Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Army of Two co-opts three free mapshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/army-of-two-co-opts-three-free-maps/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/army-of-two-co-opts-three-free-maps/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/army-of-two-co-opts-three-free-maps/#commentsFiled under: ,


If you miss Army of Two's bumping of the fists or its hoisting of the crotches, Electronic Arts (probably sensing your impending depression) is offering up the free Veteran Map Pack this Thursday. It's ... well, it's a pack of maps including "two brand new co-op campaign maps" taking you to a subway station in Kiev and SSC headquarters in MIami, along with an "enhanced multiplayer map" so you can relive your salad days two-on-two on the China Canal Lock map. Oh, and if you're bristling at the thought of dropping your hard earned money on more maps, don't worry: Pontiac's picking up the tab. What do you say?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>A02Army-of-TwoDLCEAChristopher Grant2008-05-28T03:06:00+00:00Lost Odyssey and Army of Two DLC arriveshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/25/lost-odyssey-and-army-of-two-dlc-arrives/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/25/lost-odyssey-and-army-of-two-dlc-arrives/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/25/lost-odyssey-and-army-of-two-dlc-arrives/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


What're 200 points worth to you? Wait, don't answer yet, because a new DLC pack for Lost Odyssey released today may just change your whole perception of the value of a point. The "Triple Bonus Pack" adds "'Memory Lamp,' which allows you to watch the past event scenes all over again, 'Shattered Bond,' an antique that will bring back the memory of a forgotten dream, and a special ring, 'Killer Machine,'" all for 200 points ($2.50). Now, we don't know what any of those words meant, but they sounded awesome.

Also, just as a reminder, the "SSC Challenge" pack for Army of Two also arrived today for 600 points on XBL or $7.50 on PSN. If you sample any of today's DLC, make sure you let us know if they're worth the digi-dollars in the comments.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twodlclost-odysseypsnxbox-liveJustin McElroy2008-04-25T09:00:00+00:00Army of Two gets SSC Challenge pack April 24http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/army-of-two-gets-ssc-challenge-pack-april-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/army-of-two-gets-ssc-challenge-pack-april-24/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/army-of-two-gets-ssc-challenge-pack-april-24/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We were a little lukewarm on Army of Two as a complete package, but the best part of the game was easily playing through with a friend. (And at-will fist pounding.) Now, EA's building on that strength with the "SSC Challenge Pack," four co-op maps that pit a pair of two-man teams against each other as they try to earn the most cash and join the SSC, AoT's private military group.

We should mention, in the interest of full disclosure, that the maps (to our knowledge) include no new fists pounds or air guitar solos. Sorry. The SSC Challenge Pack, which will hit Xbox Live Marketplace and PSN on April 24, will run you $7.50 or 600 MS points, if you prefer imaginary currency.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twodlceapsnxbox-liveJustin McElroy2008-04-18T10:25:00+00:00March NPD: Wii, Smash Bros. on top, software sales surgehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/march-npd-wii-smash-bros-on-top-software-sales-surge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/march-npd-wii-smash-bros-on-top-software-sales-surge/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/march-npd-wii-smash-bros-on-top-software-sales-surge/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If this is how Nintendo does before the predicted Wii Fit-exacerbated shortages, we're a little scared for what the future will hold. As predicted, Nintendo dominated the March NPD sales report, selling over 720,000 Wiis and 698,000 DS units. The DS and Wii represented 58 percent of hardware sales for March, leapfrogging over one another to swap positions from the February numbers.

Further down the list, the Xbox 360 regained an extremely slight sales lead over the PS3, mainly due to a slight dip in Sony's system sales. We predict the systems will likely continue trading slight leads like a couple of fading horses in the home stretch of a marathon-length race, until one inevitably dies just short of the finish line. And speaking of dead horses, the perpetual PS2 finally showed some signs of weakening this month, plummeting down nearly 63 percent from February's sales.

