The Great Game is a step up from the previous volume. It’s a little aimless in the first half and rushed towards the end, but on the whole the momentum is revitalised, the plot progression is satisfying, and the stakes are set as the series gears up for the final stretch.

This book is strong in its own right too, tackling themes of war, death, and autonomy with tact and insightfulness. The central question of who is really in control weaves through the narrative and rears its head when

it is revealed that Sol is not in control of the game and is, in fact, only another player – an idea that fits nicely into real world conversations about the role of the GM, complementing the book’s other major theme of the relationship between TTRPGs and wargames.

It’s rare that a piece of media that relies so heavily on breaking the fourth wall and being meta does so in a way that feels earned. All I can do now is hope that volume 4 gives Die the gratifying conclusion the series deserves.