An Analysis of an Analysis

            Parallels and Interactions between Videogames and Literature: Analyzing Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream is the rather lengthy title of the analytical article written by one Georgios Vasilikaris, of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. The article was published under the Journal of Anglophone Literature, Culture and Media in 2019. The article focuses on the comparison of Harlan Ellison’s 1967 short story I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream and its 1995 video game adaptation of the same name, and the use of video games as a storytelling medium. The article is a very well-constructed analysis, though wordy at times.

            The article, which is separated into two parts, begins by introducing video games as a concept, and how they can be used as an avenue for storytelling, or even as educational devices. Vasilikaris highlights the rather dismissive attitude many people have towards video games as anything more than a childish pastime, while being much more accepting of other forms of entertainment such as books or films. He also notes the development of games designed to be solely “educational” to appeal to these skeptics but dismisses them as generally uninteresting. He then goes on to cover a sort of psychological model designed to explain why people play video games. Player Experience Need Satisfaction, or PENS, developed by Scott Rigby and Richard Ryan, states that playing a game should meet one or more of three needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. One major problem with analyzing video games critically, Vasilikaris explains, is deciding just how exactly to analyze them. Should video games be analyzed based solely on their gameplay mechanics? Or should they be analyzed based on their storytelling and narrative ability? Vasilikaris describes a system developed by one Marie-Laurie Ryan, designed to figure out how a particular game should be analyzed by assigning it to one of four categories based on level of interactivity. Using this model, and the previously mentioned PENS model, Vasilikaris attempts to analyze the video game adaptation of I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream in the second half of the article.

            The second half of the article begins by summarizing the plot of I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, and highlights the differences between the short story and its video game adaptation. The plot is as follows: In a dystopian alternate future, the cold war morphs into an absolute world war wherein each warring nation creates an “Allied Mastercomputer” (or AM) to manage their munitions. The AM become self-aware and assimilate, taking control of the conflict and almost driving humans into extinction. AM enslaves the five remaining humans on earth, granting them virtual immortality, to torture them for the rest of eternity. The article then goes on to introduce the five characters and their backstories, before explaining the philosophy of I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream. “It’s a game that is supposed to make you think” (11). Vasilikaris emphasizes the importance of choice in the game, which features multiple endings dictated by the player’s in-game choices. The game does not guide the player towards their choices and does not pass judgement on the player for making a particular choice. This freedom of choice allows the player to, in a way, create their own story as they play. The game was designed to be a piece of “truly interactive literature” (12), it was not meant to be some mindless time killer. Vasilikaris describes the game as “the hardest game ever created” (12), with some chapters needing to be constantly replayed to advance. However, it is this repetitious nature and difficulty level which allows the player to experience a piece of the torment that the characters of the story must endure.

            The two-part structure of the article was a good decision in terms of organization; it kept all relevant points together and kept the article very coherent and well-structured. While all the points presented were relevant to the topic, there were some seemingly unnecessary details which left the article feeling a bit too wordy. A reductionist edit could be useful. The writer clearly stated his purpose for writing the article and was able to effectively persuade the reader towards his side of the argument. He did an excellent job establishing video games as a storytelling medium, using I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream as a perfect example. The article appeals to a wide audience, including video game, literature, and Harlan Ellison fans alike, as well as providing a strong basis of information for newcomers to these subjects.

            Georgios Vasilikaris’ Parallels and Interactions between Videogames and Literature: Analyzing Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream is a very well-made analytical article, though, much like its title, it could be shortened a bit. It is very well structured and organized and provides plenty of information on the topics discussed. The article keeps the reader engaged and thoroughly explains every idea presented. Though a bit wordy, it is an overall great read.

 

Work Cited

Vasilikaris, George. "Parallels and Interactions between Videogames and Literature: Analyzing                            Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream." Ex-centric Narratives: Journal                            of Anglophone Literature, Culture and Media [Online], 0.3 (2019): 214-227. Web. 11 Oct. 2021