Best Online Co-Op Games
It’s rare to see split-screen cooperative gameplay featured in today’s titles, which instead require an online connection so that you can play with your friends, whether they’re down the street or in a different country. Some co-op games require a group to solve puzzles, while others test your survival skills or pit you against tough enemies.
According to the Tom’s Hardware community, the 13 games on this list are best played with others. It’s dangerous to go through the journey alone, and a companion at your (virtual) side can make it an even more enjoyable experience. We’ll show the chosen games in order from the bottom of the list to the top.
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#13: 'Sniper Elite 4'
The game’s main campaign puts you in the shoes of Karl Fairburne, an American sniper sent behind enemy lines to eliminate the Nazi’s grip on Italy. However, you don’t have to go through the journey alone. You and a friend can work together to sneak through battlefields and pick off Nazi soldiers one by one.
After the campaign, try the multiplayer mode, where you’ll need to work with another player as sniper and spotter in order to take out as many soldiers as possible. There’s also a four-player mode where you must survive multiple waves of enemies.
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#12: 'Don't Starve Together'
Don’t Starve Together is tough due to the constant need for high health, food to stave off hunger, and sanity to keep the Shadow Creatures from attacking you, so it’s best to recruit someone to help you survive the unforgiving wilderness. You’ll also have to find assets in order to create tools and items that will help you fight monsters or build a shelter to keep you safe during the night. With the help of your party, you can create a massive base to keep everyone protected, happy, and sane with each passing day. Just be sure to share resources.
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#11: 'Magicka'
Up to four players can play as hooded wizards in an attempt to rid the world of an evil sorcerer and his ugly creatures. With a plethora of elements at your disposal, you can create spells that can decimate enemies or protect allies.
With four wizards, the game becomes even more chaotic, as multiple spells fly across the screen. The campaign is made up of 13 levels, so there are plenty of opportunities to test your different element combinations and create new and powerful spells.
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#10: 'Grim Dawn'
Crate Entertainment’s Grim Dawn puts you in a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction, and you need to eliminate the Aetherial and Chthonian factions in order to save the human race. Depending on the number of people in your party, combat can be difficult because the enemy toughness scales with the number of players. In other words, a monster that is usually easy for one person to killin a solo session will need to be taken down by attacks from multiple players. Killing these enemies means that you’ll receive improved loot such as better items and stronger weapons to make yourself even more formidable. Trading some of your loot with comrades also gives each player a chance to get the best gear and weapons to use future battles.
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#9: 'PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds'
This Early Access title is one of the most popular games of the year due to its battle royale-style of play. The goal is to kill other players on a constantly shrinking area in an attempt to be the last combatant standing. If you need some backup, three of your friends can join the fight to help pick off lone players or rival teams. If you want claim the top spot with your squad, you’ll need to find and share ammunitions, weapons, and gear so that everyone in the group is well-equipped for combat.
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#8: 'Gears of War 4'
The game’s main campaign allows two players to work together to complete the story. After the credits roll, you can work with three other people to try out the new Horde mode. In addition to surviving multiple waves of enemies, Horde mode requires you to take down tough bosses at every tenth wave. Each member of your squad has a different role during the 50-wave fight. Someone might need to gather points to purchase defenses while another player will repair turrets and sentries. Others can use heavy weapons against larger foes or call down the powerful Hammer of Dawn to eradicate multiple enemies.
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#7: 'Arma 3'
The majority of your time in Arma 3 is spent with a “unit,” which is similar to a clan in massive multiplayer online games. Several times a week, members of your unit might schedule co-op missions where the group will participate in player-made scenarios to complete objectives and kill computer-controlled enemies. Keeping with the spirit of the game's military simulation roots, you and your comrades must work together as a squad and follow orders from your commanders in order to complete the specified mission and stay alive until the end.
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#6: 'Left 4 Dead 2'
The world is crawling with hordes of Infected, and you are part of a small group of survivors. You’ll have to stay alive and work together to survive multiple levels, using a small arsenal of weapons to kill any Infected in your path. Different Infected types, such as the exploding Boomer or the gigantic Tank, pose a tougher challenge. You may need all four players to combine their attacks to take them down. For a true test of skill, you can try the Realism difficulty where weapons are harder to find, and you’ll need use more ammo to kill a single Infected enemy.
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#5: 'Payday 2'
Washington D.C. is ripe with many jobs for your crew. You can kidnap specific targets, steal from a convenience store, or rob a bank. In each scenario, your team can reach its target simply by running into an area and killing every guard in sight. However, you’ll get more cash and experience points if you complete the mission undetected. If you’re discovered, the mission will still continue, but you’ll need to work together with your teammates to survive the wave of reinforcements and avoid capture.
At the end of each job, use your hard-earned cash to buy additional weapon mods to improve your firearms or masks to further intimidate those standing between you and the riches hidden in the game’s many vaults.
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#4: 'Grand Theft Auto Online'
The world of Los Santos is the perfect playground for your small gang. You can roam freely throughout the city to kill other players, participate in races, or even hijack planes. Just like Payday 2, you’ll need to rob stores or pull off bank heists as a way to fatten your virtual wallet. With enough money, you can purchase better clothing, faster cars, and even a high-rise condominium to house your posse.
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