, Electronic Arts’ sequel to 2008’s original release Army of Two, is a cooperative (co-op) third-person shooter (TPS) video game that produces fun and creative gameplay from each player’s dependence on one another.
Released on Jan. 15, shows great improvements over its prequel and provides a great example that video games do not need state-of-the-art graphics or novelistic scripts full of twists and turns to be enjoyable.
The story of focuses again on Tyson Rios and Elliot Salem, the two private military contractors (PMC) who were the protagonists of the original. This time, however, they had created their own private PMC company, Trans World Operations (TWO).
Set a few years after the events of the original game, catastrophe strikes Shanghai as Rios and Salem get caught up in the middle of a mass scale terrorist attack launched by a competing PMC group. The players will be taking the roles of Rios or Salem and attempt to survive a series of disasters with the occasional help from Murray.
To make the game story more interactive, Morality Moments is a feature that has been introduced which allows the players to pick between divergent storylines based on ethical decisions. These choices will affect gameplay and story development which nicely adds synergy among the players and the world.
Although it is meant to be played as co-op, campaign also includes a single player mode where your partner will be controlled by a very reliable Artificial Intelligence (AI), redesigned since the original to be more perceptive and skilled.
On the other hand, if you have trouble trusting your life in the hands of a machine and would rather have a human watching your back, the game offers co-op gameplay in both the form of split screen and online connection. Either way, exceeds its predecessor by giving the players an arsenal of co-op options to execute along with a variety of strategy to choose from.
Unlike the original game where the co-op moments of the game are scripted, this one gives players freedom by allowing them to use several co-op options. Players can now use a selection of cooperative strategies, such as fake surrendering or simultaneous sniper shots, to reinforce gameplay. Back from the original is the Aggro Meter which allows players to control which teammate the enemies will be attacking.
Aside from the cooperative elements of the game, also improved upon the original in other significant ways. The most noteworthy of these changes is probably the development of accessible controls. With several in-game options such as melee attacks and switching weapons mapped to easier single button executions, the game is less difficult to get into for players. Little perks such as sprinting and automatic covering are also much appreciated.
Being a shooter game, the weapons are naturally a very important aspect. From your basic assault rifles to shotguns to sniper rifles to grenades, the selection is actually rather limited and trite. However, the amount of customization that the game allows for the player to add to their weapons is remarkable.
Each weapon is basically split up into its individual parts and by spending in-game money, players can upgrade each of these parts to improve performance of the weapon such as accuracy, damage, handing, etc. These modifications allow the players to prepare for any situation and introduce a wide variety of playing styles.
also offers a multiplayer gaming experience up to ten players at a time. Still focusing on the co-op elements that defined the game, however, all four multiplayer game modes will exploit the co-op partnership that defined the campaign. Players will learn to depend on each other for ammunition and revival just like they did in the campaign.
Overall, it is the collective effort of a mixture of seemingly unimpressive elements that together creates an impressive and fun-to-play game.
The graphics could be improved and the many features of the game, although updated since the original, can be found commonly in games of similar genres. However, Electronic Arts made it work and produced a game that should be appreciated and played by fans of shooters alike.