The sound design is what you would expect from a shooter—bullets whiz and ricochet off metal while the voice acting quality is just passable. Nolan North, who has voiced just about every character in every game released in 2009, continues his streak into 2010 as Salem which is easily his weakest effort lacking any “Drake-esque” personality or charm. Everyone else is either trying too hard to create a believable world or severely hindered by awful dialogue. The game has cut back on the embarrassingly meat-headed “bromance” moments found in the original but the ability to congratulate or scold your friend in a game is still available and is as baffling as ever. It’s also a bit disengaging to hear your character yell orders at the top of his lungs behind an enemy during a stealth mission.

Army relies on the two player co-op to make the game stand out from the rest but having two players is never exploited in interesting or exciting situations. Nothing is completed in a clever way that would require two people to work together. There are no vehicles, two-man weapons or special techniques. The formula that plays out in every scenario is quite simple—one player creates a distraction while the other flanks or snipes. Gameplay closely resembles Gears of War with an over-the-shoulder aiming mode and cover mechanic while Army’s own “agro” system is back where the player causing the most commotion glows red and attracts most or all enemy fire. This system often leads to enemies completely ignoring one player even when they are in point blank range. The enemy AI is pretty shallow and allows for veteran shooters to take advantage of a predictable pattern. For new players, the single player mode actually offers the best chance of survival due to a computer controlled ally who knows what to do in every situation. The computer will always revive you with haste while dragging you to the closest cover. You have very limited control over the computer character but the basic commands of “hold fire” and “fight forward” are really all you need to be successful. This is not a “thinking man’s” shooter by any stretch and players searching for a tactical chess match will be under whelmed.

Army of Two: The 40th Day is a lazy follow up to the previous Army of Two. Opportunities to make a satisfying and unique two player experience are either ignored or muddled and the end product is just as forgettable as the original. The game has its moments, mostly in the beginning, and is worth a rent if you and a friend are tired of playing Gears of War together for the millionth time. Just keep in mind that Gears of War 2 is also available now.  
    
Overall Rating: 2.5 / 5

M. Michael Chwedyk-MuzikReviews.com Sr. Video Game Reviewer

February 5, 2010

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