These days, a game without co-operative play is like a car without wheels; a vital addition to the core experience, as recently reflected in Resistance 2's story-branching two-player mode, or Resident Evil 5's co-op skewed bosses and item juggling. But which co-op games are best? If you've got a few PS3-owning friends handy, you'd do a lot worse than picking up a few of these...
Resident Evil 5
"Where's mental-axe-man... Too late"
The inventory frustrations just become part of the tactical discussion when a friend's involved. Is there anything better than injecting a mate in the chest a split second before they collapse? Only popping the head of an infected that's about to devour your partners face. And then you've got the moorish score-attacking of Mercenaries when the campaign's complete.
Pro Evolution Soccer
"You cover the centre, I'll tackle the winger... Noel Redmonds? F*CK OFF, ref"
As much as we love single player PES, there's a reason we've played four-player PES every lunch time for the past eight years. Whereas AI players are restricted by scripting, add another human into the equation and Pro Evo becomes a game about intuitive runs, creating space and tactics - in short, the true essence of football. Off-the-ball run curving, diversionary player switching, near-telepathic passing... it's all there. Two-on-two co-op is the reason we CORRECTLY think PES is still better than FIFA 09, despite mild, to overwhelming, pressure to the contrary.
Pixeljunk Monsters
"You dance on the cannon, I'll prep for the bees"
A bit more family friendly than Resi but just as tense, at least by the time you hear the boss tune on the final wave. Allocating collection/construction roles, doing a simultaneous dance on a last-ditch arrow tower, going rogue when you can't agree on the best tactics - it's one of PSN's true bonding experiences. Pity there's no online play though.
COD: WAW's Nazi Zombies
"I'm saving to unblock the stairs"
Although initially locked until you completed the single player campaign, Treyarch released a patch after release which unlocked it from the start. If we were mean we'd take this as an admittance that it was actually better than the campaign itself.
But we're not, instead we'll mention the satisfaction of managing supplies, keeping your back to the wall and holding off until you can see the glow of their eyes.
Little Big Planet
"That one wasn't quite as good as it sounded"
Four-player camera issues aside, occasionally dropping into LBP with a friend is an innocent joy. Emoting which level you'd like to play next, co-operatively decorating a friends pod, and of course, slapping a friend into a burning pit is PS3 entertainment of the purest form. It's quick and easy to get together with a few online sackboys too.
So which ones did we miss out? What are your favourite co-operative experiences on PS3? As always, set us straight in the comments. (And, please, somebody prove Owen's theory that 'all games are better in co-op' wrong, as one chap already attempted in the forums - Ta, Dan)
Owen H
Comments
16 comments so far...
T12AV15 on 30 Mar '09 said:
I despise co-op in games, especially games that just cash in on it. I love single player experience games to be immersed in the story like the original resident evils!
However i do enjoy multiplayer games such as PES where i can play with a friend in the same room as me.
Oh and owen, you completely wrong about co-op in my opinion, and as for your question about what game has suffered due to co-op well theres one major one that you discussed for nearly an hour on the podcast and that is resident evil 5.
Im not going to rant about why co-op has made it an appalling sequel to the brilliant resi series, but just that it has seriously put me off the resi series and its the first time ive not been bothered to play through it again.
chickentuna on 30 Mar '09 said:
there is nothing like playing fifa or pes with or against your friends.
except actually playing football with friends.
Al3xbr0wn on 30 Mar '09 said:
How can you diss Resi 5's co-op so badly? In my opinion its a hell of a lot funner then going story mode alone. i can play with mates online and we discuss strategies for the bosses or next parts, who gets what guns and what ammo... it's great fun.
lwill on 30 Mar '09 said:
I'm no anti - COD:WAW campaign campaignest, infact, I thought it was cracking, however, I would have to say zombies is better than the campaign. Mostly because a few sessions of zombies will last you longer than the entire campaign and personally, I find zombies more fun too. Especially when it's with people you know and all the finger pointing and swears start coming out, even to those who blatently don't deserve it. Just pure comedy gold.
Al3xbr0wn on 30 Mar '09 said:
Yeeah i love zombies, my fav part of WAW without a doubt. especially the new map pack zombies, i've played that so much in the last week
Hawk of Battle on 30 Mar '09 said:
Have to agree with Al3xbr0wn; Resis co-op is f**king awesome in every way. Me and a friend spent most of saturday finishing the game together in splitscreen and it was SO much more fun than playing it alone. Now I just get annoyed when I have to rely on the AI though. Glad Resi took the no.1 spot on the list.
The only others on this list I've played in co-op are LBP and WAW, and I can safely say both bored the hell out of me, especially that f**king nazi zombies! God I'm sick of seeing my friends playing that.
I'm currently curious to see how well RA3s co-op stands up, but I haven't taken that online to find out yet.
Biscuit_box on 31 Mar '09 said:
Co-op is only good as an extra "feature". Forcing it upon the player is pretty annoying. From what I've read about Resi 5 it's a nightmare unless you have a friend playing with you.
I haven't bought Resi 5 due to the non moving shooting and what I've read about the conveniently placed black women after claims of racism and her crap AI.
It's hard to beat a bit of co-op with a friend with a lot of shouting and complaining that their a noob and they should go back to playing by themselves until their as good as you.
The best co-op fun I have had was on LBP.
Owen PSM3 on 31 Mar '09 said:
Some interesting points here guys.
