This weekend is a particularly good one for single-player games, most notably the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong. But that doesn't mean players can't also enjoy playing co-op games with friends and family. With schools starting around the world, it's a stressful time of year, so why not relax with some co-op games? Here are five for players to try out this weekend.
Final Fantasy 14
Popular MMORPG Final Fantasy 14 is currently celebrating its twelfth anniversary with the "The Rising" event, which runs until September 11. Players can complete a limited-time quest to earn an exclusive Wind-Up Gulool Ja Ja minion. In addition, Patch 7.3 recently launched, which adds a number of new mounts and minions to the game. New mounts include Wings of Death, Yan, and Shagcat, while new minions feature the fishable Sunray, the PVP rewards Falcon-Blue and Raven-Red Gobtanks, the Treasure Dungeon drop Gimme Kitten, and more. With both an ongoing event and new content to explore, it's the perfect weekend to play some Final Fantasy 14.
- Released
- August 27, 2013
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Engine
- Originally the Crystal Tools engine, but currently it's a custom engine using parts of the Luminous Engine.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Void Crew
Some might say that the best kind of co-op game is a free one, and this weekend, that's Void Crew. This co-op space survival simulator with roguelike elements is free to play until September 8, making this weekend the perfect time to try it out with some friends. Up to six players at a time can work together to keep their spaceship functioning while fighting a variety of space-dwelling enemies, exploring the galaxy, and more. In addition to being currently free on Steam, Void Crew also recently launched on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
- Released
- November 25, 2024
- Developer(s)
- Hutlihut Games
- Publisher(s)
- Focus Entertainment
- Engine
- Unity Engine
WHERE TO PLAY
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Another multiplayer game that recently saw a large update is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The latest update, titled "Season 5 Reloaded," adds a new 6v6 multiplayer map, the permanent opening of Stadium for all players, and a mix of new and returning game modes. New for the season is Deadline, a game mode in which squads respawn infinitely — but can be quickly eliminated should they score the lowest. Additionally, players can grab tons of cosmetic rewards as part of the Nuketown Block Party event. If that's not enough, Black Ops 6 players can claim 20 Battle Pass Tier Skips and several Double XP tokens to use when they wish.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 25, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- IW 9.0
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Helldivers 2
It's been a big couple of weeks for sci-fi shooter Helldivers 2. The game launched on Xbox Series X, bringing with it a major increase in player count. It launched a collaborative Legendary War Bond featuring rewards themed after the Halo series. Additionally, the Into the Unjust update dropped on September 2, featuring Hive Worlds to explore, new Terminid enemies to fight, new mission types to complete, and tweaks to several existing weapons. A further hotfix was released on September 4, adjusting the S-11 Speargun weapon and MS-11 Solo Silo stratagem. No weekend has ever been more perfect for battling Terminids with friends than this one.
Helldivers 2
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
Baldur's Gate 3
Popular RPG and 2023 Game Award winner Baldur's Gate 3 is a delightful co-op experience. Players can work together to create their ideal Dungeons and Dragons adventure with a wide range of races and classes to choose from. And there has never been a better time to pick up Baldur's Gate 3, as the multi-award-winning title currently sits at its lowest price on Steam. As part of an ongoing promotion by developer Larian Studios, Baldur's Gate 3 is currently available for a price of $44.99 — a significant discount compared to its usual $59.99. This weekend is the perfect time to try out the game for the first time, get back into it, or encourage friends to play for the first time.
Baldur's Gate 3
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Genre(s)
- RPG