"Extra Punctuation: Death in Videogames"

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/8753-Extra-Punctuation-Death-in-Videogames

         Yahtzee's article, while discussing a game design choice, remains humorous. The image of Cooking Mama's look “[implying] impending murder” introduces his sense of humor. As he begins setting up his argument by giving examples, his voice and imagery betray his preference. In Prince of Persia the character is “rescued by [his] nanny an instant before death,” an undignified comparison. Still, he describes the more widely accepted death as “bull-headed,” giving it a sense of stubborn repetition, and through that, a lack of originality. He uses images both to forward his argument and to exaggerate to the point of satire. Describing an average death in Call of Duty, the initial damage is “strawberry jam smeared on his spectacles.” While unexpected imagery in association with death, it does serve the insubstantially that the oncoming loading screen will bring. He goes on to dramatize the player's last sight: the vision of his goal, “its sheer distance taunting him with his failure.” Again, he's playing with the drama that lies before the simple redo. These images are contrasted with the easy way out: “Private Protagonist's belt-mounted patented Death-Away device kicks in and he's jolted back onto his feet by a burst of pixie dust.” These divides are one way Yahtzee keeps his article light and funny.

          The diction in this article aids the imagery, as well as the weight and voice. The “Death-Away device” certainly has a nice ring to it, and the phrase “pixie dust ration” is worthy of a giggle. Even when not in an image, the diction sets the tone. From the first paragraph, his word choice is light and informal; his mind is “sparked,” and he deems the debate “old” despite his current examples. Later, his confident choice of words makes him seem more trustworthy: “It can't possibly be a gameplay issue” as they are “functionally identical.” Finally, the diction shows he knows his audience. When he starts to describe a Nicholas Cage movie, seemingly out of the blue, he reassures the reader that he knows they're confused, but they should trust him anyway: “Just roll with it.”

           This consciousness of his readership displays itself in his choice of details, as well. He begins the article by establishing the audience as people who enjoy video games with the mention of Kirby's Epic Yarn. When he describes his idea, he knows he can say that “[it'd] be controlled Hitman: Blood Money style” and be understood. He knows the call to Nintendo at the end will not go unappreciated. His details, like the other two techniques, aid in humor. When telling of the road one of the universes in the game must have taken, he chooses a cliché: the bad guys have a doomsday device. All three techniques are used to make the article interesting and funny.