Multiplayer horror games offer a variety of experiences, from the asymmetric PvP of Dead By Daylight to the co-operative shenanigans of titles like Lethal Company and REPO. These experiences can range from linear adventures to short-form scares, but those with more active gameplay tend to emphasize teamwork above all else.
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While co-operative horror games can be less scary than single-player experiences, these titles use their dangerous locales and horrifying creatures to encourage players to work together. By offering high lethality gameplay rife with hazards, players often need to work together in order to survive.
7 Lethal Company
Salvaging Among Ruthless Creatures
Lethal Company
- Released
- October 23, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
is a co-operative horror game that excels with its asymmetric creatures, providing a great deal of emergent gameplay. The variety of foes in Lethal Company and their dynamic behaviors often requires teamwork in order to be successful, with brash and reckless players often meeting untimely ends.
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Lethal Company tasks players with salvaging what they can from creepy, industrial environments rife with these creatures in order to meet an ever-increasing quota. Since players lose any loot they've gained after a full team wipe, they're encouraged to watch each other's backs at all times, resulting in a decidedly team-oriented experience.
6 Hunt: Showdown 1896
A Horror-Infused Extraction Shooter
Hunt: Showdown 1896
- Released
- February 22, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Crytek
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Extraction
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Hunt: Showdown isn't a terrifying experience, but its variety of monstrous enemies offers a decidedly creepy world to tread through. As an extraction shooter, Hunt: Showdown blends PvE with PvP, excelling with co-operative play that encourages players to look after each other as they attempt to hunt down deadly creatures before anyone else can.
The deadly gunplay of Hunt: Showdown results in high lethality gameplay, made all the more dangerous thanks to the abundance of mobs. While some players may be able to dispatch these creatures with relative ease, they create a consistent distraction that can wear supplies thin and attract aggressive players. As a result, working as a team is often integral to survival.
5 Dead By Daylight
A Multiplayer Adaptation Of Classic Slasher Flicks
Dead by Daylight
- Released
- June 14, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Horror, Survival
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia, Switch, Mobile
Dead By Daylight is a unique PvP horror game that does its best to adapt the structure of a violent slasher flick with asymmetric gameplay. In the game, four survivors with very minimal abilities are tasked with escaping a deadly killer, controlled by an opposing player.
Since the balance of power is so heavily in favor of the killer, survivors must work together in order to succeed. It's not uncommon for survivors to get killed in the process of escaping, but by working together, they can often enable others to get away.
4 REPO
Repossessing Valuables In Dangerous Environments
R.E.P.O.
- Released
- February 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Similar to Lethal Company, REPO is a co-operative horror game that tasks a group of players with exploring a series of creepy environments. These environments are packed with valuable goods, but several nasty creatures and hazards stand in the way.
What's particularly unique about REPO is that the game's variety of valuables can be damaged; players must manually carry these goods around, and knocking them into a wall or dropping them on the ground can result in a total loss of value. As a result, players must work together not only to survive, but to keep their loot from becoming damaged.
3 Resident Evil 6
Tag-Teaming The Undead In Unfair Scenarios
Resident Evil 6
- Released
- October 2, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
Resident Evil 6 is a slick combination of action and horror that won't be for everyone, but it's elevated by its co-operative play. When playing with a friend, Resident Evil 6's flaws are less obvious, and instead its strengths are able to shine, particularly its focus on teamwork.
In the game, players must watch each other's backs in order to survive, as they are often outnumbered and many of the game's enemies are deadly. This is even more so on harder difficulties, where it could be argued that the game shines.
2 Left 4 Dead 2
A Horde Shooter With Unique Enemies
Left 4 Dead 2
- Released
- November 17, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
Left 4 Dead 2 combines horror and action with a breakneck pace, throwing dynamic threats at players with a variety of special enemies and an AI director that controls the ebb and flow of gameplay. The massive hordes and tight level designs provide frantic sprints from one safe room to another, but it's the aforementioned special enemies that inspire teamwork.
With so many enemies on screen, it's easy to get worn down and taken out in Left 4 Dead 2; if a player is somehow separated from the group and surrounded, there's typically little that their friends can do. However, by sticking together and keeping an eagle eye out for special enemies, players can dramatically increase their chances of success.
1 Resident Evil 5
Horror, Action, & Resource Management At A Breakneck Pace
Resident Evil 5
- Released
- March 5, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Though it's a far cry from the survival horror of the original games, Resident Evil 5 offers players a tense and action-packed journey that excels in co-operative play. This is thanks to the game's design, which revolves heavily around the partnership between the two protagonists, Chris and Sheva.
Despite featuring a stronger focus on action, Resident Evil 5 maintains a certain level of resource management. As a result, players must be careful with their bullets, especially on harder difficulties. This encourages sharing and teamwork in order to ensure both players are able to defend themselves. Furthermore, if one player goes down, it's game over, so it's in both players' interests to keep their partner alive.
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