#I always think my stories are shorter because my plots are emotion-based not action/event based

[gretchensinister]

What are you working on right now?

I am working on what is turning into a fairly extensive look at UrVa the Archer, how he got that name, the changing relationship he has with the Valley of the Mystics, the way the Valley has been changing over time, and why he and UrGoh are staying away from the Valley this trine during the season when they're usually most glad to be there. It's about disillusionment and trying very, very hard to avoid disillusionment. What happens is that a winter storm comes to the Endless Forest where UrVa is, and UrGoh visits him, and they spend the evening together. UrVa/UrGoh is very important in the story.

It's at 41,000 words now, and while I have the last parts sketched out as a few sentences, I wouldn't be surprised if it hits 50,000 by the end. Which does a lot to explain why it was taking so long to write.

[booksbookandmorebooks]

Emma in the night Book review.

Hello there my lovelies, I know its been a little while since I last posted and I have honestly missed doing this so much, so thank you to anyone still here and still supporting me, it means the absolute world. 

As everyone is fully aware 2020 was an awful one but hopefully this year we can aim for a little more positivity and happiness, which is why im back today with a review of my first read of this year and bloody hell did I pick a goodun! So this is my first review for my first book of 2021, enjoy! 

The writing style

One of my favourite things about this book was the different points of view you get to experience and how well they mesh together. For example, we are told very early on that the events Cass is recalling aren’t exactly what you would call accurate and that she has spent months planning and creating this false narrative in an order to manipulate the people she's describing them to (which in itself is something I always get drawn into, the mystery and the need to figure out the characters motives and intentions along side the biggest question of all WHY?! Which is a question will find yourself screaming at the pages) This is made very apparent from the use of the choppy and restrictive way that these scenes are written. Wendy also somehow manages to create a feeling of desperation and messiness whilst having the characters maintaining such a mellow and collected exterior, you know the calm before the storm! Which is such a jarring feeling but one that realty captured and immersed me. A feeling I don’t think is easy to convey through a book format. That in itself is a testament to Wendy’s talent as a writer.

When you compare Cass’ chapters and inner dialogue to detective Abby’s they are so different but when they are looked at side by side they create a very interesting contrast that as I said before works so well, while there is a calm chaos to Cass’ words there is in turn a very structured and balanced feel to Abby's, almost a little detached like you were reading sections cut directly from a police case file. Through this constant difference in characters POVS the story flowed flawlessly and at the perfect pace for a thriller book. 

The climax of the book was not just shocking but also depicted so well in how the writing matched the pace of the reveal, the whole book alternates between cass and Abby with each chapter assigned to one of the characters but towards the end you see that the different POVs are whittled down to single sentences or just a few paragraphs that get shorter and shorter as the tension builds, creating this intense feeling of panic, alert and fear. A method that I swear had my heart physically racing at the end! It was like watching a classic cat and mouse scene play out in my hands/

I also have to mention that very last chapter. I'm sorry for waffling on but please bare with me. For a book based around secrets and deception the ending was that of a perfect one because of its ability to make you feel like after reading it you now share a secret with Cass and you are now part of this extremely messed up story and family, you have this understanding of her whole character and her motives which really brings everything full circle.

The character development:

The character development in this book is one of the best ive seen in awhile with each character being incredibly layered and yet undeniably flawed. Its done in such a human way that it doesn’t feel too far fetched like some thrillers ive read in recent years. Ensuring that all of the emotions tied in with said characters hit 10 times harder than that of those very basic 2 dimensional characters, even the worst people in this story have a difficult background or some type of abusive past, just a catalyst for their behaviours and characteristics and by gradually being informed of them you and being given the bigger picture you almost create an individual relationship and opinion on them ranging from hatred to pity. We get amazing development in every single one even the seemingly unimportant ones because even they are given enough backstory to still secure a connection of some kind with them, something I know we can all appreciate as readers.

The relationships.

