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Military action is tailor-made for video games, whether it’s a historically accurate first-person shooter game like the “Call of Duty” or “Medal of Honor” series, or a futuristic, sci-fi extravaganza like the “Gears of War” games or the now-classic “Halo” series. Our reviewers get the latest titles to hit the PlayStation 2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii and PCs and push them to their limits.

‘Shadow Complex’ a triumph of classic game design
What’s a gamer to do in the summer, when so few high-profile retail titles are released? I look for new challenges to download — and most of those are going onto my Xbox 360. It remains...
New ‘Batman’ game a deliciously dark adventure
Just as Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” introduced us to a grittier Batman flick on the big screen, Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have partnered...
Less green, fewer games
The struggling economy is scoring a hit on the video game industry, which until recently seemed recession resistant. And game fans will pay the price come the holidays.
Try some cool games for a hot August
Not all of the hottest video games are reserved for the holiday season.
‘G.I. Joe’ game brings firepower to consoles
You never know what you’re going to get when you buy a movie-based video game. You might be pleasantly surprised with the results, but more often than not the game feels like a shameless...
Ahoy, adventure fans! ‘Monkey Island’ is back
You may not remember the fun “Monkey Island” computer games that debuted in the early ’90s, but if you enjoy challenging puzzles, memorable characters and plenty of humor, be sure...
Pros vs. GI Joes
Think you can pwn Pedroia? Put the smack down on Shaq? Hammer Holyfield?
Honor among gamers
What’s the angriest you’ve ever been?
Fight through the Wild West in ‘Call of Juarez’ prequel
Most first-person shooters take place in a futuristic world, involving fighting against aliens, mechanical warriors and other hellish creatures.
‘Devil Survivor’ takes you to demon-haunted Tokyo
The “Shin Megami Tensei” series may be the epitome of cult video-game franchises, barely known by most players but beloved by a small but devoted core of fans.
Wii gets rare shooter in ‘The Conduit’
The alien invasion has begun, and Washington is its epicenter. One guy, Secret Service agent Michael Ford, is apparently the only earthling who can save the planet. At the behest of a shadowy...
New ‘Burger Time’ serves up a good time
Who could forget “Burger Time,” that deliciously addictive ’80s arcade game that challenged you to build hamburgers and avoid running into nasty toppings?
Out of this world
“Red Faction: Guerrilla” is a fun, refreshing, well-made sci-fi shooter that makes you wonder why so few other video games take advantage of the possibilities of the medium, instead of...
‘AA3’ recruits players into a detailed, full-on land war
The real Army may still be fighting in counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, but its virtual counterpart has moved onto a full-scale war against a new enemy in “America’s Army...
Play with creatures aplenty in ‘Spore’ add-on, ‘Overlord’ sequel
In this week’s look at the latest video games, we meet mischievous minions, angry yetis, hairy goblins and even pigs in wedlock.
Test your gaming skills against peers, pros
A nonprofit that lets service members pit their stick skills against professional athletes is spreading the word about its new military gaming network with a worldwide video game competition.
Who ya gonna play? New ‘Ghostbusters’!
The Ghostbusters are back in business.
Something strange in your neighborhood? Must be ‘Ghostbusters: The Video Game’
It’s been 25 years since “Ghostbusters” first lit up the big screen and to commemorate that event, Atari has brought the ghost-hunting troupe to the small screen in...
‘Free Realms’ offers world of family-friendly fun
Adventuring through forests, fighting hobgoblins and searching for treasure — it’s all in a day’s work in “Free Realms,” the latest massively multiplayer online...
‘EA Sports Active’ helps families work out with the Wii
Last year’s hot fitness game was “Wii Fit;” this year it’s “EA Sports Active.”
‘Boom Blox’ throws ‘Bash Party’
If you own a Nintendo Wii and didn’t get last year’s “Boom Blox,” arguably the best puzzle game on the Wii, now you’ve got a shot at a new version. “Boom Blox Bash...
Be a hero or villain in the supercharged ‘inFAMOUS’
What would you do if you suddenly developed superhuman powers in a post-apocalyptic world? Heal the sick and protect the innocent? Or use your new powers to destroy everyone and everything in your...
Humorous hazard
In the mostly humorless and self-indulgent world of violent video games, “Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard,” is like hunting for blind hogs with an M4 — there’s an endless...
