There's going to be nothing better than getting the band back together when Rock Band 2 hits this September for the Xbox 360.  You and three buddies wailing away on plastic instruments and singing songs the way only mama could love.  Recently ScoreHero picked up on a partial setlist from the game, thanks to some clever G4TV footage of Rock Band 2.  That list is highlighted by the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and "Give it Away Now" and the Foo Fighters with "Everlong."

Well, we are only a few days from our 4th of July-themed Gears of War gaming extravaganza, so I found it fitting to play some Gears. I haven't played the game in a while, but I've always had fond memories of the game. So, when I booted up the game and played some co-op, I had some expectations. I wasn't disappointed; the game holds up well, particularly in co-op. Sometimes co-op games just tack in an extra player (like one of my favorite series, Halo), but Gears manages to make that extra player feel real and natural, and makes the gaming experience more believable. So, with these things in mind, I explored the game's campaign, teammate in tow.

MTV may not play many videos any more, but they do cover video games!  Recently, an interesting article popped up at MTV.com, about the Guitar Hero/Rock Band rivalry.  The article mainly discusses the issues that come about from incompatibility between each game's instruments.  Clearly, some fans of rhythm games are getting tired of stacks of plastic instruments lying around.  However, there may be hope yet.  Konami's Rock Revolution will enter the fray this fall.  While nothing has been promised, we certainly find this quote from Konami producer Keith Matejka intriguing:

We've been pretty excited about Diablo around here, and when Diablo 3 was announced our excite-o-meter went into overdrive.  Now that the Blizzard invitational is over the information is starting to come together as to just what the 3rd journey into hell will contain.  MTV's Multiplayer Blog has some of the high points.

Ok, I'm sure you are sick to death of us talking about Too Human.  We've covered it over and over.   There were interviews, previews, videos, screenshots; if it was Too Human related we covered it.  It should come as a surprise since the game has been dubbed "the next Diablo" thanks to a killer cooperative mode. 

Puzzle fans who own a Wii will be glad to see this week's WiiWare release, Magnetica Twist.  The original Magnetica was a well regarded DS release back in 2006.  The addition of several co-op modes may pique Co-Optimus reader's interest.  Taken from Wiiware-World's review:

Can you believe it's July already?  Time to bust out the fireworks!  E3 is right around the corner, and Co-Optimus.com will be there to bring you all the co-op news straight from the show floor.  Here is what you missed during the month of June!

Right now, Diablo III is the cutest girl on the block, but not too long ago Too Human was that girl. Well, as if not wanting to be left behind, more Too Human videos have been released. Hit up Gamevideos, where you can see Baldur fighting a troll, storming a gate, facing off against elves, and fighting a robo-Grendel. So, if you want some more footage of Too Human, or you are on the fence, check these videos out. They are all single-player vids, but considering the (very) minimal difference between single-player and co-op, these vids can still give you an idea of what Too Human is like.

It appears that the Rock Band franchise will draw first blood in the upcoming battle of the rhythm games.  Shacknews reports that Rock Band 2 will be released for Xbox 360 in September, with other platforms following soon after.  A few tidbits of information were dropped, mostly about DLC.  Content downloaded for Rock Band 1 will work just fine in Rock Band 2, and the opposite is true for songs downloaded after Rock Band 2's release.  Another improvement (and much needed) will be easier party play setup.  Improved instruments are on the way, to no one's surprise, though backwards compatibility with the original Rock Band instruments is promised.  Of particular interest is this quote from lead designer Dan Teasdale:

This week we are going to have special co-op night with the help of the folks at Microsoft.  They are launching the Live, Liberty and Pursuit of Gamerscore promotion to celebrate the 4th of July in the United States.  And what better way to celebrate than to take out some Locust scum with your buddy in Gears of War!

As you can probably see, things are a bit different around here (if not hit control-f5).  We've been hard at work behind the scenes to bring you a cleaner more easier to use Co-Optimus.com.  More changes are on the way in terms of functionality - so sit tight!

With all the Diablo III news going on, it's only natural to want to crack out the original two games.  Unfortunately for some it's not an easy find; most local stores don't carry it.  Luckily Amazon has the whole shebang, the entire Diablo Battle Chest (Diablo, Diablo II, Diablo II - Lord Of Destruction, and 2 Hint Guides) for $29.99 with free shipping.