The main relationship ill focus on is that of the sisters Cass and Emma. I know there are a lot of relationships in this book that over lap and intertwine in really interesting and sometimes awful ways but as these two characters are the basis of our main storyline it makes a little more sense to focus the attention on them

As a huge plot point throughout the story we see that due to the actions of their mother and her lack of genuine maternal instinct and well, love we see the girls in this constant battle of who can earn their mothers love trust and affections first. Which was so heart breaking to read, through their mothers constant manipulation and abuse we see them fighting the resentment and distance that they know is growing between them and sadly a lot of the time losing because of Mrs. Martins influence and involvement. Its very obvious when reading about their mother that her abuse is based around the fear she feels at the idea of any kind of alliance that the girls could potentially form with each other, god forbid they turn against her and out her as a bad mother! So she decides its easier to create a wedge between the two of them by openly favouring one over the other which unfortunately results in a lot of cruel actions from Emma direct at Cass, creating another toxic relationship and situation for the girls to live in. Although we do get the occasional glimpse at these really beautiful and raw moments of sisterhood and love they share deep down. After seeing so much pain in their story it made these moments just that little bit more special and down right beautiful which was a part that i especially adored.

The themes:

In its relatively short amount of pages this book manages to explore a huge variety of themes from love and obsession to betrayal abuse and manipulation, which lets be honest is everything you want in a good thriller book but usually when a writer takes on this many themes I always find some of them are either touched upon very quickly then dismissed and never revisited or thought of again or done so badly with such a lack of care that its obvious they were just included for the author to be able to say they've hit all the key themes a reader would expect a good thriller to hit. Yet Wendy manages to not only explore all of these and more, but manages to do it well and so subtly you don't notice until you sit back and think about them all which to me just shows a writers real talent.

The psychology:

Another huge part of this book and something I adored were the analysis parts of the book, the in-depth look into narcissism and its effects on the children it surrounds.  We are constantly listening to Detective Abby explaining and exploring the characteristics of the people Cass is talking about in her chapters, exploring the connections and the risk factors associated with such a serious disorder as narcissistic personality disorder. I found this to give the story and writing some real merit, it felt like i was reading a psychology book and getting down to the real science of why characters work the way they do and giving the reader a chance to explore it themselves instead of just being told this person has this which is something I cant stand in books. Instead of investing time and effort into helping guide you to a conclusion or even showing you they just tell you this is how it is and expect that to be enough. So frustrating! None the less, this is something I haven't experienced in another book and a technique I hope to see more of!

Similar books:

When reading this I got very strong sharp objects vibes, the fractured relationship between families, focusing on mother and daughter, a highly manipulative mother, an obsession with public facades and the desperate need to keep up appearances and so much more! If you liked sharp objects you will love this, as Emma in the night has all of the important story beats and intrigue that sharp objects has but more intensity and a faster paced story something I felt was missing when I read SO’S.

Over all I adored this book, as you can probably tell and considering it is my first Wendy walker book I can safely say i have fallen in love! I can promise you now this will not be my last read from her collection. I was captivated by her story and her writing which is why i couldn’t recommend this more!

A very very easy 5/5. 

so that's it, thanks for reading my review, i really hope you enjoyed it! sorry if I waffled at all its been awhile since ive written any reviews and am still getting my bearings with it again so please be patient with me. Hope you have a fab week my lovelies, Bye!

[ladyherenya]

Books read in June

I didn’t read everything I had planned. I was distracted reading other things and now I have to decide which library books I will return unread.

Part of me is stubbornly convinced I should retain my eleven-year-old self’s ability to borrow armfuls of books and read all of them at least once before the return date. Which is ridiculous. Back then I had fewer responsibilities and read shorter books. And having too many books to read is a better problem to have than running out of books.

Favourite cover(s): Thorn, Battle Born and White Eagles.

Reread: All Systems Red by Martha Wells.

Still reading: Descendent of the Crane by Joan He and Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King.

Next up: Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, and The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein.

One day I’ll get back to posting other things on Tumblr but for now, it’s just book reviews.

(Longer reviews and ratings on LibraryThing and Dreamwidth.)

*

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett (narrated by Stephen Briggs): The wizards of Unseen University play football. This is humorous, clever, sharply observant about people -- very much what I’ve come to expect from Pratchett. I enjoyed it a lot. 

