After hearing all the great reviews for this game, I thought I would give EA another chance. They have let me down in the past with the annual updates of sports games, the inconsistency with their racing games and the sloppy feel of their console shooters. But this? This looks like it has turned the corner. It looks promising.

I bought the game and started playing. The first 2 hours were a blast. The Co-op integration into the game mechanics was a new fresh look at the way co-op should be played. The weapon selection was nice. Each weapon could be upgraded and you could even change the skin of the weapon. The controls seemed easy enough to grab, though allowing people to customize their controls 100% is long over due. Shooting enemies felt good as you get a sense of the bullets hitting them.

Then I started to get a better feel for the game and the flaws started showing. The aiming was seriously in need of tweaking. For example, when you could clearly see a guys head sticking out from behind cover, you could not shoot it, even if the cross hairs turn red when you aim at the head. The animation appears stiff at times. Also, the level design and flow of the game gets repetitive after a few hours. The computer AI was given praise in a few reviews. Why did my AI team mate drag my body back well over 100 feet when I was hurt, passing 10 other things to hide behind to heal me? Why, when told to hold your position behind a box did he stand directly in front of a turret and get mowed down? Why does he stand between me and the enemies when I need to be dragged to cover, blocking my view so I cannot shoot them? The AI is good, but the timing of the bad moments can lead to bouts with frustration.

All in all, I would suggest a rental. The co-op play with a human is worth a try, but the repetitive nature of the game is not worth the $60 price of admission.