Overcooked! This particular platformer is all about physics, as you and your blob friends must all (very clumsily, might I add) navigate each level using the structures and items given to you as well as your own body. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. This list consists of titles that encourage co-operation only! All rights reserved. Having someone to share your latest, shiniest ring with makes those rare finds all the more thrilling, and being able to share drops between your party makes it easier to create powerful characters. Or they can leave you to die, its one way of finding out who your friends are! Upcoming games of 2022 that must not be delayed (because the rest of the year isnt looking great). Our advice is to dial up the difficulty as high as you can bear it. Thats basically the main draw here - battle things to get more gear to battle more things. Massively multiplayer games can certainly have the same effect, however, theres something about being able to curl up on the sofa with a buddy and blast through a couch co-op run of Borderlands that makes co-op games privy to hosting much more heart-warming memories than, I hate to say it, my hundreds of hours with Valorant and Dead by Daylight. Human Fall Flat is a hilariously clumsy platformer that can be played solo, with one other via local co-op, or with up to eight of your friends using online co-op. That being said, the criteria for this list is simple: it must be a game that is co-op focused or has a solid co-op campaign. Incredibly colourful, you and your friends are four knights who must stop one dark wizard from causing havoc across this medieval universe. Simply put, whether you win or lose against the alien hordes of Deep Rock Galactic, theres plenty of fun to be had with your friends throughout the endless web of cave systems. Especially in light of how Back 4 Bloods issues at launch, there are plenty of people still playing L4D2 to this day, and I can guarantee some of your pals wouldnt mind jumping back in to hack and slash away at some zombies together. Please enable JavaScript to see comments. There was a time when GTA 5 (opens in new tab)s style of murderous online meant you needed a friend, preferably several, if you want to just survive for more than a few seconds. Theres a lot of grinding involved in Stardew Valley, which often sees players sinking hundreds of hours into perfecting their farms. Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Whether you pick this one up with the intentions of playing solo or co-op, youre guaranteed a devilishly chaotic time. Perhaps not one for a quick casual game with a friend, given this is a huge RPG environment filled with more potential, stories and events than most of us will ever see in one go. Taking on the roles of tough girls Nessa and Demelza, Knight and Bikes sees you exploring Penfurzy Island in a Goonies-inspired tale where bikes are king, and mischief is paramount. Whether you're playing with friends or simply watching others, Phasmophobia is the game that keeps on giving despite having a simple premise: find out what ghost you're dealing with. Designed to be enjoyed by at least two - if not more - gamers working together to have maximum fun, these titles are all ones that take co-op gaming seriously. Communication becomes incredibly important when playing Portal 2 co-operatively. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for over seven years, and for GamesRadar, she is in charge of reviews, best lists, and the overall running of the site and its staff. Throughout the game, you'll take part in typical side-scrolling platforming gameplay that you'd expect from a Donkey Kong title, but you can play this one with your friends right now (if you own a Switch). Heres why you can trust us. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. Unless you've invested in a VR headset, you probably haven't even heard of this one. Its lack of rigid structure means you and your friends can get up to anything - whether thats an evening of messing about or a longer term project you can take your time over. Thank you for signing up to GamesRadar+. Apex Legends still has, arguably, a superior ping system for communicating without a headset, so if you want to play with randoms, it might be your best bet. As well as an entire nuanced world to explore you can play co-operatively or competitively, with players potentially trying to complete missions in different ways, or to different ends. Just wait until you see the hat shops too. It's a dangerous world, and it's far better with friends. Public Events literally fall out of the sky, tasking you and anyone nearby to fight off hordes of enemies for that extra piece of loot. Although you can play Sea of Thieves (opens in new tab) solo, this is very much a game that encourages you to tell stories, and, more importantly, create those tales with other people. If one player jumps a split second early, or activates a button too late, the whole plan falls apart. Both you and your friend get to each control an adorable robot and must work together to navigate the various nightmarish test chambers that Portal 2 regularly presents you with. From typical family homes, to a prison, to a campsite with eerie resemblances to camp slasher, Friday the 13th, there's a lot to explore and a lot to love about this title. Play it on: Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, Co-op type: Online and Local (splitscreen available in limited modes). Round