From the creators of the Hitman franchise comes Kane and Lynch: Dead Men, a game that combines a well-written story with awesome level design and the kind of down-to-earth grittiness that would make Martin Scorsese grin. Unfortunately, all of that promise nearly collapses under the weight of the game's problems, particularly the lopsided artificial intelligence and a missing key ingredient with co-op.

In the game, you play as Kane, a convict who's seen better days. He's just written a farewell letter to his wife and kid, on his way to execution. However, in the police van, he meets up with a fellow convict named Lynch, a junkie addicted to medication and subject to violent, life-ending outbursts. A breakout ensues, with the duo fighting police forces and eventually making their way to an unmarked van. It turns out that Kane's previous employer, a shadowy group known as The 7, still has loot to collect from him. He's a dead man anyway, but they force his hand by kidnapping his wife and daughter and employing Lynch to keep an eye on him. What follows is a bloody, violent onslaught.

In terms of story, Kane and Lynch: Dead Men unfolds beautifully, as you seek out The 7's bounty. One minute you're downtown, strategically robbing a bank and shooting down members of the local police department with reckless abandon. The next, you're off to Tokyo, trying to find a certain girl while fending off angry bouncers and clubgoers. Did we mention that you also end up in Cuba fighting a militia? Really, to give the story away would be a crime, as it's one of the game's biggest assets.

Another thing working in Kane and Lynch's favor is the presentation. The bank level alone is very intricate, dropping you into the parking lot and concluding in a subway station after a stop on a freeway overpass. The animation is great, especially during the more tense moments when Kane and Lynch get in each other's faces. This also leads to the game's excellent audio, with lots of edgy, profanity-filled dialogue (get ready for some F-bombs), fitting music and thunderous sound effects.