It's an enjoyable and immersive romp through Shanghai once you get used to it, but, there is virtually no sound track to accompany the foray of bullets that pass by your head. It isn't really something you'll miss either, it heightens the sense of danger and adds some realism to the situation. It isn't all dandelions and roses though, the effect is sometimes spoiled somewhat when playing alone as when an area is clear the AI will push forward and take cover behind a new position, letting you know that it's safe to continue, even then they'll wait for you to proceed which can lead to an ambush that you're not entirely prepared for, leaving you wondering what exactly will be around that next corner.
There's no denying that Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days has a lot of shooting, but that isn't always a bad thing. The enemy AI certainly gives as good as it gets and doesn't appear to fall into the same old routine. They'll work out their own strategy to reach you so you can never stay in cover for too long otherwise you'll suddenly hear a torrent of gunfire hail down upon you, forcing you to make your way into a different position. You'll often find when playing with the AI that your ally and an enemy will play their own little shooting game, one will hide while one will fire, you can literally sit back and watch the two of them unload clips of bullets at one another's position until you decide to take action. Sure this kind of problem can be overcome with a little patience, sometimes a stray bullet will eventually kill either of the opponents, but it can become frustrating, especially in the early stages of the game when you're not quite clued into what the game expects from you. This is where you'll appreciate having another real player along for the ride, and what a ride it'll be.
You can expect some small changes with the co-op mode, nothing earth shattering, or that obvious, but some all the same. For example, around half way through the game the duo will get split up, if you're playing alone then you'll be expected to rescue Kane, however, when playing co-op the level starts with the partnership intact and you'll each continue on as if the scene never happened. Other changes are evident as well, if you die in singleplayer then you will restart from the last checkpoint, but if your playing with a friend then you've got the chance to save them. The downed player has to hit a button as fast as they can to stay alive while the other has to run over and save them, if they get to you in time, and you're still button stomping, then you'll get up and continue on, if you don't then you'll die.
Co-op isn't the only inclusion with this sequel, just like the first there are a number of different modes available to play, first of which is the Fragile Alliance mode, now named Fragile Alliance 2. In the same way that co-op has been introduced into the main story, Fragile Alliance 2 can now be played offline and is known as the games Arcade mode. This isn't the same kind of experience as the main story, rather a different game entirely. The aim of the Arcade mode is to rob a bank or other such location and make your escape. You join the action as the robbery is about to take place and make you way to where the money is, generally meeting little resistance apart from a handful of guards which you can normally take out easily enough. A short wait ensues while you wait for the cash to become available and once ready it's time to fill your backpacks with as much money as you can carry before making your way out to the escape vehicle. When you get outside the Police will be waiting to greet you, naturally they won't be happy about the robbery as they try to stop you making off with the freshly liberated cash. The best thing to do is just keep running, only stopping to shoot an officer who stands between you and freedom. Each robbery is on a time limit and the wheel man is on his way, hang around to much or get caught up taking on the Police and you'll miss the getaway vehicle, leaving you with a bag full of bills and nowhere to run.
What makes this experience different is that at any point you can turn on your fellow criminals, you can either sneakily take them out when nobody is looking with a well aimed shot to the head, or you can take them as a hostage when trying to escape. This "fragile alliance" certainly adds tension to the experience as you're never really sure who you can trust, knowing that at any time they can turn on you and steal your cash. It is of course possible to accidentally do something that makes them not trust you, for this you get a yellow card and your team will be aware that you've acted suspiciously, giving them reason to take you out and ending your heist, at least if you're playing the arcade version. If you're playing online then when you meet your maker you'll be resurrected onto the side of the Police, giving you ample opportunity to take your revenge on the people who killed you by foiling the robbery.
Another online mode is available called Cops 'n Robbers, this is similar to the Fragile Alliance mode in that you find yourself taking part in a heist, however, this time one player is selected at random to take the part of an undercover cop. The undercover cop must wait until the robbers have their loot and then try and stop them getting away with it. Again adding some anticipation to the proceedings as you wonder if that ally who's stood suspiciously close to you is indeed a fellow criminal or the undercover cop checking you over for an easy take down.
The handheld camera visuals are something which you'll need to make your own mind upon, the gritty textures and colours compliment the way the camera works, it's often a dull palette, but at the same time it oozes more realism, the neon signs of Shanghai stand out against a dirty framework and within the first few chapters you'll have experienced much of what the game is going to offer in terms of visual delights. That being said, if you're not a fan of the amateur camera work then you're probably not going to appreciate the visual style of the game. The way a game looks should never make or break a game, of course you should never judge a book by its cover, but in today's age of high definition and gloss people might expect more.
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is a game that doesn't require a lot of thought, any thought you do put into the plot is going to expose holes, so it's best not to think too much. The highly stylised visuals are something that's not really been attempted before and it may put you off entirely, but, those who can look past the handy camerawork will find a decent third-person shooter underneath. Whether or not it's worth the price of admission is something you'll need to decide for yourself. It's something that at least attempts to break the mould of what we all come to expect from a sequel but at the same time it doesn't really offer anything new or innovative beyond the art style and ambiance which is a real disappointment. Kane and Lynch are two interesting characters that deserve a better setting for them than what has been provided so far however, so hopefully they won't be written off just yet and we may well see them again.