- Wii: 721K 289K (40%)
- DS: 698K 110.4K (15.8%) [Update: Fixed typo in growth number]
- PSP: 297K 53.9K (18.1%)
- Xbox 360: 262K 7.4K (2.8%)
- PS3: 257K 23.8K (9.3%)
- PS2: 216K 135.8K (62.9%)

Software sales also met predictions in rising 57 percent to $1.7 billion for the month. Super Smash Bros. rode a wave of hype to a ridiculous 2.7 million sales -- that's more than last month's top ten combined. Shooters had a good month, with the Xbox 360's Rainbow 6 Vegas 2 and Army of Two rounding out the top three for the month (the PS3 version of Army of Two also showed up in tenth place) while Wii Play, Guitar Hero and Call of Duty 4 continued their seemingly endless runs on the top ten. The PSP also made a couple of relatively rare appearances in the top ten, with the God of War and Final Fantasy brands finally making people interested in UMDs again.

March Software
1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) - 2.7 million
2. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (Xbox 360) - 752.3K*
3. Army of Two (Xbox 360) - 606.1K
4. Wii Play w/ remote (Wii) - 409.8K
5. God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP) - 340.5K
6. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP) - 301.6K
7. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Wii) - 264.1K
8. Major League Baseball 2K8 (Xbox 360) - 237.1K
9. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) - 237K*
10. Army of Two (PS3) - 224.9K

* - Includes bundles and special editions

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Army-of-TwoBreakingNewsfiguresNPDRanbow-6-Vegas-2salesSSBBwiiKyle Orland2008-04-17T19:15:00+00:00More than 5 new EA titles to have Unreal Engine 3 under the hoodhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/more-than-5-new-ea-titles-to-have-unreal-engine-3-under-the-hood/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/more-than-5-new-ea-titles-to-have-unreal-engine-3-under-the-hood/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/more-than-5-new-ea-titles-to-have-unreal-engine-3-under-the-hood/#commentsFiled under:


Electronic Arts likes what it has seen from Unreal Engine 3, so much so that the company has extended its relationship with Epic, giving EA the rights to incorporate the popular middleware solution into more than five upcoming titles.

As to what games this impacts EA won't say, only noting that each of the games are currently in development. The company first inked an agreement with Epic in 2006 to use the technology, which has since made its way into such recent titles as Medal of Honor Airborne and last month's fist-pounding Army of Two, proving once and for all that even great technology doesn't make the game.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twoarmyoftwoeaelectronic-artselectronicartsepicmedal-of-honor-airbornemedalofhonorairborneunreal-engineunreal-engine-3unrealengineunrealengine3Jason Dobson2008-04-08T09:30:00+00:00Zero Punctuation is an army of one in Army of Twohttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/zero-punctuation-is-an-army-of-one-in-army-of-two/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/zero-punctuation-is-an-army-of-one-in-army-of-two/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/zero-punctuation-is-an-army-of-one-in-army-of-two/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The normally solitary Yahtzee (he is a PC snob after all) takes on Army of Two this week, a game designed to be played co-op -- so we already know this is going to end badly. After becoming frustrated with his computer partner's AI, he decides to invite a friend over and proceeds to become frustrated with his human companion's abilities as well. Like any listener of the Joystiq Podcast already knows, Army of Two has a lot of issues, the least of which is forgetting that for a co-op action shooter it sort of missed the boat on creating an enjoyable co-op experience.

This week's NSFW review of Army of Two can be found after the break. Watch it with a friend, or if you're a PC gamer your favorite plant.*

*Oh, calm down ... this is coming from the blogger who can spend days playing Civilization IV and Sins of a Solar Empire.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twoarmyoftwoescapistthe-escapistyahtzeezero-punctuationzeropunctuationAlexander Sliwinski2008-04-02T16:00:00+00:00Reminder: Army of Two demo now availablehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/reminder-army-of-two-demo-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/reminder-army-of-two-demo-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/reminder-army-of-two-demo-now-available/#commentsFiled under: ,


Finally, the game that created such a kerfuffle on the Joystiq Podcast (and a couple of great Photoshops on our Facebook group) is now available for you to try for free with the Army of Two demo on Xbox Live. Are your knuckles lubed and ready for pounding? Let's hope so.