by round, youll feel yourself improving, until eventually, youre able to sweep through a map like a real-life SWAT team. In co-op, each of you can choose to do whatever you want across the town, together or apart. The process for inviting friends is slightly convoluted head to the island airport to get started but it keeps unwanted randoms from joining your game. What I also love about these games is just how easy it is to pick up a couple of controllers and get going. If you've somehow never jumped on the Destiny train, you still have time to find and friend and become a Guardian pf the galaxy today. In a randomly generated map, you are Wilson, a scientist trapped in this whimsical world of wilderness by an evil demon. Every so often, a swarm of alien spiders will jump on you, and youll be forced back to back, pulling your trigger for dear life. Whether you simply want some quick co-op fun or a lengthy campaign to embark on, we've got you and your friends covered with these co-op games. Whether you're splashing the water to usher fish to each other; going back to back to shimmy up a wall gap; passing a chisel between cells to find an exit route; or even just playing Connect Four or a game of basketball, the co-op never feels like an added extra, its all built for you to enjoy together in a way thats satisfying and worthwhile regardless of the scale of the interaction. Completing Phogs definitely requires plenty of co-operation as you and your pal will take control of a two-headed sausage dog - each of you taking one of its heads, connected together by a long, stretchy body. One person wears the VR headset, while a number of other people sit - in the real world - and look at a booklet of bomb-defusal documents. Whatever you do in Sea of Thieves, you'll need a crew. Hazelight are no strangers to creating puzzling co-op games that are heaps of fun, however, It Takes Two is almost certainly the best one theyve made so far. This cooking game will certainly test the patience of you and your friends, but if you fancy putting your chef skills to the test, make a point of diving into Overcooked! The best co-op games to play online or in the comfort of your sofa. The title was incorrectly priced in certain markets. Portal 2 will see you jumping between test chambers and piecing together puzzles as you progress with the story and enjoy how surprisingly funny it all is, but did you know that there's a dedicated story for co-op players to mess around with, too? Again, a list regarding co-op games would not be complete without the ultimate couch co-op experience that is the Borderlands series. Human Fall Flat is no different. With a bit of a jump up in difficulty from the original campaign, I recommend picking this up after having spent some time playing Portal 2 solo, or believe me, you're going to get lost amongst the portals. It's a delight that also feels like going on a walk in a cheese dream with a friend. Its 150-player matches guarantee action; when you die you have a chance to instantly respawn by winning a 1v1 fight; and you can pick up objective-filled contracts that give structure to each round. This two-person puzzlers main gimmick is such a clever idea that you and a friend will easy waste half an hour just playing around with that alone, before even trying to solve anything. You can team up with friends to build pointless structures, or grand engineering feats of construction. Plus, it's now on Switch, so one of you will have the console in your hands, the other the instruction manual. By using this ability you have to get through levels and solve puzzlers. After years of updates and additions, it has become an expansive digital playground of things to do with friends. You boot up Elden Ring, and before you know it, youve not spoken to a single person other than Ranni for 10 hours. Decorate your home. GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Blizzards legendary action-RPG feels as tight and polished as it did on release eight years ago. Heres how. It's a great piece of teamwork, and a word of warning, may ruin families. If you or one of your pals finds themselves trapped in the afterlife, it isnt game over. While battle royale games arent co-op in the traditional sense, they are undisputedly co-operative, so we wanted to include at least one on this list. Or just sit around, watching the sun go up and down its your farm, your rules. Deep Rock Galactic is a team-based shooter where you and up to three stout friends rocket into a procedurally-generated planet in search of minerals. is once again the star. But its not pushy: you and your friends can do as many or as few chores as you want. If it were playable on current-gen consoles, Portal 2 would likely top this list. What is perhaps so great about Human Fall Flat is that every puzzle can be solve in a myriad of ways. But, hilarious fun too. You and your wobbly friends must work together, and sometimes apart, to navigate each level. Then, when you go off home, you can send them a thank-you postcard. That's basically it. Failing that, you can also purposefully lead your friend to their death, which is always somewhat fun. Over a decade later, you might think L4D2 has lost its charm, but if anything, the opposite has happened. Get the best gaming deals, reviews, product advice, competitions, unmissable gaming news and more! Dead Space 3 is a questionable contender on this list, given that the game itself isnt all that great. You can try to wing it, but these