Ride on the wild side with ‘Excitebots’
When it comes to racing games, consider Nintendo’s “Excitebots: Trick Racing” at the opposite end of the spectrum from realistic simulations, such as Sony’s “Gran...
Rock till you drop in ‘Guitar Hero Metallica’
Music game fans looking for something edgier than Michael Jackson or Duran Duran can now rock out with Activision’s “Guitar Hero: Metallica,” the latest in the best-selling rhythm...
Driving with Diesel in ‘Wheelman’
It sounds like a winning combination for a successful video game: over-the-top driving action in an open-ended city, Hollywood-style special effects and film star Vin Diesel as the lead character.
‘GTA’ shocks, rocks its way onto Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS, long viewed as a family-friendly video game platform with games such as “Nintendogs,” “New Super Mario Bros.” and “Pokemon,” is getting some new...
Off-target
What this world needs is a really good first-person shooter, exclusively for the PlayStation 3.
Comedic battle game uses music to ‘beat’ opponents
“Zubo,” a new Nintendo DS game from Electronic Arts, is a hilarious battle game that uses music, rhythm tapping and comedic animations to wow its audience.
Gory ‘Dead Rising’ remake is fun but flawed
If it’s zombies you crave, it’s a good time to buy a video game. Between Sega’s new “House of the Dead: Overkill” and Capcom’s “Resident Evil 5” due...
Something else to ‘F.E.A.R.’
If they give you a choice of assignments after your current tour is over, I recommend against applying to First Encounter Assault Recon — not that those guys aren’t some high-speed...
Plug in, pump up, slim down
Unless you’ve been working out at Mullah Omar’s Cave of Iron, no doubt you’ve heard of Nintendo’s “Wii Fit” phenomenon, which wirelessly tethers the new Wii...
Exergaming offers real-world workouts
From iPhone push-up counters to virtual yoga instructors, video games are increasingly morphing into full-on workout tools designed to toughen, tone and train.
‘Tenchu: Shadow Assassins’ delivers ninja action, satisfaction
Nintendo Wii owners who’ve had their fill of cute cartoon racers and exercise games might be ready to slice and dice in a deadly ninja adventure.
Take a ride on wild side in new ‘GTA’ expansion
Forget everything you know about downloadable content for your video games, be it new songs for “Rock Band,” an extra level for “Tomb Raider: Underworld” or bonus multiplayer...
’LocoRoco 2’ romps with roly-poly family fun
Imagine a world full of cute, squishy, singing blobs. That is what you will find when playing “LocoRoco 2,” a new game made for the Sony PlayStation Portable.
‘F.E.A.R.’ sequel continues to fright, delight
Combine the thrill of a first-person shooter with the creepy visuals of a horror movie and you’ll end up with “F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin,” a sequel to the 2005 award-winning...
‘Afro Samurai’ game delivers gory, gorgeous action
If you thought Samuel L. Jackson’s previous projects were laden with profanity and violence, such as the “Kill Bill” or “Pulp Fiction” flicks, wait till you lay your...
Killer games: Five shooters to look forward to in ’09
Remember when Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus showed Keanu Reeves’ Neo what the real world actually looked like after Neo had been slurped out of his tube in “The Matrix”? It...
Have some outdoor fun on the Wii
Nintendo Wii owners itching to become outdoor sportsmen without leaving home can do so with two new video games for their favorite console.
Latest video games promote exercise, healthy eating
Cut up your gym membership card, fire your personal trainer and cancel that Jenny Craig food order. If you want to get lean in 2009, perhaps you should start with a video game console.
The quick and the undead
Isn’t it lucky how every time zombies attack, some thoughtful Good Samaritan has sprinkled the city with piles of crew-served weapons for use in fending off the undead? You will make good use...
Dig out best of bargain bin PC games
If you find yourself cash-strapped this holiday season consider picking up an inexpensive computer game.
The quick and the undead
Isn’t it lucky how every time zombies attack, some thoughtful Good Samaritan has sprinkled the city with piles of crew-served weapons for use in fending off the undead? You will make good use...
A holiday shopping guide for tactical gamers
For first-person shooters, 2008 was a year of sequels and cautious, incremental forward steps. Although nothing hit the scene with as much force as the previous year’s “Halo 3” or...
