Whereas the last two games focused around characters, Salem and Rios, Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel focuses around two new T.W.O. operatives named Alpha and Bravo. The reasoning behind the unidentified names is to give the player the feeling that it is them fighting through the missions.
Returning from the first game is the Overkill mode, which makes both players invincible for a short period of time. However, features such as back to back, playing rock, paper and scissors with your partner, and other co-op interactions have been removed in favor of more fast-paced gameplay. Competitive multiplayer from the second game does not return to focus on a richer co-op experience.