Best Online Co-op Games (focusing on Game Campaign and then Multiplayer)

[JimmyRecard00]

Hello

I'd love to know your opinion on the Best Online Co-op Games (focusing on Online Co-op Game Campaign and to a lesser extent - Multiplayer)

This is for quite nice 3070 Ti systems on either Win 11/10.


I've never really played Online Co-op until recently... my mate is half way across the world and it's a good way to have some fun still.
We've enjoyed Portal 2 as online co-op, and want to find some other games to try.

Again - I'm mainly interested in games where you play the actual campaign as co-op, though to a lesser extent; I might be interested in some good multiplayer co-op too?

I like shooters, so include them; however keep in mind that my mate is kind of sick of straight shooters so there would have to be a good reason to play one (eg exceptional or unusual/difference/game mechanic etc).


Verminitude 2 is another online Co-op I'm thinking of suggesting. I know this is FPS-ish but it looks a bit different? Not sure if he'll go for it or not -maybe? However, I've never played any warhammer games so I'm not entirely sure what it'll be like.

Also - he mentioned some Zombie/horde games these days are kind of bogged down by 'manage your community' type systems (he mentioned Days Gone and it looks to me World War Z/Dying Light 1/2 - might be similar)?

So unless you can skip/ignore those facets - maybe skip those.


We're probably not to interested in those Civilzation or epic/complicated Space empire/domination type of games ok. But everything else I'm pretty open too.... FPS to puzzler and everything in between.

I'm only looking at things that are either pretty cheap (usually $20-45 or less) on sale. The only exception where I would play something way more expensive than that - would be games which I can access on Xbox Game Pass for PC.


However - as my mate doesn't have Xbox Game Pass for PC (and I don't think he wants a monthly sub).... if he buys the game keys outright instead... can we still do Online Co-op if I play the Xbox Game Pass for PC version? Or does that mess things up so you can't do that?



Any other advice re trying to do Online Co-op would be greatly appreciated




Thanks for your help.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Not a huge co op player but I do dabble a couple of times a week or so. Mostly strategy/RPGs though.

From your post what I can comment on is that Dying Light 1/2 dont have any community or base building as far as I know. The first game is probably pretty cheap to try and some people even say its better than the 2nd.

Some games have 'cross play' where you can play across other launchers (Steam/Gamepass) and even with console players. Others do not, so you'd need to check game by game. I'm not really sure if that's true with Gamepass, though obviously you could play together if both of you had it.

 

[DXCHASE]

You guys can both try out Destiny 2. Its F2P on steam, its easy to link up and doing missions/campaigns together although youll run into a lot of "you cant access this if you dont buy it" if you both stay F2P, a lot of their stuffs on sale. You said you liked shooters. Its not zombies but, its F2P to try out at least.

 

[Zloth]

The Borderlands series is supposed to be good for co-op. (And Handsom Jack in the second game is one of the best villains ever.)

 

[Pifanjr]

The Borderlands series is supposed to be good for co-op. (And Handsom Jack in the second game is one of the best villains ever.)

Borderlands was my first thought as well.

Two other games that come to mind:

• Magicka. It's kind of like a twin stick shooter, but you're wizards casting spells by combining elements on the fly. Features a lot of "accidental" friendly fire. Best played with a keyboard and mouse, at least in my opinion.
• Monaco. It's a top-down stealth game in which you have to pull off heists. There's different characters with different abilities that allow for different play styles.

You could also look into ARPGs, like Diablo, Torchlight, Sacred or Titan Quest. Torchlight II was free on Epic at one point.

I've also heard good things about the coop in Divinity: Original Sin, but I'm not sure if that's something you're interested in.

If you both have been getting the Epic freebies, there's also Overcooked, Moving Out, The Lego Batman Trilogy, Gloomhaven, Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! and Unrailed!

Gloomhaven in particular is one I can recommend. I have the board game it's adapted from and I love it. It was rated the #1 board game of all time for quite a while.

Verminitude 2 is another online Co-op I'm thinking of suggesting. I know this is FPS-ish but it looks a bit different? Not sure if he'll go for it or not -maybe? However, I've never played any warhammer games so I'm not entirely sure what it'll be like.

Vermintide 2 is exactly like Left 4 Dead, but focused more on melee combat. There are some classes that focus more on ranged combat and every class has a ranged weapon (except one), but your melee weapon will be your primary weapon in most cases.

 

[JimmyRecard00]

Not a huge co op player but I do dabble a couple of times a week or so. Mostly strategy/RPGs though.

From your post what I can comment on is that Dying Light 1/2 dont have any community or base building as far as I know. The first game is probably pretty cheap to try and some people even say its better than the 2nd.

