While there are no retail releases this week containing co-op, there are 2 downloadable games and add-ons available.

First up is Assault Heroes 2, the sequel to another Xbox Live Arcade title with a very similar name.   The game is a top down shooter similar to Smash TV, but with the ability to play on foot and in a vehicle.  The sequel promises enhanced co-op, with a new option for cooperative specific weapons that will "rain destruction down on enemies."  The game hits Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday for 800 MS Points.

Next up is an add-on pack to another top down shooter, Rocketmen: Axis of Evil.  The add-on is called Rocketmen: It Came from You Uranus and will be available on the PSN and Xbox Live Arcade. 

Well, it looks like Super Stardust HD isn't the only downloadable game have an expansion coming out soon. Looks like Rocketmen: Axis of Evil has an expansion coming out soon. Via Press Release:

The next chapter of Capcom’s Rocketmen: Axis of Evil is coming! Rocketmen: It Came from Your Uranus, an expansion to the original digitally-distributed title, will be available through Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Network Store on Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15 respectively. For 400 points on Xbox LIVE or $4.95 on PlayStation Network, Rocketmen fans will have access to new maps, weapons, and enemies.

It seems that Capcom accidentally revealed the expansion, though this is far from common in our modern gaming world. However, accidentally revealed or not, the expansion, which adds three new weapons, two new secondary weapons, a few new levels, as well as many new enemies, is arriving shortly. For a quick recap on Rocketmen, check out our review for the original game.

One game that was instantly a standout title for me on the Playstation 3 was Super Stardust HD.  It's a unique mix of Geometry Wars style action meets Asteroids boulder dodging.  The absolute best thing about the game was plugging in a second controller and blasting some baddies and rocks with a buddy.  One problem, it was sort of busted. 

You see, in SS:HD your ship moves around a sphere that represents a planet.  You'll continually dodge and shoot asteroid pieces as well as enemies.  In the cooperative mode both players are tied to the same section of the sphere, so while normally the sphere would turn as you reach the edge of the screen, in co-op both players needed to go the same direction creating at most times a virtual stalemate of movement. 

And now onto the point of this little post - the developers are fixing the problem.  In the upcoming "Team Pack" you'll a brand new versus mode as well as the updated co-op mode, plus a bunch of other goodies like improved graphics and an updated 5.1 surround sound soundtrack.  There will even be an included ship editor - all for the low low price of $5.   Now if they would only add an online mode!

Sometimes I just don't get why developers continually shoot themselves in the foot.  From cutting co-op completely in Prototype, to not including a co-op mode in the campaign in Ghostbusters - it just doesn't make sense.  The time to cost ratio of something like that has got to be worth it.   And PLEASE don't give me the design decisions excuse. 

Now from the latest interview with Siliconera, the developers of Bionic Commando Rearmed for the XBLA and PSN have let slip there is no online play in the game...none.  Not in co-op... not in "multiplayer"; no online play at all.   You are limited to local play only on a single box.

Unfortunately, since the game was never intended to have co-op or multiplayer we were stuck with a tough decision—either cut co-op out so that people would not complain about the lack of online, or keep it in there as a nice little bonus mode. Don’t get me wrong, I do understand that a majority of XBLA and PSN games come with some form of online in them so we may not have hit that standard, but when people see just how much game they are getting for 10 dollars, I think they will be pleasantly surprised.

Lame-O-Rama.  I'll tell you one thing, they better not release online play for an additional price later.  This game just went from a must buy - to a wait and see. 

Fans of SHMUPs certainly know the 1942 series of games.  The game is a classic, and Capcom is reviving the franchise with an Xbox Live and Playstation Network title called 1942: Joint Strike.  The folks over at Team Xbox got their hands on the latest build, and we find out exactly why this game is drool worthy for co-op fans.  As the title implies, you'll be jointly striking down enemy planes with a buddy - and there's even special moves available only in the cooperative mode.

As players work together, they'll fill up the joint strike meter.  Once filled they can activate different special attacks to take down enemies.   There's no word on exactly what the specials are, other than a lightning attack, but with three different plane types and three different specials it sure sounds like they'll be plenty of variety in Capcom's upcoming title.  Right now, 1942: Joint Strike is set to hit both online networks sometime this summer.

