Excite truck: Not my kind of game but I do find I keep on coming back to ponder it because of the semi-legendary fun factor. Rental, perhaps.

Dynasty Warriors 4 V 5: Didn't 4 have a very different character growth system to 3? Something about weapons gaining stats with each level up instead of being discovered on the battlefield with random stat bonuses. I didn't like the idea of that; it cut down on the potential for customisation. Did 5 return to the system of picking up weapon and item boxes during battle?

What about the two Samurai Warriors games? I hear they mix the formula up a bit.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance: IIRC from the thread we had here, it plays somewhat like Diablo II. That could work. The superhero theme should appeal to him. :marks it down as a possibility: I shall see what he thinks.

Halo 3 and Gears of War: I can struggle through a FPS as long as it's got a solid storyline and - most importantly! - it's playable by frogs. I'm a good shot but I can't dodge to save my life (har har). I'm so good at jumping and strafing into oncoming fire that it must be a skill. That's on a PC. On a console I tend to run about with my view alternating between the floor and the sky, cursing.

My BF's never played anything like a FPS. Which would be the most newbie friendly? And the most incompetent idiot friendly, since I'll be playing too ...