Hi everyone! I'm developing a co-op action game for 2 players and I'm torn between two camera perspectives. I'd also like to test a hypothesis, so I'd really appreciate any opinions.

**About the project:**  
This game isn't designed for hundreds of hours of engagement — just a couple of evenings with a friend (or solo). Think of it as the price of a couple of cups of coffee, minimal meta-progression, no skill trees — just fast, pick-up-and-play gameplay. There's also a light storyline told through short comics to tie it all together.

* **Active Abilities.** Players are constantly pressing buttons: dash, grenades (you aim and throw them yourself), medkits, ultimates. This isn't a passive build simulator; it's an active action game.
* **Sector-Based Auto-Shooting.** The character automatically shoots at enemies that enter a \~30° cone in front of them. This is a deliberate design choice so players don't have to focus on aiming. Instead, they can concentrate on dodging, positioning, and using their active abilities. (Manual aiming might be an optional mode for specific weapons, like a sniper rifle). And yes — there is passive progression for weapons and abilities during each run, so you gradually become stronger as you survive longer in a single session.
* **Co-op Tether.** Players are linked together (similar to *Chained Together*). Performing actions in sync grants buffs, while desynchronization results in penalties. You have to constantly communicate and coordinate, which adds fun and chaos.

**The Dilemma:**  
Technically, the game can't handle thousands of enemies on screen at once (due to P2P networking for co-op). There are a decent number of enemies, but they won't fill the entire screen.

* If I stick with a **TopDown view** — the empty space on screen becomes more noticeable. Also, active abilities like dashing and throwing grenades lose their "impact" and visual flair from this perspective.
* If I switch to a **TPS (over-the-shoulder) view** — the same 20 enemies feel like a real horde because they are larger and charge directly at the player. Dashes and grenades become visually clearer and more satisfying. However, there's a risk that players will expect manual aiming (like in classic shooters) and might not understand or like the auto-shooting mechanic.

**Question for the community:**  
Given this game description (active co-op with dashes/grenades/ultimates, but no manual aiming required), which camera perspective feels more appropriate to you?

1. TPS (closer to the player, action-oriented camera)
2. Classic TopDown view

And a follow-up: How important is manual aiming to you in a TPS game, if the core gameplay loop is focused on dodging and using active abilities instead of precision shooting?

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

[Co-op] [TPS vs TopDown] Which camera perspective fits a game focused on active abilities and auto-shooting?