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai: Katrina is horrified when a conversation she has with a man in a café is overheard, twisted into a romance, documented on Twitter -- and goes viral. Her bodyguard offers his family’s farm as a safe retreat. I enjoyed reading this and liked how it’s romance about a woman dealing with panic attacks, but by the final act, its priorities had diverged somewhat from mine. It wanted to get to its happily-ever ending, whereas I thought it had raised interesting issues worthy of further exploration and slower, more complex solutions. I wanted a happy ending, too, but wanted more story first.

Blame It On Paris by Laura Florand: I’ve read a few of Florand’s romances and even though the descriptions of Paris and chocolate shops were lovely and vivid, as stories they were not really my thing. But I loved her memoir, which is very funny. During her year in Paris, Laura isn’t looking to give up her independence, travelling or career plans for romance. But then her friends talk her into asking out the French waiter she admires. Getting to know Sebastien allows Laura to see France from a different perspective, and challenges her assumptions about serious relationships, her (American) culture and her own family.

Stepping From the Shadows by Patricia A. McKillip: A story about growing from childhood into adulthood. Published in 1982 as McKillip’s “first book for adults”, I can see why this is now out-of-print. It is strange, even by McKillip’s standards for strangeness. In merging the mundane with the magical, the mythical, it attempts something rather interesting and thoughtful, but it isn’t quite successful. However, the descriptions of places are wonderfully vivid, the narrator’s emotions are conveyed with intensity, and there were moments that felt like catching a fleeting glimpse of myself of a mirror. I didn’t always like it, but I’m glad I got to read it all the same.

True to Your Service by Sandra Antonelli: Kitt is sent on a mission to the Netherlands and his boss insists that Mae accompany him. This spy-thriller is, like At Your Service and Forever in Your Service, a bit too violent for me. However, I liked that Mae and Kitt talk about their reactions to distressing events with each other. In fact, the two of them are constantly discussing their thoughts and feelings about what’s happening, including the way Kitt’s job collides with their personal relationship. I really like the way their relationship is an on-going conversation.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer:

Cress (narrated by Rebecca Soler): Following on from Cinder and Scarlet. Cress, born without the Lunar gift for manipulation, has spent years living alone in a satellite orbiting Earth, using her tech skills under the orders of the Lunar thaumaturge Sybil and dreaming of escape. I really enjoyed this. I like how it wove in elements from “Rapunzel”, and dealt with Cress’s perception of herself as a damsel in distress, a girl in need of rescuing.  There is an increasing focus on teamwork and friendship -- this means we see the characters from different perspectives, and we also see different sides to them. 

Winter (narrated by Rebecca Soler): Princess Winter, step-daughter of Queen Levana, is determined that she will never use her Lunar gift to manipulate others -- even though refraining makes her a bit crazy. Meanwhile Cinder and her friends plot to overthrow the queen. This is tense and entertaining, and the narrator does a wonderful job of bringing all the characters to life. I love that the gang are so accepting of each other’s weird quirks and that the romances are given time to develop. I love their teamwork, banter and perseverance. The focus is on the characters’ relationships and the action, and both are excellent.

Thorn by Intisar Khanani: Fifteen year old Princess Alyrra is sent to marry the prince from another kingdom but en route is forced into swapping places with her lady-in-waiting. This retelling of “The Goose Girl” is riveting. I instantly cared about Alyrra, and appreciated how thoughtfully and effectively the story walks a line between darkness and hope -- between fear and trust, sadness and joy. Alyrra’s new life has dangers and difficulties, but also positive things -- satisfaction in her work, a supportive found-family. She becomes increasingly aware of injustice around her, but her story is shaped by her choices -- to be kind, to seek justice and bring change.

The Physicians of Vilnoc, a novella in the World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold: Penric and Desdemona are summoned to deal with an outbreak of a mysterious disease. This could easily be an intense story and, oddly enough, it isn’t. Given the current state of the world, I’m glad Bujold didn’t go with the dark, harrowing possibilities and instead wrote about Pen investigating how the disease is transmitted while treating as many patients as he can. Still a stressful experience for Pen, but I was confident his worst fears wouldn’t transpire. And it was satisfying to get a better understanding regarding the best way for Pen and Des to use their knowledge and skills.

Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel by Ursula Vernon (aka T. Kingfisher): Like Of Mice and Magic, this is another entertaining twist on a fairytale. When Harriet helps her friend Wilbur to find a stolen hydra egg, they come across someone else in need of help -- a rat with a very long tail.

Battle Born by Amie Kaufman: A satisfying conclusion to Ice Wolves and Scorch Dragons, with a couple of unexpected developments and a lot of expected emphasis on wolves, dragons and humans working together. I liked the realism of this. Anders and his sister Rayna have both cool shapeshifting abilities and special status arising from their parentage. But their success depends upon the support of resourceful friends and wise, trustworthy adults. They save the day, not because they know all the answers but because they bring people together. This trilogy is one I wish I could send back in time for my eleven year old self.

Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka: Two teenagers cross paths while touring East Coast colleges. There’s a lot I found interesting: Fitz’s fascination with words; Juniper’s enthusiasm and passion for the college-choosing process; the way they challenge each other; their intense family situations; and the glimpses of university life. However, I ended up feeling oddly annoyed. I was drawn into the story because Fitz and Juniper’s perspectives and motives were so very real and understandable, but something about some of their later choices and thoughts seemed too pat. Like the level of realism slipped slightly because the authors wanted to get their Message For The Teens across.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord: Two teenagers, two business Twitter accounts and one very public argument about grilled cheese. Pepper and Jack see each other in class and cross paths training at the pool, but they don’t realise that they’re at war on Twitter nor pseudonymously chatting on a school-based app, like something out of You’ve Got Mail. This was a lot of fun -- super cute and full of Pepper’s passion for baking, Jack’s passion for his family’s deli, complicated-but-ultimately-supportive family relationships, and references to internet culture. I like how the story explores the strengths, the pressures and the problems of social media.

Text, Don’t Call: an illustrated guide to the introverted life by INFJoe by  Aaron T. Caycedo-Kimura: The text offers a basic explanation of introversion. It might be a decent introduction for someone new to the topic, but I found it a bit too basic to be interesting. However, the illustrations were great! Very funny and often relatable, and in one or two cases, usefully thought-provoking.

White Eagles by Elizabeth Wein: When Germany invades Poland, eighteen year old Kristina of the Polish Air Force has a chance to escape with her aeroplane ‐‐ and an unexpected stowaway. Her journey allows for a fascinating bird's-eye view of Europe in 1939 and of the challenges posed by such a trip. This novella-sized story is aimed to be both accessible and interesting to reluctant or dyslexia readers. It has moments where I, personally, would have liked more detail but I've worked with struggling readers and I think it's so awesome this sort of thing exists.

[kingofthewilderwest]

what was that thing you were into a while ago? hero tales? what is that? who would like it?

You are making my day by bringing this up. Yes, about a month ago, I was screaming about Hero Tales, and I’m more than happy to keep screaming about it now! It’s already taking the place as one of the favorite manga series I’ve read.

Hero Tales (Juushin Enbu 獣神演武) is the underappreciated love child of Hiromu Arakawa and her team. Written at the same time as they were working on Fullmetal Alchemist, Hero Tales is a shorter but just-as-intense adventure taking place in Imperial China. The manga is a 21 chapter (5 book) powerhouse of fighting, feels, and fantasy. 

The plot focuses on seven characters, avatars of stars of the Big Dipper, who have been gifted influential powers. The two strongest stars are fated to be opposites, fighting for control, creating chaos, and setting the course of their country’s future. Currently, the country is struggling through bloodshed, fleeing refugees, corrupt courts, and an inadequate child ruler. Based on the choices our protagonist makes, he may completely reshape - or destroy - his own nation.

But!! Why write an amazing essay about things like the story’s characters when I can glibly PowerPoint this?

(note that these comments cover information about characters you learn in the first three chapters of the manga)

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(and many more characters!!! but I’m too lazy to go through everyone)

Alright. So. More seriously.

