Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best co-op games for 2023

It doesn’t matter what type of genre you enjoy — the best co-op games offer gaming experiences that are best with a friend.

Co-op gameplay is at the core of video games as a medium, dating back to the early days of the arcade, and developers have been constantly looking for new ways to allow players to play together. Now, it’s easier than ever to do so, with digital marketplaces bursting at the seams with games with online and local co-op.

But which ones should you pick up? Here are the best cooperative games you can play right now.

See more

It Takes Two

It Takes Two
89 %
T
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Platform, Adventure
Developer Hazelight Studios
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release March 25, 2021
It Takes Two is the latest from Hazelight Studios, which made a name for itself with exclusively co-op experiences like A Way Out and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. The studio’s latest attempt is its best, and that’s saying something. It Takes Two follows a struggling couple as they deal with an impending divorce. The couple’s daughter cries on dolls she made, transforming them into miniature knitted creatures. From there, it’s up to you and a teammate to make your way back to the house and, hopefully, fix your marriage in the process. The story is touching, and it isn’t afraid to dive into the darker parts of its subject matter. Still, It Takes Two stands out with its gameplay. True to the name, every puzzle and enemy encounter takes two people to beat. Each character has access to a new ability with each level, forcing players to work together to progress the story. It Takes Two is co-op done right, and it shows just how powerful a cooperative experience can be when it’s built for two people.

Outriders

Outriders
75 %
3.5/5
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer People Can Fly
Publisher Square Enix
Release April 01, 2021
Outriders was an early hit for 2021. It comes from developer People Can Fly, known for its work on Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgement. Outriders brings together several elements from the studio’s previous games, combining a Gears of War cover system with Bulletstorm abilities and a Destiny 2-like loot system. All of these systems combine to create one of the most frantic shooters of recent memory, with the core gameplay looped backed up by RPG elements and exciting loot. Although you can play through Outriders alone, it’s best with friends. The world tier system in the game allows you to adjust your difficulty, and you can drop into any story point from the home screen. That makes it easy for friends to drop in regardless of their level. On top of that, Outriders has four unique classes. Each class regains health by performing a different action (the Trickster class, for example, regains health from getting close-range kills). With the class system, each squad member has a role to play in combat, encouraging parties to communicate and work together to win.
Read our full Outriders review

Fortnite

Fortnite
68 %
4/5
T
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy
Developer Epic Games
Publisher Epic Games
Release July 25, 2017
Fortnite is one of the biggest games in the world, and for good reason. Epic’s massive battle royale set the standard. Fortnite’s riveting combination of building and shooting brings a lot of depth, allowing players with the right strategy to make it to the winner’s circle. And now, with a growing list of iconic video game characters and plenty of seasonal challenges, it’s never been a better time to play Fortnite. Take a look at our Fortnite beginner’s guide if you’re just getting started.
Read our full Fortnite review

Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Rise
95 %
T
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch
Genre Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release March 25, 2021
Monster Hunter Rise finally brings the series back to Nintendo via the Switch, and it’s the best one in the series to date. It’s basically Monster Hunter: World, just in your pocket. Rise brings over the many gameplay improvements seen in World, including a unified map for hunting monsters and the Wirebug tool, which allows you to quickly get around and activate some special attacks in combat. Although taking down monsters is fun on your own, Monster Hunter Rise is best with a group of hunters. Combining attacks and abilities to deal as much damage as possible is part of the fun. You can team up with up to three other hunters online or through local co-op. Monster Hunter Rise also introduces the Rampage game mode, which tasks you with defending a village from monsters by attacks, setting up siege weapons, and instructing NPCs. Monster Hunter Rise is a true successor to Monster Hunter: World, and that’s seriously impressive on Switch.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons
83 %
4/5
E
Platforms Nintendo Switch
Genre Simulator
Developer Nintendo EPD, Nintendo
Publisher Nintendo
Release March 19, 2020
If you’re reading this guide, you’ve undoubtedly already heard of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and you know it’s one of the best multiplayer Switch games. Although the game is wonderful for relaxing alone after a long day, it’s with friends that New Horizons comes into its own. The sense of satisfaction that comes from showing off your island to your friends, and on the other side, visiting theirs, is unmatched in video games. Even the animation for going to another cool island is so adorable that you’ll want to vomit.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley
87 %
E10
Platforms Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Indie
Developer ConcernedApe
Publisher ConcernedApe, Chucklefish Games
Release February 26, 2016
If you like the laid-back style of Animal Crossing: New Horizons but want something a little more focused, or are craving a new Harvest Moon-style game, look no further than Stardew Valley. This farming simulator is the ultimate relaxing experience, especially with friends. It’s soothing to simply tend your garden, clean up your area, craft, trade, fish, or just hang out with the people of the town. You can have a friend join your existing farm, but starting a new place from scratch together is just a fantastic way to hang out for some stress-free gaming with a friend.

