Go Gaming Giant presents What's with the Co-op?

An article looking at the current state of co-op in video games.

[Myst]

Co-op is very nice, IF done right and not something that is merely tacked on for longevity. I mean Co-op shouldn't be a means of having to go through to complete some games, though as long as the option of local and online is there it isn't to much of a problem (at least for me).

The only game so far that actually needed a bit of strategy at least so far was Monster Hunter.

[shocky16]

It's so fun in the Halo and Gears games, I also can't wait to play co-op in Uncharted 2, it's going to be fantastic.

[Rainstorm81]

the co-op in gears and halo were fun, i think its because of these games people want co-op in every game. Games like RE5, is the red headed stepchild of co-op gaming. RE5 was a very fun game, but all of RE's survival horror gameplay is completely gone. RE series is now reduced to a mere generic third person action shooter with something like zombies.

Depending on the game should depend on if co-op should be included. I'm a huge GOW fan, but if they don't add co-op i don't think any one should be disappointed because its not meant for co-op. Just because Online gaming is mainstream in consoles, doesn't mean every game should be co-op. Co-op can compromise a games core gameplay

@1.1

I cant wait for uncharted 2 co-op i'm just glad they made it separate from the single player story.

[mastiffchild]

Thing is RE5's co-op was, what, fun for ONE playthrough. That franchise had built it's reputation on great, tense, ammo saving SP-best played for scares/jumps in the wee small hours with the lights down and the sound up-it's just the way RE works best. To dump it just for the sake of co-op was a disgrace(which continued with their other daf consession to MP fashion in the, amazingly, paid for Vs DLC-the worst MP experience ever, bar NONE)-they couldn't separate the SP and co-op so we had to play the SP with the dead weight of Sheva's crap AI-that isn't how you implement co-op.

Had it been extra or different story for the co-op WITH a real SP the game COULD have been better than the series highlights but as it stands it was a decent co-op(but shallow)that killed the good work of a decade of Resi for me and showed that sometimes co-op is both unneeded and can interfere with the core game too much as some devs don't yet get it.

I wouldn't have cred had U2 not had co-op but they've done it right-however, fact is, that some games don't work welll with co-op and some do but IF you can seperate the SP and the mp segments you stand a better chance of doing it well. I'm not the biggest fan of Halo's co-op(just cos I prefer it alone for some reason) but the way it doesn't effect the other elements of the game, like Gears as well, is the way it has to be done-so those that love it can have it and those that aren't so bothered can leave it without their fave parts of games being killed.

Some games benefit from co-op and some don't so to see it as a necessity is unreasonable, imo, and could lead to more dreadful RE5 type experiences where the co-op, or need for it, sits in the mix like a great big anchovie in a Big Mac. Not everyone feels like it's the be all and end all and to ruin their gaming just for the inclusion of co-op seems like the tail wagging the dog-can't we just let this evolve as devs like Capcom learn from their mistakes and the triumphs of Epic/Bungie/ND?

While I'd have loved a co-op romp through parts of/a different side story to KZ2 I also get that it was left out because of the dev wanting everything to be of the same high quality-we can't always demand the Moon on a stick and expect to get it, can we?

[ThanatosDMC]

I really want co-op for Dead Space 2. Though i dont want a mandatory co-op partner like that sh!tty AI in RE5. I just think that seeing your friend get slaughtered would be so funny.

Yes, im one of those people on L4D that shoot his own teammate for bait.

I want the next Armored Core to have FULL co-op. The main thing i hated about 4Answer was that you can only take your friend with you on certain missions. It's hard enough to fight two Nexts. But 5 is just overkill. I had to use that "cheat" to win.

[Cajun Chicken]

I think more should be the opposite, really. There should be more splitscreen and co-op games than online.

Fact: Last night one of my friends wanted a co-op game that wasn't Halo and we can't stand Gears, the PS3 hardly has any splitscreen games, so guess what happened? We ended up playing Crash Bash and CTR on the PS3.
It's shocking that its come to such a point you have to find a fun co-op game, (sure, yeah, it's 'party' but still co-op) you have to step back two gens to a previously reliable series.

