Army of Two Review (PS3) By Sayed Islam Published: 04/14/08 PrintEmail
To quote the music group Three Dog Night “One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do. Two can be as bad as one; its the loneliest number since the number one. Cause one is the loneliest number that you'll ever know. One is the loneliest number even worst then two.” Three Dog Night will be pleased to know that Army of Two is a game with a heavy emphasis on two but not one.
The storyline commences with the two protagonists Rios and Salem. It starts in 1992 and even touches on the touchy September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Both Rios and Salem are recruited by the Security and Strategy Corporation (also known as SSC). The Security and Strategy Corporation is the equivalent of a covert organization that is under the radar. As a result of the recruitment, Rios and Salem are intrinsically mercenaries. In other words, they will accept any job as long as there is money.
To say that Army of Two is an exact clone of Gears of War is selling it a bit short. The gameplay is similar to other third person shooters, but it is also dissimilar. For example, there is no real cover scheme. Instead of placing your back against a wall and peeking out periodically to fire, you simply crouch down or face the objects in front of the characters face. This is compensated with the surprisingly accurate blind fire mechanic that was also present in Gears of War and Rainbow Six Vegas. The main difference this time around is that it is more proficient than previous titles that had blind firing as a plausibility. For those who have never played Gears of War, (which is about two people) blind firing is a technique that has maximum protection while concealing yourself behind various types of obstacles. The issue is that there is a stiff learning curve with the controls.
A highlight about the artificial intelligence is that they are actually smart and makes the combat engrossing. They will attempt to flank Rios and Salem from countless angles. Luckily, the same rule can be applied to the ally artificial intelligence. The only drawback with your comrade is that dying can sometimes be caused by your partners incompetence.
When you or your teammate dies, there is a time limit that dictates how much time will be elapsed before death. The character enters an immobile state, but he can still provide suppression fire. If your squad mate is reached before the time runs out, then he can be healed and patched up for more fighting. In hindsight, this sounds like an astonishing idea. However, therein lies the flaw. This problem is only bothersome during playing the single player campaign with a computer controlled friend.
What it comes down to is this: it is too much to ask to have the computer drag your dying carcass to a safe location and administer first aid. Rather than doing that, he will end up striving to assist you exactly where you are on the ground. It can be frustrating to get help when there are an endless stream of bullets flying all around. With all that being said, it is still just a small blemish on the part of the computer artificial intelligence. Everything else regarding the artificial intelligence is brilliant.
Rios or Salem (depending on who gamers choose) have three commands that are mapped to the directional pad for easy access. These orders entail hold position, regroup, and advance. Furthermore, there are two variations within those three options. The two modified actions are offensive and defensive actions. Offensive actions are designated by red, and defensive actions are shown with the blue color. Another way to look at this is assertive (offensive) and complacent (defensive).
An excellent way of using the offensive and defensive tactics centers around the utilization of aggro. The tutorial video during the game does a masterful job of explaining aggro, so I will try and reiterate verbatim: “If you don’t want to die, you have to use aggro. But if you have the aggro, it is like you are glowing red. You’re like Rudolf the fu**ing Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Aggro is essentially the amount of attention you draw from the adversaries. The aggro bar measures how much aggro each individual has. Having the aggro gauge on either end of the extremes means that foes will be all over that person.
For instance, if Salem has aggro at maximum capacity, then opponents will completely dismiss Rios. This tactic is perfect for swarming enemies from different directions. The aggro aspect to the gameplay is innovative and works fairly well.
In terms of weapons, there is the usual array of gadgets and gear available. Almost everything from machine guns to shotguns are usable. These weapons can also be upgraded in between missions. It is impossible to get lost during gameplay because of the GPS. The feature that was extraordinary was the GPS system that guides players exactly to their next objective. Another part of that was helpful is the ability to take a car door and use it as a riot shield.
There is a boat that gets you from point A to point B and parachuting, but it is nothing special. Occasionally, Rios and Salem will be coerced into executing back to back attacks. This gives 360 degrees of coverage that puts the game into slow motion. Regrettably, these segments are few and far between. Additionally, they are automatically triggered when surrounded. You are unable to manually enter back to back mode.
The multiplayer is the best element. Online modes are war zone, bounties, and extraction. Nevertheless the real enjoyment comes with the cooperative play via Xbox Live or PlayStation Network. There is so much more depth with having a player tag along. The other method is by a split screen two player mode where one person is in control of Rios, and the other is Salem.
The visuals are gorgeous. There are cut scenes that tell the story, and the in game footage looks incredible. The character models and animations are phenomenal. Water and trees are exceptional. Audio is just as grandiose. Voice acting is admirable as Rios and Salem will be bantering with each other all the time. There are also some pop culture references to their dialogue. They discuss gambling and placing a bet on the Dallas Cowboys. Gunfire sounds exactly like it should, and the music adds some flavor to the violence. Overall, Army of Two is a fantastic cooperative game. There could be a few improvements, but two heads are better than one.