But be aware, as we learned from our listeners, if you play the demo, which includes training and the first level, you will not know if you like it. Even if you go on to play the next few levels after that, trust us, you won't know if it's good or not. You had better just take their word for it.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twodemoseaxbox-liveJustin McElroy2008-04-02T10:30:00+00:00Army of Two demo coming to 360 tomorrow, some DLC info droppedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/army-of-two-demo-coming-to-360-tomorrow-some-dlc-info-dropped/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/army-of-two-demo-coming-to-360-tomorrow-some-dlc-info-dropped/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/army-of-two-demo-coming-to-360-tomorrow-some-dlc-info-dropped/#commentsFiled under: , ,


After you've finished covering your toilet in plastic wrap before a loved one uses it (always hilarious), you can do some April Fool's Day unwinding tomorrow with a demo for Army of Two hitting Xbox Live. According to producer Matt Turner, the demo will include the training area of the game as well as the first level, which should should give you plenty of time to fist pound to your heart's content.

For those of you who've already picked up the game, Turner details some of the forthcoming DLC, saying, "1 new multiplayer map arriving as well as 2 new campaign maps in the not too distant future." Sounds great ... now, how about that little regional lockout problem?

[Via Gamespot]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twodemosdlceaxbox-liveJustin McElroy2008-03-31T11:45:00+00:00EA explains Army of Two's regional lockouthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/ea-explains-army-of-twos-regional-lockout/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/ea-explains-army-of-twos-regional-lockout/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/ea-explains-army-of-twos-regional-lockout/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Though reviews haven't been consistently kind, most critics seem to label Army of Two's cooperative, fist-pounding gameplay as the best reason to start shooting. The promise of leaving a bloody terrorist trail with a buddy-in-arms does come with one caveat though: The members of your army can't have an ocean between them. Army of Two's online modes are restricted according to region, with the US, European and Asian versions unable to exchange so much as a salutation, let alone a barrage of bullets.

Consequently, we spoke to EA Montreal's Reid Schneider, senior producer on Army of Two, in the hopes of learning more about the decision to introduce a territorial lockout across Xbox Live and PSN. While the explanation is unlikely to dissolve your disappointment (not to mention that of Claus, your Swedish best friend), it does spring from EA's belief to do what was best for its game. We don't believe it was the best decision for modern, borderless gamers, but Schneider assured us that the developer is "actively looking into" retooling the game in the future. "We are looking to find a way where we can do it," said Schneider," and not expose users to super slow connections..."

According to Schneider, said super slow connections are what prompted the region blocking. Using a deterministic (peer-to-peer) network model enables the game's synchronized gameplay animation, but requires parity on both systems. If a slow connection is thrown into the mix, "the person with the worst connection brings down the whole group to his/her worst connection level," explained Schneider. "While not generally a problem for COOP (since most people play coop with friends) when playing in Versus mode 3 people can be highly adversely affected by one player with a bad connection. We use the region lock to minimize the likelihood of this occurring."

The game's Asian version is an entirely different beast. Due to territory requirements, players of that particular version can't shoot the bodies that are inevitably strewn across the battlefield. As was the case with the initial release of Insomniac's Resistance: Fall of Man, us sick and disgusting Westerners weren't deprived of this "feature." Schneider noted that having one version of the game with bullet-proof corpses talking to one that didn't "would result in a de-sync in the simulation and ultimately the game would fail."

We can't say these explanations will come as much as an appeasement to gamers -- especially not with the likes of Halo 3 and Gears of War lodged in the same genre -- but with American foreign policy growing more insular every day, who really wants to game with other countries anyway?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Army-of-TwoArmyofTwoEAPSNShooterXbox-LiveXboxLiveLudwig Kietzmann2008-03-12T14:30:00+00:00Readers pick best webcomic: Our Crucial Pamphlethttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/11/readers-pick-best-webcomic-our-crucial-pamphlet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/11/readers-pick-best-webcomic-our-crucial-pamphlet/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/11/readers-pick-best-webcomic-our-crucial-pamphlet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We're not previewing the strip because we don't want to give it away. Penny Arcade's "Our Crucial Pamphlet" narrowly beat out VG Cats' "Communication Degree" to be voted the week's best game-related webcomic.

