By Lou Kesten
The Associated Press
Video-game publishers seem bent on changing the perception of the hobby as a solitary pursuit. Over the past few years we’ve seen a flood of games that are meant to be enjoyed by two or more players, either online or on the same couch, working together toward the same goals.
Sometimes teaming up makes sense, as in the mercenary adventure “Army of Two” or the zombie thriller “Left 4 Dead.” But in other games, like the revenge drama “Splinter Cell: Conviction” or the horror epic “Resident Evil 5,” cooperative play feels tacked-on and absurd.
Many gamers, for example, found the second playable character in “Resident Evil 5” more irritating than helpful. But publisher Capcom was pleased enough that it has turned “Lost Planet,” another promising franchise, into a purely multiplayer experience.