Product Reviews
Two-player teamwork overcomes a flood of violent opposition in Army of Two: The 40th Day, a sequel to developer EA Montreal's 2008 high-def debut. The mercenary heroes of the original game, former Army Rangers Elliot Salem and Tyson Rios, return for paramilitary adventure in Shanghai, China, where a rival group of private military contractors has caused a massive disaster that threatens to destroy the entire city. While there are plenty of enemies out to take the duo down, surviving the disasters in the city may be the heroes' greatest challenge. As in the original Army of Two, cooperative tactics are central to the play of the game, and players must work together in order to make their way past obstacles and stand up to heavy assaults by outnumbering forces. A refined control scheme aims to make common actions easier, allowing players to change weapons or engage in hand-to-hand combat with a single button. The game's built-in co-op playbook allows teammates to execute predetermined maneuvers, such as simultaneous opening shots or a false surrender ruse, at almost any time and place in a mission. An MMO-like aggro system allows players to manage the attention of computer-controlled enemies, allowing one character to take the role of "tank," while the other takes the role of a healer or damage-dealer. A better-armored character may anger an opponent to draw its fire, for example, while the other character moves around to cause massive damage with an attack from the flank or behind. In addition to the main story campaign, which can be played with a human partner or a computer-controlled teammate, Army of Two: The 40th Day offers a range of competitive and cooperative online multiplayer options, including team deathmatches, spawn-point control battles, and an "Extraction" survival mode for up to four. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide