Games

Co-Op Games That Require The Most Teamwork

Published

21 seconds ago

January 8, 2025

Christoph Rediske

Summary

Table of Contents

Co-op games need real teamwork, not just multi-player options.
Success in challenging co-op games hinges on communication and collaboration.
Games like Lethal Company, A Way Out, and Portal 2 stand out for requiring true teamwork.

It’s easy to love and enjoy co-op games, but sometimes they feel more like single-player games that happen to allow multiple players to work together. This is all well and good for chill gaming sessions. However, at times, couples and groups may want to truly put their teamwork to the test through something challenging that requires real teamwork and communication to succeed.

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Luckily, there are plenty of co-op games on the market that do exactly that. Players will need to really work together and communicate if they want to stand the slightest chance of winning. These games can be frustrating, of course, but they are the most rewarding games for groups to play when plans all come together and victory is within reach.

Updated January 8th, 2025, by Mara Cowley: Co-op games have always been an essential part of gaming, presenting two players or more with challenges such as puzzles or combat to overcome by working together. Cooperation is always the key ingredient when it comes to playing teamwork video games, but undoubtedly there are a few games that shine as the best examples of this, such as Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, or Overcooked. There is little more satisfying than when cooperative play results in victory, and to give players more ways to taste this, this article has been expanded with a few more brilliant examples of co-op games that require stringent teamwork.

9

Lethal Company

Work Together to Survive the Dangers of the Moons and the Company

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Lethal Company
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Systems

Released: October 23, 2023
Developer(s): Zeekerss

Working for a mysterious corporation known only as the company, their employees travel to various moons on the lookout for scrap that must make up their quota, which will increase with each successful quota that is passed. But there are perils on every moon, from dangerous inhabitants to environmental threats, and failure to meet the Company’s quota has disastrous consequences.

As such, Lethal Company players need to coordinate their efforts to survive all the possible dangers they could possibly encounter. Radioing players about potential monsters in the base, keeping everyone else up to date with any scrap found, or even having one friend stay behind on the ship to open metal doors and watch the mini-map for threats, there are numerous ways players can work together to succeed.

8

A Way Out

Work Together to Pull off a Jail-Break

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A Way Out

Released: March 23, 2018
OpenCritic Rating: Strong

No one wants to rot away in prison, even if they are guilty of the crimes they were arrested for. Leo and Vincent decide that one day enough is enough, especially after crime boss Havery sets his sights on the former. The two begrudgingly team up to find a way out, and teamwork is a must.

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The game is played in split-screen co-op, regardless if players are playing via couch co-op game or online. The split-screen display can be a little more challenging to newer players who might not be used to this, which means teamwork will be even more important. The game’s finale is one that is mostly unexpected, subverting what gamers would expect from a teamwork-focused co-op game.

7

Portal 2

Solve Puzzles Using Series Famous Portal Gun

10/10

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Portal 2

With the original Portal being such a smash hit, introducing players to GlaDOS and portal guns which players can use to overcome obstacles, a sequel was inevitable. Portal 2 introduced two robots known as ATLAS and P-Body, for a cooperative campaign.

Together, the players will explore the lab level by level, each posing a challenging puzzle that will not only require portal guns, but teamwork and a good amount of thinking. Without cooperative play, some of the obstacles are impossible to overcome, and failure is inevitable.

6

Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes

Co-Op Bomb Diffusal

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is an immersive co-op game that makes players feel like they’re in the middle of an intense thriller. One person tries to defuse a bomb with absolutely no information on how to do so, while the other must read the bomb’s manual without actually seeing the bomb.

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Teamwork and communication are key when vital information is held from each player. One player only sees the bomb, while the other player only sees the manual, so both players are blind in one way or another. Success requires both sides to relay information about how the bomb looks, which wires to cut, etc. fast and efficiently, which can create intense moments and make the game feel like a horror co-op game instead of a puzzle game.

5

Unrailed!

