Shown only behind closed doors, could this co-op action title prove to be an ace in EA's hands...

Announced just days before E3 2006, EA's Army of Two was one of several titles presented behind closed doors at the event, and certainly became one of the more exciting games. Currently in development for Xbox 360 and PlayStation3, Army of Two is a co-operative tactical shooter set in a future when Private Military Corporations (PMCs) do the dirty work that governments can't handle.

But how can you play on your own if it's a co-operative title? Electronic Arts are in the process of developing 'Partner AI' for Army of Two, which sees advanced AI take control of the second soldier. Commands are issued between the two characters via a headset, with certain commands reserved for specific circumstances. Examples shown during the course of the demonstration include "Go Right/Left" and "Stabilise" commands, which were issued during a tandem parachute sequence into the mountains of Afghanistan. Other commands relate to the number of co-operative tactics in the game, including 'Back to Back" where the two characters do just that in order to fight against a surrounding force, a 'Snipe' command, an "On my mark" order, and an 'Abort' command that does exactly what it says it is. As expected the voice commands worked first time in the presentation, and hopefully it will just as responsive in the final build.

What seems to evolve the premise of Partner AI as a viable alternative to a second player is that there can be confrontation between the player and the AI, which can be triggered due to the AI's 'memory'. For instance, just because in a double-sniper situation (where one character targets one enemy and the other targets a second) the player tells the AI to wait for their mark doesn't mean that it will obey orders. In the presentation itself, the AI initially refused instead ordering the player to follow its mark because in a previous situation the gamer had actually missed the target.

What was most impressive, and something that leaves a major question over how much of the voice commands will translate in the finished product, was the complexity of the interaction. With the player insisting that they take the mark by saying, "Cut the crap dude, we're doing it on my mark," the fact that the Partner AI then replied with, "You cut the crap soldier" certainly suggested that the AI listens to the player's words and selects appropriate responses. If it really is as thorough as the demo made out, then the level of realism in the Partner AI is about as exceptional as it's ever been. We'll have to wait and see whether that's the case when Army of Two is released during 2007.

Another instance of the Partner AI taking an active part in the game occurred when the EA representative pointed their gun at a civilian. At first, the Partner AI merely warned that they weren't there to shoot innocents. Persisting with the aggressive position, the AI then repeated his claim before raising his own weapon and aiming it at the player's character. His opinions continue after the player submits, stating that such situations were why "People hate Americans." Needless to say that remark caused a ripple of sniggering in the demo room. Such an action helps to create a sense of belief in the advancement of the AI, along with the other instances, and will hopefully continue developing during the rest of the production.

Further demonstration of the levels of co-operation to feature in Army of Two came when the Partner AI was shot in the leg, leaving the player to support as they continued across the environment. Both players were still able shoot at the onslaught of enemies during this period, but it also helped reinforce the co-operative mentality woven throughout the game. Other examples of co-operation included suppressive/covering fire and flanking movements with two EA representatives working together through a situation, and like so much else in the demo showed the reliance of strong communication and team work.

Even stopping the death of the other character is a co-operative act. In the presentation one of the soldiers was shot and severely wounded. Splitting the screen, the remaining player had to begin chest compressions with button tapping whilst the dying player had to tap a button to escape from the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel. Besides the shooting aspects of the game of co-operation, the characters can also execute similar manoeuvres to the co-op missions in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, such as the leg-up, though for the moment further actions haven't been revealed.

Following their escape from the Afghan mountains, the second part of the demo focused on the two soldiers as they tried to board and sink an aircraft carrier. Demonstrating that water in the game is more than just a visual element, the Army of Two soldiers ride along the sea trying to avoid detection from enemies by cutting through waves and timing their moves precisely with the wave crests. The mission itself was cut from the presentation, however the aftermath of the event as the ship began to sink was shown. One of the soldiers rushes to get a helicopter and fly to the other end of the ship where the second is left trying to avoid on-deck deck objects as they slide past him towards the sea.

Besides Partner AI and local play, Army of Two will also have functionality allowing for online co-operation between two players, with EA confirming that if one player left the Partner AI would take over seamlessly, allowing the action to continue uninterrupted. Such a strategy will have obvious advantages for gamers playing over Xbox Live or Sony's online platform, negating the frustration of one player leaving in the midst of the action and ending a session.

With the requirement for gamers to make deliberate movements through the game, Army of Two certainly doesn't seem to be in development to appease trigger-happy FPS fans, instead offering a dramatically intense yet logical experience. Working together, either with the Partner AI or a second player is essential to the game, with a demonstration of what happens if you decide to shoot at the Partner AI leaving the room filled with a couple of four-letter words as he vented his disgust.

So what's the point of the game from the characters' stand-point? Well as PMCs it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that it's about money. At the end of missions players will win their reward, which they can use to buy, upgrade, and even pimp weapons with larger monetary rewards given for the completion of larger targets, such as the aircraft carrier mentioned earlier. From the basic versions of gun models, players can add a plethora of attachments and gadgets from laser sights right through to extended ammo clips and shoulder rests, and furthermore, each gun can be 'pimped' for an extra sliver of uniqueness.