Sam Khoo has a plan. She worked hard on it all through high school, turning down party invites and the fun of hanging out with friends. But her best friend has the same dream
and together they are going to be indie game developers – ignoring the big companies and loving what they do.
Sam keeps her mind on her plan’s steps:
Be at the top in High School – tick
Build a game good enough to be noticed for a showcase to gaming publishers – tick
Get a ticket to an exclusive Art of Game Design workshop – but this is where her plan hits a wall.
This wall is a guy called Jay.
Even after lining up outside the Gaming Store at 4am, Sam is the last to get her hands on the box that includes the ticket she needs, and then an annoying guy gets in the way. Sam is furious and demands he play fair. They agree on terms for a gaming duel and he makes her even madder when she sees that look of disdain guys have for girl gamers. This is WAR!
Jay has his own reasons for needing the Game Design workshop ticket, keeping them to himself as they meet weekly to duel. They bicker, fight, insult and do anything to gain the upper hand.
Both from Asian families and the eldest child, they have constant pressure to perform and set good examples for their younger siblings. Sam’s parents don’t know that the scholarship she won for Uni is the last thing she wants to take up.
Her guilty secret compounds the pressure but the insults between her and Jay soon turn to banter, easing the way into an understanding and the freedom to be themselves.
Two Can Play That Game is an engaging read. The more I got to know these characters the more invested I became in their lives, their dreams and their family dynamics. I really wanted to see Sam triumph so she could achieve her dreams, but also felt for Jay’s personal situation.
The dialogue flows effortlessly and is quick and funny. Text conversations are also included as they would occur in reality, and the reader also gets an insight to the inner workings of a wider Asian-Australian community. The Auntys and Uncles are hilarious, wanting to hitch these two together when they are actually at war.
Both Jay and Sam are extremely likeable characters, but Sam tells the story in first person.
Loved it!
Author – Leanne Yong
Age – 14+
(2023, Allen & Unwin, Gaming, Games, Video Games, Competition, Best Player Wins, Family, Asian, Malaysian, Friendships, Dreams, Anxiety, Game Art, Showcase, Scholarship, Gap Year, University, Enemy, Banter, Insults, Funny, Humour, Expectations, Pressure, Guilt, Being yourself, Identity)