Nothing beats a great gaming session with friends, and it’s always rewarding to accomplish a goal as a team. Fortunately, there are hundreds of incredible co-op games to pick from, including just about any genre you can think of.
Many of these titles thrust players into intense situations where the entire team will crumble if you have a weak link in the squad. If you’d rather relax with your pals and avoid games that mightruin friendships, here’s a selection of brilliant low-stress co-op titles to explore.
10Deep Rock Galactic
Rock And Stone!
Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galacticis a phenomenal co-op adventure game where your team of dwarfs commandmining operations in deep space.
Teamwork is at the core of everything you do inDRG. Each dwarf has unique abilities, andeveryone has a pivotal role to fill. you’re able to play with up to four players in the team, and there’s a satisfying progression system to keep you hooked.
Deep Rock Galactickicks off this list as while it’s not stressful at the start,it can become very tenselater on. Deep Dives (end-game content) will humble new players, and you can potentially lose a lot of progress to a team wipe.
That said, thecamaraderie and team-buildinginteractions are sublime. TheDRGcommunity isas wholesome as it gets, and if you don’t mind taking a few losses on the chin, any stress will be replaced with smiles.
9No Man’s Sky
Explore Space At Your Own Pace
No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Skyis a deep space-exploration game with amysterious overarching objectiveyou can tackle at your own pace.
Space games are well known for being complicated and unforgiving.No Man’s Skyhas dozens of mechanics, but Hello Games has had an admirable crack atmaking the genre as approachable as possible.
Exploring as a group is addictive, and you can spend dozens of hours crafting the perfect settlement among the stars.There is some combat, but the penalty for dying is low, and there’s even a ‘creative’ mode if you want to remove it entirely.
The only downside toNo Man’s Skyco-op is thatyou must complete some activities twiceif you’re in a group.
you may also run into issues if you end up in separate ‘instances’ of the same place. Ultimately, these are minor issues, but it’s clear that co-op was added after launch.
8Cat Quest II
A Pocket-Sized Pawsome RPG
Cat Quest II
Cat Quest 2is a brilliant action RPG with a light-hearted tone and an almostoverwhelming number of cat puns.
Most ofCat Quest 2is played on a gorgeous world map.Combat is straightforward, and RPG elements are intuitive. You never have to worry about getting lost, and the story is suitable for everyone, including casual andyounger players.
RPGs often require grinding and have lengthy completion times, but you can conquerCat Quest 2in under 8 hours. That said, it will take much longer if you want to beat every side activity.
TheCat Questgames are all fun and worth your time, butonly 2 and 3 have co-op. Fortunately, you don’t have to play the original to understand the sequels.
Raftis an impressive sandbox adventure game set ina world overtaken by the sea.
There’s a surprisingly rich story weaving everything together inRaft, but it’s ultimately optional. You can spend dozens of hours crafting a pimped-out penthouse on the waves or becomethe designated angler, so your buddies don’t die of hunger.
The sea is shark-infested, butyou will find islands to exploreon your journey, and you’re never ‘forced’ to do anything.
Raftmay be unsuitable if you find survival mechanics like food meters stressful. If that’s not a problem, you will enjoy your time in this exceptional story-driven sandbox.
6Viscera Cleanup Detail
I Hope You Have A Strong Stomach
Viscera Cleanup Detail
Viscera Cleanup Detailis a unique title whereyou and your friends must clean up a crime sceneso it looks like no grizzly crimes ever took place.
Each map inViscerais littered with blood spatters, body parts, and bullet casings.You’re the cleanup crew, and armed with your trusty mop, you must restore each area to its former glory.
There’s no time limit or threat, and there are just enough tools to keep the gameplay loop interesting.
The best part aboutViscerais thevaried locations. You will visit everything from Yakuza penthouses to a space station that looks suspiciously like the Event Horizon.
Each map has a distinct flavor, and while the title is a little rough around the edges, it’s a blast with friends.
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5Diablo IV
An Approachable ARPG
WithPath of Exile 2being the talk of the town, there’splenty of buzz surrounding ARPGs. If you’re looking for an accessible title to ease into the genre,Diablo IVmay be for you.
Compared to many other similar games,Diablo IVis a straightforward title withseamless co-op and low stakes. The world of Sanctuary is as bleak and morbid as they come, but the gameplay is simple and intuitive. There’s little penalty for dying, and loot grinding is immensely satisfying.
Diablo IVis much more challenging on higher difficulty levels, but you may try them at your own pace and change them back if you don’t enjoy the experience. You canplay the entire campaign with a friend, and the cutscenes will blow your mind with their cinematic quality.
Before the Diablo IV diehards come at me, there is plenty of room to min-max and lots ofchallenging content at higher Torment levels, but this is something casual players can avoid entirely if they wish.
4Vampire Survivors
Now You Can Survive Together
Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivorsis an immensely popular game thatkickstarted an entire genre! The game also hadrobust co-op features added post-launch, with hundreds of hours of content waiting to be enjoyed.
The gameplay loop is simple.attempt to survive a never-ending onslaughtof monsters usingcreative charactersand items. Hundreds of weapons are in the game, andyou can combine many of themto create an even more deadly arsenal.
There is aton of meta-progression, including new survivors and equipment, so you’re always working toward your next upgrade.
It will take many runs to beat the game for the first time, but there are low stakes, and it feels wonderfully rewarding when you start to pop off.
3Powerwash Simulator
I Wish It Were This Fun In Real Life
PowerWash Simulator
I’m always baffled by the high quality of many “simulator” games on the market, andPowerwash Simulatoris easily one of the best.
Much like Viscera from earlier, you mustmeticulously clean locationsinPowerwash Simulator. The big difference between the two titles isPowerwash is grounded in realitywith an addictive progression system where you canunlock new tools.
The developers at Futurlab managed to make cleaning satisfying. The sound of water jets hitting tiles and vehicles is perfect, and it’s agreat low-stakes game to play with friends.
The DLC offerings are also ridiculous, and you can even clean Shrek’s swamp if you’re not afraid of big, smelly ogres.
2LEGO Fortnite
You’ve Never Seen A LEGO Game Like This
LEGO Fortnite Odyssey
LEGO Fortniteis an impressive addition to the ever-growing list of experiences under theFortniteumbrella.
The LEGO game mode puts players on a massive open-world map withlight survival mechanics and base building.
There are options to makeLEGO Fortnitepretty challenging, butthe vanilla experience is accessible, and there’s no real penalty for dying.
There’s plenty to explore, and thevehicle building is surprisingly deep. There are some master builders in the community, but you may do just fine with four wheels stuck to a rectangle and an engine!
Best of all,LEGO Fortniteis free to play, so you have nothing to lose by trying it out. Friends can also access the same shared world without a ‘host’ online, so it’s ideal for groups with different schedules.
1Stardew Valley
The Perfect Farm Life Simulator
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valleyshould need no introduction. It’s arguablythe best ‘farming’ game on the marketand is fantastic whether alone or in a group.
The best part ofStardew Valleyis thatobjectives are ultimately optional. Sure, you’re able to go out battling monsters in the mines, but you can also stay home and make the best farm the valley has ever seen. Missions are plentiful, but you can tackle them when you’re ready.
There arerich co-op elements, and a group of you can divide farming duties among each other.
You could argue that some objectives tied to the calendar could make some aspects of the game a little stressful. The best part is, if you miss an activity,there’s always next year!
Stardew Valleyoffers acozy experiencelike no other, and it’s no wonder that the game has fostered a passionate fanbase with a rich modding scene.
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