Innovations in Co-Op Gaming
Not since the age of Arcades, standing shoulder to shoulder in a local mall or shop, has co-op been so popular. With the arcade generation gamers growing up and moving away from each other, co-op went into a bit of hiatus. Now new innovations in co-op technology are bringing these gamers back together, and bringing co-op back into the spotlight. In this article we will take a look at ten things we think that have helped propel co-op gaming back to the forefront. Above and beyond that, these are things every co-op gamer needs or wants in their experience.
#10: High Five!
That's what friends are for.
The ability to complement, encourage, or otherwise interact with your teammates in game has become increasingly entertaining. While Resident Evil 5 gives one the ability to “call” to their teammates, if you hit the call button at the right moment, you hear “Great shot!” "Thanks!" or “Nice job!” There may even be an achievement in it for you.
Negativity is becoming entirely too common in games and otherwise. So, I would like to recommend that everyone take a moment and give a “High-five” in Army of Two, thank your partner for a heal in Resident Evil 5, or make sure you fist bump at the right moment when sitting next to your local co-op buddy. (If used improperly, a fist bump may be mistaken for a punch, which may not have the desired effect.)
Show your support:
Army Of Two (PlayStation 3)
Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Or, you could try humorously abusing your co-op buddy:
Little Big Planet(Playstation 3)
#9: Real... Realtime Strategy Co-Op
"Why don't you check what's in the bushes?"
RTS's often make the mistake of advertising co-op and only delivering custom comp-stomp matches, rather than true storyline co-op. This has been changed recently with games like Battleforge, Red Alert 3 and Halo Wars. Giving gamers a campaign to play through, enjoying the story together, and actually playing something fulfilling rather than a skirmish is a much more rewarding experience.
What's even greater is the approach and way each of these games present co-op to you. Halo Wars has a shared base with separate armies, Red Alert uses two individual commanders, and Dawn of War 2 breaks it down to a tactial RPG.
This is how Co-op is supposed to look:
Battleforge (PC)
Halo Wars (Xbox 360)
Dawn Of War 2 (PC)
#8: Revivals
"I'm gonna have to help yo ass again, aren't I?"
It's a well known fact many of us are impatient, or enjoy the challenge of cranking the difficulty to the max. This often leads to dying, leaving us very frustrated, especially if there isn't anyway for our co-op partner to help. Being able to heal or revive one another has become very important feature in co-op games! Healing or resurrecting your partner's character will keep from having to restart a check point, keeping blood pressures low, and friends can still be friends.
Reach out and touch someone:
Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)
50 Cent: Blood On The Sand (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)
Gears Of War 2 (Xbox 360)
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Katrina "Shadokat Regn" Pawlowski
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