Summary
There are plenty of incredible co-op games available to the masses, whether players are looking forfun couch co-op experienceslikeUntil DawnorMan of Medan, or perhaps the more challenging puzzle-solving worlds you can find in games likePortal. Regardless of what people are searching for though, there’s always a desire to find something new to play with friends, keeping it fresh with a new adventure to embark on.
Finding a new game can often feel like the hardest part of making the leap to play with friends, struggling to find something exciting and unseen outsidethe regular selection of popular co-op hitslikeIt Takes TwoandA Way Out.But there are always hidden gems waiting to be found, so let’s explore some interesting co-op games that most players have never heard of.
7Escape First Alchemist
Escape From An Alchemist’s Workshop
Likeplenty of other incredible escape-room-styled games,Escape First Alchemistplaces the player and their friends inside the workshop of an evil alchemist, watching over and laughing at the players' failures as they struggle to make it out. Between differing puzzles, such as brewing potions, interacting with world elements, and overcoming challenges, this cooperative adventure is a great, somewhat short slice of adventure for all.
With up to 4 players available to join, or solo mode for those wanting to go alone,Escape First Alchemist is great for small groups for some relatively mid-level puzzle solving. The 3D graphics also make it very appealing to the eye, drawing you into the mystery that things may not be as they seem.
6Puzzle Compound
Solve Puzzle Levels With Friends
Offering a virtual escape for 2–4 players,Puzzle Compoundmerges elements ofsome of the greatest puzzle games out there. Through varying, incredibly unique maps, these worlds take players on a ride through a variety of themed experiences akin to an escape room, tailoring puzzles to their different levels, such as the Wild West, or a bank heist.
Through puzzle-based problem-solving, players are urged to work together and explore the open locations, gathering clues and collaborating to solve the different head-stumping conundrums in front of them. The pure variation in puzzles makes it an excellent selection too, keeping things fun without any niggling repetition.
5DEATHWATCHERS
Haunted House Anomolies
Unlike a lot of traditional puzzle-solving co-op games,DEATHWATCHERStakes a new spin on the co-op genre, delivering a horror installment of its own. With 4 player online co-op, players can group up with friends and embark on this unsettling psychological horror, exploring haunted locations filled with different anomalies that need to be tracked to ‘win’.
With various equipment for players to use to guide them,DEATHWATCHERSis highly focused on spot-the-difference style changes around the areas, locating and logging them as people play. These are, of course, frightening in their own right, adding spooky differences and aiding players in their progress to build a ritual that cleanses the locations of any demonic threats.
4Zigglox
Build The Tallest Tower
Perfect for 4-8 players all at once, the crazily action-packedZiggloxreallydefines what it is to be a hidden gem, delivering a new concept that hasn’t been done before. Between teaming up with friends or going online, players fight to build the highest and most aesthetically colorful tower before the other team, battling to get to blocks while determined to reach the skies.
With special blocks thrown into the mix as well as different combinations, such as varying colors stacked causing differing effects, there’s a lot of depth poured into the gameplay that makes it really original. Other blocks include ‘Dynamite’, ‘Cheese’, and ‘Ice’, each causing a shift-up on the playing field for constant fun and variety.
3Feather Party
Rapid Party Game Action
Reminiscent ofFall GuysandParty Animals,the chick-based party gameFeather Partyembraces plentiful fun mini-games for friends to battle it out to win. With up to 8 players all at once, this constantly chaotic selection gives players the option of up to 14 dynamic mini-games (with more in the works), always delivering something refreshing with each new game.
Some of the levels include scoring goals as a team in soccer, racing in a track race, reaching the top scores throughout and even fighting against the elements like ice, electric, and fire. Through it all, teams will become ever-competitive to win, topped off by the cutesy bird character designs that allow for unique customizations.
2Witchtastic
Quick Magical Potion Brewing
Designed similarly to theco-op favoriteOvercooked,Witchtasticoffers a more magically delightful escape for players and their friends, enlisting aspiring witches for their restaurant/shop-style outpost. As players are rushed to quickly brew and deliver magic potions as fast as possible, this cozy-looking treat will rapidly become a mayhem-filled endeavor, speeding to finish up on time.
Utilizing the perfect selection of witchy items,Witchtasticincorporates deadly nightshade, garlic or mushrooms, all used in differing cauldron recipes. Different biomes and levels are a treat too, taking players on a journey through dark haunted forests, deadly swamps, green woodlands, cobbled streets, and more.
1Bonding Ambivalence
Survive a Cyberpunk Research Facility
Unique from anything else out there,Bonding Ambivalencetakes players on a journey through a cyberpunk-inspired universe, delightfully lit up by high-rise cities and neon signs. As part of a special police unit, players and their co-op partner are tasked to investigate the sudden shutdown of a research facility, but what they’ll find is far beyond their expectations.
Relying on true investigation,Bonding Ambivalencereally makes players work for their success and their progression, at times even hindering progress with certain poorly made decisions. The constant essence of fear and psychological pressure keeps pressure-cooker of ambiance behind players, constantly keeping them on their toes. Between hacking and infiltration, this adventure is all about survival.
