Version number:
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
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Official Trailer
What kind of Coop Game is this?
Monaco is a coop heist game with a unique top down perspective that uses your visual angles to update building construction blueprints into populated levels that you should loot and escape. It can be played with a team of differently skilled criminals.
Details:
Price paid:
15€
Number of people played with:
4
Possible number of players:
Time played so far:
20+ hrs
Estimated completion rate:
95%
Estimate minimum Age to play:
7
Date game profile was posted:
04/05/2021
Co-Optimus.com Profile for feature info:
Rating
9/10
Why you should coop this:
Monaco is one of those indie games that was released early in the indie boom on the 360 and just looked so attractive that we tried it out. It has online coop and really novel ideas. The whole story setup in Monaco and short minimally animated dialogues that walk you through the backstory of the funny, one-note characters is quite entertaining and does take only minimal room which leaves all the focus on the gameplay. Playing the game feels super fresh since the look is unique and the ebb and flow between sneakiness and total chaos is pure fun. You can try to keep in the shadows and hide in bushes as long and as good as you like but once you are seen all hell breaks loose and a breakneck flight through room while taking all the gold might lead you to safety or to your demise. Once downed coop players can revive you and that is the most tense the game gets. Great communication is needed to make sure the area is secure and a revive attempt will not lead to two players down in the same spot. In general the game flows way better when you coordinate well and discuss your next steps since doing things on your own can lead to disaster quite quickly.
Other coop mechanics are holding open doors, bushes or staircases where players can flee to once they have alerted enemies and deciding to move a storey up or down. Collecting gold will let you use weapons or gadgets like smoke grenades or EMPs – and you should know that although this has weapons this not a shooter really. It is more about finding good routes, sneaking in to get loot or crossing enemy fire to get the tricky gold coin.
The game is long and introduces more and more characters that have very useful and individual talents – the mole can break through some walls, the hacker can disable cameras and locks, the gentleman can slowly sneak past enemies without being seen and the redhead makes the next enemy fall in love with her. It is all designed in very clear style and communicates well what you should do. Depending on your character choice some levels will be considerably easier or harder so you should align your choices with your team members, for example the mole can considerably change the level’s layout and therefore gain access to rooms that a hacker could sneak in. in some cases you do not need to have both in the team. Also depending on your character choice is your level of sneakiness versus a full heads on approach.
This is one of the few games we played several times in different groups because it is that good.
Other coop mechanics are holding open doors, bushes or staircases where players can flee to once they have alerted enemies and deciding to move a storey up or down. Collecting gold will let you use weapons or gadgets like smoke grenades or EMPs – and you should know that although this has weapons this not a shooter really. It is more about finding good routes, sneaking in to get loot or crossing enemy fire to get the tricky gold coin.
The game is long and introduces more and more characters that have very useful and individual talents – the mole can break through some walls, the hacker can disable cameras and locks, the gentleman can slowly sneak past enemies without being seen and the redhead makes the next enemy fall in love with her. It is all designed in very clear style and communicates well what you should do. Depending on your character choice some levels will be considerably easier or harder so you should align your choices with your team members, for example the mole can considerably change the level’s layout and therefore gain access to rooms that a hacker could sneak in. in some cases you do not need to have both in the team. Also depending on your character choice is your level of sneakiness versus a full heads on approach.
This is one of the few games we played several times in different groups because it is that good.
Shortcomings:
There are no real reasons to not try Monaco – but probably the most divisive things are the hectic and chaotic nature that puts quite some pressure on the players sometime – especially when the success rests on one players resuscitation attempt. Also there are some difficulty spikes in later levels that forces the team to coordinate more – they can be frustrating but we enjoyed them, as they change the dynamic of the game a little. You also should find a team – a real team with team players, because it can be quite frustrating for other players if you have one daredevil constantly being too reckless and dying and others having to abort their looting to constantly revive the same person. Also something that might put people off is that the color palette is quite dark.
Cooperative or Multiplayer Game?
Many games that are listed as Coop are games were you rather play together with players playing simultaneously. The true cooperative element comes in with working together, coordination and good teamwork. Both types are viable and can be great fun. Our aim is to let you know how this game handles this. More on this distinction under “About this Site”.
Cooperation
If the graph is more orange colored the game falls more in the Cooperation category.
Multiplayer
If the graph is more blue colored the game falls more in the Multiplayer category.
Awards:
Party Award
The party award has to be given because everybody sneaking and looting until someone alerts the guards and everything turning topsy turvy is such a great dynamic that makes the team often lough out loud with how overly chaotic and breakneck everybody acts. If some daredevil attempt ends in defeat it often seems so reckless in hindsight and finding the right balance between action and stealth is just great fun and leads to an atmosphere where success is great but hilarious failure also is.
Team Award
When this works it really really does work. The mole breaks through the wall into the safe room, noise attracts a guard which falls in love with the redhead, the next guard gets knocked out by the Cleaner, while the hacker deactivates the camera in the safe room – it is crime ballet. Also when one player manages to sneak to his dead teammates and saves the day by reviving the whole team it is just perfection.
Style Award
Just look at it! The use of colour is great. The whole setup with playable construction blueprints is original and works. The dynamic created by the visual cones is mirroring if you play sneaky or chaotic. On top of this huge amount of style you still know what is what and what to do. A style feat this is!
Tags:
- action /// artsy /// communication is key /// coordination necessary /// fun romp /// high pulse /// nice atmosphere /// very original