You should go experience Hero Tales for the manga, not the anime. I repeat: manga, not anime. I haven’t finished the anime, but it is… liberal… in its adaptation. As is such, it makes many questionable plot decisions, as well as flattens the characters into more two-dimensional archetypes. It takes out some of the most emotionally powerful moments, adds stale comic gags, and puts in unnecessary filler material with half-naked men. I don’t HATE the anime - it’s a mixed bag - but it’s regardless not good representation of the intended story. If you’re going to experience Hero Tales, please do not judge the story by the anime! Go to the master of storytelling, Arakawa herself, and get the brilliant tale she envisioned with her team. READ THE MANGA.

Your mileage may vary experiencing this manga. I know some people don’t get engrossed. I think one thing is you have to attach to the characters - if you don’t attach to these people, it might not work for you. Maybe some people try comparing it too much to FMA or expect it to have the same sort of revolutionary aspects FMA does, when Hero Tales is its own thing and should be considered that way. It’s a shorter story and is meant to create a different effect. That said, it’s got Arakawa’s fingerprints everywhere - from the writing style, to the well-structured narrative, to the humor, to the artwork, to the moral and thematic explorations, to the emotional feels, to the action scenes. If you are a fan of Hiromu Arakawa’s works (especially FMA), connect easily to characters, want to be emotionally punched in the gut, and are looking for a quick adventure… Hero Tales might not be bad to check out!

Note Hero Tales fits VERY snugly in its genre. But in a good way! A few years ago I had conversations with irl writer friends saying I wanted to pen an analysis on how tropes can be effective writing devices. Tropes in themselves aren’t good or bad; it’s how they’re used that makes them either stale, overused plot devices… or resonating emotional moments we fall in love with. Now that I’ve gone through Hero Tales, I could (and am tempted to) write that analysis with this manga as a case study. Hero Tales unashamedly uses many tropes… but all to great effect, amplifying the story’s emotions and making me love it. It’s GOOD, guys. It’s well-written.

As I mentioned in one of my Goodreads reviews for Hero Tales, if you get invested in the characters, you’re in for an emotional ride: 

“Hero Tales feels like a series of painful events, after painful events, after painful events, after painful events… Because the pace is so ergonomically fast in Hero Tales, there’s little time for “simple fun adventure moments” or lots of comedic relief. That is, there’s little time to “unwind” before the next dramatic, painful event.”

And by “very emotional ride,” I mean I did cry reading this, and even when I didn’t cry, I choked up lots. I was holding back tears the entirety of one of the books. Granted I cry a lot more with fiction than I did when I was younger…

Arakawa is wonderfully brutal to the main characters, which helps drive several character arcs. I would say that the character arcs are the highlight of the series, as well as is the friendship between Taitou and Ryuukou. So I recommend this for people who attach to characters and love attaching to characters and love being emotional to characters.

I don’t think the lore and setting are as detailed. If you’re going in for lore and world building, you’re not going to get all that. There are DEFINITELY things I wish had been better explained / expanded upon in both the plot and the general setting. I admittedly have a few questions. But nothing’s poorly done, and it’s nothing to detract from the delight of the tale. 

It’s honestly a very captivating adventure story that gets into emotional depth with good messages.

For people who love dynamic character arcs… for people who want to have a fantasy adventure… for people who love unashamed tropes at their best execution… for people who are fans of Hiromu Arakawa… for people who like friendship stories… I say go and read Hero Tales. Maybe, if you have similar tastes to me, you’ll enjoy it too?

Please scream with me. Don’t leave me alone. If you read it and loved it, I will always be happy to fanboy away with you!

[amelancholyuniverse]

