Contraband Should Take Notes from A Way Out, It Takes Two

gamerant.com:

Open-world games are a dime a dozen, but very rarely are they a distinct, co-op first experience. Games like Grand Theft Auto Online or Minecraft can be played in a co-op capacity, but aren't inherently played that way. Very few new games are exclusively co-op, and even fewer are designed specifically as an open-world game as well. A few examples come to mind, like Ghost Recon Wildlands or Monster Hunter Rise, and now Avalanche Studios is trying its hand at a co-op iteration on its open-world formula. Contraband, the next title from Just Cause developer (in collaboration with Xbox Game Studios), will be an open-world co-op heist game set in the 1970s.

Already the premise and gameplay foundation for Contraband is intriguing: The potential of melding an open-world like Just Cause with gameplay similar to Payday 2 or GTA 5 could be incredible. However, while open-world games have seen iteration and innovation from several developers over the last few years, even fewer have been innovating in co-op focused game design. One co-op innovator is Hazelight Studio, with recent efforts like A Way Out and It Takes Two proving the studio's capability in creating compelling and varied co-op experiences. It's a stretch, but it'd be interesting to see a degree of Hazelight's influence rub off on Avalanche Studios.

It Takes Two Sets New Record Player Count on Steam

One thing that's always punctuated Hazelight Studios' games has been the degree of co-op specific scenario and cinematic design throughout each journey. These elements work in tandem to keep players working together, while still evoking a sense of awe and intensity in every moment of action. Both A Way Out and It Takes Two excelled at challenging players' ability to work