Most RPGs focus on solo play with AI-controlled companions, following one character’s journey from cat-saving friendly neighbor to God-slaying powerhouse. But, a select few games throw that concept out the window and allow players to bring friends along for this ride of ascension to power.
It’s not just mindless slaughtering of orcs, goblins, and Gods either; these games offer tactical depth, shared story progression and the joy of character synergy with real players. These games are great RPGs that also let players experience what it’s like being a real adventuring party.
Best Co-Op Games Of The 2020s (So Far), Ranked
Of all the games released in the decade so far, these are the best ones to play with a friend or two.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
“You Take The Barrel, I’ll Cast Fireball”
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Released
- September 14, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
This classic isometric RPG features turn-based combat, reactive environments, and deep storytelling, paired with the chaos that comes with cooperative play. Up to four players each control their own party member, with the option to create their own character or choose from origin characters that have unique backstories.
Party decisions don’t just have gameplay consequences, but shape the actual story; players can split up, argue, and even betray each other. The flexible combat system opens up an infinite number of doors for creative combo opportunities. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best examples of how to do co-op-based party combat well.
Wasteland 3
We’re All Gonna Die... Together
Wasteland 3
- Released
- August 28, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- inXile entertainment
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Strategy
- Platform(s)
- PC
Set in a post-apocalyptic Colorado, Wasteland 3 blends humor, grim choices, and battles of political factions in wonderful fashion. Featuring two-player co-op where each player controls a customizable squad of rangers, this tactical RPG puts a unique twist on the formula with a flexible party-building system.
Players have the ability to create and equip different characters to suit their preferred strategy. The chaos extends past the combat, with co-op actions and dialogue choices directly impacting how factions respond and the way quests unfold. Wasteland 3 truly lets the player's personality shine, letting one person resolve things diplomatically while the other goes full chaos.
Dragon's Crown Pro
Six Classes, One Couch, Infinite Goblins
- Developers: Vanillaware, Atlus
- Available Platform(s): PlayStation 4
- Release Date: May 15, 2018
For anyone who's ever wanted to re-live the feeling of going to an arcade with friends and wasting quarters together on a beat ‘em up that was too hard to beat, this is the perfect game. Supporting up to four players in local or online co-op, with the ability to choose from six unique classes, this action RPG brings a tactical flavor with its party building.
Best Co-Op Games Where Players Have Completely Different Roles
These acclaimed cooperative games emphasise teamwork, as players need to utilise their unique skills or character traits to work in tandem.
Pair a Fighter with a Sorceress for backline support, or get a friend to pick Dwarf to go deep into the enemy hordes. The complex loot system throws another wrench into the system, being ample enough cause for in-fighting, as if the sprawling dungeons and branching story weren’t enough.
Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition
The Original Digital Dungeon Master
- Developers: Beamdog, BioWare
- Available Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Android, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Mac operating systems, Classic macOS
- Release Date: March 27, 2018
If Baldur’s Gate’s party sizes felt too small, Neverwinter Nights is the place to be. Basically a pseudo-MMO featuring up to 64 players, the Enhanced Edition received further optimizations to stability and UI, letting platers experience the full co-op campaigns, modules, and persistent online world on modern systems.
Players create their own characters and party up to undertake quests, solve puzzles, and fight enemies. It captures the D&D spirit, with some modules even featuring player-controlled Dungeon Masters who shape the campaign on the fly. Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition is the closest gamers can get to a true tabletop session from behind a screen.
Monster Hunter Wilds
The Party That Slays Together, Stays Together
Monster Hunter Wilds
- Released
- February 28, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence, Blood, Crude Humor
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Expanding on the formula of Monster Hunter World with dynamic ecosystems and unique monster behavior, Wilds keeps the same spirit while streamlining the monster-hunting experience. Join up to three other players, bring personalized gear, weapons, and builds into battle, and have a field day hunting or capturing monsters.
7 Co-Op Games You've Never Heard Of
There are plenty of incredible co-op games available to the masses.
Some of the higher-tier monsters require all hunters to perfectly complement each other’s roles. Support builds, traps and elemental combos all create opportunities for synergy mid-fight. Although it doesn’t carry the same tight narrative as the other entries on this list, the party-building of Monster Hunter Wilds is a masterclass.
Baldur's Gate 3
Four Brains, One Brain Worm
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
Deep CRPG mechanics with the D&D 5e ruleset, four-player co-op, and a massive branching storyline — Baldur’s Gate 3 has it all. Each player can control their own custom character or play as one of the origin characters. Co-op play extends even to dialogue choices, dice rolls, and moral dilemmas.
The unique combat system allows players to synergize abilities like terrain, stealth, and surfaces in creative ways. In a world where RPGs are a dime a dozen, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a rare gem that truly makes players feel like a party, with all the drama, loyalty, betrayal, and chaos that comes along with it.
Diablo 4
A New Hell to Raise Together
Diablo 4
- Released
- June 5, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
The latest entry to the long-running Blizzard series of dungeon-crawling loot-em-ups had its release soured with controversy, but that's a given considering how ambitiously it tried to shake up a well-established formula. The game features entirely new mechanics such as PvP combat and a persistent open world, while retaining the procedural dungeons and loot mechanics from previous entries.
In the shared sanctuary of a persistent open world, five classes, each with their distinct strengths and weaknesses, open up plenty of doors to creative combinations. Shared loot drops scale according to party size, ensuring every member gets their fair share. As a plus that few other games have, Diablo 4 also features spontaneous world events such as Uber World Tier Fissures that reward spontaneous teaming-up even beyond the core 4-member party.
Co-Op Games That Require The Most Teamwork
By default, co-op games are based on the idea of teamwork. However, the following co-op games become downright impossible without a functional team.