How is Baghdad like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas? Why do most Iraqis play as the U.S.-led Coalition forces in Desert Combat, the acclaimed mod of Electronic Arts' first-person shooter Battlefield 1942? (Let's just say it's not because they like Americans.) To find out the answers to these questions and more, check out MTV News reporter Stephen Totilo's latest article, "Mortal Combat: An Iraqi Gamer Shares His Harrowing Story." The piece gives voice to Wisam (last name withheld for safety reasons), a 23-year-old Iraqi who loves games and hates what has happened to his country since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein; Brian Conley, a 26-year-old American who publishes a blog called Alive In Baghdad; and Omar Abdullah, Conley's 22-year-old correspondent, a Palestinian who's spent most of his life in the Iraqi capital. And the article quickly demonstrates why Totilo is one of the top five journalists covering games in any medium.

The story is spiced with endearing details; Wisam, it turns out, learned to speak English from games like "Metal Gear" and "Final Fantasy." But much of the piece is as grim as the headlines from the six o'clock news. With electricity only sporadically available, Wisam uses a gas-powered generator to power his consoles, but he must stand on line for four hours at a time to get the gas he needs. What's more, his monthly gas bill comes to $200. And with the threat of IEDs everywhere, even venturing out to purchase a game is a risky proposition. By taking us into the world of someone who shares our passion for this hobby; this entertainment medium; this burgeoning art form, Hisam's story marries the universal and the specific in a way that's very humanizing. Kudos to Wisam for telling his story, and to Conley, Abdullah and Totilo for helping it reach a larger audience.