Black Sails vs Gen Kill for your ask thing

I feel like you're testing me lol. Generation Kill and Black Sails are so different not only in terms of plot and premise but also in length, which makes this a super hard decision, but I think I'm going to go with GK for a few reasons. 1. It has main characters that I like better and more consistently than a lot of the BS characters, whose decisions and morals I don't always agree with. This makes for interesting story and complex characters, but not necessarily ones that I like. (lookin at u, Silver)2. GK is a powerful story based upon real events in recent history so not only entertaining but also educational, and they don't shy away from showing the mistakes the military makes either. Black Sails has historical basis and even has some real pirates featured, but it serves more as a demonstration of the age of piracy than as insight into the lives of say, Blackbeard or Anne Bonny. It is none the less an amazing story though.3. Simply put, I've loved GK longer and have rewatched it and gained more from it each time. Also, I would argue GK is funnier than BS. Fight me. (Black Sails has its moments tho)4. Because it's shorter, GK is more action packed than BS. I swear there are entire episodes of BS that are just...ppl talking...and I'm like..........y'all gonna blow up some ships or what?5. (sillier answer now, but still valid) waaaaaaay less beards in GK. Significantly less beards. Have u seen the beard on John Silver? It's like someone glued noodles to his face, it's scraggly and gross and i hate itSimilarities between GK and BS that I can appreciate:- things blowing up- drama- Fucking New Guy syndrome (Silver in S1)- men fucking upThings Black Sails has going for it but aren't going to outshine my love for GK:- aesthetics. Beautiful scenery and sets and just all around great visuals- complex emotionally driven plotlines and just all around things that are really going to hit u in the feels (GK can get emotional but I wouldn't say it's the main driving force of the plot)- bi and gay characters and relationshipsThis is longer than I expected, but it just goes to show I currently have many Feelings about these shows. Thanks for the ask, this was fun to write about!

[shelbysusannahsmith]

Cinematic Flow and Video Games

September 24rd, 2019.

In Left 4 Dead, a group of four survivors are left stranded after an infection wipes out the population. The group bands together to try and find safety. Each game has five levels and each level is further divided into sections. T the short-term goal for the player is to get to the “safe-room” at the end of each section – the main goal is for the survivors to reach “true” safety, normally in the form of some kind of transport (a car, a boat, a train). The beginning of the next level will normally begin with this transport having failed them at some point (helicopter crash, tank out of gas, end of the road).

Left 4 Dead is unique in the way that it begins as fully open to the player. Players can immediately play any level of their choosing and aren’t confined to a specific linear story. This is because each level is designed to play like an individual “film” and terminology used within the game references as such.

I find this approach quite interesting, as it doesn’t feel inherently obvious at times. Films have no “gameplay”, they rely on plot, but Left 4 Dead isn’t a cinematic game to begin with. It is gameplay-heavy and plot lacking – therefore, the actual game itself lacks a cinematic feeling. The levels often have only an intro and an outro that last no more than thirty seconds, no cutscenes and dialogue is only shared during rest segments of gameplay.  The only elements of cinema used in the game are the film posters seen in the loading screens for the levels, the opening and the outro and the levels and the credits at the end of the levels – but this is enough.

I feel as though with modern games it sometimes feels like a competition to make things feel as real and as cinematic as possible. People want quality like that of films in terms of storytelling and narrative, but with the immersion of gameplay, and I feel as though Left 4 Dead is a nice step backwards. It borrows the surrounding theatric concepts of cinema without introducing it into the gameplay to make it feel like a film, but not play like a movie. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make a game cinematic, but I feel as though there are too many games that make plot a priority over gameplay. If gameplay isn’t core to the experience, then why make a game?

Conversely, however, if given the opportunity to expand on the Left 4 Dead game formula, I would potentially introduce more storytelling – it has potential. During the opening of the game, a small “trailer” for plays – featuring a supercut of rendered cutscenes from scenarios throughout the game. These show more theatrical moments of tension, banter and carnage between the player characters and the infected. These scenarios don’t happen in game but help add an aspect of storytelling into the players imaginations.

From this, and from passing character dialogues in the game, we know that each character has the potential to be more than a sock puppet for the players’ carnage. Although in game, all characters have the same stats and abilities, they are all fully fleshed out individuals – it’s merely a shame we can’t see more connected moments between them. However, would a fast-paced shooter benefit from the induction of cutscenes or scripted encounters?

During the development of Bioshock: Infinite, the character of Elizabeth underwent a lot of changes as a result of testing. Elizabeth is a companion character to the protagonist, serving for the most part as an escort quest. Her character is well known for her emotional depth and response to the player’s condition and needs. Elizabeth was designed to be a prominent addition to the game in terms of story and gameplay without being intrusive to the player’s experience – however, this wasn’t always the case.

