Ben-DutkaArmy of Two: The 40th Day came out this week and most critics will tell you it's significantly better than the original.
EA certainly heard the complaints concerning their first Army of Two effort, saying they "were able to piss off a lot of people." But they weren't causing offense due to a lesser-quality experience; many viewed the original setting and premise as offensive. In speaking to VideoGamer.com , EA Montreal boss Alain Tascan admitted to getting "carried away" with the first title, which arrived during a tough time in the country's history. Too many soldiers were dying overseas and the idea of killing terrorists for cash in places where real troops were dying…well, it didn't go over well. He said, "the reality is, you can laugh off everything but not with everybody." Basically, when you downed a terrorist in North Africa (and followed it up with a nasty one-liner) or other places where US soldiers were losing their lives in real life, people got miffed. So, despite the addition of "moral choices" in this sequel, EA Montreal toned down the over-the-top craziness of the two main characters, Salem and Rios. Said Tascan:
"We needed to correct that, because it was taking away from what the game was. Some people focused so much on that they didn't see the game. They just thought, how can you do that? My brother is in Afghanistan and in Iraq, you cannot do this kind of thing. We got carried away. The reality is we have real recordings from mercenaries in the field, and let me tell you, we took ten percent in the first game of what was said in war.
But is not like in the movies, it's not appropriate. What we're discovering, now that we're a mass market entertainment medium, is, like movies, we have to filter. What would be the reality via our medium? And things evolve. Television evolves and movies evolve. We have to respect that, and we've learned good ways to do that. The new one I feel is still very funny, but at least it's more Bruce Willis funny than Steven Seagal funny."
It's an interesting conundrum for any designer in any entertainment medium, especially in a time when just about anything can be considered offensive to someone. And we can tell you that The 40th Day is set in Shanghai and while things are "toned down," the game is much better than the first Army of Two .
Related Game(s): Army of Two: The 40th Day
Can't wait for you guys review of this.
I'm not sure what the difference is between Bruce Willis "funny" and Steven Seagal "funny", but I do know Steven Seagal movies keep getting funnier as time goes by.
Bruce Willis makes jokes in his action movies that make you laugh, Steven Seagal IS the joke in his action movies.
I loved the first game and all I keep hearing about this one is how much better it is than the first one. I will definitely pick this one up used. When do you guys think you will have a review for this game?
The commercials look tight, but I don't really need any more shooters right now. Maybe a bargain bin pickup. I do wonder how the sales will be though.
Also I think people are too damned sensitive about stuff. I know soldiers too, it won't keep me from playing a game or make me b*tch about it.
Americans are a bunch of liberal over conservative pansies!
honestly a freaking panda would be walking innocently around and they would somehow find a way to complain about it.
i mean how many games have we had blowing up famous well known cities and no one has said boo, than MW2 comes in and blows up DC and all hell breaks loose!
anyway, i love army of two the 40th day.
good graphics.
FANTASTIC! sound.
great level design.
well done easy to use controls.
best part is the co-op features.
nothing is more satisfying than marking 2 enemies and co-op sniping them from a distance.
though this is a game that you really need to play with a friend, the AI is very good but its still 1000 times more fun with a friend.
and FINALLY! a decent powered shotgun.
in most shooters shotguns feel pitiful and weak, you shoot a enemy and they just drop to the ground like their legs turned to jelly.
but use the shotty in close range in army of 2 and the enemies go flying, it really has a seance of stopping power.
i love the enemy variety, see this is what im always saying about killzone 2 all the enemies feel and fight the same, the way you take out a soldier is no different to the way to take out someone else.
but in army of two your constantly forced to change your tactics.
you can run and gun against normal enemies but try that against a guy with a shoty or a flamethrower or a HMG you will die in a instant.
THIS is what i want in killzone 3, take the enemy variety and co-op features of army of two and chuck it into KZs style of game and you got the perfect shooter.
You are right about that. It's like some people walk around looking to be offended, as if the world is supposed to cater to them.
The demo for this was ok. I have a few games to finish off before I think about this one.
be warned its EXTREMLY! short.
each chapter took me arround 30 minutes and there is only 7 chapters so its a very short game.
im really disappointed about that, they reveal everything so soon.
normally in games you get weapons, meet new enemies slowly, in this you meet them in the first 5 minutes almost.
this game feels rushed, its got the quality but each scene feels like theres a part missing.
they could of stretched this out way further.
@_________,
Maybe you could have said "SOME' Americans…
Please don't lump everyone together like that because, I for one as an American, have absolutely no problems whatsoever in what a developer wants to do, even if it is politically incorrect.
(yup, just like me).
And….I'm still waiting for some publisher with balls, to pick up the game "6 Days in Fallujah(?spelling?)
Last edited by BikerSaint on 1/14/2010 11:57:42 AM
lol @ __________ for saying "Americans are a bunch of liberal over conservative pansies!" Which one is it, are we liberal or conservative? Usually you are concidered one or the other, not both at the same time.
I added the first one to my collection some time ago but I have yet to try it. I forgot about all the controversy about this game, I should pop it in and see what all the fuss is about.
First one was great and so the second one (yesterday downloaded demo)
Only thing that bothers me is the camera view.
In a split screen mode its annoying.
Some found the first one offensive? Woah, where was I the whole time I was playing through it? I never paid much attention to how it could offend me… I may sound biased when I say this, but some people look a little too far into things… I absolutely loved the first one and I'm eagerly awaiting to play the second one.
I guess I can see where the controversial isuues come into play on the first one now but still… Really? It's just a game. I guess some people just love going around looking for things to pick on… Eh, oh well. We'll live.
I agree with you.
@Gamer Girl Gemo,
Well, I see I don't have to say what I was about to, because I see that you've already got it covered!
"You go, girl"
Damn Straight. But to go off topic for a min.. This whole time I thought the controversial part of MW2 was the airport level…I would have never thought in a million years it was the DC level. I never thought about that, I only thing I thought when going through that level was "damn this level sucks". But anyway I never played the first Army of Two but I doubt it was offense. I mean a game has to take place somewhere, might as well be a real place.
toned down hey?
thats nice. me n my mate were playing, and both muslims, and five minutes in we find arabic writing and arab-looking bombers near a missile site! hmmmmmm much?!
idk seems like peeps are just stirring up drama… this games is pretty cool i was able to get it for 19.99 at gamestop with a trade of MKvsDC and Deadspace lol so it was worth it and you can get online and design your own mask which will be put into your game, pretty cool, the only thing bothering me is the camera view and the voice fX is a little low over the sound fX it might be that ive been playing U2 for a while now and have gotten use to its controls and camera views.