Third place went to GamerPALs. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any gaming comics you stumble upon this week!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twogamerpalspenny-arcadevg-catswebcomicRoss Miller2008-03-11T11:30:00+00:00This Week in Review: A Smashing Starthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/this-week-in-review-a-smashing-start/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/this-week-in-review-a-smashing-start/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/this-week-in-review-a-smashing-start/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Welcome to This Week in Review (formerly This Week in DLC), where we round up all the hands-on impressions and game reviews (including Metareviews) from the Joystiq Network. This week's megaton title should come as no surprise whatsoever.

Nintendo Wii
Xbox 360
 PlayStation 3
 PlayStation Portable
 Nintendo DS

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twodark-sectorflowlostprofessor-laytonrocketmensmash-brosssbbsuper-turricanthis-week-in-reviewRoss Miller2008-03-07T21:00:00+00:00Metareview -- Army of Two (Xbox 360, PS3)http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/metareview-army-of-two-xbox-360-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/metareview-army-of-two-xbox-360-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/metareview-army-of-two-xbox-360-ps3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Despite a suspicious silence accompanying its (delayed) arrival, EA's smack-talkin' shooter seems to have mostly delivered on its promise of consistently cooperative violence. Unsurprisingly, most reviewers seem to agree that a one-macho-man army is at a disadvantage in Army of Two, with the lone experience highlighting some of the game's flaws and unremarkable design. It might be worth a look if you and your BFF have already blasted everything in Halo 3, Crackdown and Gears of War.
  • IGN (79/100): "As a single player experience, Army of Two is a fine game -- one that manages to provide a fun, engaging time despite its length, AI issues and elements that don't seem fully implemented. However, it's really co-op play and multiplayer where the game stands out, and these two modes will most likely keep you playing for a long time."
  • Game Informer (75/100): "Like dysfunctional characters in a buddy flick, Army of Two has some annoying problems, but if you just want a fun cooperative experience, it gets the job done and delivers sizeable thrills you won't find anywhere else."
  • Eurogamer (70/100): "Any level of the current co-op king, Halo 3, has more spectacle and incident packed into it than the entirety of Army of Two; more that you'll want to relive in company over and over again. Bearing the strong Vs. mode in mind, it would be wrong not to warmly recommend this as a smart twist on a stupid shooter, but perhaps it should have taken itself a little more seriously after all."

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Army-of-TwoArmyofTwoCo-opEAShooterLudwig Kietzmann2008-03-06T23:00:00+00:00New games this week: Army of Two editionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/new-games-this-week-army-of-two-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/new-games-this-week-army-of-two-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/new-games-this-week-army-of-two-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


OK, so we were sorely tempted to give the featured game honor to God of War: Chains of Olympus this week, but we've already told you how awesome it is in a metareview, and we featured a PSP game last week, so we're mixing it up with Army of Two. Will it be good? We have absolutely no idea. We hope so, but we just don't know.

Also, the Best Game Title From a Game We'll Never Play award goes to ... wait, what's this? A three-way tie! Our congratulations go out to Petz Bunnyz, Homie Rollerz and, of course, Lets Ride Friends Forever. Way to go you three.

Xbox 360:
  • Army of Two
  • Major League Baseball 2K8
  • Bully Scholarship Edition
PS3:
  • MLB 08: The Show
  • Army of Two
  • Major League Baseball 2K8
Nintendo Wii:
  • Major League Baseball 2K8
  • Bully Scholarship Edition
  • Ninja Reflex
PS2:
  • Silent Hill: Origins
  • Major League Baseball 2K8
  • MLB 08: The Show
  • WWE Smackdown vs. Raw Superstar Series
PSP:
  • God of War: Chains of Olympus
  • Major League Baseball 2K8
  • Blokus Portable: Steambot Championship
  • MLB 08: The Show
Nintendo DS:
  • Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
  • Ninja Reflex
  • Eco Creatures: Save the Forest
  • Imagine: Figure Skater
  • Petz Bunnyz
  • Homie Rollerz
  • Spitfire Heroes: Tales Royal Air Force
  • Chicken Hunter
  • Anno 1701
  • Lets Ride Friends Forever
  • Best of Tests DS
PC Games:
  • Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
  • Company of Heroes Gold
  • Imperium Romanum
  • Build-a-lot
  • Artic Stud Poker Run
  • Stranger

