Army of Two

 Rating: M  

Release date: March 4, 2008 (NA)

Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3

Multiplayer: Yes.

Downloadable content: Yes: Veteran Pack, which includes two new maps.

When compared to other shooter games, the third-person Army of Two offers a refreshing new take on things. Instead of the player going solo through each mission, helped by AI squadmates with their own objectives, the player is given one partner, who is either human or the partner AI (PAI). Almost all of the objectives are impossible to complete without the AI, while most shooters turn the player into a one-man army.

Army of Two, however, focuses on teamwork. Everything will, at some point, require input from both players. There is also the "Aggro" meter, which shows how much enemy aggression each player is receiving. The player that is receiving less becomes virtually invisible while the player with a maxed-out Aggro meter goes into Overkill mode, wherein they become invincible and do not have to reload for 15 seconds.

To increase the Aggro, accuracy, and other aspects of the player's weapons, they are able to customize them with anything from a new paint job to an under-slung 40mm grenade launcher. Each upgrade is paid for by the money earned by completing objectives during each mission.

The missions themselves are your standard shooter fare: destroy X, find Y, kill Z, escort A to safety. However, the co-op system makes up for this because it enables the player to do each mission a different way. Distract the enemy while your partner finds a high vantage point and blows their brains out with a sniper rifle? Go ahead. Yank the door off a car and use it for a riot/entry shield. Or just go in guns blazing, which usually works, though it may be harder to accomplish than other options.

Once done with the campaign, go and take on the multiplayer, preferably with a buddy. There are three game types: Warzone, Bounty, and Extraction. In Warzone, the primary and secondary objectives are randomly generated and they may vary greatly. One team might need to get to a certain place and defend it, while the other team tries to destroy it, shoot down the chopper, blow up a jeep with its gunner, transport wounded soldiers to the extraction point, or assassinate V.I.P's. Bounty has the player hunt down the leader of the hostile forces on the map in exchange for a sum of money. In Extraction the objective is to rescue randomly spawned V.I.P.s or P.O.W.s and get them to a safe location.

To join in the co-op fun, get a copy through my Amazon aStore.