Best Co-Op Games To Play With Friends

Every once in a while, I’ll have the itch to play a game with a friend. Usually, this comes in the form of a Co-Op game, especially with a multitude of options recently. Today, I will be highlighting some co-op games that especially stood out to me. Although I don’t normally use couch co-op, I tried to pick options for this list that can be played either in-person or online.

CHOICE ONE: SPLIT FICTION

Unlike many others, Split Fiction was actually my introduction to the work of Hazelight Studios. Regardless, I was impressed with what I played (and hope to play some of their other work in the near future). The thing that stood out to me the most about Split Fiction was its level variety. The game has a very diverse set of levels due to the titular concept of “Split Fiction”. While most levels are in Zoe’s genre (Fantasy) or Mio’s (Sci-Fi), there are still some very fun exceptions as the game progresses.

To me, the game’s concept felt fully visualized, with a decent runtime of a dozen or so hours. Additionally, the gameplay (while not being the most complex) was enjoyable, especially when messing around with a friend. There are plenty of different minigames/sidequests/gametypes throughout to keep you interested. Finally, Hazelight’s trademark “Friend Pass” is a great system that I hope gets implemented into more co-op games. It is great to have the ability to share a game like this with a friend instead of needing two copies to play.

PICK 2: LEGO VOYAGERS

This one honestly surprised me, considering my low expectations after its Summer Games Fest reveal. While I thought the game looked somewhat interesting and unique, my gameplay experience was much more enjoyable than I would have thought. I believe the biggest strength of Voyagers is its length. It is generally “short” (being around 4-5 hours to finish). However, this makes the simplistic gameplay and “story” not overstay their welcome.

Speaking of the gameplay, I was impressed with how the developers incorporated multiple gameplay elements surrounding moving Lego bricks. Additionally, these elements directly involve teamwork with your friend as well, such as building structures and completing minigames. Finally, I was very glad to see this game also included a Friend Pass, just like Hazelight’s co-op games. This was actually my main motivation for buying the game in the first place (as well as its somewhat low price tag of 25 dollars). Personally, I believe it was money well spent.

PICK 3: MARVEL’S COSMIC INVASION

Like many, I am often a sucker for retro beat-em-up games due to their simple yet addictive gameplay. Additionally, I find games in this style to be even more fun when you play them with a friend. Marvel’s Cosmic Invasion, a newer game in the genre, is no different. First off, regardless of who you pick as your two heroes per level, the game’s Campaign mode is very fun to play, especially with up to FOUR friends. Each hero displays a diverse range of moves and attacks that are easy to learn, yet hard to truly master. This also makes the game generally easy to pick up and play, despite some difficult moments later on in the Campaign (this becomes especially apparent if you’re aiming to get all achievements, as I did).

Beyond the gameplay, the game’s art style is great, as it fully encapsulates the style of old beat-em-ups with its vibrant pixel art. Additionally, the game also features tons of nice costumes and miscellaneous references for Marvel/comic fans to appreciate. If there was one complaint I would highlight during my gameplay experience, it would be a somewhat lacking hero roster. While many major heroes are represented (such as Iron Man, Cap, and Spider-Man), I felt like there were some glaring omissions (for instance, Beta-Rey-Bill instead of Thor, Phyla-Vell instead of Captain Marvel, and no GOTG representation besides Rocket Raccoon). I feel this game could greatly benefit from DLC packs (both for new missions and new characters). Regardless of this minor criticism, I still highly recommend Cosmic Invasion for a nice (mostly) relaxed experience with friends.