When itcomes to survival games, trying to make it out alive is everything. Having a helping hand by your side throughout the combat, scavenging for supplies, cooking and building makes the heart-pumping journey more entertaining. Whether it’s with friends or strangers, you’re bound to enjoy making it through the combative rollercoaster ahead of all of you.
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In recent years, survival co-op games have gained more popularity than ever before. This has given audiences thrilling adventures to go on with their friends that are about more than just shooting through hordes of foes. There’s something incredibly rewarding about gradually building an elaborate base together, and generally sharing roles between you to become a well-oiled survival machine. Creating memorable experiences and unique gameplay, here are some of the greatest survival co-op games to have a shot at with your friends (or even new acquaintances).
10Conan Exiles
With its in-depth crafting and battle mechanics,Conan Exilesis an immersive co-op open-world experience. There are endless aspects for you and other players to explore, leaving you with something new to do at nearly every moment.
Set in the world of Conan the Barbarian, this game has somewhat of a tactical gameplay style. To survive, you (and your team) must pay attention to specific elements of the game, such as understanding the map and going about combat in a certain way. Because of this, it won’t take long to notice that making it out alive in Conan Exiles will be brutal.
Challenging you to conquer the realm around you and defeat banished monsters,Valheimis a ruthless survival experience. Set in a world centered around Norse mythology, you are tasked to battle and build with other players to fight the terrifying creatures that cross your path.
While you can play on your own, Valheim is much more exciting to play with others. On the surface, this game might not seem to be truly difficult. Along your way deep into the trenches of this Viking-centric world, though, even the smallest thing could kill you. Giving you the chance to build bases and explore the seas, the co-op mode in Valheim makes everything feel more like a community effort rather than just a video game.
8Astroneer
In a world where space exploration and colorful scenery capture you whole,Astroneertakes a friendly approach to its survival aspects. Centered around a vision of the future of the aerospace industry, you’ll spend your time discovering the beautiful ins and outs of distant worlds within the 25th century.
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When it comes to the co-op mode, this game is beautifully interactive. Putting you in an environment with other players to build custom bases and go about the world however you desire, the gameplay in Astroneer is impeccable. As you’re challenged to put your life at risk to uncover rare mysteries and discoveries, playing with friends will be an unforgettable time.
When it comes to amazing survival co-op games,Rustis one that pushes its survival gameplay to the max. Your only goalthroughout the entire gameis to simply survive. Of course, with everything around you being out for your blood, you’ll be lucky to stay alive for just one night.
Rust is no stranger to ruthless gameplay. Nearly everything you come across can catch you off-guard and kill you in moments. This also goes for other players as well, leading you to choose whether you want to be their friend or foe. With all of this in mind, it’s no wonder that Rust is a highly-addictive survival co-op to sink endless hours into. In a lot of such titles, survival in numbers is very important, and this goes double for Rust.
6The Forest
The Forestwonderfully mixes co-op and survival horror into a unique gaming experience. Placing you in a world where you’re the lone survivor of a plane crash, you must find your son before he’s consumed by the vicious people sneaking around in the woods.
The Forest is certainly an unnerving experience for solo survival horror fans, but the co-op mode is where this game shines the brightest. You and other players are placed in a world full of deadly trees, and you’ll feel lucky that you won’t have to navigate through this haunting atmosphere alone. Building a base is vital to surviving, so players will need to communicate to ensure that their new home can withstand the many threats that lie ahead.
By itself,Terrariaisa beautiful 2D experience, an open world renowned for its inventiveness and the great freedom it provides to players. From crafting to the soundtrack, this game is wrapped in creativity. Exploring each new area in Terraria is endlessly surprising, and this is especially true when you have someone adventuring alongside you.
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The multiplayer mode in Terraria isn’t very different from single-player. However, it helps you get by in the game more efficiently, as you have backup during boss fights and other combat encounters. Not to mention how satisfying it feels to see the world around both of you slowly turn from just an isolated grassy environment to a home in the making, one you’re able to plan out and enjoy together.
Scum is a special kind of survival co-op game. The developers worked hard to evolve survival-multiplayer games and turn them into an experience that feels detailed and immersive above all else. In other words, Scum takes you by the hand and pulls you into a land full of complexity and unexpected control.
Featuring a rare crafting system that adds an element of realism, Scum aims for a rugged atmosphere while capturing a realistic tone. It’s a perfect co-op survival game to play with friends, as you’ll be engrossed by its advanced survival tactics and gorgeous landscape. Of course, the outfits and detailed character customization also make each character visually distinct. It’s certainly a grittier survival experience than some alternatives, though.
3Ark: Survival Evolved
Survival co-op games meetJurassic Parkin this iconic open world.Ark: Survival Evolvedplaces you on the shores of a ruthless island filled with bloodthirsty dinosaurs. However, with time, you’re able to also get the chance to tame these creatures and team up with them in hopes of somehow escaping.
Besides these prehistoric powerhouses, you’ll also come across other humans. You never know what you’re getting into, as this person could be your friend or foe. Regardless, the chance of finding someone who’ll ultimately help you towards a means of escaping, despite how grim everything may appear, is well worth the risk. If you can bring a friend along to reduce that risk, so much the better. Being one of the most well-known survival MMOs, Ark: Survival Evolved showcases the heart of virtual survival.
2Don’t Starve Together
The intricate details littered throughout a playthrough ofDon’t Starve Togethermake this game a charming journey for you and your friends. Don’t Starve Together is an extended multiplayer version of the iconic survival indie game,Don’t Starve. It features a unique set of characters for you and other players to choose from, giving you the chance to form a powerful team with abilities that complement each other.
Letting you play with up to six people, you explore a grim environment and attempt to reach a new survival record. Strangely enough, dying in this game can actually be good for your team. In the long run, it encourages going about everything in a new way, and your skills improve over a period of trial and error.
1Minecraft
Besides being a perfect sandbox video game,Minecraftoffers a default survival mode that takes your crafting to a new level. Encouraging you to build a house as fast as you may before nightfall, weapons and stores of food become hugely important as darkness falls.
Minecraft differs from other survival co-op games as the combat is rather more simplistic. However, this doesn’t diminish the creepy noises you’ll hear throughout the night while you attempt to rest. Staying alive in Minecraft isn’t too difficult, but hosting a realm/world for your friends to join makes the attempts to craft powerful weapons and awe-inspiring buildings hours of addictive fun. The collaborative elements are strongest in this title than any other survival experience.
