We all want to be a hero, don’t we? We all want to save someone’s life and have our story in the news. ‘Hero Saves Man’ reads the headline. Next thing you know the mayor’s given you the key to the city and Michael Bay wants to make a biopic about you entitled ‘The loser who did something worthwhile’.
Trouble is that this anodyne, office-based existence that we live in doesn’t give us much chance to be a hero. Once upon a time, when mankind roamed the jungles, we could have thrown ourselves into the lion’s path as it attacked our hunting companion from the rear, and our little tribal village would have put on a hell of a feast in our name.
Nowadays the most heroic thing most people do is offer someone a lift home after work. ‘You’re a life-saver!’ they tritely say, as they exit the car door, not even buying you a burger for the effort. And so in these dull, un-heroic times we turn to video games in a desperate attempt to fill the void.
In Negotiator, you play the part of a negotiator, who negotiates with a man (with a life probably quite similar to yours) who is standing on the edge of a roof-top, ready to end it all. Will you say the right thing and save his life, or will you be the final push? To be honest, either outcome is quite satisfying.