[heroicjanitor]

I wanted a co-op game and I have besides both resistances and LBP, which I wasn't in the mood for, i couldn't think of one. The race for online and for great graphics has stopped offline co-op in games completely and I think that is the one great casualty that came from the transition from ps2 to ps3, it became to pc/xbox-like.

[Rainstorm81]

Split screen IMO is just becoming outdated. I completely understand people that have friends over want to play these games split screen, but personally i enjoy having the entire screen at my disposal. With Online being standard in mostly all games, why play a game split screen when it can be maximized in full screen aand put online.. As time goes by we will see less and less split screen games, their time has passed.

Edit @ below

yes but everyone doesnt have the massive tv. i have 2 32" vizio playing RE5 split screen felt like a chore. I understand playing with siblings friends and all face to face , but some games just arent made for that.

[SpoonyRedMage]

Yer but some people like to get friends around or play on a game with siblings and talk and have a laugh. Even though there's vocie chat it's totally different and you're really disconnected.

And gosh, screens are big enough nowadays that even splitting them in half gives you a massive view.

[The_Zeitgeist]

I prefer to play with myself rather than a friend.

[KingKionic]

On all coop games or certain ones?

[FinalomegaS]

you should of said prefer to play solo ( play with one self sounds like hehe)

[KingKionic]

I love that pic.

*tear*

[peowpeow]

I have never touched online co-op ever in my life.

Me personally, i love offline co-op and splitscreen and think more games should implement offline stuff.

[PirateThom]

Chip 'n' Dale on the NES is still the best co-op, mostly due to the ability to pick up and carry the other character.

Co-op overall though? Meh, it's a nice extra, but it doesn't make or break a game for me and, personally, I prefer something like Hoard for co-op play than playing through the campaign.

[shutupandplay]

Man, I`ve been spoiled by online co-op lately. Gears1, gears 2, halo 3, fable 2, left 4 dead even too human and army of two had decent co-op.

[Rainstorm81]

what a way to set the bar. sarc/

[mal_tez92]

I think is resistance 2. The classes made teamwork essential.

Left 4 Dead is a very close second.

[FinalomegaS]

RE5 was good also. SHIVA HURRY!!!"I'm Coming" lol

I can only say ..."are you really" lol

[QuantumWake]

Co-op is really fun with the right friends. I remember playing the end of Halo 3 on Legendary with the Iron Skull on and everytime one of us died we would laugh and scream at each other............ Good times. Its useful when you have a hard time completing a level or just finding a item for an achievement or trophy. I love co-op, but of course, it only meant for some games. Good read though.

[Shortstop]

Why don't more devs do what Warhawk did?

Splitscreen AND online at the SAME time. Why must it always be one or the other?

[mrv321]

Resistance 2 is the pretty close to perfect co-op not graphics wise but it's elements.

You upgrade... pretty big these days if you ever went back to you Level 1 characters you'd be shocked about how weak it is compared to your level 30.
8 player co-op means you never have to rely on one person
TONS to do 100's of enemies to kill
If you seperate YOU WILL DIE
Splitscreen means a friends can hop in
3 classes keep the game varied
It's very fun
and close to perfect.

[ian72]

Co-op is ok as an extra but I prefer to play games on my own or online with many people. You have to have someone you can rely on for co-op online. Splitscreen is ok for a laugh on racing games like motorstorm for eg.

[DevastationEve]

I remember first playing co-op through Gears on Insane back in 2006. It was really fun and challenging and personally to me it was one of the most fun times I've ever had in a split screen game period.

RE5 was a great game but in adding co-op they really messed with the gameplay :\ But you have to remember that this co-op thing was also done in RE4 (with Ashley) and even RE Zero (Billy and Rebecca).

Splitscreen isn't dead, but I do think RE 4 and Zero did it much better with how both characters were always on the same screen and how the co-op segments weren't exactly the focus of the game. In Zero I remember how you would just use the other analog to control the other character. Well in an action game like RE5 you're going to need to have split screens since the two of you need to be able to split up and flank, etc.

[Go Gaming Giant]

wow, a ton of comments, glad you guys liked the article