Dual Core Demo

Cooperative play is making a comeback nowadays, thanks to the ability to use multiple wireless controllers with a PC and enjoy the action with players from all over the world or a few close friends on your couch. However, the trend is only popular with retro video games, because modern ones would have trouble fitting double the amount of detail on the screen.

Dual Core is a retro twin-stick shooter that allows you to explore sci-fi levels, cooperate with your friends to take down hundreds of enemies, as well as solve puzzles in order to get past certain obstacles. Naturally, the whole thing is much more fun if you play it in multiplayer, but you can also enjoy yourself by playing with the AI instead of an actual human.

The action is quite intense most of the time, which means that you are constantly assaulted by other robots. Thankfully, you have a variety of weapons to choose from, not to mention the fact that you can upgrade your robot and make it stronger. Teamwork remains an important part of the gameplay, on the other hand, because it’s impossible to make it on your own no matter how strong you are.

Whenever you get bored of the story mode and you want something quicker, the versus mode is there to help you have fun. You can duel with other players or against the AI, depending on your preference, although human competition is always more fun. The arcade mode can be on point as well, although it gets pretty repetitive in a rush, especially if you play it alone.

The graphics are quite nice as well, depending on whether you are a fan of the retro style or not. In essence, there’s no pixelated artwork to worry about, since everything is smooth and colorful, but there’s not an awful lot of detail in there. The music is decent as well, except that it can get a tad repetitive if you play the game for long enough.

Even if it has its flaws when it comes to level design and repetition, Dual Core is more than capable to keep you busy for a while if you are a fan of co-op action with twin-stick mechanics. The story mode is quite fun in single player as well.