Working Together: A Search for the Best Co-op Games of the Holiday Season and Beyond

Already this year we've had a decent amount of co-op releases: Mercenaries 2, LEGO Batman, Too Human, Army of Two, and Rock Band 2, to name a few.

However, the holiday season promises to bring far more titles with large cooperative components, with games like Gears of War 2, LittleBigPlanet, Left 4 Dead and more making their way to stores.

Fueled by our love for co-op, we've compiled a list of many of the major upcoming releases that support traditional co-op modes--sorted by release date for your anticipatory convenience.

Though it may still be perceived as the poor man's Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row 2 has one leg up on Rockstar's game with the addition of traditional drop-in, drop-out cooperative play.

Players can motor through the entire free-roaming campaign with one additional buddy. NPCs will be automatically adjusted in difficulty, ensuring that the game doesn't become a comp-stomp.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

Platformers have been ripe for co-op components ever since Luigi was sidelined and Diddy became a lifeline. LittleBigPlanet fulfills the full potential of multi-player side-scrolling play, challenging players to combine their wits and literally grab their friends to overcome obstacles.

And though the game's fabulous level editor will not ship with cooperative support, the feature will be patched in post-release, completing the package.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

Co-op in the latest edition of Spyro will come in the form of Cynder, a female dragon that accompanies Spyro on his journey.

A second player will be able to drop-in at any time, taking control of Cynder and her unique elemental powers. Apparently a portion of the game will see the two characters tied together by a snake. Recommended requirements: communication skills.
(Screenshots)

Creator Peter Molyneux teased offline co-op earlier this year at E3, and eventually confirmed online support--though the feature will now be patched in after the game's release a la LittleBigPlanet's editor.

As players explore the world of Fable II, they will occasionally notice hovering orbs that appear to move at random. These orbs represent other players, and allow for you to call a co-op friend into your world instantly. Once in co-op, players can share loot while questing, or disable the friendly fire mode and do combat. As the player's game world is persistent, turning off the safety features will be a risky move depending on the company you keep.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

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We may be more fond of the already-released Rock Band 2, but Guitar Hero World Tour has finally caught up to Harmonix's platform in pure instrument count and compatibility, so it's worth a look.

The game's MIDI music creation mode will no doubt fuel some cooperative composing, but the real attraction is getting a crack at Hendrix with a full faux band.
(Screenshots, Video, Interview)

The RTS genre has been begging for more co-op attention, and EA Los Angeles' Red Alert sequel fits the bill.

Red Alert 3's wacky campaign will be fully supported for co-op play, allowing two players to coordinate strikes and gang up on the enemy AI. And if you don't have a buddy, you can team up with a friendly AI player instead. He just won't laugh at your jokes.
(Screenshots, Video)

Insomniac's shooter sequel will deliver a large-scale cooperative experience with a campaign specifically designed for eight online players.

Participants will choose from three classes--the medic, soldier, and special ops--and move from level to level, gaining experience and upgrading their soldiers. For those looking for more traditional co-op, the campaign can also be played in an offline split-screen mode.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

The first Gears was designed around two-player co-op, and the sequel promises to deliver the same type of dude-on-dude, you-go-left-I'll-go-right action that made the original a co-op haven.

And while the two-player limit may be a letdown for some, the fun five-player cooperative Horde mode--which pits players against increasingly difficult waves of enemies--makes up for it.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

The first online cooperative Call of Duty title, World at War skips the two-player step and moves on to support a full four players.

In addition to the raw numbers, World at War will offer experience and achievements specific to co-op runs, allowing players to play cooperatively and not fall behind in the competitive multiplayer leveling race.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

Left 4 Dead
Valve Software
PC, Xbox 360
November 18
Co-op: Four players online, two player split-screen on 360

The big enchilada. Designed from the ground up to provide the best possible cooperative experience, Left 4 Dead's release date should be encircled on the calendar of any true co-op fan.

With the game's "Director" AI varying the intensity and location of zombie attacks, Left 4 Dead promises an incredibly unpredictable, replayable campaign. And with the gameplay portioned into scenarios of around two hours in length, it should be presented as a manageable, movie-sized piece of entertainment.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

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All five of Path of the Furon's open world areas will be available for human destroying in its four-player co-op mode.

Apparently the game's world will change somewhat in multiplayer, but it is unknown to what extent.
(Screenshots, Video)

On the Horizon

The teased Halo 3 DLC campaign should be coming in the early days of 2009, and will represent the first extra co-op content for the game since its release.
(Screenshots, Video, News)

Players will control Chris Redfield and some other chick named Sheva. The action has been ratcheted up, with a cover-based shooting scheme that will perhaps help to fuel the new co-op dynamic.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

Gearbox's mix of Halo FPS action and Diablo RPG elements could make for a very compelling combination.
(Screenshots, Video, Interview)

Ensemble may be done after Halo Wars, but their swan song could prove to be a fun console RTS to play through with a buddy.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)

Details on Diablo III's multiplayer component are few, other than the fact that it will likely consume our lives. Perhaps this week's BlizzCon will reveal some specifics.
(Screenshots, Video, Preview)