The Final Boss (Player vs. Player 3) by M.K. England

What worked:

I’ve not read the previous two books but the author does an effective job of recapping what readers need to know. Readers will be aware they’ve missed details but the important things to remember are the characters are in conflict with a gaming developer and they want to rescue their friend Wheatley. The most intriguing part of the story is that Wheatley is an AI and only exists within the gaming software. How is it that two girls and a boy are so passionately loyal and devoted to a character that doesn’t have a physical form? A major question arises as to whether Wheatley is sentient with a conscience and the ability to create its own thoughts.

Josh, Hannah, and Larkin find themselves in a difficult predicament with the gaming developer called Hurricane Games. They want to have futures in the gaming industry but Hurricane can ruin those dreams if they don’t give up their efforts to free Wheatley. Violations of the NDA the kids have signed can financially destroy their families. Ian is the despicable owner of the company and he’s aided by Shane, the lead program developer and coder. The kids know they can’t trust these men but they’re shocked at how low they’ll stoop to stop the kids.

Techie kids and players will love this book as it shares processes used in creating games. Josh, Hannah, and Larkin tour the Hurricane facility and observe different employees performing various jobs. One room is dedicated to war strategies. Another room shows actors and a director producing graphics for battle scenes and other rooms have workers coding games and various types of artists working together. The kids face three challenges in the Affinity game while they’re visiting Hurricane and each match pits them against four AI opponents. The company has spent millions of dollars toward developing the game so they’re not about to lose their investment because of a few kids. Josh, Hannah, and Larkin must overcome the rigged matches and blatant cheating to save Wheatley and their futures.

What didn’t work as well:

The character development is limited to gaming as this book is the first time Josh, Hannah, and Larkin have met in person. All of their interactions center on freeing Wheatley and beating Hurricane so readers don’t get to know them beyond a surface level. It’s also strange to read about an AI experiencing emotions but I guess that’s the point of the story!

The final verdict:

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy video games, especially those interested in how they’re made. The author creates an emotional story as the characters strive to save an AI that’s at the mercy of its creators. It takes human compassion to defeat the powers of technology and greed. I recommend you give this book a shot.