Voglia di vincere/Extra Lives

"Voglia di vincere/Extra Lives" is a 2013 book review by Ambra Agnoletto, published in the Italian game studies journal Critical Notes, of Tom Bissell's book "Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter," translated into Italian as "Voglia di vincere: perché i videogiochi sono importanti." The review presents the book as an unusual and engaging perspective on video games from a writer whose background is in film and music rather than game studies. Its central argument is that video games are primarily individual experiences, each lived in a unique and personal way, even though they are widely consumed on a mass scale. The reviewer highlights how Bissell approaches the subject through personal reflection, humor, and detailed analysis rather than industry history or technical game design.

The review explains that Bissell's inquiry focuses on a selection of console games from roughly the last twenty years, many of them narrative-driven and produced with large budgets, including titles such as Resident Evil, Fallout 3, BioShock, Grand Theft Auto IV, Call of Duty, and Braid. Bissell examines both the artistic merits and the ethical shortcomings of these works, questioning whether commercially motivated products can be considered culturally equivalent to traditional media such as cinema and literature. Drawing comparisons with these established forms, and citing perspectives from game designers, critics, and historians, he argues that video games represent a dominant medium and a potentially powerful interactive art form, with immersive qualities that carry both significant opportunities and responsibilities.

Agnoletto's assessment is generally favorable, noting that the book's value lies in its open-ended questioning rather than in definitive conclusions. The reviewer suggests that readers, whether novices or experts, are invited to form their own judgments about Bissell's arguments, making the book a stimulating contribution to ongoing discussions about the cultural status of video games.