A review of Two Can Play That Game by Leanne Yong
By Christine Yunn-Yu Sun
Those who have teenage and/or adult gamers at home – and those who are curious about esports – will find Leanne Yong’s Two Can Play That Game a thoroughly enjoyable read. Previously an IT business analyst, Yong is an escape room creator who has designed internationally recognised games combining unique puzzle mechanics with narrative. Her insight into the gaming world, both as a user and a producer, adds a depth and richness to this charming YA novel.
The first-person protagonist Sam is a scholarship winner destined for a university degree and then a stable and secure career. This will be a dream coming true for every Asian family and the expectations from her Chinese-Malaysian parents are huge.
But Sam’s goal in life is to create cool indie games. She is desperate for a super-rare ticket to a prestigious workshop that can kickstart her career as a professional game designer – only to have it tricked out of her hands by Jay, a fellow gamer who is also from her community.
Enraged, Sam challenges Jay into a one-on-one competition of classic video games. Either that – or she will expose his sneaky move to “every single aunty and uncle in Brisbane” through the Asian Gossip Network.
So, game on! Following the two characters into the gaming world, we soon discover how video games are produced and promoted, from conceptualisation and storyboarding to R&D and mapping and finally to prototyping and marketing. Also featured are some of the design techniques and tricks commonly used by developers, highlighting the importance of setting clearly defined challenges, constraints, goals and rewards in each game.
All this is cleverly and seamlessly blended into the story without hindering the plot, which revolves around the two characters slowly yet steadily transitioning from rivals to friends. Both are
fiercely competitive and driven in their pursuit of excellence and success. Both are also aware of their overwhelming responsibilities and obligations, not only as the oldest child in their family but also as an emerging adult living in and between Asian and Australian cultures.
With that said, the story is universally appealing because it is about young people trying to follow their passions in the face of conflicting family expectations. It is about mutual respect and open communication between friends and families.
More importantly, it is about finding one’s own path, overcoming fear and self-doubt, and learning to deal with uncertainty and disappointment. Subtly, the story conveys to young people the precious message that failure is not and should not be seen as the end of a dream. Rather, it gives you an opportunity to take a different approach to pursuing that dream.
Finally, to all the nerds out there, here is a valuable quote from Two Can Play That Game. “I’ve always looked up to your determination and how you know what you want, and never hesitate to go for it no matter the sacrifice, So screw your courage to the sticking place, or whatever that line in Macbeth was.”
