The Outfit review

War: it sure is unpleasant. So it's a bit of a relief to find a World War II game that refuses to take itself too seriously and creates a shamelessly fun experience without too much consideration of historical accuracy. That's THQ's action/strategy shooter The Outfit. Despite some pretty glaring shortcomings, such as bland level design and yucky controls, The Outfit's commitment to delivering a good time raises it above those flaws and makes it a game that you should play. That is, if you like to have fun. That is why we play videogames, right?

And fun is what The Outfit is. Mixing third-person action with the ability to call in gun emplacements, reinforcements and vehicles like a real time strategy game, this isn't like other games you've played. It pleasantly reminds us a bit of Mercenaries and Battlefield: Modern Combat, but The Outfit's unique blend of gameplay is its strongest point. Unfortunately, hard-to-control vehicles and weapons that occasionally feel underpowered make for frustrating experiences playing the game.

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The Outfit is set in WWII, but the storyline is much more a beefed-up Hogan's Heroes than Saving Private Ryan. You choose from three characters: J.D., the stealthy sniper guy; Tommy Mac, the flame-spewing badass who can clean a bunker of Nazis in no time; and Deuce, a hard-nose, bazooka-wielding Colonel who leads the scrappy bunch. Different levels are best suited to different characters, and the game will reward you for smart choices.