Short, sweet, shiny, but also a little out of place.
First, the Single-Player. The title says it all, you are an Army of Two, work for a private military doing for what the US Army Can't / Won't do. Every says the story takes place over 18 years, it doesn't, it is all mainly post 9/11 terrorist warfare. Which brings me to the story, which I will say built up in the end, and then fell on it's face, with a weird feel. "Boss" Terrorists with giant Gatling guns, and enemies with bombs strapped to them, make warfare seem cheesy. If you want a realistic story, that keeps you entwined, you will be disappointed. It's full of conspiracy theories, and small plot twists.
What you will stay for is the awesome two player Co-Op moments, which are wicked awesome and creative. Parachuting into enemy territory, with you partner picking off troops with a sniper. Or going Back to Back, providing cover for each other and a cool slo-mo sequence. The problem is the good moments are few and far between, however.
The non Co-Op moments, where it boils down to base gameplay, is different at best. It is simple point and shoot, take cover, blind-fire, rinse, repeat. If there is one game where would want to go Rambo on, and just shoot anything that moves, this would be it, but sadly no. You can get cut down in a heartbeat if you don't work with your partner with something called aggro. Basically, one person attracts the enemy's attention, so the other person can "sneak" and flank. The one who has the more attention is shown on a meter, and character turns this bright, almost "over-shieldy" red shade, which just kills the realism for me. The other, turns invisible, at least it looks like it. Every time you sneak over, you may take down 1 guy before you all guns are pointed right at you, and your blown into bite-size bits.
There is a healing mechanic, and it is what it sound, nothing amazing. Just drag the wounded and heal them.
The graphics for a third-person shooter are amazing, never a dull moment.........when you play, I'll get to what I mean in a sec.
Also, level design is pretty bland in most areas, standard dirt, rocks and run-down factories. (SMALL SPOILER ALERT) The airport level trashed up by a hurricane I though was pretty neat though.(SMALL SPOILER ALERT OVER )
The cover system is just leaning against cover with your left thumb stick, but you don't get in cover, you have to kind of guess when you are in cover. It's obvious why this is bad, you think your nice and safe, and then your down, screaming for your partner to safe you.
A.I is decent, it gets what It has do get done, but it never really does what you say to do, it does the mission objective. And I noticed when I need to be healed, the AI would drag me away to No Mans Land to heal me. The story is enjoyable with a friend, and is apparent it was designed that way.
The cutscenes are mind-blowing good, but when there should be out-of game cutscenes (last level boss fight, for example) there aren't, and where there shouldn't be great cutscenes (Opening a door, moving a box, wtf?) there are.
You can "Pimp" out weapons, but only use them in single player/Co-Op.
Main problem however, game length, average gamer can knock it down in about 7-8hrs tops, that's with shooting for bonus objectives.
Muti-player is good, two on two with AI help/ enemies, and both teams fighting over assassinating a target, or escorting something is fun, but with only for maps currently, and 3 variants on the game mode, you will turn heel and go back to COD4, and, of course, Rainbow Six 2, within a day or two.
Overall, at least rent it, it is a blast to play with a friend, but that is about it.