When Navy SEALs attacked Osama bin Laden's compound in 2011, they discovered a trove of documents that the U.S. government has now released as a list. "Bin Laden's Bookshelf," as it's being called, contains news clippings, publications from think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation, books on international relations and various religious texts.
But the list also includes more surprising finds, such as a number of video game guides — suggesting that members of the al-Qaeda leader's family or even bin Laden himself were gamers.
One guide is for a 2009 game known as "Delta Force: Xtreme 2," a military-style shooter that puts players in the middle of the Army's famed Special Operations unit. The game got terrible reviews for its poor graphics and uninspired gameplay. But for a group of people in hiding? "Delta Force" was probably an important outlet for entertainment.
According to reviewers, the game's online multiplayer mode was really its only saving grace. Unfortunately, nobody can claim to have accidentally played online against Osama bin Laden, as his compound was cut off from telephone or Internet service for security reasons — effectively severing even this potential link to the outside world.
It's unclear whether bin Laden hoped to use the game to study Delta Force's tactics. It wouldn't be the craziest idea he had. But a look at some gameplay footage quickly reveals the limited operational value of this game. He probably would've been better off with "Call of Duty."
