Mutant Storm Empire, like it's predecessor Reloaded, is a classic dual analog top down shooter with not so classic graphics. In fact Empire's graphics are gorgeous, with bright colorful areas and enemies abound. 
The enemies themselves, called "beasties" in the game, range from the typical mechanical robots, etc., to the more "organic" kinds, such as a beastie that seems to blow its nose at you, and a giant blue fish which you kill by shooting at its giant blue (the color) balls. And while on the surface things seem fairly simple, there's a pretty in depth combo system that allows you to work with your teammate to maximize score. Which, of course, is what this type of game is all about.
To gain maximum score, you need to maximize your multiplier. How do you do that? By beastie combos. Beastie combos are obtained by shooting only bad guys of a certain type. One you shoot enough in a row, your combo bar grows by a small amount. For instance, shoot 10 green robots and your multiplier bar will slowly grow. Then shoot 10 purple ones for another combo bar increase.  This is where the teamwork comes in, as you must communicate with your partner as to what enemies you are going to go for.
The co-op aspect of the game is pretty straightforward, with each player controlling an amoeba style little creature to shoot baddies. There's no special story or special modes for co-op; you'll play through the same four worlds with or without your buddy. If the game has a downside, it's that it can be pretty difficult, and it can be frustrating trying to get through certain parts. Thankfully you are allowed to continue or start the game at any section or world you've already completed in single or multiplayer (Of course, to maximize your score you'll want to start at the very beginning).
All in all if you like games like Smash TV or Geometry Wars you are going to like Mutant Storm Empire. The really nice thing is, the game can be as simple or as complex as you want.
Verdict
Co-Op Score
The Co-Op Experience: There's this evil emperor, see, and … well, he's evil. Now someone has decided to put a stop to the whole evilness thing, and that someone is you. It's the right thing to do! Besides, in Mutant Storm Empire, it'll be fun. Battle through line after line of the emperor's minion horde, destroying absolutely everything you can! Blast through bunches of robots, crush colonies of aquatic monsters, smash swarms of UFOs, and demolish devastating bosses. It's a continuous adventure through four immense, strikingly vibrant worlds, and you can fight alone or join forces with a friend in two-player cooperative mode. Enjoy the frenzy!
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.