Lara Croft returns in ‘Tomb Raider Underworld’
Lara Croft is back in “Tomb Raider: Underworld,” the latest chapter in the video game series starring an agile heroine with more curves than a racetrack.
Game Review: ‘SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation’
The new “SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Confrontation” is a fun, fast-paced shooter that could become the second title this year to vie for the kingship of squad-based video games. When it works.
Game squad reviews
We’ve enlisted readers to join our elite video game review unit. The only job requirement: Tell us what game is currently keeping you holed up in your man cave. To join the team, e-mail game...
Keeping ‘World at War’ true to form
Sure, it’s just a game. But you can thank Army Lt. Col. Hank Keirsey, a retired 82nd Airborne paratrooper, for “Call of Duty’s” gritty grunt perspective.
Report to ‘duty’
Just in time for the holidays comes the World War II video game we’ve all been waiting for. Here’s why:
Play classic Hasbro board games on the Wii
With Electronic Arts’ “Hasbro Family Game Night,” families and friends can play board games on the Nintendo Wii without ever cluttering up a tabletop. There are old time favorites...
Bond game packs guns, gadgets, girls
The latest movie-to-game adaptation? Bond. James Bond. Based on the feature film of the same name, “Quantum of Solace,” as well as the previous 007 flick, “Casino Royale,”...
‘Mirror’s Edge’ offers dizzying good time
An action video game played from a first-person perspective is usually considered a “shooter,” such as popular run-and-gun titles “Call of Duty” or “Halo,” where...
‘Fable II’ delves deeper into fantasy, freedom
With all the economic instability and political uncertainty all around us these days, the timing couldn’t be better for an open-world fantasy game you could lose yourself in for a few weeks....
High School Musical 3 fans can rock out in 2 video games
With the Oct. 24 big-screen release of “High School Musical 3,” interest in the East High students Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Ryan, Chad and Taylor is hitting a fever pitch. Tweens and...
New ‘FIFA’ soccer game a kick in the right direction
EA Sports might be the king of sports games, but if you scour the review Web sites, you’d notice games in the “FIFA Soccer” series don’t fare as well with critics as other...
Music video games set for an encore
The beat goes on in the thriving music video game category.
Creepy video games debut for Halloween
Halloween may be a time for trick-or-treating, pumpkin-carving and costume parties, but for millions of gamers, it’s also a perfect opportunity to curl up with a daunting digital diversion with...
Game review: ‘Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway’
Of all the complex war machines featured in today’s high-tech video games — from jet fighters to nuclear submarines — the worst depicted has always been the infantry squad. You, the...
Sackboy awaits your personal touch
Looking to join the A-list of video-game stars such as Mario and Lara Croft is Sackboy?
‘Parking Dash’ drives for fun
When the concept is explained to you, PlayFirst’s “Parking Dash” is one of those games that sounds incredibly boring. But once you get behind the wheel, it proves to be a fun ride.
Save Gotham block by block in ‘Lego Batman’
“If it ain’t broke ...” appears to be the mantra for Traveller’s Tales, the celebrated U.K. developer responsible for the popular “Lego Star Wars” and “Lego...
‘Rock Band’ sequel steals the show
What do you do for an encore after launching one of the biggest video games in recent memory? If you’re Harmonix, the makers of the just-launched “Rock Band 2,” you make it bigger,...
‘Star Wars’ sports impressive visuals
“Star Wars: The Force Unleashed’
‘Spore’: Social networks go gaming
“Spore” has landed, and the long-awaited video game brings with it an evolutionary shift in how players interact with — and help create — games.
Game Review
Mattias Nilsson is a mercenary of the old school. He isn’t wired on future-crank, like the guns-for-hire of “Haze,” and he doesn’t have an underdeveloped crisis of conscience,...
Hit the virtual green with new ‘Tiger’ golf game
While EA Sports’ “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09” is similar to last year’s golf simulation, the folks at Florida’s EA Tiburon studio have added a golf cart-full of new...
‘Pajama Sam’ leads kids on Wii adventure
If you’re looking for a fun game for young children on the Nintendo Wii, “Pajama Sam: Don’t Fear the Dark” fits the bill.
Comic book heroes soaring to video games
Good news for comic book fanatics not yet sated by the superhero flicks this summer: The action is coming to a small screen near you.
