10 best co-op games to play with friends on PC

A little friendly competition is always a good time, but there are few things better than getting together with a few friends (whether in person or online) to take part in quality teamwork. And while it was a challenge to compile such a small list from the large number of PC co-op titles on offer, we’ve done our best to offer you a wide range of genres to choose from.

Related: 10 Best Steampunk Games Worth Playing

What are the best co-op games on PC?

Deep Rock Galactic

As stressful as it may seem, diving beneath the surface of an alien planet in search of rare minerals while fighting tooth and nail to keep a slew of spiders and robots at bay, Deep Rock Galactic shines as the best ” Chill with friends”. game on this list. Sure, you can increase the difficulty and look for every possible weapon upgrade. We prefer to just dive into the vibes of these procedurally generated caves – blowing things up, building inefficient roller coasters, and allying with our fellow midgets, all over the haze of some stiff Space Rig beers.

Hyperlight drifter

All rope fights, stumbling discoveries, and wacky storytelling, Hyper Light Drifter is a mirror world inversion of A Link to the Past, played at fever pitch. And in a surprising twist for such a tightly focused action RPG, the co-op mode is relatively robust, giving you the option to play straight through with a partner without much fuss. While this doesn’t make combat encounters that much more forgiving, it at least makes things less lonely. The world is dying. You might as well bring a friend.

Keep talking and nobody explodes

This one comes with one caveat: you need a group of friends who can handle a small conflict without breaking the seams. Regardless of the combat, this is one of the most exciting and cooperative games out there. While one player acts as the designated bomb diffuser, the remaining group is responsible for interpreting a vague instruction manual and giving their teammate the information they need to avoid an explosion. And while it starts out simple, levels of complexity are quickly added, making this the type of game your party can master almost endlessly over time.

Monster Hunter Ascension

There really is nothing out there like the Monster Hunter series. A lot of what sets these games apart is of course the monsters. Everyone behaves according to their own believable patterns that are as intriguing as they are intimidating. And then there are the guns. You might not expect it with all those giant greatswords and cats dressed up like Sonic the Hedgehog, but there’s no game on this list with combat as sophisticated as Monster Hunter. While some purists may prefer the slower, more restricted movement of older entries, we believe Rise’s speed and freedom help make the newest entry both the easiest to learn and the hardest to master.

Overcooked! 2

Every action in Overcooked! 2 feels like it was designed to appear simple, while only being a little chunkier than you’d expect. Of course, that means that even if you and your friends complete a stage, there’s likely still been a moment when it felt like everything was falling apart before your eyes. This balance of stressful performance makes the best party game on this list seem like a cross between an intricate dance and a dumpster fire. So not so different than in many professional kitchens.

way of exile

Yes, Diablo 3 is better at accommodating new players. Yes, it looks better and is what your friends know. But Path of Exile is the better RPG. Don’t be fooled by the infamously massive skill tree either. This game is all about the equipment and especially the gems. Unlike most video game gems, these do not tweak your stats or modify your items. Instead, they grant you entirely new abilities, empower those abilities, and then change their effects entirely. This results in the most interesting and expressive playstyles of any traditional western ARPG on the market. Also, Blizzard doesn’t need your money.

Danger of rain 2

Fair or not, it feels like Risk of Rain 2 has been overshadowed by 2019’s other hit indie roguelike: Supergiants bombastic, supercharged Hades. The comparison is useful, however, as Risk of Rain 2 can be understood as the polar opposite of this more narrative action game. Aside from unlockable characters and some vague lore, there’s little progression to carry over between runs. The game’s more open levels encourage even beginners to advance at breakneck speed. There’s also a frenzied fearlessness in how everything is balanced, so that whenever you think you’ve finally found the game’s breaking point, it somehow manages to rise up to meet you.

Stardew Valley

The farming sim that ushered in a massive revival of the genre has aged like fine wine. There have been several free updates over the game’s first five years, which have drastically increased the sheer amount of things to do. Of course, a long-awaited co-op mode was also added, making it easier than ever to share the coziest game on earth with a loved one. But more than anything that was added after Stardew Valley’s release, the game’s greatest achievement is how often it’s been emulated without ever being surpassed.

Walheim

Two things set this Viking-themed survival sandbox apart from its long list of competitors. First, it gives you a little direction in case you decide to follow it. There aren’t as many threads as breadcrumbs to take you from one destination to another, but even that is a definite step up from the norm. Second, it’s strikingly beautiful in an almost casual way – the result of an impressive mastery of light and shadow. When you run out of breadcrumbs, nothing keeps you moving like the promise of another stunning view.

Wild Myth

The magic of Wildermyth is that even though you play through pre-set scenarios, the game reacts so dynamically to your every decision you’ll swear that somewhere, somehow, a living, breathing tabletop GM is pulling the strings. Perhaps a character decides to touch a glowing crystal, which then explodes, leaving a shard in his eye. Then, as you pass time between adventures, this crystal begins to spread, eventually, after decades, enveloping the entire character from head to toe. There are countless examples like this, and they all work because while many games offer you an exciting adventure, Wildermyth understands that what comes after is just as important.