Among Us

Among Us
73 %
E10
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Strategy, Indie
Developer InnerSloth
Publisher InnerSloth
Release June 15, 2018
Among Us was released in 2018 and for the majority of its life, it drew around 500 to 1,000 players a day on Steam. Now it’s one of the most popular games on Steam, peaking with nearly 500,000 concurrent players. If for some reason, you haven’t heard of Among Us, it’s a social deduction game for up to 10 players. You play as a crewmember with a list of short tasks to complete, including dumping trash, diverting power, and uploading files. For crewmembers, the goal is simple: Complete all of your tasks, and your team wins. The kicker, though, is that there’s at least one imposter among the crewmembers. The imposter’s job is to stealthily move around, killing off crewmembers in isolation while sabotaging different rooms on the map. Whenever someone finds a body or calls an emergency meeting, your group has a chance to talk and vote someone out. Among Us is a simple game that anyone can pick up and play, and with people spending more time than ever inside, a worthy replacement for simple tabletop games. Among Us is free on Android and iOS, and it’s only $5 on Steam. Even better, the game supports crossplay between these platforms, allowing you to team up and play with virtually anybody. You can also play Among Us on Mac if you are so inclined.

Phasmophobia

Phasmophobia
70 %
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre Puzzle, Tactical, Indie
Developer Kinetic Games
Publisher Kinetic Games
Release September 18, 2020
It’s rare to find a game on Steam with an overwhelmingly positive review score, much less a game that’s already been reviewed by nearly 10,000 people (likely more when you’re reading this). Phasmophobia is an early-access game that came out of nowhere. The first release for Kinetic Games, Phasmophobia puts you in the shoes of a ghost hunter. In each investigation, you and up to three others will use cameras, UV flashlights, thermometers, and more to find and track a ghost. Your job isn’t to get rid of the ghost, though. Rather, you’re tasked with gathering evidence to pin down what type of ghost is responsible for the haunt. Although Phasmophobia is very much a horror game, it’s a ghost-hunting game first and foremost. The majority of each investigation is spent setting up equipment and trying to get a read on where the ghost is at. There are scares, but they’re few and far between, and Phasmophobia earns every frightening moment. It’s like playing an episode of Ghost Adventures, just without Zak Bagans to keep you safe. Even better, Phasmophobia has a VR mode, and you can team up with your friends regardless if they have a VR headset or not. For a game only a few weeks old, Phasmophobia is surprisingly polished, and it has a good amount of variety, to boot. However, it’s still an early-access game, so there are a few rough edges.

Moving Out

Moving Out
70 %
E
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre Simulator, Strategy, Adventure, Indie
Developer DEVM Games, SMG Studio
Publisher Team17
Release April 27, 2020
In reality, moving is no fun at all. However, just like in Overcooked, when you turn it into a whacky game that forces you to work together in less-than-ideal situations, it can become a wildly good time. Unlike in OvercookedMoving Out is way more physics-based, with every item you pick up being able to bump, knock over, and even break other objects. You and up to three other friends are a team of movers with multiple missions in the town of Packmore. They all have the same basic objective: To move all the objects in a house into the moving truck within the time limit. But it’s never that simple in practice. Large objects require more than one person to lift, like beds, for example, leading to chaotic moments of confusion as one person wants to go one way and you the other. Tossing objects is not only an option — it’s necessary in harder levels, and stuffing it all into the van is yet another wrinkle to the whole thing. Oh, and did we mention there are ghosts to deal with in some levels, too? If you’re looking for a game that just might test the limits of your friendships — or end up being a completely hilarious exercise in coordination — Moving Out is a great little distraction.