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twonew-gamesnewgamesJustin McElroy2008-03-03T08:00:00+00:00Xbox World condemns Army of Two as an 'Army of Sh*t'http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/xbox-world-condemns-army-of-two-as-an-army-of-sh-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/xbox-world-condemns-army-of-two-as-an-army-of-sh-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/xbox-world-condemns-army-of-two-as-an-army-of-sh-t/#commentsFiled under: , ,

EA's newest IP -- Army of Two -- apparently isn't all it's cracked up to be. So says GamesRadar sister-magazine Xbox World, who were set to review a near-final build of the game, until EA Montreal decided the game wasn't quite ready for release. The resulting preview is downright nasty in its condemnation of the cooperative FPS, which it fancifully re-titles "Army of Sh*t."

The criticism lies mostly with the game's storyline and main characters, the latter of which Xbox World decries as the least likable in video game history. The plot of the game is apparently incredibly xenophobic, with generic terrorist enemies who refer to the main characters as "f*cking infidels." The gameplay, meanwhile, is described as bland and repetitive, with numerous cut-scenes and clumsy controls.

Is there any hope for Army of Two? Not according to Xbox World, who describe the game's delay as nothing more than "a stay of execution." Considering their qualms lie largely with the game's intrinsic plot, writing, and characters, they could very well be right. We'll have to see come first-quarter 2008 whether the game is truly as sh*tty as they make it out to be.

[Via X3F]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>army-of-twoarmyoftwoeaea-montrealeamontrealScott Jon Siegel2007-12-06T04:30:00+00:00Joystiq hands-on: Army of Two (360/PS3)http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/22/joystiq-hands-on-army-of-two-360-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/22/joystiq-hands-on-army-of-two-360-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/22/joystiq-hands-on-army-of-two-360-ps3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I recently played an almost-complete version of Army of Two, days before the decision to delay it until Q1, 2008. Originally planned to be released November 13, EA told me that the delay related most to them wanting to make sure this new intellectual property can be all it can be. (Did somebody say "franchise?") Of course, the company will easily benefit by spacing the game out from the current flood of mega hits.

Army of Two casts players as mercenaries, responsible for blowing up the local scenery while following your employer's missions. Often, those objectives are the same. The Army of Two I played was a risky game that stood out in its story tone and gameplay mechanics. Some of those gambles clearly paid off -- the co-op style is the best part of the game. But EA may take this extra time to re-tune repetitive elements, like the revive-your-teammate mini-game.

Gallery: Army of Two



With the co-op premise, EA Montreal wanted to recreate fond memories of playing Contra and Double Dragon with a friend. I played alongside another gamer in split-screen mode. If you're alone, teammate AI controls the other, always present character. Or you can find another friend through Xbox Live.

Army of Two felt risky in several ways. Most of all, it's built around a challenging, topical theme: fighters-for-hire in Middle-East settings. I didn't get a sense of the story specifics, but the points I saw raised questions and connections to real-world mercenary drama. Some of your fellow paid gunners are thoughtful and rational, while others are obnoxious and put you in danger. I hope the moral ambiguity plays out in the game; I don't think Army of Two could ignore those topics and work, but addressing them will still be a challenge.

The other risks involve gameplay embellishments. While the setting and tactics try to follow real-life conventions, the gameplay takes liberties to be exciting. When your partner is close to death, you have to revive him with a mini-game. Slow-motion fights happen at scripted points and through occasional gamer-activated situations. You can feign death to get the enemies to concentrate on your partner, giving you time to sneak up behind them.

