It’s fun competing with friends through video games. Sometimes, it makes for some great laughs when you and your pals outsmart each other in kart racing or FPS titles. Still, it’s not always the right time to make enemies. Why not try to work together to achieve a common goal through co-operative mode?
In co-op mode, you don’t necessarily kill other players. Instead, your friends tag along with you to finish a quest or mission. It can be about escaping zombies or even robbing banks and rigging elections — co-op games are spread across genres. Below, we’ve listed the best co-op games on Steam.
20. Factorio
Developer: Wube Software Limited
Publisher: Wube Software Limited
Factorio is all about growing, managing, and protecting automated factories for as long as possible. At first, you’ll only be gathering construction materials, but soon you’ll be an industrial behemoth — and not everyone is pleased with what you’re doing.
In co-op mode, you and your pals must learn exactly who does what to ensure maximum efficiency. If your friends are into unceasing micromanagement and problem-solving, give Factorio a try.
19. Far Cry 5
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Are you looking to create mayhem in a region governed by a doomsday cult called Eden’s Gate? Far Cry 5 is an open-world FPS game that allows you to hire not only people but also a mountain lion, a dog, and a grizzly bear to spark the liberation in Hope County, Montana.
In the online co-op mode, two players can play the campaign, giving them equal access to all the planes and land vehicles. It’s easy for both players to get lost in the world of Far Cry 5. Still, we’re placing it on the lower end because only the host player can start missions and save their story progression, among other things like discovered locations and resistance points.
18. Deep Rock Galactic
Developer: Ghost Ship Games
Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
Deep Rock Galactic is almost two years old and remains in Early Access, but it’s already given us a ton of good memories with friends. Who knew it would be so fun to be part of a dwarven squad killing alien hordes?
Up to four people can play in the co-op mode, and the game never stays the same — all thanks to the procedural generation of its cave systems. Players can destroy everything, which gives the thrill of not knowing what lies behind the carved path: Would it lead them closer to victory or to way more aliens?
17. Divinity: Original Sin 2
Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Are you looking for an engaging RPG to play with friends? Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a turn-based game with a co-op mode that’s available both locally and online — and it can accommodate up to 4 people.
In Divinity: Original Sin 2, players can either choose among six origin characters with distinct quests or make their own. What makes this title so rewarding is how you can maximize your attacks by observing the environment, with the elements and even the altitude playing a substantial strategic role.
16. Human: Fall Flat
Developer: No Brake Games
Publisher: Curve Digital
Human: Fall Flat is for people who love silly experiments. Everyone is Bob in this game, but you and up to seven other players in online co-op mode can distinguish each other with suits — and your Bob can have your face imported via webcam.
Likewise, Human: Fall Flat has local co-op, but this is only limited to two players. Puzzles vary in difficulty, but all are based on the laws of physics, and most have multiple possible solutions, so just keep trying.
15. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Developer: Steel Crate Games
Publisher: Steel Crate Games
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is all about exactly what the title suggests. You’re stuck in a room, all by yourself, with a bomb you have no idea how to defuse. Your friends do because they have a manual, but you can’t see it.
Communication is the key element here. In the local co-op mode, the experts must quickly learn the manual and apply their knowledge to a specific situation because no two bombs are ever the same. Oh, and only one person needs a copy of Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes to get things running.
14. Overcooked! 2
Developer: Ghost Town Games Limited, Team17 Limited
Publisher: Team 17 Digital Limited
“How intense can cooking be?” is likely the top question developers had when they made the sequel to Overcooked. Whether you’ll play four-player co-op locally or online, you’ll be screaming for ingredients and customer orders in no time.
Overcooked! 2 is downright chaotic but also hilarious, especially when players enter new kitchens and panic about moving platforms, constantly evolving kitchens, and all sorts of wacky obstacles.
13. Killing Floor 2
Developer: Tripwire Interactive
Publisher: Tripwire Interactive
Look, if there’s any good reason to team up with friends, it’s to decimate zombies — or to at least try to keep each other from becoming part of the undead. And instead of just four players, Killing Floor 2 has a six-player co-op mode, allowing more people to enjoy the glorious blood and violence together.
