I recently attended a presentation of new startups at my University, and I think that the products of FortressWare are exactly what you are looking for:
http://www.fortressw.com/showdemo2008.htm
I haven't tried them, but from their presentation it seems they provide what you need.
I also think the best game I've played co-op with my wife is Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance. To a lesser extent X-Men Legends was also fun (Part II was better than Part I since Part I has some single player moments) and LOTR Return of the King was just OK.
I was therefore looking forward to your recommendation of Phantasy Star Online-but played offline. However Wikipedia has this entry:
"and in some cases, the inabilty to finish certain sections of the game (One cannot get their team to the end of the game without already having been there)." I have seem at least another complaint regarding this issue: that offline multiplayer cannot be completed until I finish the game solo? Is that true? Or what are the issues that they are referring to?
I have tried several games with my girlfriend and this is my summary:
The best games to play with her so far have been:
-Coop:
-Baldur's Gate, Dark Alliance: It was a very simple game. She loved collecting stuff and leveling up her character. If she died, there was usually a place close enough to revive her, so she was always playing with me. -X-men: legends: It is very similar to Baldur's Gate, but the leveling up is a bit more involved. You do not get too attached to your avatar since you are changing characters all the time, and there are some special missions that require you to play as single player!! (they say the sequel is 4 players all the time). When she died, she still had two more characters to use... however if the three die, reviving them is not as easy as in Baldur's Gate. -Lego Star Wars: Very fun but very short as well. -Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Reasonably fun.
I had Limited success with the TMNT 2 game. She thinks its stupid. I only bought it to unlock the arcade game;)
I had bad luck with *Timesplitters 2: She doesn't like FPS *Star Wars: Rebel Strike: Too difficult. She keeps dying and we cannot get past the fourth mission.
-Versus:
-Mario Kart: Double Dash: you can play all missions and unlock all bonuses while playing in two different screens. This game is so fun that my objective was not to win, but make sure she was the winner: by selecting the turtles, and trying to get or slow down everyone else... really fun. -Sonic Riders: Not as fun as Mario Kart, but more challenging.
I had Bad luck with: -Kirby Air Ride (she also thinks it is stupid), -F-Zero (too difficult and not so fun with several players) -Any fighting game like SoulCalibur, MK, or even Smash Bros. Melee.
--Party Games:
-Pac-Man Vs. The ultimate party game. We played it all the time whenever we have visitors. It is worth buying the gameboy just for this game. Any visitor can play this: Casual gamer or hardcore! -Tetris: It gets boring really quick, but when we have visitors is another quick game to play. -Karaoke: Not our favorite, but when we have a party, besides Pac-Man vs. this is the only game people like to play.
I had bad luck with: -Monkey Ball: Another "stupid" game -Mario Party: Too slow for her... rolling dices and moving in a board?? This actually kills the party. Although Mario Party 7 has some bonuses, like 8 player feature for big parties. -Bomberman Generations: this is fun the first time you play it and for 30 mins at most.
By the way, we think Super Smash Bros is over-rated... we haven't played it for more than 20 minutes. We still haven't sold it in the hopes of finding out what so many people like about it.
I have tried several games with my girlfriend and this is my summary:
The best games to play with her so far have been:
Coop:
Baldur's Gate, Dark Alliance: It was a very simple game. She loved collecting stuff and leveling up her character. If she died, there was usually a place close enough to revive her, so she was always playing with me.
X-men: legends: It is very similar to Baldur's Gate, but the leveling up is a bit more involved. You do not get too attached to your avatar since you are changing characters all the time, and there are some special missions that require you to play as single player!! (they say the sequel is 4 players all the time). When she died, she still had two more characters to use... however if the three die, reviving them is not as easy as in Baldur's Gate.
Lego Star Wars: Very fun but very short as well.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Reasonably fun.
I had Limited success with the TMNT 2 game. She thinks its stupid. I only bought it to unlock the arcade game;)
Bad luck with
*Timesplitters 2: She doesn't like FPS
*Star Wars: Rebel Strike: Too difficult. She keeps dying and we cannot get past the fourth mission.
Versus:
Mario Kart: Double Dash: you can play all missions and unlock all bonuses while playing in two different screens. This game is so fun that my objective was not to win, but make sure she was the winner: by selecting the turtles, and trying to get or slow down everyone else... really fun.
and
Sonic Riders: Not as fun as Mario Kart, but more challenging.
I had Bad luck with:
Kirby Air Ride (she also thinks it is stupid),
F-Zero (too difficult and not so fun with several players)
Party Games:
Pac-Man Vs. The ultimate party game. We played it all the time whenever we have visitors. It is worth buying the gamecube just for this game. Any visitor can play this: Casual gamer or hardcore!
Tetris: It gets boring really quick, but when we have visitors is another quick game to play.
I had bad luck with:
Monkey Ball: Another "stupid" game
Mario Party: Too slow for her... rolling dices and moving in a board?? This actually kills the party.
Slashdot Mirror
I recently attended a presentation of new startups at my University, and I think that the products of FortressWare are exactly what you are looking for: http://www.fortressw.com/showdemo2008.htm I haven't tried them, but from their presentation it seems they provide what you need.