Gears 5

Gears 5
81 %
4.5/5
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter, Adventure
Developer The Coalition
Publisher Xbox Game Studios
Release September 10, 2019
Third-person shooters, particularly cover-based ones, aren’t always the most accessible games for newcomers. Microsoft and The Coalition seem to have recognized this with Gears 5, which gives less-experienced players the chance to help out their veteran Gears of War friends. The robotic character Jack can be used in both Horde mode and the campaign, providing support and damaging enemies while the other players fire away with their Lancers. In a squad full of experienced players, you can also play the brand-new Escape mode. In an aggressive cooperative mode that plays almost like a reverse-Horde, you must storm through a short level and make your way to the exit as a venom bomb slowly fills up the halls behind you. It’s difficult and requires plenty of coordination, making it the perfect option to play with a few friends.
Read our full Gears 5 review

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Halo: The Master Chief Collection
86 %
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter
Developer 343 Industries
Publisher Xbox Game Studios
Release November 11, 2014
343 Studios took over the Halo license (after Bungie split to create the Destiny series on its own) and decided to bundle all the original games together in one package. While it wasn’t quite what fans were hoping for at launch, the team has stuck with the game for the years following, even adding a few more to the collection, and it is now a fantastic way to experience the absolute best Halo games of all time. This bundle will let you and a friend tackle Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 in their best-looking and best-performing forms yet. No matter how you slice it, that’s a ton of co-op fun just going through the campaigns alone. These titles have been lauded as some of the best FPS campaigns ever made, and the extra polish these remasters get, especially in the first and second game, make them feel like brand new games.

Tom Clancy's The Division 2

Tom Clancy's The Division 2
78 %
4.5/5
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia
Genre Shooter, Tactical
Developer Massive Entertainment - A Ubisoft Studio
Publisher Ubisoft
Release March 15, 2019
You can play the majority of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 by yourself, but the real way to play the game is to invite three of your closest friends and brave the toughest missions together. Enemy scaling means that you’ll face tougher challenges, but with allies by your side to revive you if you go down, you’ll still be ready to brave the apocalypse and save the United States from total collapse. Alongside the campaign, side missions, and endgame content, The Division 2 brings back the Dark Zone player-versus-player area. Long wolves might encounter trouble, but with someone watching your back as you search for the game’s best loot, you can survive and show other players what you’re made of.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
70 %
4/5
T
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer Gearbox Software
Publisher 2K Games
Release March 25, 2022
When it comes to cooperative looter-shooters, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands stands among the very best. Gearbox has created its biggest game to date, packed full of goofy characters to meet, objectives to complete, weapons to discover, and multiple fantasy locations to explore. It can be played as a solo experience, but longtime Borderlands fans know that things get much more interesting when you bring a friend into the mix. Using your character’s different abilities, you can deliver combinations of attacks to deal massive damage to enemies. Several cooperative changes have been made compared to previous games in the series, as well. A level-sync system now lets you join a friend to play together, even if you differ widely in level. A loot-instancing option will give everyone in your group their own drops after beating enemies. If you want to team up with another player for couch cooperative gameplay, the game also supports split-screen.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands – Official Announce Trailer

Diablo III

Diablo III
79 %
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher Blizzard Entertainment, Square Enix
Release May 15, 2012
The game began with a bit of a rough launch, but Blizzard’s Diablo III has grown into a phenomenal action-role-playing game from the king of the genre. Its campaign is short but sweet, packing in a ton of action and several boss battles where you and some friends can tear through mountains of enemies in search of better gear. With multiple classes to choose from, the Reaper of Souls expansion, and a steady stream of new content being released through “seasons,” Diablo III is a hobby-grade game that gets even better when you bring some friends along for the ride.

