While gamers had to wait almost a year for their first taste of a new campaign for Left 4 Dead 1, with the second game the wait was half of that.  Left 4 Dead 2's The Passing has been talked up quite a bit, the campaign from the get go sounded like one designed for longtime fans of the series as our favorite characters from both games would finally come face to face.  Having played the three level campaign a handful of times now, we weigh in on whether or not the content is worth the price of admission  - which of course varies by platform from free on the PC, to $7 on the Xbox 360.

The Halo Reach multiplayer beta kicks up next Monday, and the only way to get access is to own and copy of Halo 3: ODST.  You'd think by now that most Halo fans would own a copy of ODST, which was released last Fall, but according to Microsoft - that's simply not the case.

The Ace Combat series has always bordered on realism, but in the end throws in some over the top flair for good measure.  The portable game looks to bring that cheesy story and over the top goodness on the go in Ace Combat Joint Assault. 

I've always had a love/hate relationship with shoot-em-ups (otherwise known as shmups). R-Type is one of the oldest series of shooters, and it has everything I love (and hate) in spades.

To celebrate the release of L4D2's The Passing, we're going to have a special Xbox Live Co-Op night. We'll be playing this new content as well as the core game - so if you're missing any of the campaigns or having a hard time finding someone to play The Passing with, this is the perfect opportunity.

We've already posted part one of the developer walkthrough of the Dante's Inferno DLC called The Trials of St. Lucia.  In it we were given tips on how to overcome the trials with our co-op partner, as well as the best way to find user created levels.  Part 2 guides us on how we can go about creating those levels, and the best way to create trials that are not only fun, but rewarding.

  Left 4 Dead 2 highlights the digital deals this weekend, no doubt spurned by the recent DLC.  A good deal for those of you that may have missed the original as well is a two pack of L4D and L4D2 for $33 bucks.   Steam Left 4 Dead 2 - $20.09 (33% Off) Left 4 Dead 2 Four Pack - $60.29 (33% Off) Left 4 Dead + Left 4 Dead 2 - $33.49 (33% Off) Trine - $5 (75% Off)   Good Old Games Descent + Descent 2 - $4.19 (50% Off) Descent 3 + Expansion - $4.19 (50% Off) Freespace + Expansion - $4.19 (50% Off) Freespace 2 - $4.19 (50% Off)   Impulse THQ Ultimate Bundle - $99.99 (71% Off) [Includes multiple co-op titles]   Games for Windows Resident Evil 5 - $24.99 (50% Off)

Welcome to Beyond Co-Op, a weekly piece that talks about industry stories that may or may not be related to co-op gaming.

We were all surprised to see a new piece of co-op content coming to Uncharted 2, especially after so many denials it would ever happen. Yet, Siege Mode is upon us, and Co-Optimus sat down with Naughty Dog to get the dirt on co-op gaming in Nathan Drake's world, and what we might see next.

As a regular cell phone user, I am always intrigued by unique sounds for my phone that make it stand out in a sea of other cell phone ringtones. Major Nelson's blog seems to agree that unique sounds are important, and who doesn't love game bytes? The  Borderlands mascot character Claptrap will now be making a nice home on my cell phone via the Claptrap Sound Bytes that are available for free personal use on the Major Nelson Blog.

Splinter Cell Conviction is still fresh in our minds along with Left 4 Dead 2, thanks to the recent "Passing" DLC.   There's nothing scarier than a zombie with night vision.  Actually, perhaps all zombies have night vision?  Anyway...plenty of other gaming to be had, both good and bad.  It's time for another Weekend in (Co-Op) Gaming!

[Updated below] It seems like PSN users are almost required by Sony and Capcom to play co-op with their copies of Final Fight Double Impact. It turns out that Final Fight will not play on your PS3 if you are not connected to the network. Even if you're playing local multiplayer or single player, you're still required to have your PS3 connected to play.