysis of how software creates emotional meaning. It is intended for those interested in the artistic legitimacy of digital environments and the psychological habits of habitual players. Readers gain a framework for discussing game design as a serious craft and leave with a clearer understanding of why interactive media provides a sense of agency that literature and film cannot replicate.
- Published
- 2010
- Language
- EN
