Monaco

[DarklingAlice]

So, I don't usually tout games, but dear gods a good one came out today*

http://www.pocketwatchgames.com/Monaco/

Monaco is a ridiculously fun heist game that is up to 4 player co-op. It's a heist game as opposed to a stealth game if that makes any sense. Sometimes stealth is the best way to deal with a situation, sometimes blowing a wall out with C4 is. And the situation is slightly randomized each time and constantly evolving. That coupled with 8 playable classes keeps the game really quite fun. Not to mention I'm a sucker for the retro graphics.

*came out today for XBOX, it's been out for PC for a couple weeks

So has anyone else given it a shot yet? Thoughts?

[Kazyth]

I haven't yet, but this looks like a lot of fun, if you have someone to play it with.

Also, Penny Arcade did a little something for it.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2013/04/26

[Shjade]

I've been strongly considering it, but knowing that I would most likely be playing it solo 99% of the time keeps me dissuaded.

[DarklingAlice]

Solo play doesn't particularly dissapoint in my opinion, but it is a step down from multiplayer. Though I have only played with one other (Mrs. A) so far.

The funny thing is that the game itself plays pretty similarly with multiple players. There is no kind of scaling, so in part you could argue that it is less of a challenge. However, the interplay as you sit there trying to coordinate things and deal with new situations is pretty priceless. I'd say that single player is a tenser experience that will go well if you like carefully planned and executed play (single player as The Cleaner or The Lookout is probably most comparable to classic stealth gameplay). Multiplayer is a lot more hectic. Someone will screw something up and then there will be a crazy moment as the entire team tries to deal with it (it's very Three Stooges meets Reservior Dogs).

What strikes me about it is that it is very much a game. There's no real attempt at simulation here. The abstraction runs high and performs really well (e.g. you grab giant shiny coins to get extra uses of your equiped item). It makes me think of a kind of cooperative play I don't often feel I see in video games, reminding me almost more of co-op board games. As a matter of fact now that I think of it I am surprised the 'heist' concept hasn't been used for more video and board games.

[Shjade]

Hmmmmm.

Maybe when it goes on sale.

[Callie Del Noire]

Been a while since I got anything on the Xbox marketplace, maybe I'll check it out.