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Sometimes video games can be more fun when they’re designed for more than one (we rhyme now), but there are a LOT out there and they’re not all good. The best co-op games aren’t just mindless competition—although, there’s a time and place for those; like deciding whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher.
Don’t get us wrong, sometimes a simple racing game like Mario Kart is just what you need to determine who the real alpha is in your relationship, but other times, you want to share a meaningful story or campaign with another person. (Just don’t get us started on Halo: Infinite, which robbed us loyal fans of a split-screen co-op campaign. It’s still a sensitive subject.)
Modern co-op games can be complex, critically acclaimed and rich in narrative, worthy enough to pick up major nods at the Game of the Year awards or even a British Film and Television Award. Some of them have even inspired film and TV adaptations. Consider this your guide to the best co-op or multiplayer titles. It’s by no means exhaustive—because that would involve listing every online survival and FPS game in existence and take YEARS—but a collection of particularly special or unique titles that we’ve played and loved.
It Takes Two
It Takes Two. Hazelight Studios/Electronic Arts
A true delight, It Takes Two is co-op gaming perfection (and it’s only playable with another person so get out there and be social). It’s an action-adventure platformer developed by Hazelight Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in March 2021 and received critical acclaim. It’s got a 10/10 on Steam and IGN scored it a 9 out of 10 in its review, saying: “This utterly superb co-op platformer manages to cram in enough unique and exhilarating gameplay ideas to give Shigeru Miyamoto a migraine, with not a single dud among them.” It’s so good it won Game of the Year in 2021 and was picked up by Amazon’s Prime Video for a movie adaptation. Do not miss this one.
Back 4 Blood
Back 4 Blood. Turtle Rock Studios/Warner Bros.
A spiritual, not actual, successor to the beloved Left 4 Dead series, Back 4 Blood is a thrilling zombie first-person shooter. It’s by the same developers so you know their commitment to gruesome and often hysterical stylized violence is right on the money. IGN gave it an 8/10 in their review, saying: “Between its stellar card augmentations, excellent campaign, and jovial tone that creeps into every facet of its design, Back 4 Blood puts some exciting new spins on a familiar genre. Its flippant difficulty spikes and unbalanced versus mode prove not every experiment works out, but its co-op zombie-fighting manages to forge its own identity.”
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Halo. XBox/Microsoft
Look, Halo devs, all we want is our split-screen co-op back, OK? We’ll even forget that certain TV adaptation if you make it happen. A big feature that made the XBox-exclusive Halo games so good was that you could take down The Banished and tackle the entire campaign together. This Master Chief collection is all that’s what’s good in the Halo universe: a re-mastered Halo 2: Anniversary, along with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 3, and Halo 4, new digital series, Halo: Nightfall.
Unravel 2
Unravel 2. Coldwood Interactive/Electronic Arts
What could be cuter than two anthropomorphic balls of yarn making their way through a dangerous and adorable world? This puzzle-platformer can be played solo or with someone else and is centered on two ‘Yarnys’, small creatures made of wool. It’s the sequel to Unravel, which was a purely single-player game, and both games were well-received upon their release in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Unravel 2 has an 82 on review aggregator, Metacritic, with fans praising the game for its delightful two-player experience. Nintendo Insider said: “Unravel Two is a short but sweet little adventure that makes interesting use of its two yarn-crafted characters. While playing the game alone is still an enjoyable option, its focus on light puzzling is definitely more fun when tackled with another player. A visually impressive and charming treat.”
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer. Image: Thunder Lotus Games
In Spiritfarer, you play Stella, a chaperone to the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. The elevator pitch might make this indie game sound awfully morbid but in actuality, this action platformer-come-city management sim is deeply emotional and quite uplifting, albeit in a bittersweet sense. Death is an inevitability in life but that takes on a new dimension here in this “cozy management game”. It’s about forging emotional and organic connections with characters—all of which are complex and none are straightforwardly good or bad. They talk about what they’re afraid of and what was left undone; it’s your job to help them come to terms with their new reality. Quite poetic, really.
A Way Out
A Way Out. Hazelight Studios/Electronic Arts
From the devs behind It Takes Two, A Way Out is also a co-op exclusive experience. You and your buddy play Leo and Vincent as they make their daring escape from prison. You’ll need to help each other navigate certain terrain and solve puzzles. And boy, what a twist! See why IGN said: “You go into A Way Out thinking its mandatory two-player co-op is a gimmick, you’ll likely come out of it realizing that it couldn’t have been done any other way. Vincent and Leo’s journey will have you and a friend performing tasks together both mundane and dramatic, and the result is a memorable, variety-packed cinematic adventure.”
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley. Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone
Serotonin in a video game is what many would call this—what’s the opposite of an unsung hero? A forte hero? (that’s an opera term for really loud singing, by the way)—of the pandemic, even though it was released in 2016. Stardew Valley is so well-regarded it won a BAFTA for god’s sake. This indie darling is an open-ended life sim in which you inherit your grandfather’s old farm plot. It’s up to you to get the property thriving again and build up your new life in the country. Raise animals, harvest crops, fall in love with a local? The Stardew Valley world is your oyster.
Cuphead
Cuphead
Don’t let the old-school Disney-esque graphics fool you, Cuphead is serious business. That is, in terms of difficulty. It’s what’s called a “run-and-gun” game where you play as Cuphead who, after losing a game at the devil’s casino, is sent on a quest to take back the souls of runaway debtors as payment for his gambling losses. As a co-op experience, your mate will play as Cuphead’s brother, Mugman, as you fight your way through enemies and challenging bosses. The game gained a huge cult following and achieved critical success despite its mercilessness. IGN said: “I swore, laughed, and hollered with delight. I hated it (and my own fingers) for long stretches but, having finished, I realize that’s more or less the point—I emerged from all that pain smiling. Rather than simply offering the player what they want, Cuphead makes them earn that right—the rewards, if you can hack the tests, are absolutely worth it.”
Crusader Kings III
Crusader Kings III. Paradox Development Studio/Paradox Interactive
If you’re looking for a totally different experience rich in history and narrative, Crusader Kings III might be right up your alley. Expand your empire, sew your royal oats, form political alliances, marry your children off and plot assassinations against enemies as you climb to conquer Europe in this grand strategy role-playing video game set in the Middle Ages. If you’ve never played a Crusader Kings title before, we’d recommend watching a YouTube tutorial on the game’s basic mechanics before diving in because this one is DENSE and assumes a fair bit of knowledge. But once you’ve got a handle on it, you can play against up to 12 friends online.
Destiny & Destiny 2
Destiny. Bungie
One of the most revered MMO first-person shooters among gaming nerds (this writer included), Bungie’s Destiny and Destiny 2 should not be missed. Set in a sci-fi space world, players can engage in either PvP (player versus player) or PvE (player versus environment) activities in assuming the role of the Guardian—protectors of Earth’s last safe city against different alien races and a looming threat known as the Darkness. The first Destiny game was released in 2014 and its sequel came out 2017. Both are undoubtedly worth your time.
Phasmophobia
Phasmophobia. Steam
For the horror enthusiast, look no further than Phasmophobia. It’s a four-player co-op game where you and your mates investigate paranormal activity with your ghost-hunting equipment. It has a rating of overwhelmingly positive out of more than 400,000 reviews on Steam and it’s still in early access so you can help these indie devs firsthand in improving their IP. But by the sounds of it, the game is pretty fantastic as is. Expect jump-scares.
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