We had some technical difficulties when trying to play the game on an LCD HDTV. My system showed the action slightly zoomed-in, cutting off the border, and ultimately looking like a chunky 480p. While EA's other demo screens presented the game in its full 720p resolution, I'm not sure how much of the cropped screen impacted my play.

The framing issue might have made Army of Two more challenging, and the difficulty was my biggest frustration. EA reps chided my partner and me for trying to blast through situations too quickly. Instead, the game is designed with an "aggro" meter that shows which character is drawing the most focus from enemies. We were supposed to work together, with one stealing their attention, while the other teammate advancing and attacking.

A driving scene was even harder. One of us drove a buggy-like vehicle, while the other shot a machine gun turret. But the driving controls seemed too light, with the car crashing into walls with the slightest touch. Hopefully, that mechanic will be tuned before release.

On-foot gameplay worked better once we got used to it. In a few scripted situations, enemies surrounded us, and the game entered a slow-motion mode where we shot back-to-back. Other times, we helped each other climb up tall walls or pulled a hurt partner to safety. These touches usually added to the cooperative atmosphere amidst the chaotic, explosive firefights.

Army of Two also focuses on healing your partner as another extension of teamwork. (Or maybe it was just the way we played -- frequently getting hurt -- that gave me this impression.) When one player falls, both gamers follow on-screen prompts to push certain buttons to revive the injured soldier. Tapping A might soak up blood. Pushing X might fire the defibrillator. Though all of this, the player's health is represented by how far away he runs from a mysterious tunnel of light. If both players are severely injured, the game restarts from the previous checkpoint.

Because of the demo problem, I can't comment too deeply on the graphics. The other systems looked good, about at the level of other recent games but not pushing any new standard. The frequent, brief cut-scenes also looked crisp, although they threatened the pacing. Often, the cut-scenes just showed us climbing to a second story of a building or something mundane.

Army of Two is built for two-players, but online multiplayer games will let two of those teams face off. EA didn't demo this mode, but the company compared it to a simultaneous, competitive game mission. Both teams will be fighting NPCs and trying to beat each other to fulfill game objectives -- like killing certain enemies or recovering a valued object. Four-player split-screen won't be supported.

Army of Two felt like a unique, high-fiving action game, which is a pleasant surprise. Some of the risky decisions may fail after lots of playing, but these gambles give the game its own niche.

And maybe EA is listening to concerns, with the game being delayed and re-tuned for release in Q1, 2008. Hopefully, the updated game will stay unique, even if it scraps the less-successful innovations.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>actionarmyarmy-of-twoarmyoftwoeaea-montrealeamontrealfpshands-onimpressionsmercenarywarZack Stern2007-10-22T19:00:00+00:00Army of Two delayed until Q1 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/22/army-of-two-delayed-until-q1-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/22/army-of-two-delayed-until-q1-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/22/army-of-two-delayed-until-q1-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Which, if we're reading 1UP's interview with executive producer Alan Tuscan correctly, is to "add the polish." They must be having a devil of a time finding a translator, eh?

But seriously, folks, Army of Two has been delayed until the first quarter of 2008. While those looking forward to the co-op macho men antics of the high-profile shooter will restrain their bitter tears until they're alone, EA's November bail-out is probably for the best. "This is an important new IP for us and we don't want to spoil it," says Tuscan, displaying full awareness of the competition found in Halo 3 and even Gears of War. "Are they setting the bar at a certain level? Sure. But that's the bar we're hitting anyway -- it's the bar we were aiming for even before seeing these games."

Though it sounds like a slight against the game, it's clear that nobody is going to miss Army of Two in a holiday brimming with a ludicrous number of $60 epics, least of all an unpolished version of it. Let's hope a few more publishers realize the calendar goes on after you page past the holiday months.

[Thanks, Corey]

Gallery: Army of Two

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]>Army-of-TwoArmyofTwoBreakingNewsDelaysEALudwig Kietzmann2007-10-22T17:54:00+00:00