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Knack – Assisted Co-Op gaming

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The plan was to play co-op with my son but my daughter likes the cartoonish look of the game so I have given up my slot.

Occasionally she will get to a difficult section & this is when I jump in for some assisted co-op gaming.

Co-op play is odd in that Knack controls everything, the camera moves with him leaving the second player off screen, a countdown timer will then re-spawn the other player next to knack. If knack dies the game returns back to the last checkpoint, I think the second player implementation must have been an afterthought. Where is the split screen camera like the Lego games when the players split up? Why can't the second player continue playing the level & Knack re-spawn?

Putting these gameplay mechanics to one side it's a simple colourful game with the minimum of controls, X button for jump, Square for attack, Circle for special attack using sun crystal power & triangle for interaction. My daughter can just about manage the controls but to the annoyance of my son Knack keeps dying too often even with the difficulty set to easy.

Anyhow with my assisted help they have managed to make it to the goblin castle. Let's see what awaits inside.

Deadlight – Complex Shadows

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Zombie Apocalypse 'check'
Search for family members 'check'
Limited Ammo 'check'
Simple Puzzles 'check'
Metroidvania 2D style 'check'

Except it's no metroidvania you have no map & you only keep going forward. It does have atmosphere but I think I'm OD'd on zombie games this generation to appreciate it.

I needed something short to play whilst co-op gaming (Army of Two/Knack) with the boys so turned to the ton of XBLA games I have on the 360.

It is not a bad game, I'm still enjoying it but it could have been so much more. WHY?! have Chair Entertainment not made a Shadow Complex 2 ?!!

Back to Deadlight you are Randall Wayne & the game starts with you shooting another surviver in the head who has just been bitten. You help the other survivors escape & begin your search for your family. 

Whilst walking, running & zombie bashing your way across Seattle you find a group called "The New Law" who seem hellbent on killing other humans that won't join them. I came across Sam one of the survivors who I helped escape earlier shot by this group & bleeding to death.

I continue my way across Seattle but eventually get cornered by a crowd of shadows. A manhole cover opens & I get dragged inside by 'RAT' an old man living in the sewers. The sewer section of the game is full of booby traps for the shadows but I need to be careful to ensure I don't get caught in any of them. 'RAT' then asks me to go save his son for him & he will give me information about the other survivors & my family. There is a sequence where a helicopter is chasing & shooting at you, this took me quite a few attempts but it is all about timing your jumps to vault over obstacles.

This is not a game where you have an unlimited supply of ammo & just shoot all the zombies. The opposite in fact, it is better to avoid confronting the shadows & conserving your ammo for when you really need it. I tend to use the 'shout, jump & run' approach quite a bit. Shout to grab the shadows attention when they are all gathered below me jump over them & run !!

Army of Two – Devil’s Cartel

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The 360 console has been the king of local co-op gaming from the Lego games to Halo & Gears of War but Army of Two for me has been the co-op shooter series. Mission based, agro fueled, bullet spraying chaos.

The Devils Cartel continues the series fine tuned experience giving you the armory section to specialise your weapons & purchase new upgrades. Customise your character with unique masks & camouflage your armour or weapons.

The story in this game is your usual South American cartel affair nothing original but the missions so far have been very fast paced & have thrown up a few nice moments inc sniping whilst inside a helicopter & manning a turret to defend your co-op player.

Aggro remains from the previous games & you can use it to attract the attention of enemies whilst the other player flanks to take them out. The few missions we have completed have not shown the series rock, paper & scissors joke or the back to back sequence yet.

You are escorting a politician convoy that comes under attack from the cartels gunmen who seemed to be pretty well equipped with rocket launchers & grenades. A flashback gives you a tutorial mission & also an opportunity to meet up with the series protagonists Rios & Salem for a mission.

This may potentially be our last local co-op game for the 360 & so far it's an enjoyable experience.