It's been three years since mercenaries Rios and Salem last saw action, so it's time for a new mission. With "Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel," EA is releasing the third installment of the co-op shooter, shaking things up a bit in the process.
The most significant change is the two protagonists, now simply called Alpha and Bravo, who are still relatively early in their careers with the force. The setting is Mexico, ruled by a drug cartel, whose new presidential candidate promises to eradicate violence and drug trafficking in the country. However, he hasn't reckoned with the cartel, which naturally intends to maintain its dominant position.
Help is needed, and that's where the Army of Two comes in. However, you don't have to completely do without the original duo, Rios and Salem, who appear in a flashback covering some missions five years earlier and fight their way through the levels alongside you. With four of you on the go, the world is already in serious trouble right from the start.
Back in the present, the cartel is more powerful than ever, but our cool guys are now significantly more experienced, deadly, and have become veritable killing machines; always with a witty remark on their lips. The mission now is to dismantle 'La Guadaña', the Mexican drug cartel, and they'll do it with plenty of action, firepower, and coolness in tow.
The entire game unfolds through interconnected missions that flow seamlessly into one another, rarely interrupted by loading screens. Before each mission, you can customize your look and arsenal, which consists of a primary, secondary, and sidearm. The iconic masks, a hallmark of Army of Two, also make a return, and you can apply custom tattoos or equip different armor sets. The numerous customization options are immediately apparent, especially with weapons, where every component can be improved, upgraded, or skinned. This ranges from a simple magazine to a ballistic shield, which becomes available at higher ranks. And you should definitely take advantage of these upgrades, as the handling of the weapons varies dramatically. Ultimately, this is a true paradise for gun enthusiasts.
Once you're armed to the teeth, it's simply a matter of aiming and firing. The focus of "Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel" is clearly on fun, which is paramount. Anyone expecting a realistic simulation like Battlefield will be sorely disappointed. The gameplay in Army of TWO is kept quite simple, with features like auto-aim, ammo collection, and diving from cover to cover. At first glance, the enemy AI seems rather dim-witted, often running openly into the field and becoming easy targets. However, this appears to be intentional, designed to avoid unnecessarily interrupting the flow of action. If the enemies were too clever, constantly taking cover or generally difficult to hit, the fun of mowing down entire hordes in one fell swoop would be lost. The challenge lies in eliminating the masses of enemies who frequently attack from all sides.
This is where the tactical co-op gameplay comes into play, which works best, and of course, much better, with a human partner. Conveniently, the linear missions always offer short optional detours, such as side alleys or side rooms, which allow your co-op partner to sneak up on the enemy from a different angle and then take them out from ambush. This is often necessary, for example, when a machine gun is in the way. Here, you're faced with a choice: do I distract the machine gun or sneak up on it myself and take it out? These situations occur relatively frequently in the game and really forge a strong bond between you as a team. But teamwork is also required at every turn, such as overcoming obstacles with a human ladder, breaking down doors, healing your partner, or driving a vehicle while the other operates the machine gun on the roof. We definitely recommend playing Army of TWO in online co-op or split-screen mode to get the most enjoyment out of this shooter.
The ability to dive from cover to cover takes some getting used to and doesn't always work perfectly. It's somewhat comparable to "Ghost Recon: Future Soldier." Once behind cover, you simply aim at the next piece and press X to move quickly and smoothly. Unfortunately, this often proved problematic. Even though you can theoretically hide at every corner and behind every ledge, the detection wasn't always seamless, leaving you exposed to enemy fire. I also would have liked the option to quickly dive left or right from a standstill. However, after some practice, the controls become quite intuitive and work smoothly without any major issues.
A highlight of the battle is the 'Overkill Mode'. Once you've fully charged the Overkill Gauge with skillful hits, you activate 'Overkill Mode' with L2 and become an invincible killing machine for a short time. Hits hit harder, the environment can be destroyed faster, and you yourself are invulnerable for that moment. This, of course, increases the fun factor immensely and is only surpassed by the 'Double Overkill Mode', where everything also unfolds in slow motion. Especially when playing Army of Two with a co-op partner, you can really get lost in an adrenaline rush that, unfortunately, always ends far too quickly.
Visually, "Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel" also utilizes DICE's Frostbite 2 engine, whose look is unmistakable. The Mexican setting fits perfectly as you roam through narrow alleyways and catacombs, the sun beating down on you. True to Frostbite 2 style, the authentic environment is largely destructible. Staying behind cover for long is therefore impossible, as it will eventually be completely destroyed. Similarly, you shouldn't linger too long behind pillars or corners, where you'll often end up with only a shred of cover. Visually, some textures were a bit weak or loaded too slowly. Overall, however, everything fits together, creating a cohesive and atmospheric experience.
The sound design in Army of TWO is once again a massive hit, thanks in no small part to the Frostbite 2 engine. You can practically feel the entire environment around you being blown to bits, with things flying everywhere. A patriotic soundtrack, mixed with typical Mexican music, usually plays in the background, creating an atmosphere that feels instantly familiar. They nailed it. I also found the voice acting quite fitting, with Alpha and Bravo pulling no punches, casually insulting each other's mothers with their cool, off-the-cuff remarks. The tone is generally quite crude, of course. It's all meant to be taken with a grain of salt, as befits cool guys. What I did miss, however, were Rios and Salem's famous high-fives, which would have been the perfect finishing touch. It's a shame Visceral Games deliberately chose to leave them out.