I agree that games shouldn't force co-op on the player, but don't think Resident Evil 5 does that. Admittedly, it's a much more enjoyable experience with a friend than it is in single-player, but that doesn't mean that solo play is an afterthought. Sheva is a bit of a pain when it comes to boss battles and lantern carrying, but she’s pretty good at the everyday stuff.
I think you can still get involved in the storyline if you’re playing with a mate. Maybe it’s a bit tougher in split-screen but you’ve always got the option to play online with or without a headset/voice chat. It’s a bit like watching a movie on DVD with a friend – the amount of excess chatter dictates how immersed you get in the experience.
And, although a few members of the team were initially frustrated by the static shooting in Resi it only takes a few chapters to get used to it. Personally, I don’t see the big deal – it serves a purpose and changes the dynamic of your encounters. I’m interested to see how the upcoming versus mode will play out.
Same here mate, it might have even made the list if I'd had a chance to get stuck in to it.
Dan D PSM3 on 31 Mar '09 said:
TBH, I didn't have any problems with Sheva in single-player. She does peculiar, computer-like stuff - for example, she'll never throw a grenade or use a shotgun unless you 'steal' all her other items - but it works both ways. Give Sheva all the first aid sprays and herbs, and she'll heal you whenever your health dips without all the time-sapping menu juggling. This only breaks down later on when you get separated and have to work on bosses in co-op tandem e.g. Wesker. She's also amazing with the rifle and can reload in double time; handy, since it's a slow old pig to use manually.
Overall, found her no trouble at all. I'd go as far as to say, a benefit.
T12AV15 on 31 Mar '09 said:
i dont understand how people can say co-op isnt forced onto us during resi 5. It makes a stupid AI sidekick follow us around using weak weapons and muttering the same old crap, yeh she refils your health but she does it as soon as you have been hit once which is sometimes a waste of a first aid spray, and shes always in the way trying to beat you to each box, only to stop mid swing at a box if you get too close to her, and to top it off the only way they have made her necessary is by making certain doors require 2 people to open or each key carded door requires to cards! it should be an option for co-op not forced upon us.
Trahildar on 31 Mar '09 said:
OMG spoilers!!!
ahh well
anyway the best co op game ive played is definitly Left 4 Dead. 360 does offer a lot more co op than PS3 if thats the kind of thing your into but i suppose this is a PS3 strictly zone!
My favorite PS3 co op game probably is Resi 5. I had a load of fun playing with a buddy. I think the main reasons I seem to be enjoying Resi a lot more than other people is that I never played Resi 4, so I never went in with the expectation of this being the sequel to the best game ive ever played. I would honestly like to have the option to play every game co op - survival horror or not.
DG2010 on 31 Mar '09 said:
Hmm I'd have to agree with Trahildar about the 360, Left 4 Dead and Gears of War are the best 2 co-op games I've played!
But as this is about PS3 co-op, I've had hours of joy on Resistance: Fall of Man co-op with my brother.
Although the second character was never acknowledged for doing just as much as Hale.
We exchanged tactics while playing, revived each other, played chicken with stalkers and titans and used the sniper slow mo to aid each other, it was great and sitting in the same room really added to the fun of it. We completed it on every difficulty we loved it that much.
PES is another, obvious, choice and had a bit of fun on LBP with co-op too.
Regarding Resi 5............no thanks!
wrightandrewjame on 31 Mar '09 said:
While I do agree with the general idea that co-op is good, there are a number of games where it feels tacked on and I've been quite disappointed by some games lacklustre co-op. The worst offender in recent times is Resistance 2. No doubt a number of you just went "How can he say that? Resistance 2 online rocks!". That's the problem, online it rocks, offline it sucks. Without a few people playing trying to complete the objectives it can get repetitive very quickly. One of you dying can lead to the other dying in seconds and lead to the whole mission needing to be repeated.
This isn't my only gripe with Resistance 2's multiplayer. Why isn't there a story co-op? I know it wouldn't make perfect sense, but then having a black guy in the first one follow Hale contradicted the story quite a bit.
I must admit though I do feel disappointed if a game doesn't have co-op modes. I'm even more disappointed if a game has co-op but it's online with no local split screen. While I'm all for the expansion of games into the online realm I don't want them to abandon their roots. In my opinion there's nothing better than playing a game with someone in the same room. Co-op doesn't work as well online. You can't stop and discuss something with someone, or smack them over the back of the head when they throw a grenade at your feet.
On a final note I agree PES is better for multiplayer but FIFA is the better game overall. Sorry.
Hawk of Battle on 31 Mar '09 said:
Erm, why no thanks to Resi, when it's very similar to the things you just said you enjoyed about Resistance? Not seeing the logic there dude.
DG2010 on 1 Apr '09 said:
Well, firstly I don't like games that will scare me, I hate the fact you can't run and gun and I played the demo and didn't like it at all.
There's a big difference between Resistance and Resi 5 too!
Hawk of Battle on 1 Apr '09 said:
Well 1), Resi is not scary in the slightest, hasn't been since 4. It's pretty much all out action now.
2) After a while you barely even notice that you can't move and shoot. It actually works extremely well, with an interesting risk/reward system. Stopping to shoot things means those things will die, but also leaves you vulnerable to attack, so you have to think a bit more carefully about when to open fire and when to run to a better vantage point. With a friend alongside you it works even better, with one of you giving covering fire while the other runs on ahead, and you pepper-pot your way through the already intense battles.
3) I also played the demo and was similarly unimpressed. Don't base the game on the demo; once you get into it it really does work and play well. And even more importantly, it's great fun, which is what games are supposed to be about.