Some games have 'cross play' where you can play across other launchers (Steam/Gamepass) and even with console players. Others do not, so you'd need to check game by game. I'm not really sure if that's true with Gamepass, though obviously you could play together if both of you had it.

What were the strategy/RPGs you play.... are they mmo type things or normal pc games?

I'g glad to hear Dying Light 1 isn't bogged down in all that community stuff - might give it a go eventually in that case. DL2 looks prettier; but I've hear many say it can't beat their love of the 1st one.

Yeah I don't know about Xbox Game Pass for PC crossplay or even if the usual 'remote play together' things will actually work ? I'll have to renew my membership and find out.

 

[JimmyRecard00]

You guys can both try out Destiny 2. Its F2P on steam, its easy to link up and doing missions/campaigns together although youll run into a lot of "you cant access this if you dont buy it" if you both stay F2P, a lot of their stuffs on sale. You said you liked shooters. Its not zombies but, its F2P to try out at least.

Yeah I tried a little bit of it - I'm not used to that type of game. I kind of felt like there were whole sections where you couldn't' actually beat/stop the hordes of enemies - like maybe you were just supposed to try to get through the melee and move on to the next bit? I can't see any other explanation?

Bullet sponges you know?

The whole flying mechanic was interesting... also made me think of what little I've tried of Titanfall 2 (did very little for both)... ?

Not sure if that's my kind of game exactly - but I might go back and try em again - they must be popular for a reason.

The whole walled off f2p issue... do you find there is enough free gameplay to be had to keep playing it? Or do those parts of the game become dead cause everyone's off playing the latest paid bit?

 

[JimmyRecard00]

The Borderlands series is supposed to be good for co-op. (And Handsom Jack in the second game is one of the best villains ever.)

I've never played any of those - always heard a lot - but what's put me off is the ever present mention of the word grind - whenever people talk about it.... and they're usually big fans too.

Is co-op for those games just the normal single player campaign or a totally different campaign (like portal 2 has)? And is there a term or name for a co-op section in a game which is standalone (different from the single player one) ?

That would be handy to list in Steam Game profiles etc when you want to find something suitable!


BTW here's hoping the next new Doctor Who series will be more like the Matt Smith days!

Don't' get me wrong - I think Jodie Whittaker was really fun; very warm, and did a great job. In fact she's been the best since Smith left.

But they got her to play the character as if she was always talking to little children in a kiddies panto.

The worst part was the writing/topics - the whole series just went off the rails right from the start; and some equally childlike (yet apparently fully grown) adult characters were just as bad. They just skewed way too young.

I feel for Peter Capaldi too - as he really put his hearts into his tenure; being a massive fan himself. But he was just wrong for the part; and that had some pretty awful writing too. Poor guy just had bad luck.

Fingers crossed it will be better this time (that's all I can tell myself) !

 

[JimmyRecard00]

Borderlands was my first thought as well.

Two other games that come to mind:

• Magicka. It's kind of like a twin stick shooter, but you're wizards casting spells by combining elements on the fly. Features a lot of "accidental" friendly fire. Best played with a keyboard and mouse, at least in my opinion.
• Monaco. It's a top-down stealth game in which you have to pull off heists. There's different characters with different abilities that allow for different play styles.

You could also look into ARPGs, like Diablo, Torchlight, Sacred or Titan Quest. Torchlight II was free on Epic at one point.

I've also heard good things about the coop in Divinity: Original Sin, but I'm not sure if that's something you're interested in.

If you both have been getting the Epic freebies, there's also Overcooked, Moving Out, The Lego Batman Trilogy, Gloomhaven, Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! and Unrailed!

Gloomhaven in particular is one I can recommend. I have the board game it's adapted from and I love it. It was rated the #1 board game of all time for quite a while.



Vermintide 2 is exactly like Left 4 Dead, but focused more on melee combat. There are some classes that focus more on ranged combat and every class has a ranged weapon (except one), but your melee weapon will be your primary weapon in most cases.

I've seen bits of those two; i've not played much of the Magicka type top-down games, but I have played one or two like Monaco so that might be more up my alley. I enjoyed Frozen Synapse - a little odd but fun.

So maybe I should give some of those top down things more of a once over - though I'm just not sure what type I'd like for co-op.... nothing too complex/frenetic.

Do you find top down games in co-op as enjoyable versus the usual 1st/3rd person view... or are you more likely to play them for a little bit here or there?

They look like they get kinda stressful (more the Magicka type).

I've got some of those epic ones you mentioned - but I'm not so sure they'd be into that kind of stuff unless if was exceptional. Probably something a little more meaty if you get me.

