Gaming

World War II has been the setting for so many video games that playing them all would probably take as much time as the war itself.

Fans of "Avatar" rave about how immersive it is, but it has a problem: The film only lasts 161 minutes.

The old-fashioned jetpack doesn't make much sense as a way to get around. Physics, gravity and the limitations of the human physique – not to mention the potential threat of flaming buttocks – have all conspired against the technology, which sci-fi geeks have been craving since the 1920s.

Battle-hardened Army Rangers turned military contractors Elliot Salem and Tyson Rios are back, and the game built around them is better than ever.

Bayonetta is the most flamboyant video-game heroine in a long, long time.

The idea that video games were recession-proof turned out to be a myth this year, leading to declining sales, shuttered studios and thousands of newly unemployed developers.

Video games based on movies are often pushed through as afterthoughts, so word that director James Cameron and Ubisoft have been collaborating for years on his sci-fi epic, “Avatar,” offered hope to gamers longing to explore the lush, brightly colored jungles of Pandora.

It's easy to take a series like "The Legend of Zelda" for granted. The first game arrived on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987, and with more than a dozen releases over 23 years, even the most dedicated "Zelda" fan can be forgiven for having skipped a game or two.

Last year’s surprise hit “Left 4 Dead” taught us that surviving as one of four humans in a zombie-dominated world takes more than just a willingness to dish out the bloody carnage.

Even before it refined family fun with the Wii, Nintendo was dedicated to creating satisfying multiplayer experiences. Games like “Mario Kart,” “Super Smash Bros.” and “GoldenEye 007” encouraged everyone to join in, and you missed the real action if you played them alone.

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," almost certain to be the year's best-selling video game, has also become its most notorious.

First-day sales of Activision Blizzard Inc.’s “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” broke records, raking in an estimated $310 million in North America and the United Kingdom alone.