‘Madden 09’ inches toward pigskin perfection
Are you ready for some football?
A look ahead at 3 games
Three more exciting first-person shooter titles scheduled for release soon.
EPOC lets brain waves run video games
SAN FRANCISCO — Luke Skywalker, eat your heart out.
‘Madden’ celebrates 20 years in high style
PLEASANTON, Calif. — Thirty years after exiting pro football’s coaching ranks, John Madden still knows how to execute a winning game plan.
Game Review: ‘Command and Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath’
“Command and Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath” is a nice break from first-person shooters in that it enables you to wreak much more destruction from a much greater distance. There’s...
Game Review: ‘Metal Gear Solid 4’
Solid Snake may have gray hair, back pains and not much time left, but the guy still gets the coolest gear. Snake is the star of the newest and final video game in the “Metal Gear Solid”...
Here come the iGames
The Apple App Store is now open for business, offering hundreds of applications for the iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod Touch.
E3 ’08 gives glimpse of games to come
Gamers, get your thumbs ready.
‘Maddenpalooza’ to celebrate newest football game launch
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Electronic Arts Inc. announced July 24 that Madden NFL 09 will celebrate its launch with Maddenpalooza, a music, sports and gaming fan festival hosted at the Rose Bowl in...
DC Comics expands universe
Not content to rule the big screen, the Dark Knight has his sights set on cyberspace.
‘Alone in the Dark’ succeeds as it fails
If you’re looking for a visually impressive adventure with interesting puzzles, realistic physics and a dark narrative, you’ll find it all in Atari’s “Alone in the...
Rock on with new ‘Guitar Hero’ games
Your fingers might still be numb from jamming along to Activision’s “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock,” but two new “Guitar Hero” games are now available.
Adorable ‘WALL-E’ enters gaming universe
This summer’s mechanical darling, the robotic star of Disney and Pixar’s “WALL-E,” makes his video game debut across all platforms including LeapFrog’s Leapster, the...
You are the creator in ‘Spore’ universe
“Spore,” the latest game from “The Sims” creator Will Wright, evolved into a sensation — months before it hit stores.
Game Review: ‘Don King: ‘Don King Presents: Prizefighter,’ 2½ stars
While 2K Games’ fresh approach to boxing video games with “Don King Presents: Prizefighter” isn’t a bad idea — folding in documentary-style presentation and featuring...
Game Review: ‘Battlefield: Bad Company’
There’s a great scene early in “Saving Private Ryan” in which Paul Giamatti sits down on a pile of boards to get a rock out of his boot. In a classic Steven Spielberg twist,...
Game Review: ‘Haze’
Gamers everywhere were tickled in the early 2000s when a certain blue-blooded New York newspaper began running stories that asked, “Are video games art?” The answer, of course, is no, but...
Game Review: ‘Rainbow Six Vegas 2’ and ‘Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’
OK, I’ll say it: “Rainbow Six Vegas 2” is a better first-person shooter than “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.” But then, I think “Abbey Road” is a greater...
Game Review: ‘Frontlines: Fuel of War’ and ‘Army of Two’
Here’s a look at two of early spring’s most-hyped first-person shooters, “Frontlines: Fuel of War” and “Army of Two.” Both are competent, enjoyable games worth...
‘God of War: Chains of Olympus’ brings mythic gaming to your PSP
Sony PlayStation Portable gamers in search of an intense, action-packed adventure — with graphics so good you’d swear it was a console game — should run out and buy “God of...
Game Review: ‘Turok,’ 3½ stars
While not as groundbreaking as the original late 1990s “Turok: Dinosaur Hunter” for the Nintendo 64, the new “Turok” 3-D shooter for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony...
Gaming classics reborn on iPhone, iPod Touch
Now that Apple’s App Store (part of iTunes) has reached 1 billion downloads, many of which were games, it proves that iPhone and iPod Touch owners are clamoring for great gaming experiences...
Game review: SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Confrontation
The new “SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs: Confrontation” is a fun, fast-paced shooter that could become the second title this year to vie for the kingship of squad-based video games. When it works.

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TRU SPEC Fleece Jacket Liner
Due to popular demand the 100% polyester micro fleece jacket liner for the Gen I H20 ECWCS Parka can now be purchased separately. Great by itself, this fleece will be a great addition in colder climates.

Price: $20.99