Top Co-Op games of 2008

As you may know, I’m a petty and jealous person. That being said, I can’t allow Mike and JPark to write about 2008 without throwing in my two cents. And, as much as I have been avoiding the wrap-up/review type post (since we have all been bogged down with them for the past month) I thought it would be prudent to touch upon the top Co-Op online games I’ve enjoyed over the past year. Keep in mind that this list excludes MMORPGs.

• Gears of War 2

I have two words for you: Horde Mode. Strap up your chainsaws with one to four of your best gamer buddies and get ready for onslaught after onslaught of alien baddies. Use strategy, cover for each other, and don’t get caught in the middle. And remember, aim for the tanks and you can take care of that flame thrower pretty damn quickly. Granted, you can obviously play the Campaign mode, but after you do it once, Horde is where its at.

To see the rest of my favorite co-op games, well, you know what to do…




• Left 4 Dead

Left 4 Dead is slowly becoming my favorite game to pop in for 30 minutes or so. I know I’ve covered this before, but the team strategies involved in this sweet horror/action title are pretty in depth. Yeah the obvious stuff is, well, obvious: Crouch with a shotgun, teammate with an assault rifle behind you; You take out the close range stuff while your buddy with the A/R mows down the zombies from afar. And you better watch your friend’s back, since Jack Shepard and the creators all tell you the same thing: Live Together, Die Alone.

But what about when you are playing as the infected? Play the boomer foolishly and the suvivors will run all over your team, making it to the next saferoom and leaving your smoker friend to cry in the corner. (Not to be confused with the Witch, let her cry, trust me.) But sneak up on a lone survivor with the hunter and its lights out Zoey…

• FIFA 09 Be a Pro/Club Mode

This is one of the more underrated improvements to the Fifa franchise. Initially tested out a few months after launching Fifa 08, the 09 interation of Be a Pro mode allows you to go online with up to 9 friends and field a full team for any match. Can’t shoot but have a knack for playing the long ball over the defense? Try playing as a midfielder. Cool finisher in the box but tackling aint your thing? Be a striker and claim all the glory.

Play in the club mode, and they will track your performance and give you a rating, much like they do for real life players. Combine this with the twist that all players have the same rating, thus defeating the advantage that Manchester United always has, and you have some of the most fun, addicting, and balanced co-op play around.

• Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 Terrorist Hunt

Now I will admit I have only logged about 5-10 hours of this mode myself, but, much like the horde mode in Gears 2, Terrorist hunt pits the online players against a collection of AI terrorists. Luckily, AI has come a long way from the first Rainbow Six (anyone remember the original for PC, with the last level in the BioDome-esque building?) The AI is smart, and this also requires a fairly advanced level of tactics and intelligence. In fact, I think I am going to have to get my hands on this to give it another whirl.

So that’s my top Co-Op games of 2008. Are we missing any? Am I an idiot? Do you think you can score on me in Fifa? Leave comments or forever hold your peace.

PS: I realize that there is no mention of Rock Band/Guitar Hero in here. Despite their obvious cooperative nature, I didn’t want to include them, since I’ve never played any of them online and probably never will.