Second person perspective is basically a choose your own adventure book or speaks directly to the reader (like many an HP Lovecraft novel). But I take it that's not what they mean here. So I gotta wonder: What do they consider a "second person perspective?" ๐คจ
this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2026
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The go-to example I always think of for 2nd person is Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal, the boss battle against the Tyhrranoid Mother. You cycle through phases of the boss, and one shifts the camera's perspective to the targeting system of the boss, while you still control Ratchet.
This reminded me that the first boss in Battletoads on the NES is like that.
Also that one Shredder flight in TMNT4 where you throw enemies at the screen.
Somebody made a whole-ass video about it a while ago, and there's essentially two notable examples in video games.
One where there's a chase scene where you're the protagonist controlling your car but seen from the perspective of the antagonist (from the camera perspective you're chasing yourself), the other is a horror game where you see yourself from the perspective of your dolls (which you carry and place)
Edit: the video I was thinking of (but it doesn't actually have this specific example, I found that later)
https://youtu.be/mC8QoRa8y_Q?is=4jOUa2Mdm65ACV8y
That other game; https://store.steampowered.com/app/2526310/Out_of_Sight/
Fourth person perspective is when you see you character with a camera over its shoulder. You can control the camera, but all it does is move it around the character. You need a third thumbstick to control the fourth person if you want to change the view.
Jam2go's You are wrong about what a '2nd Person' Video Game is https://youtu.be/LTaQnuQY9fY
..and the trailer for the game https://youtu.be/3elPFbY4m7o
There's a second person perspective FPS where the game is a split screen of all the POVs of every enemy in the level. You still control your character and the shooting is doom style. So, just shooting in the correct direction of the enemy is enough. But essentially, you only see yourself when the enemy NPCs can see you. The views disappear and the split screen shifts as you kill enemies.
speaking directly to the reader is not second person perspective
From the same article:
This is not a direct address to any given reader even if it purports to be
It's clearly you who's wrong, even according to the article.
I'm speaking directly to you the reader now. In first person. Lovecraft writes in first person. My protagonist can also speak to you. In third person. He says "you are wrong.
You sit by your computer and think about it. This was the only sentence in second person.
Just because you keep saying it doesn't make it true. Maybe read the link and educate yourself.
I read it. It says exactly the same thing I say
Looks cool, but looking at the preview pics, I've got to point it out...
I'm always drawn to neat artstyles and this might be just up my alley. Also, apt comparison! ๐ญ ๐
Okay, this needs to be on GOG