Summary
- Open-world games stand out with innovative gameplay loops requiring strategic teamwork.
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands, Final Fantasy 15, and Valheim highlight the importance of teamwork.
- Titles like GTA Online, Borderlands 3, and Monster Hunter Wilds emphasize coordination in combat.
Open-world games need to be a bit different to set themselves apart from the rest of the titles in this heavily populated genre. This is easier said than done, but some great open-world titles have managed to stand out from the pack courtesy of their innovative gameplay loops.
From strategic titles to more laid-back ones, open-world games have used the concept of teamwork to make players rely on either AI or human partners in combat. This element of cooperation helps these open-world games stand out as unique offerings, letting players flex their cooperation skills.
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8 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
The Series' First Open-World Game Where Teamwork Is A Priority
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
- Released
- March 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands was the first entry in this strategic shooter series to be set in an open world. In this game, players could team up with others to complete objectives in a tactical and satisfying manner. The sandbox itself is massive, and the mission structure ensures that players won't be bored for too long. It has its issues, but players who seek out a game where teamwork is critical to victory will love what Wildlands brings to the table.
7 Final Fantasy 15
Noctis & Friends Must Coordinate Attacks To Maximize Efficiency
Final Fantasy 15
- Released
- November 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
The four-man squad in Final Fantasy 15 makes for one of the best casts in the series, thanks to how real their bond feels. These friends will move heaven and earth for Noctis, and they show this in how they support the prince in combat.
Noctis can use moves in cooperation with his allies to operate tactically in combat, unleashing damaging moves or healing up whenever required. The Royal and Windows Editions let players switch and control these characters in combat directly, which did a great job of encouraging players to switch between fighters and help the team harmonize.
6 Tom Clancy's The Division 2
A Huge Improvement Over Its Predecessor
Tom Clancy's The Division 2
- Released
- March 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
The Division 2 learned from its predecessor and ensured that the launch would be smoother than it was the last time. The game was a great sequel that let fans enjoy a co-op shooter in an apocalyptic world where they needed to team up with others to survive.
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There are elements of PvP in The Division 2, but the bulk of the game focuses on cooperation and teamwork. Missions can get rather overbearing after a point, and a lack of cohesion between players will lead to them being gunned down in no time.
5 GTA Online
Players Coordinate With Others To Complete Heists
GTA Online
- Released
- October 1, 2013
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Shooter, Action-Adventure
Grand Theft Auto Online took a while to get going, but once it did, it never looked back. This game mode is loaded with so much content that players can genuinely spend hours in this title with their friends as they take part in races and wreak havoc in the open world.
The best part about GTA Online is its heists, in which players must collaborate during these high-stakes missions. It takes the intensity of the single-player heists and ramps up the entertainment factor up to 100 as players collude to make their approach and escape as easy as possible.
4 Valheim
Without Teamwork, Moving To Different Biomes Will Be Impossible
Valheim
- Released
- February 2, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- r
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
Valheim is on the cusp of breaking the survival genre with its fun gameplay. Players love how engaging it feels to slowly but surely make progress in each biome, making tasty dishes and taking out challenging bosses in the process.
In this hostile yet charming sandbox, it's important to team up with a player who can lighten the workload. Teamwork is required in every facet of the gameplay, especially if players don't want to be stuck in a biome for too long.
3 Borderlands 3
Players Must Coordinate Attacks To Take Down Bosses
Borderlands 3
- Released
- September 13, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
Given how Borderlands is a series built to be a co-op shooter, it's a given that teamwork plays a huge role here. This applies to the third game too, where players must understand the roles and powers of the character they control to maximize their combat efficiency.
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Borderlands 3 lets players power through dungeons and take on tough bosses with their friends, just like every other game in the series. Players must team up and take out bosses in style, allowing them to find good loot and become even stronger in the process.
2 Project Zomboid
Players Can Team Up To Enhance Their Chances Of Surviving
Project Zomboid
- Released
- November 8, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
One of the most challenging open-world survival games of all time, Project Zomboid is not for the faint of heart. A single mistake can have dire consequences, ranging from infection to a zombie bite. This is why players who decide to combine their efforts to survive in this hostile world need to be on the same page. Without adequate teamwork, it's easy for players to mess up as a horde of terrifyling zombies descends on them.
1 Monster Hunter Wilds
Hunters Team Up To Take Out Massive Monsters
Monster Hunter Wilds
- Released
- February 28, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
The beauty of Monster Hunter Wilds stems from its amazing co-op gameplay, which the series is so well-known for. The addition of a story mode and more open zones ensures that players will have a blast as they hunt down one gargantuan monster after another.
In these high-octane battles, hunters need to harmonize and use their movesets effectively in combat. Ranged combatants must be protected, support skills should always be a priority, and DPS should be as high as possible for players to take out monsters before they become too tough to handle.
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