Elizabeth’s character went through a considerable number of renditions - but what’s particularly interesting about the development of Elizabeth is how much of this is public. Bioshock: Infinite had a long development period and was delayed– and during its delay, Elizabeth went through a lot of changes. Most of these edits were aesthetical – changing her dress, her hairstyle, her proportions, her disfigurements – but some of these later changes were in relation to her character’s role. For example, in early trailers of Infinite, we can see that Elizabeth still bares part of her pinkie finger which is removed in the final game for plot-based reasons. I feel as though this suggests the game developers were being very careful about her character’s role and perception in the game straight up until the final release. In a GDC talk discussing the evolution of Elizabeth’s character, it would seem that Elizabeth’s character edits were often leaps and bounds, not small steps.

Originally, Elizabeth character was styled on a traditional Gibson Girl silhouette and was originally designed to be mute. In order for Elizabeth to be able to have as much screen-time with the character and in order to help direct the player, Elizabeth would have to force small cut scene events where she would forcibly grab or take the players attention and physically direct them or alert them of something in the environment. Shawn Robertson, lead animator for Irrational Games, commented;

“…the amount of information that you need to get across to the player, even all the stuff that as an animator I don’t even have to deal with – ‘look over there’, ‘let’s go this way’, ‘I think the thing is up here on the balcony’ – and I think about how she couldn’t talk, she couldn’t say these things, or even allow for some of the story to take place while you’re exploring the area. ‘Hey, I’m opening these crates now’, ‘I’m searching for some more salt’ – but she’s telling me a little history of the Hall of Heroes – the experience gets richer, ‘cause she has that knowledge that she can push on you, and I think if she were mute, you would miss a lot of that stuff. I’m not saying it can’t be done, I’m just saying it would be a different story. You would be more focused on the visuals of what she was doing, ‘cause she would need to be on screen to have any meaningful impact, where a Liz that can talk doesn’t have to be on screen. The player has much more freedom to look around at their own speed, but still be aware of her presence and understand what she’s doing. That early test where she grabs the player and forcibly points to some giant mechanical doll that we had at the time, I realised that, as a gamer, I don’t want Liz grabbing me every five seconds to grab the controller out of my hand and force me to look in a direction – that should be player choice.”

Later, this was changed over to a more fluid style of character – Elizabeth keeps the pace of the game moving without distracting or pulling the player out of the action for scripted moments. By stopping fast-paced gameplay, you begin to kill the flow of the scene, especially when a player is finding rhythm in the task at hand - and this would be the dilemma of adding cutscenes or scripted events to a fast-paced action game such as Left 4 Dead – the game plays less like a drama and more like an action film that hits the ground running and never stops. 

Through the flow of the gameplay (build up > climax > rest > repeat), the player is constantly under pressure from the core gameplay mechanics to keep on moving, keep on fighting and keep on finding resources to survive. In a game like Infinite, however, this is easier to accomplish, as this is a game that had extended periods of rest designed to act as a sink for narrative. It works in this context – where the traditional gameplay mechanics aren’t always actually a constant.

But, perhaps if Left 4 Dead were to release a sequel, a more cinematic approach could be throughout the gameplay - with a similar solution to Bioshock: Infinite? By allowing the player characters to have more scripted moments of banter in rest moments of the gameplay cycle - or even potentially during climax moments, where appropriate. Maybe even adding shorter cutscenes in safe zones such as the safe rooms at the end of levels. In my opinion, this would definitely help allow the literal idea of “cinema” as an aesthetic to translate through into the core gameplay more than it already does - more than just through small miscellaneous ideas such as movie posters and credits.

Ultimately, however, a game should never have to sacrifice its gameplay over cinematics - they are core to what a game is. Gameplay, in my opinion, should always be prioritized in an interactive experience - because if gameplay is a secondary characteristic - why make a game at all? You may be better off just making a film, an animation or writing a book. But it’s always nice to have elements of cinematic flow in games, and I admire Left 4 Dead for not sacrificing the core experience in replacement for plot. The gameplay is one of the biggest reasons as to why I keep returning to it, and I look forward to hopefully seeing another sequel in the future.