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0
67 %
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter, Tactical
Developer Infinity Ward
Publisher Activision
Release November 14, 2022
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.o is Activision’s latest take on the battle royale genre, and it’s a good one. One of the biggest titles in gaming right now — even rivaling the likes of Fortnite — Warzone 2.0 is a massive battle royale game, with 150 players on the standard game mode and up to 200 on certain limited game modes. It’s simply bigger than the competition, which is a testament to the talent at Infinity Ward. Despite photo-realistic visuals and a huge map, Warzone 2.0 maintains a solid 60 frames per second across PC and consoles. It’s not just the size that sets Warzone 2.0 apart, though. The Gulag mechanic gives you a second lease on life, while the new DMZ mode gives a new way to play. Even better, Warzone 2.0 is still completely free.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 - Game Overview

Overcooked! 2

Overcooked! 2
82 %
E
Platforms Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre Simulator, Strategy, Tactical, Indie, Arcade
Developer Ghost Town Games
Publisher Team17
Release August 07, 2018
Overcooked 2 is easy to learn but tough to master. Don’t let its cutesy visuals fool you — Overcooked 2 presents more of a challenge than most co-op games. In increasingly complex stages and with increasingly complex orders, your job is to help run a kitchen and get orders out on time. Each round starts simply, with a coordinated team organizing themselves into stations to create an efficient cooking machine. As the orders and problems start to pile up, though, the kitchen quickly devolves into madness, where every correct order feels like a victory. The first Overcooked is an excellent game, but its sequel improves on the co-op cooking fun in a number of ways. Most practically, Overcooked 2 has online multiplayer, while the first game was limited to local co-op. Playing games online with friends is becoming increasingly important, making the first game basically obsolete. Plus, Overcooked 2 has four pieces of DLC to the first game’s single expansion, so there’s no shortage of levels to play through.

Minecraft

Minecraft
84 %
E10
Platforms Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre Adventure, Arcade
Developer Mojang Studios
Publisher Mojang Studios
Release November 18, 2011
Minecraft is the bestselling game of all time — ignoring the multiple iterations of Tetris that have been released over the years — so it needs little introduction. Minecraft‘s massive reach shouldn’t undermine just how good of a game it is. It’s Lego for the 21st century, offering hundreds of hours of fun on basically any device with a screen and an internet connection. Even better, Minecraft supports cross-platform play. You can team up and build with your friends no matter if they’re on iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, Fire TV, Oculus Rift, Gear VR, Windows Mixed Reality, PC, Switch, Xbox One, or PS4.

Cuphead

Cuphead
86 %
E10
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre Shooter, Platform, Adventure, Indie, Arcade
Developer Studio MDHR
Publisher Studio MDHR
Release September 29, 2017
Cuphead‘s 1930s cartoon aesthetic is enough to get anyone interested in the game. Lovingly hand-drawn, the characters, enemies, and environments explode off the screen in a mess of film grain and color. Cuphead is a beautiful-looking game, but more importantly, it’s a fun game. Knuckle-busting platforming levels give you the skills and resources to face the game’s many boss encounters, each of which offers a unique character design and a unique challenge. Cuphead is a great time with just Cuphead, but it’s even better with Mugman. Playing as a duo isn’t any easier — bosses scale in difficulty depending on the number of players — but a player two is indispensable on run-and-gun stages. Cuphead and Mugman can revive each other, making a poorly timed jump or parry a little less punishing. Unfortunately, Cuphead doesn’t support online play. Co-op is restricted to two local players.

Divinity: Original Sin II

Divinity: Original Sin II
87 %
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure
Developer Larian Studios
Publisher Larian Studios
Release September 14, 2017
While many of these co-op games are focused on fun, fast, lightweight experiences that are relatively easy to drop into with new players, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the opposite end of the spectrum: It’s an epic, fantasy, PC-style RPG with all the bells and whistles, but one that’s built from the ground up to be played cooperatively. They don’t even have to cooperate! The game allows for party members to be actively working against one another if they so choose. Between that social structure and a deeply systemic, simulation-focused design throughout, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is about as close as digital games have come to capturing pen-and-paper role-playing.

