Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter

Blurb

Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter is a 2010 non-fiction book by journalist and critic Tom Bissell discussing the social relevance and importance of video games as well as defending the medium against detractors. Bissell takes a slightly ambivalent stance towards the cultural relevance of the medium, describing the conflict between gameplay and narrative advances and the possibility for the medium to be relegated to the belief that games are incompatible with traditional art forms. Bissell extols several recent games in his book, particularly Braid, Grand Theft Auto IV, Mass Effect and Fallout 3 for their exemplification of the artistic advances made in the effort to gain social relevancy.