Pretty soon the great Haze debate will be over. With the release date (May 20) for Free Radical's "is is good or does it suck" shooter approaching, the devs have decided to release a 4-player, co-op demo on to PSN. Kotaku has the details, which are rather sparse.

Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, today announced the imminent release of a fully playable demo for Haze, the new first-person shooter set in a harsh future where war is never quite what it seems. Coming exclusively to the PLAYSTATION®Network in early May, this playable demo will give gamers a taste of not only the single-player campaign in Haze, but will also allow up to four-player, drop-in drop-out co-op play online.

So, in a few weeks, PS3 owners will be able to give us some form of an answer in regards to Haze's quality. Also remember kids, demos are always a good thing. Or are they?

The developer's blog for the upcoming release of Bionic Commando Rearmed has been updated.  BCR is a remake/enhancement of the original Bionic Commando, which was one of the finest side-scrollers of its time.  Even more exciting is the addition of co-op play, one of the glaring weaknesses of the original.  Many might dismiss classic game remakes as boring, or too old fashioned.  For some, though, the combination of nostalgic gameplay and modern eye and ear candy is hard to resist.  The developers at GRIN seem to fall into the latter category, thankfully.

Capcom and Grin have poured so much love into this one, and I sure hope it shows: from gameplay to graphic style to music, this is a love letter to the entire sidescrolling genre and its fans, and the original Bionic Commando and its fans in particular.

The best news?  The game is nearing completion, and is expected to go live in the near future.  Given the past announcement that BCR will be available for a mere $10, and that it will tie into the upcoming sequel to the original Bionic Commando, we can't see much reason why one SHOULDN'T pick up this game.  Co-Optimus will keep you posted when more news becomes available!

Sister site Evil Avatar has pointed out that Capcom has released the specs and pricing info for Bionic Commando Rearmed, the highly anticipated remake of the NES classic. The game (which will feature local co-op) will be available on XBLA, PSN, and Windows and will set you back 800 Microsoft points, or $10 on PSN; Windows price is still TBA. Capcom has not released any more info, other than:

• Made of?

100% pure unadulterated win

Good enough for me.

Capcom has released more information about the soon-to-be-released arcade shooter Commando 3. The game's is now called "Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3" and will appear on both Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network in Spring 08.  Some may know about the gamefrom the announcement that the purchase of the game would come a beta for Street Fighter II HD (Xbox Live users only). However, what co-op gamers should know is that the game will sport a rather robust co-op experience. The game features three player co-op, both online and locally on the same Xbox 360 or Playstation 3.

The game also has another interesting co-op feature: difficulty levels that change based on the number of players. This is a promising feature, since sometimes in games, the addition of another player messes with the difficulty level and prevents the game from being a real challenge. The game will also feature controllable vehicles and gobs of weapons for you and two friends to blow up the enemy Zalestad soldiers.

Capcom has just announced another classic remake for both Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.  The new game title 1942: Joint Strike is a re imagining of the classic arcade game 1942.  With upgraded hi-def 3D graphics and online co-op play, this game is sure to win the hearts of vertical shooter fans.  IGN has a hand on preview of the title, complete with screens and videos.

1942: Joint Strike is fundamentally the same game we've seen before. It's still a top-down vertical shooter. Only now we get it in true widescreen, sans the "arcade bars" so often seen on digital remakes. And though the gameplay remains two-dimensional, the visuals are actually 3D. 1942 is a gorgeous game, even in its unfinished state. Though we saw a few occasions of slowdown, it's certainly a looker that is only going to get better over the next few months. Surprisingly, the slick new look of 1942 is outdone by the new musical score by Metal Gear composer Norihiko Hibinio. It's contemporary, but doesn't feel out of place amidst the fast-moving arcade action.

The article doesn't have too many details on the cooperative experience, other than we can expect higher difficulty when flying with a wingman.  Between this and Bionic Commando: Rearmed - Capcom is doing an excellent job of not just selling ROMS - but selling us a fresh version of classic game experiences.

We've got the full video after the jump.

Read More...