Bethesda Softworks

CHICAGO – I’d love to be in a meeting when video game companies are trying to come up with the titles for their latest shooters. What’s something that strikes a chord in the guts of men who want to spend their free time shooting mutants or upgrading their rocket-powered vehicles? “Adrenalin”? “Power”? “Aaaarrrgggghhhh!”?

CHICAGO – It takes some time to build up momentum, but there’s a point in “Fallout: New Vegas” where the game becomes one of the most addictive titles on the market in quite some time. Once you cross the Mojave Wasteland and arrive in Freeside, just before entering the gorgeously-rendered The Strip itself, “Fallout: New Vegas” gets its hooks in you and won’t let go.

CHICAGO – The critically-acclaimed downloadable content (DLC) that expands the already enormous experience that is “Fallout 3” has recently been made available for the Sony PlayStation 3. We wanted to make sure you knew what to expect from each of the five DLC options. Pick your favorite or buy all five, all of which are also available in the “Game of the Year” edition, now on shelves.

CHICAGO – Bethesda Softworks’ “Wet” is a sloppy wet kiss to the cinema of the grindhouse as filtered through Quentin Tarantino’s love affair with it. The game plays not so much as an ode to B-movie thrills but to the way that QT interprets them. Clearly (and admittedly) inspired by “Kill Bill,” “Wet” is an often-fun but also often-frustrating shooter with style to spare but not as much substance as one would hope.