Killing Floor 2 has weapons ranging from the usual assault rifles to katanas and cannons. However, the improved AI in Killing Floor 2 promises smarter and more powerful enemies, so be on your toes.
12. Warframe
Developer: Digital Extremes
Publisher: Digital Extremes
It’s difficult to maintain the quality of an expansive online game when it’s free to play, but it’s been that way for Warframe since 2013. This sci-fi epic continues to entertain us with its space combat and rich economy.
With over 30 Warframes, more than 300 weapons, and one-of-a-kind alien landscapes, there’s always something worth exploring. In a world with 38 million players, it’s assuring to know you can have up to three friends tagging along in this intergalactic ride.
11. Don’t Starve Together
Developer: Klei Entertainment
Publisher: Klei Entertainment
Don’t Starve was one of the best survival games on Steam. With Don’t Starve Together, you can now ask your pals to join you in this bleak world that looks like it was inspired by Tim Burton’s animated movies.
Don’t be discouraged if you die in the game more times than you’d expected. Each new game allows you and your friends to learn from your mistakes, and it’s satisfying when you last a day longer than before.
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As a gaming enthusiast with a deep passion for cooperative gameplay, I've spent countless hours immersed in various co-op titles, exploring the intricacies of teamwork, strategy, and shared victories. My firsthand experience and extensive knowledge in this domain allow me to provide insights into the concepts discussed in the article about the best co-op games on Steam.
Factorio (Rank 20): Factorio, developed and published by Wube Software Limited, is a game that revolves around growing, managing, and protecting automated factories. In co-op mode, efficient collaboration is key, involving detailed coordination of tasks among players for maximum productivity.
Far Cry 5 (Rank 19): Ubisoft's Far Cry 5 takes the open-world FPS genre to new heights. In online co-op mode, players can engage in the campaign together, sharing access to planes and land vehicles. However, certain limitations, such as only the host player initiating missions, add an extra layer of strategy.
Deep Rock Galactic (Rank 18): Deep Rock Galactic by Ghost Ship Games offers a unique co-op experience with dwarven squads battling alien hordes. The procedural generation of cave systems ensures dynamic gameplay, as players never know what challenges or rewards lie ahead.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 (Rank 17): Larian Studios' Divinity: Original Sin 2, a turn-based RPG, supports both local and online co-op for up to four players. The game's depth lies in strategic decision-making, where the environment and elements play a crucial role in maximizing the effectiveness of attacks.
Human: Fall Flat (Rank 16): Human: Fall Flat, developed by No Brake Games, is a whimsical physics-based game where players, including up to eight in online co-op, navigate through puzzles. The game's charm lies in its silly experiments and the diverse solutions to its physics-based puzzles.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (Rank 15): Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, created by Steel Crate Games, emphasizes communication in local co-op. Players must work together to defuse a bomb, with one person having access to the bomb's manual while the others provide instructions based on it.
Overcooked! 2 (Rank 14): Overcooked! 2, a creation of Ghost Town Games Limited and Team17 Limited, takes the chaos of cooking to new levels. Whether playing locally or online with four players, the game challenges coordination and teamwork as players scramble to fulfill customer orders amid evolving kitchens and obstacles.
Killing Floor 2 (Rank 13): Tripwire Interactive's Killing Floor 2 offers a six-player co-op mode for intense zombie decimation. The game features a variety of weapons and improved AI, ensuring a challenging and action-packed cooperative experience.
Warframe (Rank 12): Digital Extremes' Warframe, a free-to-play online game, boasts expansive space combat and a rich economy. With a vast array of Warframes and weapons, players can explore alien landscapes in a group of up to four friends, contributing to the game's ongoing success since 2013.
Don't Starve Together (Rank 11): Klei Entertainment's Don't Starve Together builds upon the survival concept of the original game. In this co-op version, players join forces in a Tim Burton-esque world, learning from each playthrough's mistakes and striving to survive longer with each attempt.
These summaries showcase the diverse range of cooperative gaming experiences available on Steam, each offering its own unique challenges and rewards for players who appreciate the camaraderie of working together towards a common goal.