Portal 2

Portal 2
92 %
4.75/5
E10
Platforms Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac
Genre Shooter, Platform, Puzzle, Adventure
Developer Valve Corporation
Publisher Valve Corporation, Electronic Arts
Release April 19, 2011
The original Portal is a perfect, focused, and hugely influential curio of game design, combining razor-sharp physics platforming puzzles that explore its core, portal gun mechanic, with hilarious writing in your taunting robot overlord, GLaDOS. The sequel is bigger and better in every way, with a highly-produced campaign, an expanded cast, and new mechanics to explore. For our purposes, it also adds a truly excellent co-op campaign, completely separate from the single-player story, which tasks two robot friends with solving puzzles that require two sets of portals. Doubling the number of portals in play makes the co-op campaign fiendishly tricky at times, but all the more satisfying when you do solve it, especially with a friend.
Read our full Portal 2 review

Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2
75 %
T
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter
Developer Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher Blizzard Entertainment
Release October 04, 2022
First-person shooters almost always offer team-based modes these days, with games like Call of Duty, Halo, and Counter-Strike becoming some of the foundational esports. Those games are built on their symmetry, however, starting players off on equal footing to provide a test of raw skill. Blizzard took cooperative FPS play to a whole new level with Overwatch, a team-based “hero shooter” where every player controls a different character with unique skills. Overwatch 2 expands on the base game and improves upon the formula established with games like Team Fortress 2. There is a huge roster of heroes that play radically different from one another, making team composition and collaboration crucial to success. Few shooters reward creative teamwork the way Overwatch 2 does since its growing cast of characters and maps synergize and counter one another in a huge and ever-evolving combinatorial metagame. With such a range of characters and playstyles, Overwatch 2 is the perfect co-op shooter for people that aren’t especially into shooters otherwise.
Overwatch 2 - Free to Play Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
87 %
E10
Platforms Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows Mixed Reality, SteamVR, Daydream, PlayStation VR, Meta Quest, Meta Rift, Gear VR
Genre Puzzle, Simulator, Indie, Card & Board Game
Developer Steel Crate Games
Publisher Steel Crate Games
Release July 16, 2015

It’s a classic Hollywood scenario: A field operative is locked in a battle with time as they try to defuse an elaborate bomb. Meanwhile, a support team frantically digs through manuals remotely to help their colleague get out alive. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is one of the first virtual reality games that really plays with the medium (you can play it without, but the experience lacks tactile suspense). One player, wearing a VR headset, must defuse a procedurally generated bomb, but has no idea how to do so. Everyone else in the game has to solve each of the bomb’s many puzzles, digging through physical manuals to help the defuser. As you may have sensed, asymmetry is a running theme on this list. Putting players in different roles leads to fun and interesting cooperation, and this is a perfect example of how new technology can inspire wholly new types of play.

Destiny 2

Destiny 2
74 %
4/5
T
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Tactical, Adventure
Developer Bungie
Publisher Activision
Release September 06, 2017
Bungie mastered the modern first-person shooter with its Halo series, but it took it to a whole new level with Destiny, using that buttery-smooth shooting as the mechanical foundation for an infinite, cooperative loot grind that draws as much from MMORPGs or Diablo 3 as it does Call of Duty. The sequel refined and evolved what so many people loved about the first game into one of the most polished, online AAA experiences available. Destiny 2 has a little bit of everything: An epic space opera story, intense structured competition, an endless hunt for better and cooler loot, and surprisingly chill PvE missions for when you just want to unwind and shoot aliens with your buds.
Read our full Destiny 2 review

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V
90 %
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter, Adventure
Developer Rockstar North
Publisher Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive
Release September 17, 2013
Over 10 years after launch, Rockstar is still supporting Grand Theft Auto Online with new content (enhanced versions are even coming to Xbox Series X and PS5). If you’ve played a GTA game before, you know what this one is all about: It’s Grand Theft Auto V, just online. GTA Online takes the focus off of the story and puts it on the sandbox. Join up with a crew or take on jobs with just a small group of friends — the choice is yours. GTA Online makes being a criminal fun, and the illegal shenanigans are even better with friends.