Yet another "credit due" department post. But at least here is a video: http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~saul/wiki/uploads/P ress/07-mediaclip-icore-full.wmv
U. of Calgary actually motivated a start up company called SMART technologies to commercialize this technology.
I also think the best game I've played co-op with my wife is Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance. To a lesser extent X-Men Legends was also fun (Part II was better than Part I since Part I has some single player moments) and LOTR Return of the King was just OK.
I was therefore looking forward to your recommendation of Phantasy Star Online-but played offline. However Wikipedia has this entry:
"and in some cases, the inabilty to finish certain sections of the game (One cannot get their team to the end of the game without already having been there)." I have seem at least another complaint regarding this issue: that offline multiplayer cannot be completed until I finish the game solo? Is that true? Or what are the issues that they are referring to?
Official site from Rockstar
Re-post with the format it was intended to have!!
;)
I have tried several games with my girlfriend and this is my summary:
The best games to play with her so far have been:
-Coop:
-Baldur's Gate, Dark Alliance: It was a very simple game. She loved collecting stuff and leveling up her character. If she died, there was usually a place close enough to revive her, so she was always playing with me.
-X-men: legends: It is very similar to Baldur's Gate, but the leveling up is a bit more involved. You do not get too attached to your avatar since you are changing characters all the time, and there are some special missions that require you to play as single player!! (they say the sequel is 4 players all the time). When she died, she still had two more characters to use... however if the three die, reviving them is not as easy as in Baldur's Gate.
-Lego Star Wars: Very fun but very short as well.
-Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Reasonably fun.
I had Limited success with the TMNT 2 game. She thinks its stupid. I only bought it to unlock the arcade game
I had bad luck with
*Timesplitters 2: She doesn't like FPS
*Star Wars: Rebel Strike: Too difficult. She keeps dying and we cannot get past the fourth mission.
-Versus:
-Mario Kart: Double Dash: you can play all missions and unlock all bonuses while playing in two different screens. This game is so fun that my objective was not to win, but make sure she was the winner: by selecting the turtles, and trying to get or slow down everyone else... really fun.
-Sonic Riders: Not as fun as Mario Kart, but more challenging.
I had Bad luck with:
-Kirby Air Ride (she also thinks it is stupid),
-F-Zero (too difficult and not so fun with several players)
-Any fighting game like SoulCalibur, MK, or even Smash Bros. Melee.
--Party Games:
-Pac-Man Vs. The ultimate party game. We played it all the time whenever we have visitors. It is worth buying the gameboy just for this game. Any visitor can play this: Casual gamer or hardcore!
-Tetris: It gets boring really quick, but when we have visitors is another quick game to play.
-Karaoke: Not our favorite, but when we have a party, besides Pac-Man vs. this is the only game people like to play.
I had bad luck with:
-Monkey Ball: Another "stupid" game
-Mario Party: Too slow for her... rolling dices and moving in a board?? This actually kills the party. Although Mario Party 7 has some bonuses, like 8 player feature for big parties.
-Bomberman Generations: this is fun the first time you play it and for 30 mins at most.
By the way, we think Super Smash Bros is over-rated... we haven't played it for more than 20 minutes. We still haven't sold it in the hopes of finding out what so many people like about it.
am I missing any other games?
I have tried several games with my girlfriend and this is my summary: The best games to play with her so far have been: Coop: Baldur's Gate, Dark Alliance: It was a very simple game. She loved collecting stuff and leveling up her character. If she died, there was usually a place close enough to revive her, so she was always playing with me. X-men: legends: It is very similar to Baldur's Gate, but the leveling up is a bit more involved. You do not get too attached to your avatar since you are changing characters all the time, and there are some special missions that require you to play as single player!! (they say the sequel is 4 players all the time). When she died, she still had two more characters to use... however if the three die, reviving them is not as easy as in Baldur's Gate. Lego Star Wars: Very fun but very short as well. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Reasonably fun. I had Limited success with the TMNT 2 game. She thinks its stupid. I only bought it to unlock the arcade game ;)
Bad luck with
*Timesplitters 2: She doesn't like FPS
*Star Wars: Rebel Strike: Too difficult. She keeps dying and we cannot get past the fourth mission.
Versus:
Mario Kart: Double Dash: you can play all missions and unlock all bonuses while playing in two different screens. This game is so fun that my objective was not to win, but make sure she was the winner: by selecting the turtles, and trying to get or slow down everyone else... really fun.
and
Sonic Riders: Not as fun as Mario Kart, but more challenging.
I had Bad luck with:
Kirby Air Ride (she also thinks it is stupid),
F-Zero (too difficult and not so fun with several players)
Party Games:
Pac-Man Vs. The ultimate party game. We played it all the time whenever we have visitors. It is worth buying the gamecube just for this game. Any visitor can play this: Casual gamer or hardcore!
Tetris: It gets boring really quick, but when we have visitors is another quick game to play.
I had bad luck with:
Monkey Ball: Another "stupid" game
Mario Party: Too slow for her... rolling dices and moving in a board?? This actually kills the party.