(PlayStation 3)
Co-Op Review
"Beautiful in it's simplicity, Journey offers a gameplay experience unlike any other. The game compels strangers, tenuously joined in an ephemeral partnership, to journey together. And the soundtrack is boss as hell."- Andrew
"Life is a journey, not a destination," some guy said. This game seems founded upon that quote as the entire joy of it all comes from the experience(s) you have while playing through it. Whether you play through it alone, with just one other person, or an ever-changing group of persons, the experience is different and meaningful each time. It's hard to ignore a title that." - Jason
"Quite simply, this is one of the most beautiful and unique experiences I've ever had in a video game. When I found that I had completed the entire game with the same co-op partner whose name I never knew, my heart went all aflutter." - Mike
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U)
Co-Op Review
"I've always loved Bioware games, and have longed for more of them to have co-op. I got my wish with Mass Effect 3, and I couldn't have been more pleased with the result." - Tally
"The different classes and races made for a great mix-and-match dynamic to the whole affair, though certain combinations could lead to a rather disappointing run for some teams. Action/RPG games looking to add a co-op mode to their own title should definitely take a look at what Mass Effect 3 did right with this." - Jason
"Like my Uncle Hugh, Mass Effect is a series that doesn't visit enough for my liking. The third outing upped the action, but also kept the story elements that have made the Mass Effect games some of the best RPGs this generation. The co-op was action packed and fun. There is nothing quite like floating someone up into the air whilst everyone else peppers them with bullets, like the most popular Pinata at the party." - Sam
"I totally expected the multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 to be a tacked-on affair, but it's a fantastic variant on the wave-based survival concept. I loved the ability to experiment with different character classes and unlock ever more powerful equipment for them to use. A great palate cleanser after that ending fiasco." - Mike
"Robot Entertainment listened to their fans and crafted a finely tuned co-op experience in a game that's not just another shooter or tower defense game, but a hybrid of the two." - Nick
"As soon as co-op was announced, I called it: Orcs Must Die 2 is my indie Co-Op Game of the Year. A full co-op campaign, a new hero with sweet new abilities, and brilliant level design make this one so, so good. There's plenty to do here, and trying new strategies to earn more stars to get new abilities is so fun it keeps you coming back again and again." - Marc
"Slaughtering orcs in co-op really shouldn't be so fun - but it totally is! The fast and frantic action of the first game, but now with co-op? This was truly some of the most fun I've had in co-op this year." - Tally
"Shoot Many Robots is a sweet old-school, side-scrolling, shooter. The tough difficulty, gonzo loot, and combo co-op kept me coming back well after I reached the level cap. The later levels are completely insane. Bring friends or die."- Andrew
"More nuts leads to bigger guns, resulting in shooting many more robots. The lovechild of Metal Slug and Diablo spawned one of this year's greatest co-op experiences. - Locke
"There's something about a grown man wearing a pink tutu, space suit helmet, baby carrier, and shooting garden gnomes out of a rocket launcher, that just tickles me the right way. Slaughtering robots is strangely amusing, and it's even better with friends. Add loot, bizarre gear and a great sense of humor, and you've got a game that will occupy me for quite some time." - Eric
(PC)
Co-Op Review
"Torchlight 1 was a great game. Torchlight 2 is co-op dungeon crawler perfection. Diablo 3 was entertaining for awhile, but the "end game" left a bad taste in my mouth. Then Torchlight 2 came along, and I never opened Diablo 3 again. This was truly this year's dungeon crawler for me." - Tally
"In a year filled with Action RPGs, Torchlight 2 stood out to me as the best co-op experience. With flexible character building, fast-paced combat and charm to spare, Torchlight 2 remains one of my favorites of the year." - Mike
"There's something about Torchlight 2 that just makes you smile the whole time you are playing. The writing, the pacing, the positive feedback loop of receiving loot and levelling up. Maybe it's simply grabbing some friends to clear up some dungeons melt the day away while entranced in the charm of Torchlight 2." - Locke
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There you have it. Plenty of other titles have been tossed about: A Virus Named Tom, Awesomenauts, Diablo 3, Lego Batman 2, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, Sniper Elite V2, and even Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage got a nod. We played a wide variety of games this year, and our staff is made up of a diverse crew of gamers. We'll continue the debate over the weekend. Be sure to check back on Monday to see Co-Optimus's official winners of Co-Op GOTY and Indie Co-Op GOTY.