Shoot-em-up

July 17, 2012 12:52 PM

Looking for a name of a novel, but can only remember one scene, where a guy is recruited for some sort of mission in a video arcade.

So I read a novel a while ago and I'm a bit hazy on the details - I'm guessing it was some sort of Tom Clancy-ish techno-thriller. One guy (I'm thinking probably the antagonist) is recruiting people for some sort of mission (possibly a crime caper). The one scene I remember is where he recruits a guy from a video arcade. This guy is, I think, a Vietnam vet (he may have been wearing his old uniform or a generic surplus one) and, I think was helicopter door gunner (or at least skilled with heavy weaponry). He was playing a video game with a gun controller and getting a mega high score. One odd detail is that I'm fairly sure he only had one hand. Be grateful if anyone has got any ideas as it's been driving me mad these last few days.

posted by fearfulsymmetry to media & arts (4 answers total)

TVTropes: I Know Mortal Kombat
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 2:35 PM on July 17, 2012

I'm sure this isn't it, but The Last Starfighter almost fits the bill.
posted by hypersloth at 8:54 PM on July 17, 2012

This scene is not unlike the scene where Arnie catches up with the kid in Terminator 2. The kid is obviously way too young, but none the less, looks like a vet.
posted by Goofyy at 8:35 AM on July 18, 2012

Probably didn't make it clear enough - the guy in the arcade is already a skilled deadshot. He's only hanging there to practise shooting / relive combat - he had a kinda semi-lunatic borderline obsession about it.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:53 AM on July 19, 2012