The Hypothetical Game

Welcome to Russia, comrade. The game takes place in the present day, outside of Petrozavodsk, in Northwest Russia. The terrain is rugged. You and your Navy Seal squad, along with some Russian commandos, are trying to recapture a nuclear facility that has been taken over by terrorists.

 INT. TENT - DAY In a large, makeshift tent, a mile from the nuclear facility, an ironic Russian NPC named  Nikolai is slow to heft his gear and get  moving. You just saved his butt in the last  mission. You play Carter. Calling him the  feminine name "Nikki" is how you good-naturedly  taunt him. Outside, the rain pours down. (gameplay) You pick up various pieces of gear. You head out of the tent. Nikolai isn't there beside  you. You turn to him. This triggers a... (in-game cinematic)    Carter (using Self Auto-Talk): Hey Nikki,     aren't you coming?    Nikolai (Russian accent; ironic): I was    going to wait here. But if you're going,     then I better protect you. He picks up his gear and heads toward the tent entrance. In the game, this triggers: A LOUD EXPLOSION GOES OFF OUTSIDE, FOLLOWED BY GUN- FIRE. SCREAMS of wounded Navy Seals and Russian  commandos are heard. (resume gameplay) You rush outside, followed by Nikolai… 

Deconstructing the Dialogue

Let's take a look at Nikolai's lines:

 Nikolai (Russian accent; ironic): I was going to wait here. But if you're going,  then I better protect you. 

What he means is that:

• He says he was going to wait in the tent, but of course, as a commando on a mission, that's not an option. He's being ironic. So beneath the surface he's saying he has no choice but to go.

• He's saying that he better go because otherwise you'll probably get killed if he's not there to protect you. Thus, he's taunting you in return for you calling him "Nikki." Beneath the surface, this taunting shows that he considers you a friend.

• He may be saying he needs to protect you, but beneath the surface, he's trying to "save face" and deny that he needed to be rescued by you in the last mission.

So, in two sentences, beneath the surface of the words underneath their literal meanings Nikolai is saying three distinct things. Meanings and emotions beneath the surface of dialogue are one way to make even a single line or two of dialogue "deep."