Well, here I was all ready to tell how I figured out the problem.  As one could likely deduce from my games collection, I am in my fourth decade of life.  This isn't a tragedy, but it has cost me something in the way of hand-eye coordination and reaction time.  Thus, games dependent on me reacting, with great speed, to the thing that is attacking me, are likely to result in major failure (see below).  This pretty much means that I'm going to get hella frustrated with First Person Shooters.  I tend to achieve nothing more than being first-person shot.  

The X-Men II game I've been playing is apparently in the Role Playing Game category.  This seems to be much better.  I have to wander around the environment looking for all the pieces of the puzzle so I can put them together.  I have to use my brain to figure out how to solve problems.  (Hmmmm...that thingy I'm supposed to collect is waaaaaay up there on that post.  I just need one of those X-Men who fly, yessiree....) I have been really enjoying this game for many hours.

At the moment I have reached an impasse.  Why?  Because I'm battling the third (of five) boss and I can't beat him.  He just kills all my little X-Men and I have to start the level again.  Problem is, you see, this is again dependent on my reaction time and coordination.  Which is my Achilles Heel.  If I can't get past him, it's a real shame because I was having such a good time only to find myself in the same bloody situation as before.  Getting killed repeatedly by the same dude.  Sigh.