Fast-Paced Train Track Builder

Released: September 9, 2019
Developer: Indoor Astronaut
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Unrailed! is a co-op isometric game where players need to build train tracks in real-time as a train rides through a procedurally generated world. There are a lot of points of difficulty in Unrailed!; players need to not only be able to react quickly to the train, burglars, and the world as it forms, but they must be able to think quickly and make the correct decisions with very little time.

The best way to enjoy a game of Unrailed! is through local co-op, since players can communicate a bit more effectively, but playing online is still very do-able. Teamwork is so essential because of the communication and synergy required to succeed. All players need to figure out what their job should be, whether cutting trees, fighting burglars, or building the tracks, and then execute those jobs while helping their teammates when need be.

4

We Need To Go Deeper

Difficult Co-Op Deep Sea Roguelike

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We Need to Go Deeper

Systems

Released: February 8, 2017
Developer(s): Advertisement

Deli Interactive

We Need To Go Deeper places its players in a submarine that they must manage while they dive deeper and deeper into the depths of an unforgiving ocean filled with Lovecraftian horrors. It’s just a very difficult roguelike, in general, since players need to not only manage a submarine and divert power to various parts (guns, speed, etc.) but also fend off creatures, explore caves, etc. while everything is trying to kill them.

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So much can go wrong during a run, and if one player isn’t relaying all of the information they can to the others, then the whole submarine can easily be submerged in barnacle-infested water. If a hole breaks in the ship and water flows in, someone needs to leave their post to patch it and kill anything that may have crawled in through the hole, for example. Players need to be willing to act selflessly and for the good of the submarine over their own desires.

3

For The King 2

Co-Op Turn Based RPG

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For The King 2
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Released: November 2, 2023
Developer(s): Advertisement

Ironoak Games
OpenCritic Rating: Strong
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For The King 2 and the original For The King are among the best co-op roguelikes ever made. They are also among the hardest and require real synergy and teamwork. In For The King 2, the teamwork starts right at the beginning of a run when players choose their classes. A balanced team is essential for success, so players will need to actually spend some time and ensure they are entering a run with a solid team if they want to win.

Now, real teamwork starts during a game. Players will need to explore the overworld, complete side quests, and defeat enemies together if they want to win. One player can’t do everything and a lot of objectives are on a timer, so tasks will need to be delegated. Battles are another area where teamwork comes into play in a huge way, as they are turn-based and actually show turn order, so everyone will have to use puzzle-solving skills to figure out the best abilities or attacks to use in the best order to min-max the results. For The King runs last a very long time, so every bit of damage saved matters.

2

Chained Together

Only Up! While Chained Together At The Hip

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Chained Together

Systems

Released: June 19, 2024
Developer(s): Anegar Games

Chained Together is a game that is very similar to Only Up!, except with one important gimmick: players are all chained together. This means players cannot run ahead of each other and will need to complete the obstacle course at the same time while managing the physics that comes with being held together by a rather short chain.

7:20

Best 4-Player Co-Op Games

There are countless 4-player co-op games available for gamers to check out. These, however, are easily among the best.

Since players are quite literally joined at the hip, Chained Together forces players to think and move together. No one can move too fast or too slow, and if anyone falls, everyone falls. This can be very bad in certain situations, like trying to scale a ladder with traps that are trying to push the players off. Communication, patience, and a distinct lack of trolling are key for teams who want to stand a chance at completing the game.

1

Overcooked! 2

Chaotic Kitchen Cooking

7/10

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Overcooked 2

Released: August 7, 2018
Developer(s): Team17
, Ghost Town Games

Overcooked! 2 has become a bit notorious for being one of the most fun and most difficult local co-op games on the market. In Overcooked! 2, players need to memorize and cook various recipes in a variety of wacky and challenging kitchens.

Cooking is rarely as simple as “One player cooks this, while the other player cooks that.” Overcooked! 2 loves throwing curveballs at the player and there are mechanics like dishes and fires that require players to adapt to the game and communicate with each other effectively in order to keep putting out dishes in a timely manner. It’s one of the most fun and chaotic co-op experiences out there and will truly put a group’s teamwork to the test.