Highlights
- Action games with engaging co-op gameplay can enhance the experience by allowing friends to team up and take on action-packed missions together.
- Sea of Thieves, Monster Hunter Rise , and Borderlands 3 are just a few standout co-op action games that offer enjoyable gameplay experiences with friends.
- Co-op gameplay in these titles involves teamwork, strategic planning, and intense battles against enemies or rival players, making for thrilling and satisfying gameplay moments.
Action games can be incredibly satisfying to play as most focus on taking on a bunch of enemies and taking them down one by one. Or it could be about taking on one giant enemy and using skills learned to methodically slay the beast. Either way, it is cool being a hero in action sequences.
However, there are plenty of people who want to take on this hero role with other people. That's why it is always nice when an action game includes engaging co-op gameplay so that friends can get together and take on action-packed missions. There are a few co-op action games that stand out above the rest.
10 Sea Of Thieves
If people are ever bored and just want to come together to sail across an ocean, Sea of Thieves is a pretty solid co-op experience to take part in. Crews of up to four people can be formed with ships ranging in size to fit however big the party ends up being.
There are numerous story quests to go on, including tall tales that go deep into the lore of Sea of Thieves. But whiles these tales do have some combat, the real challenge comes with other players sailing nearby wanting a challenge. Everyone can take on different roles as players fire off the cannons at each other, with plenty of strategies to use to sink the rival crew.
9 Monster Hunter Rise
Capcom has produced some fun co-op experiences in the past, especially when it comes to the Monster Hunter franchise. It's hard to say which game is the one that stands out most in terms of engaging co-op gameplay but Monster Hunter Rise is the one with the most amount of polish.
Keeping the idea of multiplayer in mind, Monster Hunter Rise has specific quests that can only be completed with more than one person. Up to four players can meet up after activating a quest at The Hunter Hub and go after one of the many large targets in the game, with difficulty scaling implemented to make sure no fight is too easy or too hard.
8 Borderlands 3
There's nothing like a good looter-shooter and Borderlands 3 is the third entry in a franchise known for shaping the genre to what it is today. It is also a game that is defined by a fun campaign made even more fun with engaging co-op gameplay.
Players can become a team of Vault Hunters as they attempt to stop the evil Calypso Twins from getting a hold of too much power. The best part of the thrilling action-packed co-op gameplay of Borderlands 3 is that players can invite friends to their campaign without any worry about where that person is at with their leveling or story missions.
7 Payday 2
While it is fun to be the hero in action games, it is also fun to play the heel. In Payday 2, players can take on the role of robbers who look to pull off expensive heists. And of course, players can take on the mission alone, but it is far more fun to play with friends.
The engaging co-op of Payday 2 comes in during the early parts of missions when players can designate different team members on what their task is and where they need to station themselves in a stealth situation. Things get intense when the robbery begins because it leads to cops coming in hoards. Take down everyone and deliver the goods to get a nice payout for everyone.
6 Warhammer: Vermintide 2
When it comes to action games with deep campaigns, they typically always have an option for solo play on top of co-op. However, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is strictly a co-op game for up to four players. The first-person experience pits players against various enemies set in the Warhammer universe.
While there are only five characters to choose from, each one can take on numerous career paths to earn a unique set of skills that encourage players to keep playing to unlock everything for that job. There is also plenty of DLC available for the game as developer Fatshark continues to work on the game years after its release.
5 Left 4 Dead 2
Some of the more action-packed video games out there tend to focus on a common trope: zombies. There are so many zombie games out there, but among the handful that is truly iconic is Left 4 Dead 2, one of the best co-op games made by Valve.
A sequel to an already beloved survival horror FPS, Left 4 Dead 2 features five campaigns that are perfect for engaging co-op gameplay. There are also numerous modes to choose from, allowing friends to pick from an array of different experiences depending on what everyone is in the mood for.
4 Deep Rock Galactic
An action game that has a lot of focus on managing different tasks is Deep Rock Galactic. This game is another that puts a heavy emphasis on cooperative play as it is all about space Dwarves raiding planets for their materials and taking down monsters.
A first-person shooter that can be played with up to four players, there are four classes that players can choose from that change up what their role is during each expedition. While the person that digs through a world is a Driller, the one who fights off creatures is known as the Gunner. The environments are also fully destructible, increasing the level of ridiculous fun in Deep Rock Galactic.
3 Risk Of Rain 2
With so many great roguelikes out there, it is hard to imagine that so few of them have offered co-op as part of their gameplay. One of the best roguelikes that have done just that is Risk of Rain 2, a sequel to a game that was already considered among the best of the genre.
The loop of Risk of Rain 2 is entering a location and taking on massive waves of enemies. The goal is to beat the world's final boss and then escape, although players do have the option to stick around longer to take out more enemies. Either way, players can work together at any point and take on difficult battles.
2 Diablo 4
Part of one of the most iconic action franchises out there, Diablo 4 stands out as being a great entry point for those who are looking to try the action RPG for the first time. It is even better when there are friends around to help out through all the dungeons.
After picking one of the five classes, players will go through procedurally generated dungeons and come away with more equipment that can then be used to take on harder sections of the game. Diablo 4 has a primary story campaign as well as seasonal content, all of which includes enthralling co-op gameplay.
1 Destiny 2
Since its launch in 2017, Destiny 2 has provided players with plenty of expansion content and even more stories to come from the universe. And while these updates have not always made players happy, there is no question that the cooperative gameplay stands out compared to most other video games.
There is a ton of player versus environment (PvE) content in the game, which ranges from major raids to small strikes. There are also several ways to join people in games, whether it is people that are already friends or those looking to join a brand-new group of people. Either way, the first-person shooter includes so many incredible moments that are made better with co-op.