Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel is a 2013 third-person shooter video game developed by EA Montreal and Visceral Games, published by Electronic Arts.  Released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 it is the third installment in the Army of Two series and takes place in Mexico and pits T.W.O. against a ruthless drug cartel known as La Guadana.

Campaign: The campaign is extensive and features a story that is pretty fast paced, yet with all the events of the game it becomes more complex. The campaign is quite challenging especially considering the various twists in the plot.  However, despite the complexity of the story it doesn’t have much depth. The main characters are Alpha and Bravo and the characters are likable. They have personality and there is this brotherly/camaraderie between the that makes them likable. Fiona is a strong female lead and her willingness to aid the group makes more likable rather than the strong female troupe. (3 out of 5)

Graphics: Character designs have depth, especially the gear and paraphernalia and the customization options. The environments look great and have a really immersive feel, especially given the fact that the environment is more interactive because it is destructible. The cinematics are decent but could be better. Some aspects that could’ve been done a bit better are the character designs which do have an angled and squared look. However, praise should be given for some of the more intense moments. (3 out of 5)

Score: The score is done really well. The music is good and emphasizes the more action oriented moments as well as tense ones. The voice performances are terrific and do a great job of fleshing out the characters. (4 out of 5)

Gameplay: The gameplay mechanics differ little from in previous installments. The shoot and cover system is good and the AI and destructive environments do keep the combat challenging. The destructive environments do add depth to the realism and having to constantly find cover is challenging. Although there is a variety of weapons they don’t feel different from other types; all the shotguns feel the same, all the smgs feel the same, etc. The gameplay does allow for various campaign modes whether players enjoy a solo campaign, or cooperative campaign both local and online. This allows for a great gaming experience with fellow gamers.

Replay Value:  There are unlockable skins for the paraphernalia as well as unlockable weapons bought with money acquired through the campaign which feeds into the high level of customization. Also, there is the ranking and scoring system that helps to make cooperative gameplay competitive. And as an added note for players who enjoy a constant building of challenge the game has several difficulty modes. I’ll probably never play the game past medium but it’s nice to know that the option is there.   The lack of good multiplayer modes does take away from the replayability as well as the lack of hidden content. Another issue is how repetitive the gameplay becomes.  (3 out of 5)

The Verdict:  In the end, Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel is a good game and a fun experience, especially with a friend.  Despite the lack of depth when it comes to the story, lack of replayability, and repetitive gameplay the game features high level of customization, good characters, good voice performances, a great score, good visuals, competitive co-op, and challenging gameplay.  Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel gets 3 out of 5.