The Top 5 Most Anticipated Co-Op Games This Fall

Every year, usually beginning around September, the games industry starts a process in which it releases as many games in three months, as it does for the other nine in a year.  This fall is no exception with numerous large titles from all the big publishers.  With franchises like Little Big Planet, Halo, Call of Duty, and numerous music games - how are we to find the co-op games we so desperately crave?  

Ahead are five co-op games in which we think you shouldn't miss this year.  When it's all over, tell us what games should have made the list that didn't.  Tell us what games that are on the list didn't deserve a spot.  If you need to know what's coming out this Fall - just hit up the co-op release calendar!

Ok so this is a bit of a cop out as we didn't choose just one, but this fall’s music game releases finally have some variety to them. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock looks to cater directly to the Rock and Metal crowd and includes a quest and story mode. Rock Band 3 is expanding the instrumental line up, adding keyboards, as well as adding the ability to “really play” the game. Finally Rock of the Dead adds something completely new with face shredding music meets Guitar Hero style game play. It’s something for everyone.

Co-Op Options:

Despite Activision and Treyarch being hush hush about Call of Duty: Black Op’s co-op mode, we do have some solid details. Four player co-op, split screen options, and separate modes will all be available. Speculation puts co-op play square into Treyarch’s previous outing with a zombie mode, but we hope that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Considering the quality of past titles in the franchise we expect some excellent fun to be had in this one. The game is out on November 9th and Activision hopes it challenges last year’s Modern Warfare 2 for a huge launch.

Black Ops News:

We’re pretty sure Lionhead has seen the error of their ways with Fable 2 and will correct all of them with Fable 3. “True” co-op is being added so you can bring your character and dog in and out of friend’s games and you’ll no longer be constrained by that ridiculous camera. In fact, you can go off and do whatever you want in the world. That sounds familiar....

Other improvements include streamlined combat and magic, a brand new menu interface, and plenty of touching.  Of course the biggest news for co-op pals is they can finally live their life long dream of having a virtual baby in a virtual world and promptly teach it to kick chickens.  

The Xbox 360 version is out on October 26th.  The PC version has been delayed with no new release date announced.  Fable 3 wills support both local and online co-op for two players.

Fable 3 News:

Dead Rising 2 is a sequel that perhaps has the greatest potential to be the most ridiculous fun you’ll have in co-op since Crackdown. The somewhat open ended nature of the game combined with near limitless weapon combinations will make for some interesting “had to be there” moments.

Dead Rising 2 will support two player online co-op and sadly, only the host progress is saved, but you’ll still be earning goodies as the guest. Plus, watching your friend wave around a vacuum cleaner with saw blades attached as he lops zombies into piles of warm gelatinous meat, that's worth the price of admission alone.

Dead Rising 2 supports two player online co-op and is out on September 27th for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Dead Rising 2 News:

It’s the final Halo game from Bungie and the most complete and full featured co-op experience you’re going to find this fall. Online and offline co-op, split screen, split screen with online, campaign co-op and Firefight are all present for what’s certain to be the game that eats Xbox 360 owners time away this fall.  It's Halo Reach and it's almost here with online match making for all its game modes.

The story follows the fall of Reach, the last human fortress that stands between the Covenant and Earth.  You'll be teaming up with three of your buds and their customized Noble 6 Spartans - bedazzled out by the goodies you've unlocked just from playing any of the games modes.  After the campaign is over it's onto Firefight where infinite play options are available as you take on the endless waves of enemies.

Then you can relive that all on the web.

Halo Reach is out on September 14th.

Halo Reach News:

So what games did we miss?  To us it looks like Microsoft has positioned itself to have the heavy co-op hitters this holiday season.  One thing is for certain, don't count out Spring 2011 - there's a lot of solid titles coming down the pike as well.