Like many hobbies, gaming is often better with friends, and there’s nothing better than working with your best buds to pursue a common goal.
That may be the case in an ideal world, but emotions can run high when things go wrong, andyou all know it wasn’t your fault. If you want to play some games where you might need an apology letter afterward, here are a few to put your friendships through the wringer.
10Escape from Tarkov
“Our” Loot
Escape from Tarkovis best known as an intense PvPvE Extraction Shooter withunique survival mechanics. It also has afleshed-out PvE mode, which you can play entirely co-op.
Co-opTarkovis a ton of fun, but you’re sorely mistaken if you think you’re in for an easy ride.There’s friendly fire, and you can instantly kill your friends if they wander in front of you, or you don’t recognize them.
There’sno respawning, so if you kill your teammate, they are forced to wait in the lobby until you extract. The best part is, when you lose your life inTarkov, youlose all of your gear and lootas well!
There’s an insurance system that can soften the blow, but dying hurts, and it stings so much more when your buddy pulls the trigger.
9Death Squared
High-Stress Puzzle Solving
Death Squared
Death Squaredis a brilliant butfiendish co-op puzzlerwhere every player must bring their A-game.
EachDeath Squaredmap is an intricate maze of moving parts and obstacles. Many puzzles requirecoordination and strict timing, and it’s pretty clear from the first level thatDeath Squaredisn’t your typical friendly neighborhood puzzler.
There’s no time limit, but it will take your team a while even to figure out how to navigate later levels. Dead weight on the squad makes the game much harder, and thestage complexity can feel overbearing.
I have a soft spot forDeath Squared, as it offers a refreshing take on the co-op puzzle genre. I recommend it for any groups seeking a challenge, but if you hear disgruntled huffs and sighs, it may be time to play something else.
8Sea of Thieves
A Pirates Life For Me
Sea of Thievesis unforgettable with a crew of friends, but if other players don’t steal your loot, greed and silly mistakes will.
I’ve had many unforgettable sessions onSea of Thieves, fromthe highest highs to the lowest lows. Most of those lows are self-inflicted, and while my crew is experienced and super chill, it would be nightmarish with the wrong group.
Loot inSea of Thievesis never yours until you cash it in. An inexperienced helmsman can easily destroy the ship, and those Athena Kegs may sell for a decent amount but can blow your vessel to smithereens.
Even if you play carefully, bloodthirsty pirates can challenge you for your hard-earned spoils, creating a high-stress environment despite the stunning vistas.
Sea of Thievesis great fun when you don’t care about loot, but it can cause some nasty infighting until you get to that point.
If you’re with a relaxed group,Sea of Thievesis one ofthe most accessible gamesaround, and it has something for everyone.
7Destiny 2
Even Your Ghost Hates You
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Destiny 2Raids andDungeonsare some of the most creative environments you can tackle in a first-person shooter. They are alsothe ultimate test of patience, depending on your group.
Most mechanics inDestiny 2Raids require several Guardians to perform different tasks simultaneously. These tasks can be pretty tricky, from holding hordes of enemies at bay to solving fiendish puzzles.
Raid mechanics will usuallywipe out the teamif you screw up, and tensions can run high if you’ve been trying the same activity for multiple hours.
Raids can be particularly hellish with random players, and while it’s better with people you know, it can be miserable when the team just wants to finish the session and go to bed.
10 FPS Games With Unique Mechanics
Move over, Call of Duty.
6Spelunky 2
Spelunky 2is an unforgivingRoguelikewhere the most innocent mistake can end your run and send you straight back to the first level in The Dwelling.
you may tackleSpelunky 2with a friend, and co-op does have advantages, as you can respawn your buddies. The problem is that adding another playeradds a ton of randomness, and events can spiral out of control.
There is friendly fire, and you can easily kill your chances of winning with a misplaced bomb or shotgun blast.Spelunky 2often feels likeyou’re in a giant Rube Goldberg machine, and one false step can trigger a chain of events to doom your teammates.
It’s cruel, but Spelunky 2 has a reputation to keep, andwe absolutely love it.
But We’re A Crime Family!
Payday 2is arguablythe best heist gameon the market that rewards teamwork with mountains of cash.
Few things are as satisfying in gaming as a professionally executedPaydaymission. The issue is there aremany moving partsin the perfect heist. For example, you must figure out if you’re going loud or trying a stealth operation.
If you’re trying to be sneaky, all it takes is a single pedestrian to spot one of your team to ruin everything, prompting the cops to swarm the area.
You canlose a ton of progress for the entire team, even if you try your best. It sucks to be the player to force a restart, and tensions can run uncomfortably high.
A Brutal Masterpiece
Cupheadis an unforgiving 2D adventure withBoss Rush mechanicsand a beautiful art style reminiscent of 1920s and 1930s animation.
You die fast inCuphead, so surely a helping hand would be a net positive, right? Well, sometimes.
Co-op inCupheadhas some advantages, like reviving, but the downsides can be catastrophic. When you playCupheadwith a friend, itdoubles the boss’s healthpools. If your buddy dies early, you have double the work to beat the stage.
Cupheadco-op is fun, but it’s arguably the toughest way to get into the game, asyou have to play flawlesslyagainst the most formidable opponents for much longer.
3Overcooked
Food Fight!
Overcooked
Overcookedis a legendary co-op cooking game that separates the cooks from the master chefs. It can also bea savage lesson in patience.
You and your friends manage a busy kitchen where each player must be responsible for their station. Communication is vital, and gameplay can get pretty stressful despite the cutesy graphics.
The real challenge for any group is dealing with problems, asthings can go south quickly in the kitchen. Fires are an ever-present threat, as are burnt ingredients. If you’re not careful, it’s even possible to throw a perfectly decent meal away if you press a button near a bin.
Silly mistakes can cost the game inOvercooked, and while it’s not a problem in a comfy group, that finger-pointing can start to add up.
I guess what they say is true: Kitchens ARE stressful workplaces!
2Chained Together
You’ve Got To Stick Together!
Chained Together
Only Upwas an indie phenomenon that tasked a solo player to climb a massive tower of furniture miles into the sky.Chained Togetheris functionally identical but for multiple players.
As the name implies,you’re attached to your friendsinChained Together. You must traverse a wide selection of random clutter, and while movement is clumsy, it’s oddly addictive.
There’s alsoa massive emphasis on timing and teamwork, which can quickly become grating if your friends aren’t into it. One lousy jump can send you back a long way, and it’s easy for the blame game to start.
1Moving Out
It’s Not This Fun In Real Life
Moving Out
Moving Outis a superb co-op party game where you andyour friends helm a furniture removal service.
You always have two tasks inMoving Out. Grab all required furniture from a building and cram it into a delivery van. The issue is many large objects are too heavy to move alone, requiringtiming and coordinationfrom multiple players.
Seriously, you can lose a mission if someone leaves a sofa obstructing a doorway, and while it’susually hilarious, it can be irritating.
Even if your group nails the removal, it still needs to be neatly stacked in the van, or else it won’t fit.
Many things can go wrong inMoving Out, and while I firmly believe that’s part of the fun, it can be frustrating if you’re going for those top scores.
