I am a believer that all games can have co-op. In my own little Walgreens world every game would have co-op in some form or fashion. Alas, this is not the case and never will be. But I’m still a gamer. I’m not hardcore...but I do like games. It just so happens that I often find myself in the unique situation of being able to procure games without having to sacrifice a large chunk of income, and so sometimes I choose to bring a single-player game, like Star Wars: The Force Unleashed or Batman: Arkham Asylum, into my sphere of interest.
So alone...and yet still so entertaining. A conundrum for this co-op fanboy.
Most recently I delved into Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. I’d played the demo and very much enjoyed it, but never felt a desire to slap down $60 on it. By using a credit of sorts, I was finally able to snag the full game and experience Enslaved the way it was meant to be.
Shortly after beginning the campaign I was joined by my wife, who had brought her dinner upstairs. She asked a few questions to get herself up to speed on the plot, and then watched as I played. I offered several times to quit the game and fire up ‘Splosion Man or Guitar Hero 5, but she insisted that I continue my single-player quest...she was plenty entertained.
Tonight I finished the game. Since my wife was at work my progress was faster...but ultimately less entertaining. The game had my attention just fine - but my enjoyment in defeating a mech rhino or finishing a particularly difficult sequence was noticeably lessened.
"I can't put my finger on it...but I feel like something's come between us."
"Say something funny, babe...I have to write a Co-Op Couples about this tonight."
Maybe it was just the lack of another presence in the room. Maybe it was the absence of someone saying, “try that ledge”. Whatever the reason, the second half of my playthrough was lonely in contrast to the first.
Now I find myself looking forward to playing single-player games that I had missed, like the Mass Effect series; and as my kids get older and show more interest in cinematic entertainment, games like ‘Splosion Man and Kirby’s Epic Yarn can be just as valuable in our lounge as co-op games.
One day, the children will play. But first Daddy has a few teaching points. Watch and learn.
Most importantly, though: if it weren’t for Co-Optimus and the encouragement for couples to play together, I doubt that my non-gamer wife would have the patience to watch me play Enslaved with as much enthusiasm as she did. Knowing how the action is controlled puts a bystander’s mind at ease, I think.
It will be good to get back to gaming together as a couple...but honestly at this point I’ll take whatever participation I can get. It’s been a long year for us, and having someone in the room to laugh at a funny character line, snicker at a physics glitch, or cheer you on during combat scenes is much more refreshing than playing alone.
Once again we’re breaking the rules of solitary gaming. Welcome to Co-Optimus.
Should have had two-player co-op? YES. Still possible to be enjoyed by two people? YES.