PAYDAY 2

PAYDAY 2
73 %
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Tactical
Developer Overkill Software
Publisher 505 Games, Starbreeze Studios
Release August 13, 2013
Everybody loves a good heist movie, but there are shockingly few heist games. Grand Theft Auto V had a handful of co-op heist missions, but PayDay 2 is one of the only games where that is the whole point. There is no linear campaign to speak of, just a rotating selection of heist missions for one to four players, like robbing stores or hijacking armored vehicles. Between missions, players earn money and experience to be spent on weapons, cosmetic upgrades such as a staggering variety of masks, and skill points that help them specialize into different criminal archetypes, like “Mastermind” or “Enforcer.” Released first in 2013, the game’s enduring community has led to a ton of additional content in subsequent years, making this a rich playground for any new players jumping in because of the heist fantasy.

Deep Rock Galactic

Deep Rock Galactic
84 %
T
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5
Genre Shooter, Adventure, Indie
Developer Ghost Ship Games
Publisher Coffee Stain Publishing
Release May 13, 2020
Deep Rock Galactic is one of many Left 4 Dead clones. However, instead of sticking with the campaign-focused formula, developer Ghost Ship Games decided to take their first release in a different direction. In Deep Rock Galactic, you play as a space dwarf exploring a network of caves that have become overrun with aliens. The catch is that the caves are procedurally generated, and the environments are completely destructible. Those random elements breathe a lot of life into Deep Rock Galactic. In a genre where games often fail due to repetitiveness, Deep Rock Galactic gives you something fresh each time you play. You can choose how deep you want to go, too. It’s possible with the fully destructible environments to drill your way through the caves straight to the objective. Alternatively, you can scout around for alternate paths, searching for weapon upgrades and anything else that will help you on your run.

Back 4 Blood

Back 4 Blood
81 %
4/5
M
Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Shooter
Developer Turtle Rock Studios
Publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Release October 12, 2021
Speaking of Left 4 Dead clones, how could we not include Back 4 Blood? This co-op zombie shooter, even just from the name, is obviously calling back to that incredibly fun series that nailed the four-player formula of running through levels against mobs of zombies but has the benefit of being created by that same team. Now on their own, they finally gave us a follow-up to the Left 4 Dead games, although needing to do so under a brand new name. Back 4 Blood has the same setup, you and four friends against zombies and various special infected, but adds in new random elements and perk cards that keep things fresh.
Read our full Back 4 Blood review

Don't Starve Together

Don't Starve Together
75 %
T
Platforms Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S
Genre Simulator, Strategy, Adventure, Indie
Developer Klei Entertainment
Publisher Klei Entertainment
Release April 21, 2016

Don’t Starve might be the most charming survival game out there. In a genre where every developer is concerned with realism, Klei Entertainment went in a different direction with Don’t Starve, honing in on the survival elements and ditching the realism for a gothic coat of paint. Don’t Starve Together is the same game, just with online and local co-op. Plus, it’s a stand-alone expansion, so you don’t need the original game to play. Don’t Starve is a game that pairs survival of the fittest with adventure and exploration. You’ll quickly notice how random everything is every time you restart a new world. The first few worlds you create give you the chance to learn the game rather than focus on surviving. We won’t lie to you, Don’t Starve is a challenging and unforgiving game, but if you remain patient and willing to learn, you can benefit over time.

Editors' Recommendations

Jacob Roach
Senior Staff Writer, Computing
Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he…
The best vocations in Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon's Dogma 2 key art featuring a knight with a fiery hole in their chest.

