Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry could you be more explicit for thick people like me? What's the game, and what's the author trying to trick the reader into believing?
I’ve never read it, but I think the idea is the character in the book is convinced he is doing nothing wrong. And the “game” is to get the reader to think the same.
Sounds like the game is getting people to give him a pass because "it's just a prank bro".