SWAT 4 (PC)

S**T is about to go down!

I'll start off by saying this. I have spent so much time on the internet looking for new co-op games, and this game have to my experience almost never been listed on peoples favorite lists. I really have a hard time understanding this, because this game creates a game experience that stands out.

SWAT 4 is a very realistically made game. It tries to reward you for doing things by the book as closely as you can, trying to put criminals behind bars the legit way, instead of shooting and killing everyone you have in sight. We recently played the main co-op mode of the game (there are other modes as VIP escort, Criminals vs. SWAT etc...) with four players. It was a great experience. It was serious, and we had to take real care, because two shots would often kill you, and it happens faster than you think. So taking things carefully and talking to your players offer a very nice teamwork feeling.

I want to shoot him

SWAT 4 offers a lot of different choices when it comes to gadgets and weaponry, but you can't nearly carry all of them by yourself, here is where the awesome co-op aspect flourishes even more. It's like defining a role to a certain player, and it gives you an important role in the team. Either your style is going in all guns blazing (which usually doesn't work) or if it's a cool calm and collected guy that wants to just smoke in the door with a gas mask, and cuff the criminals and save the hostage. In the end you get rewarded a rank between 0-100. You don't get points for killing criminals or using unnecessary force. A good cop gets a good rank!

Pros: Realistic gameplay, very rewarding co-op functionality, easily find your style of play, controls feel solid.
Cons: Some weapons take experience to use efficiently, spectating players after death lacks functionality, a bit dated graphics.

Read more »

Champions of Norrath: Return to Arms (PS2)

I really love this game! I have put in countless hours on this game (and also its predecessor "Champions of Norrath") and I still think its' a great blast to sit down and play.

Return to Arms is an action rpg game which takes you back into medieval times, where you slay enemies and look for the awesome gear that comes with it. You have varied classes to pick from, you can really find your own play-style with one of them (my favorite was the Vah Shir Berserker). You go around the world with a "diabloesque" point of view, where you engage in various types of activities like smashing barrels that explode and button mashing your way to victory.

On higher difficulty levels this game gets tough quite fast. The difficulty levels are made like you would have a "New Game+" The next difficulty is only unlocked after you've completed the previous difficulty. This will demand you going through the same content over and over again, and it's okay if you don't like that. The thing that really keeps you going is the way that your character increases in skill, and the items and gear you get are more rewarding which will be many players motivation to keep going.

Skillset overview

The game also offers quite a bit of skill-based gameplay. It's quite possible to manage your ways through a difficulty setting that is way above your level. Though it is probably only for the hardcore players out there that only seek to challenge themselves.

Gameplay

The Co-op experience brings this to a whole new level of enjoyment. The mobs get tougher and you have to work together as a team to make anything work well. It's a very enjoyable multiplayer couch co-op game which will probably demand some quality time together, since it is an rpg it feels already more time consuming than a casual multiplayer game. A friend can also easily hop out of the game without ruining for anyone else. Additionally you can have new players create a character and join the same journey.

Pros: Addictive fun, thousands of items and gear, well made combat system, works great on multiplayer
Cons: A bit clunky camera, might get repetitive, some classes scale better than the other.

Read more »

New Super Mario Bros (Wii)

I think New Super Mario Bros is the game I have had most fun with when playing with friends. The amount of hilarious moments almost never stop. This is a game I have played multiple sessions, and every time is almost as fun as the first time we experienced it.

The way the co-op works is that everyone is playing a platformer at the same time, in typical Mario feel, while trying to reach the end of the level. This objective gets harder the more players there are, I feel. The ability to pick another player up and potentially throw him off an edge because he took the penguin suit is a very satisfactory feeling, maybe too satisfying. Everyone develops a personal agenda against another player or all the players, and the sense of victory is never there until you are the only one who was able to reach the flagpole.

It's all fun and good with two people, but it's best with the maximum four players for the ultimate bullying against each other. I recommend everyone to give this game a try if you're a fan of couch co-op gaming.

Read more »