With the new trend of Online Co-Op (and a similar trend of split-screen multiplayer going into a decline) one of the main selling points of games nowadays is that big bullet point on the back that says "Cooperative Play". In many ways co-op games are perfectly acceptable, Halo 3's co-op is what made it much more memorable and enjoyable for folks; Call of Duty: World at War utilizes the mechanic very well in a similar way, and Left 4 Dead's entire gameplay is based around it. But there are some games that just don't work very well in co-op: namely Resident Evil 5.

Now I can see the appeal of Resident Evil 5's co-op, but it makes no sense. The game's intensity is ruined by having a person always there to help you out. The game essentially turns into Army of Two, simply because of the addition of co-op in a game that doesn't need it. While most would complain that the daylight setting, the plentiful ammo and generic, frighteningly boring enemies are the reason there is no fear, I say that it's because you have that second person standing next to you, whispering gentle reassurances into your ear and generally saving your bottom every time shit hits the fan.

But what makes the game's demo even worse is that you're FORCED to play with that second character. In Resident Evil 4 we had Ashley, but she did not add anything to the fight at all. She was more of annoyance if anything, and you had to protect her. Now you have Sheva, who can basically hold her own against anything Chris Redfield can, and so that makes the game a drag: it eliminates the annoying follower, but creates a slightly over-powerful, annoying sidekick with the A.I. of a mannequin.

If I wanted to play Army of Two, I'd play Army of Two.