(Credit: EA - Electronic Arts / Facebook, Deep Rock Galactic / Facebook, Overcooked / Facebook, Studio MDHR / Facebook)
We get it — co-op game nights just aren’t the same when you aren’t squeezing shoulder-to-shoulder with your fellow players. Fortunately, we have a remote solution just for you. The best PC co-op games today focus on making co-operation the forefront of its gameplay and present opportunities for you and your friends to shine together as a team. From having your friends’ backs against scores of enemies to collaboratively solving brain teasers, these are the types of memories that will stay with you long after you finish your games. So what else are you waiting for? Forge those friendships with these best online co-op games that’ll let you feel you’re never alone!
Troubled by how some of the best PC co-op games don’t offer online co-op? Don’t fret — Parsec resolves this by making remote desktop gaming a breeze! Simply download the app, connect to your friend’s desktop and you’re good to go for some low latency cooperative fun. As this mode shares the whole desktop with fellow players, you’ll require extra game controllers for each additional player. We recommend either the DualShock 4 or the Xbox Series controller for maximum gaming comfort and compatibility! Now that the setup’s done, here are our favourite picks for the best PC co-op games.
Of all the best PC co-op games, It Takes Two certainly takes the cake when it comes to co-op gameplay perfection! You’ll play as Cody and May, a dysfunctional couple on the brink of divorce. After magically being turned into dolls, you’ll be whisked away to magical worlds in a bid to reverse the spell! From tangling with angry squirrels to skating through winter wonderlands, the game excels at bringing you to breathtaking locations and keeps you guessing on where you’ll be headed next. The game’s challenges deserve special mention as you’ll be working together closer than ever before to progress through the expertly crafted puzzles!
Game highlight: Exploring dazzling environments while experiencing the varied gameplay
Number of players: 2
There’s a good reason why the Overcooked series tops everyone’s best PC co-op games list! Behind its vibrant visuals and simple controls lies a cooperative challenge that demands perfect coordination with your friends. The peak hour rush is just the start. Obstacles like rotating tables and icy floors are soon thrown into the mix to present you with one hectic cooking game. Bonus points are also awarded based on how quickly you complete your recipes, so co-operation is paramount in this game and it’ll certainly test your ability to work together!
Game highlight: Easy to learn, hard to master kitchen chaos
Number of players: 2-4
Of all our picks for best PC co-op games, none can compare to the devilishly difficult game that is Cuphead! From looks alone, its charming 1930s aesthetic will win you over immediately. Cuphead’s developers have painstakingly put in the work to ensure everything is beautifully animated with a retro touch. This makes the gameplay all the more engrossing as you dodge the attacks of immaculately designed bosses while dishing out your own bits of damage. An extra friend makes encounters even tougher as more bullets are needed to be dodged. Ultimately, this makes the game a true test of mechanical dodging and shooting skills for you and your buddy to master!
Game highlight: Dodging attacks while appreciating the retro art
Number of players: 2
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be an international super spy, imagine no further than with Operation: Tango. The game draws heavily from espionage movies as you go on a cooperative adventure that’s less about being a hitman and focuses more on the dynamics between spies and their handlers! Think a rookie James Bond that’s heavily dependent on his handler for critical information. From hacking turrets to maneuvering laser beams, you’ll find all the classic secret agent tropes here as the game uses communication to make these trials a cinch. Work as a team in this best PC co-op game and you might actually save the world!
Game highlight: Role-playing Hollywood spy movies
Number of players: 2
Up for a family-friendly co-operative experience? Give Biped a go! You’ll play Aku and Sila, two adorable robots that’ll need your help on their bipedal journey. Once you get past the initial confusion of moving each robot’s leg independently with the unique control scheme, you’re thrown into numerous levels where coordination with your partner is key! From throwing switches to stepping out with the right foot, both of you will rely on each other to navigate through the various labyrinths. Expect clumsy fails and hilarious mistakes as you experience how such best PC co-op games go against conventional control schemes in favour of something so uniquely refreshing.
Game highlight: Co-operative puzzles with inventive puzzles
Number of players: 2
With all these best PC co-op games requiring you to use your noggin, we figured we’d recommend a game that lets you turn your brain off so you can indulge in some good ‘ol bombastic shooting action. Borderlands 3 is simply put, the equivalent of your summer blockbuster movie when it comes to online co-op games. At its core, Borderlands 3 is a game for the gun nut as you’re collecting all kinds of firearms and unleashing them on hostile foes. With heart-racing firefights and tonnes of enemies to shoot through, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a shooter with more satisfying gunplay!
Game highlight: Unmatched satisfaction of mowing down enemies with powerful guns
Number of players: 2-4
Despite looking like a Starship Trooper-inspired game, Deep Rock Galactic is far from your average shoot first, ask questions later kind of online co-op game. While you do get to fend off waves of alien swarms, the goal of Deep Rock Galactic lies closer with exploration and achieving various objectives. From mining a specific gemstone to fixing faulty pipelines, the game features procedurally generated caves so no two expeditions will feel alike! Add to this a constant stream of content from the passionate developers and you’ll have tonnes of fun experimenting with the different classes while adventuring to all-new planets.
Game highlight: Co-op focused alien mining simulator
Number of players: 2-4
If you’re a fan of classics like Heat and Oceans 11, you’ll definitely want to give Payday 2 a try! As one of the best PC co-op games to feature heist mechanics, you’ll do everything from helping escort prisoners to robbing whole casinos! With extensive progression and customisation, Payday 2 is an online co-op game you’ll be playing for a long time while trying to unlock all the skills, gun parts, and masks. Our favourite part of each heist is rocking out to the pulse-pounding soundtrack while fending off cops during an assault!
Game highlight: Leading the life of crime with your trusted crew
Number of players: 2-4
Big fan of how intense online co-op games like Left 4 Dead 2 can get? Make sure you try Warhammer: Vermintide 2! Instead of slaying hordes of zombies, you’ll be up against waves of vermin-like foes. The game has a strong emphasis on close-quarters combat, forcing you to rely on melee weapons like rapiers and hammers! This makes each encounter infinitely more visceral and intense as you’re parrying strikes and bashing in enemies. Master its simple combat gameplay and you’ll discover how each class synergises with each other so you can take on the higher difficulties and earn even better loot!
Game highlight: Intense hack ‘n’ slash skirmishes with swarms of enemies
Number of players: 2-4
From solving brain-teasing puzzles to slaying mountains of foes, gaming with your friends in these best PC co-op games can make the experience that much more enjoyable! Didn’t find your favourite titles here? on purpose since they’re well-known enough on their own. Find older (but equally popular) titles like Left 4 Dead and Portal 2 and more when you browse our collection of online co-op video games. If you’re a switch owner, read our rundown of the best Nintendo Switch party games and pick one out for the next time your friends come over. Managed to land yourself a PS5? Stock your library with these best PS5 games!
This article was updated on 8 July 2021. Additional research done by Jiaxian Lee.
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