Army of Two: The 40th Day - Hands on Impressions from Jim McLaughlin
Yeah... we want one.
Jason and I met face-to-face for the first time yesterday. We shook hands, greeted each other, and proceeded to get our grubby hands on Army of Two: The 40th Day, which we both agreed was impressive and a lot of fun for the short time we played.
The first feature that we explored was the gun customization. In all honesty, I was worried at first. Customization was something that was supposed to be featured heavily in the first Army of Two, but was ultimately a bit lackluster for a game centered on two men and their guns. This time around, however, there is a ton of more options for each component of your favorite gun, both visual and practical. We were told that 21 different skins exist currently, ranging from zebra patterns to various types of camouflage; and yes, just as in the first game, you can “bling” your gun again. Aside from being able to the look of the gun from an aesthetic perspective, players will also be able to swap out barrels, suppressors, stocks, mags, scopes, and forward grips. The level of customization has definitely been expounded upon and all of these changes have an affect on the weapon. Add a scope, a long-range barrel, and a long-range magazine to the gun, and you've got a decent sniper weapon; swap those out for a laser sight, a squatter barrel and a magazine with a little more kick, and you've got a deadly close-range gun. The developers at EA Montreal wanted the co-op aspect of the game to extend beyond just the gameplay, and it shows. Both players will need to coordinate the kinds of guns that they're using so they can be effective and ready to face any threat.
It's not about the size of the gun, it's how you customize it.
Matt Turner, the producer for 40th Day, revealed to us that some of the weapon parts can be scavenged in the world from enemies, lockers, etc., but some are only accessible based on the choices players make. Throughout the course of the game, players will be faced with a myriad of morality decisions, from choosing whether or not to rescue a group of hostages, to showing mercy to your defeated foes. These choices will affect what gun components may or may not be unlocked, but don't worry. Anything you unlock in one playthrough of the game will be made available in subsequent playthroughs. Matt also hinted at how some of the tactics that you choose to use in certain situations can unlock parts and guns. If you do it right, you can score things like a rusty homemade stock or a Coke can suppressor, which have their own benefits, such as improved handling (less weight).