Next batch of Spec Ops missions is up.  Once of our favorites is in the mix (Firewall) and a couple really tough scenarios make up this set of Modern Warfare 3's co-op playthrough.

Still looking for a little something for the kids this holiday season?  Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is a good choice.  It brings what has become classic Lego game humor to the darker books in the Harry Potter series.  It's amazing that the block-born characters can tell such great stories with little more than exaggerated movements and comical grunts.  Check out the two videos below.  One features locations, locations, locations, and the other displays some of the button mashing combat that you and a friend will enjoy.

You may have heard that Voltron: Defender of the Universe is coming out this week.  This will mean different things to different generations of gamers.  For a few of us at Co-Optimus, it means "dynotherms connected, infracells up, mega thrusters are go!"  That's Voltron speak for "COME AT ME BRO!"  Some of us grew up watching Voltron, and it was more than one staff members' favorite cartoon from the 80's.  

Combine 'Otome' (Maidens) with Gradius and you get Otomedius, Konami's latest side-scrolling shmup. Whimsical characters, dozens of unlockable weapons, and plentiful references to other shooters make the game easy to love. If only the 3 player co-op held up as well as everything else.

Sometimes it's tough to come up with games to give your gamer spouse/friend/co-worker/etc. This can be very tricky for some if said gamer is an avid PS3 or PSP user. What, you mean that great co-op 360 game isn't on the PS3? And how the heck are you supposed to know which fresh co-op games are good on the PSP, seeing as you sold yours a couple years ago? Worry not, shopper! We have plenty of recommendations for the PS3 and PSP within!

Zipper Interactive, creators of SOCOM 4 US Navy Seals, have announced a brand new game for the PlayStation VITA which will be available at the system's launch.  The game is called Unit 13 and its a 3rd person shooter set across 36 missions and 9 locales.  It doesn't look all that different than the SOCOM franchise, though we get a little more of a "black ops" vibe from the screens and info.

We just got four brand new screenshots from the Wizardbox developed Action/RPG called R.A.W. - Realms of Ancient War.  The two player co-op game is set to release next year on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and PC with its own take on heroic hack and slash titles.

A typical conversation between Ubisoft and Co-Optimus goes like this; "What do you want?" - Information. "Who is Rainbow 1?" - you are Rainbow 6.  "Co-Optimus is not a number, we are free men!" We may consider ourselves free and not Prisoners, but we would still like more information on the upcoming Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Patriots and some artwork if you please?  Ubisoft have duly obliged.

The NFL Blitz franchise has been resurrected by EA Sports.  A video promoting the revamped series was posted on Youtube last month (see below).  The title will feature all of the crazy gameplay the series was known for, including flaming players, wrestling-style tackles, as well as teams made up of zombies and robots.  Best of all, it won't break your wallet.  The game will feature all 32 NFL teams in a nice $15 dollar (or 1200 MSP) downloadable package.

Here is our playthrough from the first four missions of Modern Warfare 3's Spec Ops mode.  Watch as we take you through the following tristes in true co-op fasion: 

Dungeon Hunter, the popular mobile gaming franchise, is getting a third installment.  Appropriately titled Dungeon Hunter 3, the threequel is "Coming Soon," according to the Gameloft Facebook page.  Think of it as a portable version of those hack and slash RPG's we've all come to know and love, and then know some more, then love a little less...

Is it safe to come out now?  I think the holiday rush is officially over.  All the big retail games made it to store shelves before the travesty that was Black Friday.  The end of the year is rapidly approaching, and new releases will be few and far between.  We've got two downloadable co-op titles this week.  Then the backlogging begins!