Gloomhaven - had a look at that and while it's not the kind of game I've played in the past; I have been curious about that kind of thing. My mate used to play the Warhammer boardgames so maybe he might like some of that. Will just have to wait till it gets a bit cheaper though.

Turned out he's already played Vermintide 2 to death so that's probably out... but I still might give it a go.


Thanks for the info

 

[Pifanjr]

I've never played any of those - always heard a lot - but what's put me off is the ever present mention of the word grind - whenever people talk about it.... and they're usually big fans too.

Is co-op for those games just the normal single player campaign or a totally different campaign (like portal 2 has)?

As far as I remember there's no need to grind at all in Borderlands if you're just playing through the campaign. I think that's just for if you want to play NG+ or maybe higher difficulties or something.

The co-op is exactly like the normal single-player, it's just drop-in drop-out.

I feel for Peter Capaldi too - as he really put his hearts into his tenure; being a massive fan himself. But he was just wrong for the part; and that had some pretty awful writing too. Poor guy just had bad luck.

Fingers crossed it will be better this time (that's all I can tell myself) !

I really disliked Peter Capaldi as Doctor Who in the beginning, but he really grew on me. Maybe not quite as good as Matt Smith and David Tennant, but he had some great moments as well.

I haven't seen much of Jodie Whittaker yet, my wife and I didn't like the first few episodes with her.

Do you find top down games in co-op as enjoyable versus the usual 1st/3rd person view... or are you more likely to play them for a little bit here or there?

They look like they get kinda stressful (more the Magicka type).

Top down can be just as enjoyable. I really liked playing through the Magicka campaign. And it's not too stressful in my opinion, there's a couple of strategies that are fairly foolproof most of the time.

Turned out he's already played Vermintide 2 to death so that's probably out... but I still might give it a go.

Maybe look into Deep Rock Galactic, it's rated very highly as well.

 

[ZedClampet]

As the God King of co-op, I recommend the following:

Vermintide 2 is fantastic. Warframe is free and fun and has endless things to do. I don't really like shooters, but I like those two. Remnant from the Ashes is maybe the best shooter co-op game I've ever played. It has a sequel coming out in August so you can probably get this one cheap right now. Strange Brigade is another odd-ball shooter that we enjoyed. The Serious Sam games are pretty wild and not as boring as most shooters.

You could try some survival games like Conan Exiles or Ark or Craftopia or Valheim or Raft or Astroneers or The Forest or Sons of the Forest.

You could try Forza Horizon 5, which is fun in co-op. The F1 games are another good racing co-op game. Keeping to sports, even if you don't like baseball, Super Mega Baseball 3 is amazing. It's best played with a controller, though. Madden and FIFA can also be played in co-op.

We sometimes like to play Farming Simulator together. A Way Out is something different and fun, as is It Takes Two.

And there are the Man of Medan games and Outlast Trials if you like horror. The Trine games (platformers) can be fun, too.

Got an engineering itch? Scrap Mechanics is good. There are a number of fun co-op games in that genre. Satisfactory is an absolutely fantastic automation game. There's also Factorio if you don't mind 2D.

For the King, Solasta and Divinity Original Sin are good dungeon crawlers/RPGs with nice co-op campaigns.

I could go on like this for awhile, but this seems like a good starting point.

 

[James Parker]

You guys can both try out Destiny 2. Its F2P on steam, its easy to link up and doing missions/campaigns together although youll run into a lot of "you cant access this if you dont buy it" if you both stay F2P, a lot of their stuffs on sale. You said you liked shooters. Its not zombies but, its F2P to try out at least.

You mentioned that you enjoyed shooters, and Destiny 2 is a fantastic one. Although there are no zombies, it's still a lot of fun. The action is quite fluid, and there is a ton of information to discover. I believe you'd both like it.

 

[Zimbaly]

Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2 are good rpgs that do coop.
Torchlight 2 if ya like Diablo style games. There's lots of mods for it too.
Dead Island 1 and Riptide are good if ya like zombie games. It can play a little wonky, but it's not the worst.
If ya just want mindless killing, Left 4 Dead series ain't bad. Lots of custom maps for em.
Deep Rock is fun multiplayer, but it doesn't really have a story. It's more plunge into different environments, mine for stuff and kill tons of aliens. Each class is uniquely fun and it can get pretty hectic.
Monster Hunter World is a great game. I sadly never had people to play with, but if ya got a mate willing to play it might be worth it. It is a great looking game and hectic.

There's more I can recommend, but I'm to lazy right now.

 

[Milkovich]

Baldur's Gate has become my favorite to play with friends. I like that there is interactivity in the form of dialogues in which you can participate. And also freedom of action, where you seem to have to follow the main storyline, but at the same time you can do whatever you want.