The Best Co-op Adventure Games

When searching for the best co-op adventure games, several factors deserve consideration. A great game needs a rich atmosphere, a clear sense of adventure, an engaging story, and gameplay that remains consistently rewarding rather than taking a back seat to the narrative. It should also give two or more players an equal sense of achievement, whether friends can join at any time or experience the entire adventure together from the beginning.

Fortunately, we have taken the guesswork out of the search by compiling a list of essential multiplayer titles that treat every player as an indispensable member of the team. None of these games treats the second player as an afterthought; instead, they allow everyone to play side by side on equal terms. The selection offers something for every kind of friend group, from swashbuckling open worlds to narrative-driven adventures that span multiple genres.

Do not forget to check out our best co-op story games list as well.

Bokura

• Release date: August 9, 2023
• Co-op players: 2

For a sweet and emotionally moving two-player adventure, Bokura is difficult to overlook. This acclaimed indie title is a purpose-built two-player puzzle platformer that will break—and then mend—your heart. You and a friend play as two boys who have run away from home and must overcome the dangers standing between them and their goal of traveling as far away as possible.

Verbal communication is essential because each player sees a very different world on screen. You must guide one another, relying on your partner to perceive what you cannot and discover solutions unavailable from your own perspective. One player sees a world of animals, while the other sees a world of machines. Together, you must escape this fractured world and uncover what caused your realities to diverge.

See on Steam.

Everwind

• Release date: March 17, 2026 (Early Access)
• Co-op players: 2–4

Everwind began as a Kickstarter campaign and is now available through Steam Early Access. If you enjoy experiencing new games from the ground floor, this is an ideal time to discover what it offers. It is a block-based open-world adventure with fully integrated co-op play, allowing players to build flying island-ships and uncover the secrets of a mysterious world. If you enjoy the survival-crafting style of games such as Terraria and Minecraft but want somewhere new to explore, Everwind should be an excellent fit.

See on Steam.

Resident Evil 5

• Release date: September 15, 2009
• Co-op players: 2

Although it is not suited to the easily frightened, Resident Evil 5 aligns more closely with action-adventure than pure survival horror. Its legendary co-op mode firmly establishes it as one of the best co-op horror games of all time. The entertaining story requires little prior knowledge of the franchise, allowing you and a friend to jump in through split-screen local co-op or online play and tackle the adventure together.

Teamwork is essential to surviving Resident Evil 5’s hostile world. Players must watch each other’s backs and cooperate to defeat exceptionally challenging enemies. You will also need to trade items, keep track of each character’s inventory, and make effective use of Chris and Sheva’s individual strengths.

See at Fanatical.

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Sea of Thieves

• Release date: March 20, 2018
• Co-op players: 2–4

Few experiences feel more adventurous than exploring the open seas with a pirate crew. Sea of Thieves is essentially a virtual playground where you and your friends can fulfill your wildest seafaring fantasies by hunting for treasure, battling enemies, exploring new lands, and building a reputation as a crew to be admired—or feared. If you want an excellent cross-platform co-op game, Sea of Thieves is difficult to surpass.

See on Steam.

Divinity: Original Sin II

• Release date: September 14, 2017
• Co-op players: 2–4

Although Baldur’s Gate 3 may be the obvious choice, you have probably already experienced it, so consider playing Divinity: Original Sin II with your RPG-loving friends. If you want a game like Baldur’s Gate 3 that offers an entirely different story and lore-rich world, Larian Studios’ previous title is an excellent choice.

Divinity: Original Sin II takes place in a universe entirely separate from Baldur’s Gate, but it offers a similar style of play and exemplifies the same rich storytelling and spirit of boundless adventure. Every character has distinct traits, strengths, and abilities, ensuring that each player contributes something unique while the party battles across a dangerous world and makes decisions that affect every aspect of the story.

See on Steam.

Reanimal

• Release date: February 13, 2026
• Co-op players: 2

If you are easily frightened, you may appreciate that Reanimal is designed as a two-player co-op game. It presents a dark, compact story filled with atmosphere and horrifying, fairy-tale-inspired scares, making it ideal for fans of Little Nightmares. Playing as a brother-and-sister duo, you and a friend must survive the depths of a terrifying world through a claustrophobic shared camera. Careful coordination and cooperation are necessary to remain safe and sane.

See at Fanatical.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

• Release date: April 5, 2022
• Co-op players: 2

Lego games are excellent for co-op sessions involving players of different ages and skill levels. Whether you want to introduce your children to gaming, team up with a less experienced friend, or enjoy something that does not demand expert-level ability, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a valuable addition to your collection.

It recreates one of cinema’s greatest adventures, and experiencing the complete saga remains impressive despite the Lego presentation. The game includes more than 400 playable characters, combat styles ranging from blasters to lightsabers, and character progression through skill trees. Through a mixture of combat, building, puzzle-solving, and platforming, two players can journey through every Star Wars film side by side, confront some of the saga’s greatest villains, and explore the universe from end to end.

See at Fanatical.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

• Release date: November 12, 2020
• Co-op players: 2–4

Sackboy, the iconic knitted hero from LittleBigPlanet, received his own co-op adventure in 2020, and it remains highly enjoyable, particularly for younger players. Unlike earlier LittleBigPlanet entries, which emphasized user-generated levels, A Big Adventure adopts a more traditional adventure structure for up to four players.

The game retains the series’ creative level design, memorable music, real-world visual textures, and familiar ragdoll-platforming mechanics. Puzzles may require friends to operate machinery or interact with objects, ensuring that everyone has a role and making the experience genuinely collaborative. The group must save Craftworld from a formidable villain, but the adventure is never excessively frightening. For anyone hoping to introduce children to co-op platformers, few games provide a better starting point.

See at Fanatical.

Sea of Stars

• Release date: August 29, 2023
• Co-op players: 2–3

Sea of Stars is one of the rare games in which co-op integrates seamlessly with the single-player experience. Although the entire game can be played alone, friends may join or leave couch co-op whenever they choose. Its timed-hit mechanic requires every participant to remain synchronized.

Fans of outstanding RPGs will find plenty to appreciate. Combat follows a turn-based structure while incorporating timing-based strategy, with precisely timed button presses increasing damage or reducing incoming attacks. Rich pixel art and distinctive gameplay systems give Sea of Stars a beautiful presentation that evokes the nostalgia of classic RPGs while delivering the polish and quality of a modern game.

See on Steam.

Split Fiction

• Release date: March 6, 2025
• Co-op players: 2

Split Fiction is one of the few games to receive a perfect 10/10 in our review. If you enjoy co-op adventure games and have somehow missed Hazelight’s latest release, find a friend and play it—you are likely to love the experience.

Built from the ground up specifically for two players, Split Fiction delivers an exhilarating journey across multiple genres. The protagonists are thrust into a succession of fictional worlds created by two very different authors. Because they disagree on nearly everything, reaching a shared goal becomes even more challenging. The game combines an engaging story with a beautiful cinematic presentation, inventive puzzles, and distinctive gameplay challenges designed for two players.

See on Steam.