Your Vocation defines your role in combat in Dragon's Dogma 2. Everything from your skills to what weapons and armor you can use is tied to this class. You will pick from just a handful at the beginning of the game, but can easily change Vocations later on, as well as unlock more than twice as many new options than what you start with. It can take a while to really get a feel for a Vocation and how it performs in combat, as well as to look through all of its skills and augments, before knowing if it's worth sticking with to level up. Personal preference will play a part to some degree, but these Vocations have the most potential to make you the strongest Arisen in history.
The best vocations in Dragon's Dogma 2

You can pick from 4 Vocations at the start of Dragon's Dogma 2, but will end up with a total of 10 by the end of the game if you unlock them all. New Vocations are unlocked by completing quests, but they are almost unmissable. Four Vocations -- the Magick Archer, Mystic Spearhand, Trickster, and Warfarer -- can only be used by your character and not any Pawns.
Warfarer
There's very little downside to being a jack-of-all-trades in Dragon's Dogma 2, which is exactly what the Warfarer is. This is the only Vocation that can use any weapon in the game AND learn any skill from other Vocations. This is the only Vocation that really lets you build whatever class you want and gives you the ability to adapt to any situation you find yourself in. The main downside to this class is it has the lowest base stats, but that is a small price to pay for how versatile you can be.
Mystic Spearhand
Hybrid Vocations are all quite powerful, but we put the Mystic Spearhand at the top of the heap. This class turns you into a fighter that can take advantage of magic to output crazy damage. The two almost overpowered abilities you get here are the ability to slow enemies for a short time and to create a magical mimic that doubles all your actions. It is great for both crowd control and large single targets, but takes a while to unlock and lacks some range.
Warrior
If you're going to be a straight-up melee fighter, you might as well hit with the biggest weapon you can, right? The Warrior swings swords large enough to make Guts blush and is a full-on tank. You won't be doing anything fancy with this vocation beyond charging up and swinging as hard as possible. The obvious drawback is any flying or ranged enemy will counter you, so bring some Pawns in those classes to cover your bases.
Sorcerer
For those who fancy themselves a pure mage, stick to the Sorcerer over the actual Mage vocation. While the Mage is more focused on healing, it is the Sorcerer who gets the best offensive spells you will want to be casting. If you have a second Sorcerer with you, you can even sync up and decrease your casting time. If not, you will need some tanks to take aggro while you deal with some slightly long casting times and low total health.
Thief
As far as the starting Vocations go, the Thief is the one we find the most fun and viable for the entire game. This is a light and speedy build focused on critical hits and being able to climb and hang on to large beasts. Once on, you have a number of great skills to stagger and knock down an enemy so the rest of your squad to gang up on it. Just don't get hit because you're one of the squishier Vocations.

Read more
Best gaming chair deals: Save on Alienware, Razer, and more
Razer - Iskur Gaming Chair.

Playing video games can be very time-consuming, especially since we can lose track of time and spend several hours sitting down -- not always healthy. While it's important to regularly stand up to help with circulation, having a good gaming chair can also help with things like posture and keeping your back and muscles healthy by adding a bit of support. Of course, gaming chairs can get a bit expensive, which is why we've collected some of our favorite gaming chair deals and put them below to save you time.
Homall Massage Gaming Chair -- $85, was $170

The Homall Massage Gaming Chair is affordable, but it will get the job done of keeping you comfortable while playing video games with its ergonomic design and high-quality PU leather materials. It's got head and waist pillows with a massage function that sets it apart from other cheap gaming chairs. The backrest can recline between 90 degrees and 180 degrees so you can find the perfect angle, and it also has a retractable footrest for an extra sitting position.

Read more
Best gaming headset deals: PS5, Xbox and PC
The Razer Nari Ultimate gaming headset with a gaming PC.

Every great gamer should go into the action with a quality gaming headset, one designed to accommodate the more specific needs of gaming audio than a set of cheap headphones can offer. Many of the best gaming headsets are worth a look, but there’s also quite a few gaming headset deals out there right now. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly option or something more on the premium side of things, there’s some savings out there on a new gaming headset. We’ve rounded up all of the best gaming headset deals here in one place, so read onward to take advantage of these offers while they last.
Turtle Beach Ear Force Recon 50 wired gaming headset — $25, was $40

The Turtle Beach Ear Force Recon 50 wired gaming headset is one of the most affordable options in the market right now, but it has most of what you would need from a gaming headset. It’s equipped with high-quality 40mm speakers and an adjustable high-sensitivity microphone that will make your voice loud and clear when you talk. You can also remove the microphone when you’re not using it, and there are in-line controls in the Turtle Beach Ear Force Recon 50’s cable for volume and muting the microphone.

Read more