puzzles need you and your friend to figure things out together, and it feels incredibly rewarding. Theres a bewildering array of weapons and gear, meaning you and your team can explore numerous possibilities and combinations. After Namco makes changes, there are major problems with the Tekken World Tour. You can high-five your friend, play rock paper scissors or, if youre feeling evil, dunk them into deadly goo by pulling a bridge up from under their feet. That might be finding buried treasure, collecting goods to trade with the merchants, or hunting down undead pirate captains. I love playing Stardew Valley co-operatively, a lot more than playing solo, anyhow. New York, Co-op games are an absolute treasure because of this. The idea is to use the bomb disposal docs to defuse the device by actually talking to each other and cooperating. When she is not scoping out new ways to scare herself silly, she can be found trying to climb ranks in Valorant. This might not be quite as welcoming to newcomers as regular players are so insistent to insist, but stick with it and Monster Hunter World (opens in new tab) is huge amounts of fun as you take down big monsters as a team. So, for these best co-op games, we absolutely implore you to find a friend, partner, or family member to enjoy each one with. This game became famous for its relaxing singleplayer mode, but the online co-op is, in our opinion, the best way to play. On top of those puzzles is a layer of Valves unmistakable humour, and GLaDOS (remember her?) Like the Destinys and Monster Hunters of the world this is all about chasing better shotguns and space boots. Rainbow Six Siege is known for its tense, tactical PvP fights, but its co-op Terrorist Hunt mode, a staple of the series, is deserving of an evening or two of your time. Play it on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X, PS5. Fortnite (opens in new tab), PUBG andApex Legends (opens in new tab)are all worthy contenders, but the free-to-playCall of Duty: Warzone (opens in new tab)is a fresh twist on the well-trodden formula. Not only does playing with a handful of friends give you a better chance to fend of waves of husks or construct the ultimate base, those friends can also provide you valuable XP boosts and a better chance to nab some of Fortnite's massive catalog of rare loot. Now, however, theres a vast array of activities and things do, even without simple player-created goals like breaking into the army base or shooting everyone you can see. Together you'll have to bite, bounce, and bark your way through a series of puzzles set across three unique worlds. For example, loot drops are instanced, so everyone in your squad will be privy to their own drops. Play it on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, Co-op type: Local (on console and PC) and online. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. Let's be honest, Stray would have worked much better with a dog. Im not sure playing co-op makes this game any easier, but it does make it a lot more fun. Not only are there a ton of Adventures, Strikes, Nightfalls, and six-person raids to participate in, but you'll also find yourself working with random players you encounter in the world. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. The main attraction of the series has always been finding ever-wackier guns to shoot at ever-wackier enemies, andBorderlands 3 (opens in new tab)is the wackiest in the series so far. You will receive a verification email shortly. You cant interact with them, but theyre there. In Left 4 Dead 2, the focus isnt just on keeping yourself alive, but keeping the rest of the gang alive too. This workload can be lessened, however, by bringing a friend on board for co-op. We also have Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course DLC arriving on June 30, 2022. Overcooked! Part FPS, part MMO, Destiny 2 (opens in new tab)'s outstanding shooting mechanics and tempting loot grinds will keep you and your friends in for the long run, or at least until Destiny 3 inevitably comes out and everyone jumps ship. Tens of millions (opens in new tab) of people play Warframe (opens in new tab) so it must be doing something right. As you work your way through them, it's easy to appreciate the fact each world - and the levels within it - offers a unique way to utilize your good phog abilities and your co-op power. We've hand-selected each one to ensure that it'll bring out the best co-op experience to date. If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. It Takes Two is the latest game from the team that brought you A Way Out, and it's another game specifically built to be played co-operatively. What good is a shotgun that chains electric damage between enemies, or a rifle that spits out bouncing saw blades, if you havent got a buddy at your side to watch it in action? Games, sometimes, are best experienced with a friend or two by your side. And it's even better with a real-world friend by your side. What I've described as highlight for many of these games is the fact that you can turn your back on your friends and send them to their deaths if you so wish. Stardew Valley isnt a game youll tire of quickly, but when you find yourself endeared by it, youll often wish you were sharing your farm with someone else. For a few hours, maximum, until you want to play again. While you can pick up New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe for Nintendo Switch and play that way, I recommend picking up the Nintendo DS version if you can. At their heart, the Diablo games have always been about the pursuit of ever-shinier loot. As long as you both retreat to bed at the same time each day, you can live out the fantasy farming experience however you want, but with some helpful company to hand. The online system is a bit weird, though - requiring several steps just to be online, then a few more to post a quest, and people cant join until youve cleared cutscenes and so on but once you get use to all that, the interplay between you and your friends as you track and battle huge creatures is top stuff. That being said, I think it deserves a mention because of what it tried to do, and because if you want some action-heavy fun with a friend in space, this one will be great for you. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Play it on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X. Stardew Valley hands you the keys to a run-down farm in a small, lazy town and asks you to turn its fortunes around. 2 will task you and up to three friends of running a restaurant together, which seems like a great idea at first, until you realise just how hard it can be to deliver difficult dishes on time together. This title is likely one that most of us are familiar with, but in case you aren't, Mario needs to save Princess Peach again. The chaos never ends, especially as you progress through the various levels. The newest entry in one of the most wholesome series ever made feels like the perfect game to play in self-isolation. This time around you're playing as a husband and wife duo, who have been turned into a pair of dolls by their daughter unhappy about their news that they're divorcing. More than just another co-op game, It Takes Two features an incredibly touching story too, making it one game that I see constantly recommended for couples. It makes communication vital, and each puzzle all-the-more rewarding to solve. You can chop up wood and plant crops, fish and trade, craft and scavenge, or you can just wander around town chatting to the pleasant townsfolk. However, it's a uniquely brilliant take on co-op play, and demands your attention. Invite a friend to play, and Cuphead is accompanied by Mugman. Its super easy to make a mistake in Cuphead, and before you know it, one of you is slowly making their way to the afterlife. And it's the best co-op game we've ever played. Here's everything we currently know about the upcoming fighting game from Riot Games. The game has just twenty levels, so with multiple solutions or ways of getting past each level, you'll be able to team up with friends time and time again to experiment with what you could've done differently. Or, you know, fighting a Kraken or taking on a huge Skeleton Fort. 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But, it's also much more than that, a little slice of magic and literally the best co-op game around. Then just let the hilarity commence. In the meantime, check out our compilation of the best video game soundtracks of all time. It wouldve been nice to be speaking about Back 4 Blood right now, rather than Turtle Rocks venture from 12 years prior, but Back 4 Blood was less than impressive. If youve a few quid to spare and want to bash some brains in Dead Space style, picking up Dead Space 3 with a friend is worth it. You must craft and explore to survive, and paired with a friend, the game has even more fun features to explore. There's still hope for 2022's second half to deliver the goods, if we could just convince the developers of certain games to stick to their guns. Play it on:PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One (also on Game Pass). Hopefully, with any luck, the game might even support Steam Workshop one day, and then the twenty levels will very quickly become hundreds. and Overcooked! Isnt that sweet? one episode of our VG247 Best Games podcast. The best co-op games are the ones that have seriously powerful energy to bring people together. The Borderlands games are shoot-and-loot titles that move at an incredibly fast pace, and thus, act as great fun for when you and some pals simply want to sit around the TV and plug in a controller. However, The Book of Love isnt going to make it easy, and its pretty important that May and Cody must work out their differences as they go on this adventure together. As you navigate Dead Space 3 solo, youll often a see another soldier in the distance doing their own thing. In previous Borderlands, loot was shared between players, which meant you had to fight over the best guns. Dead players can hang out as ghosts, lowering your sanity as they taunt you. The greater the challenge, the more youll have to rely on teamwork, and this mode is at its best when youre forced to create detailed plans and execute them flawlessly. There's so much you can do with friends in Valheim, it was easy to see why it's been added to our list of best co-op games. This means that as you go through levels of hacking and slashing away at enemies, your job will be to rescue the mystical crystal and multiple princesses that this wizard has taken captive. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, That being said, if you find that youve had enough of your friends attempting to put you at even more of a detriment in this cruel but beautifully illustrated world, youre in luck. As you adventure through various procedurally generated caves and often struggle to find your way back out of them again, Deep Rock Galactic will often require a bit of planning and strategising if you want to make it to your trusty escape pod. As you navigate the overworld, hopping between levels that all have their own distinct bosses - some charming, and some deeply unsettling - yourself and your friend will still need to work together to actually get anything done. Cue gameplay that's part Pixar, part Honey I Shrunk the Kids, add in a sprinkle of marriage counseling courtesy of an anthropomorphic self-help book and you've got a glimpse into what to expect with It Takes Two. It's brilliant fun, and a perfect party game. Galleons can be sailed by crews of up to four, with adventures spinning out from the various voyages you undertake. It's made by Moo Yu and Rex Crowle, who are both ex-Media Molecule, so, as you can imagine, it's infused with quirk, cuteness, and the kind of spirit you can only find in a Famous Five book. If you have a desktop or laptop that can run it (and most can), and a friend that can do the same, then youre in for one of the best co-op experiences of your life. Here's to hoping! The stress doesn't come without its due rewards, though, and that's the satisfaction of finally getting to the end of one of these chaotic kitchen nightmares. Play it on: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X. Those playing as John Carver will likely see a few things in their environment that Isaac cant, leading to some interesting conversations between you and your friend. Shake trees for fruit. Think Left 4 Dead with space dwarves and you wont be far off. When things are going well, too, don't ever think that you're safe and you've all finally gotten the hang of things; Overcooked! Through taking on levels and collecting coins, you can get new items and weapons to liven up the adventure even further, and in combination with your mates skills, you can have some epic fighting fun. Easy. But if youve got a couple of friends eager to join you then Warzone is a guaranteed good time. Any visitors are limited in what they can do on your island until you name them a best friend, which frees them up for much more social interaction, including a chat system. Play it on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, iOS, Android, Xbox Series X, PS5. That being said, another part of the co-op fun is also to be had in your failures. Thats all for some of the best co-op games of all time, but wed love to hear what you think the best ones of all time are. Cuphead is a notoriously difficult platforming game that pays homage to the 1930s through both its style and sound. Everything we know about Project L, the Riot Games fighting game. The person inside the VR headset sees a briefcase with a bomb in it, and various devices to disarm, which he/she describes to the people in the real world. Warning: may cause bickering among even the closest friends, partners and family members. Please refresh the page and try again. Im going to be excluding games that are massively multiplayer, and those that include PvE and PvP multiplayer elements. Yes, the gameplay is about puzzle solving, mini-games of crazy golf, and riding your bike as fast as you can humanly pedal, but it's also a heartfelt adventure about two kids that offers the kind of gameplay experience that you can rarely have. The co-op experience is suitably gentle you cant live on a friends island, but you can visit, share resources, shop in their stores and complete projects together. Dont worry, you can also play this with a buddy without fear of falling in love with them, but if you dont work together, this one very well could break your friendship. Dead Space 3 also intended to fuck with players in co-op a little, and have them questioning their sanity. The beauty of co-op in Cuphead, however, is that your companion can parry you back to life, giving you both another chance at victory. You will primarily take control of Donkey Kong, and will have a companion alongside you to assist with each level. Getting from A to B in Human Fall Flat is the whole challenge, and some tasks can't be completed alone. One moment youre looting or running around with the healing gnome having the time of your life, and the next youre flocking to your screaming teammate who has a Hunter hot on their tail. The levels are insane, the menus increasingly complex, and overall this is a mad, mad existence of a game. Play it on:PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X (via backwards compatibility). Especially as you can split the workload and responsibilities as you tend to your home or farm, and explore the world to find more of whatever you need to make it through another day. Its just you, an island in the middle of nowhere, and a long checklist of meditative tasks. Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze hails back to 2014, but it's arguably stood the test of time. You can play Borderlands 3 that way (its called Coopetition), but in Cooperation mode youll get your own discrete pile of weapons showering out of enemies, so you never have to share. Other honourable mentions are owed to the following: Young Souls, Nioh, Moving Out, A Way Out, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Gears of War, Risk of Rain 2, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Payday 2, Resident Evil 5 and 6, Killing Floor 2, Snipperclips, Sonic Mania, Towerfall Ascension, Dying Light, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, Guacamelee!, Spelunky, Sid Meier's Civilisation 5, and many more.