The Best Co-Op Games Of 2023 According To Metacritic

The Best Co-Op Games Of 2023 According To Metacritic https://ift.tt/oWT2PDd

Video games at their best are shared social events, and in 2023, there were a ton of great games focused on co-op fun. While we've seen plenty of competitive multiplayer games this year like Street Fighter 6, Counter-Strike 2, and Mortal Kombat 1, some of the most memorable moments of the year came from games that encouraged teamwork and cooperation. Yes, some of them encouraged violent tag-team action as you explored the depths of hell and hostile alien worlds, but many of the best co-op games also encouraged fun and freedom.

Thanks to all the data gatherby our sister site Metacritic, we can see exactly which games rose to the top of the co-op pile. Plenty of review outlets across the globe were busy engaging in some online fun, and the list below reveals a surprisingly mixed collection of genres and well-known game franchises. If you're looking for a closer look at several more of the highlights of the year, you can also check out GameSpot's lists on the 10 best games of 2023 and the standout exclusives for PlayStation, PC, Switch, and Xbox.

Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3--GameSpot's game of the year--is thoroughly enjoyable as a single-player experience, but as any tabletop fan will tell you, bringing a few friends along with you is where the real magic lies. There's an opportunity to have an epic adventure, to extend your journey across the Forgotten Realms with a few friends by your side as you craft new legends. Or you can create pure chaos and revel in the pandemonium unleashed by your actions. The choice is yours, but if you've got an open spot on your couch and a few friends willing to roll the dice, Baldur's Gate 3 will provide a memorable night of fun.

Metacritic: 96 | Read our Baldur's Gate 3 review

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

There's a unique and thrilling sense of teamwork that shines in traditional 2D Mario Bros. games, and in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, that fast and curious sensation as you speedrun through levels feels better than ever. Alongside some thoughtful modern tweaks, going online in Super Mario Bros. Wonder is quick, easy, and joyful when the gang is ready to bounce off of Bowser's minions in their tour of the Flower Kingdom.

Metacritic: 92 | Read our Super Mario Bros. Wonder review

Diablo 4

Synergy is the name of the game in Diablo 4, as it's undeniably fun to rid the land of demonic evil in solo and co-op play. With a well-balanced team, Diablo 4 is a blood-soaked tour of Sanctuary as you carve your way through hell's armies. But in couch co-op? Diablo 4 shines bright with its well-designed user interface and inventory systems on top of its already satisfying gameplay.

Metacritic: 91 | Read our Diablo 4 review

Quake 2: Enhanced Edition

Nightdive's remaster of Quake 2 is a superb reminder of untamed speed and blocky violence, but once you gather some friends around, it's also a nostalgic romp to savor. The retro charm of four-player split-screen action and legions of Strogg to mow down feels better than ever in this polished reminder of FPS excellence. Stock up on some spare controllers and Mountain Dew, invite some friends over, and have a familiar blast in this resurrected classic.

Metacritic: 90

Vampire Survivors

What's better than a Vampire Survivors session where you transform your hero into a storm of axes, lasers, and fireballs? Doubling--or quadrupling!--up on the fun with some couch co-op. One of the best games of last year, Vampire Survivors has been steadily expanding with new content, and its local multiplayer is a fun twist on its traditional single-player action. It cleverly tweaks the gameplay to emphasize teamwork, but it's still a fun blast of garlic-powered forcefields and explosive freezing powers against the legions of the damned.

Metacritic: 88

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

If you're looking to move from solo act to musical duo, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a terrific game for fans of Buster swords, Magitech Knights, and crystals. There are hundreds of songs to choose from and a rhythm to master in surprisingly competitive modes like Pair Play, as you can go head-to-head with other players. Nailing the beat of a song is challenging enough, but doing so while other players use their musical mastery to throw debuffs at you? Now that's a fun recipe for pure orchestral anarchy when you venture into the online space of this farewell tour for Theatrhythm.

Metacritic: 87 | Read our Theatrhythm Final Bar Line review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge - Dimension Shellshock

Dimension Shellshock adds some terrific new content to an already stellar arcade-influenced beat-'em-up, from a Survival mode to an extended soundtrack, but Usagi Yojimbo and Karai's arrival in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is the real main event here. Each character has a distinct arsenal of samurai and ninja moves to unleash on the Foot clan, and once you're kicking shell with them in online or couch co-op, they quickly become a thrilling addition to the game's already impressive roster.

Metacritic: 87 | Read our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge review

Wargroove 2

Teamwork makes the dream work, and in Wargroove 2, watching a plan come together alongside a fellow battlefield commander never gets old. When your strategy is synchronized, your schemes are successful, and the tide of battle shifts in your favor, victory feels well-earned in this Advance Wars-inspired fantasy turn-based tactics game.

Metacritic: 85

Remnant 2

Sure, you might be facing insurmountable odds in Remnant 2, but you won't have to suffer a grisly fate alone in Remnant 2. A vastly improved sequel, Remnant 2 is a game where firepower has to be balanced with solid stratagems, and with a few friends by your side, taking on nightmarish bosses and living to tell the tale is possible.

Metacritic: 85 | Read our Remnant 2 review

Cassette Beasts

Cassette Beasts is undeniably inspired by Pokemon, but as an original IP, it has a few neat ideas of its own that sets it apart from the pocket monster franchise. While it's a local-only experience for now--online multiplayer is on the way--co-op allows for a friend to join you, explore the world at your side, and even help out in battle.

Metacritic: 84

F1 23

Much like the sport that it's based on, this year's entry in the F1 series is a precise and polished affair. Where the game gets really interesting is in how it allows for two players to function as two teammates on the same team in a co-op campaign--a returning feature in F1 23. The catch here? There can only be one F1 champion at the end of a season, and while you'll definitely want to work together to earn that title, there's a devilish delight in seeing a new rivalry form on the track. Offline split-screen multiplayer is also available for two players, just in case you want to start your high-speed feud without going through any lengthy cloak and daggers activities.

Metacritic: 84

My Time at Sandrock

Not in the mood for F1 action, post-apocalyptic action, or musical mayhem? My Time at Sandrock is a wonderfully cozy game, and with a few friends by your side, it can be very rewarding as you team up to become the architects of your new home. Building Sandrock from the ground up, leveling up your reputation, and gathering a robust selection of materials makes for a relaxing experience that is enhanced by the company of some good friends.

Metacritic: 82

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy

While several games on this list offer optional co-op modes, Trine 5: The Clockwork Conspiracy feels unique in how it makes that mode essential. Trine 5 wants you to grab some friends for a jaunt across a fantasy kingdom, as the game's lovable cast of characters, challenging puzzles, and imaginative level design really shines when you're bouncing around with a few friends by your side. Obstacles often have more than one solution, and using some cunning teamwork to overcome them is a constant delight.

Metacritic: 82

Moving Out 2

When you're teaming up with a friend in a video game, you're doing so because you want to win. But in Moving Out 2? You and your pals are looking to survive the slapstick absurdity of moving houses while attempting to avoid reducing a box of fine porcelain dinnerware into expensive shrapnel. Moving Out 2 polishes up the fundamentals of the first game, injects a ton of chaotic energy into the mix, and unleashes you on a multiverse of homes that are entirely unprepared for the cardboard carnage on the way. It's silly and jovial, perfect for an evening of fun with your pals.

Metacritic: 82

Coral Island

Another game for the pile of interactive distractions to help you forget about the horrors of reality, Coral Island is a charming tropical getaway full of resource-gathering, spelunking, and a lot of farming that feels inspired by Stardew Valley. It's a chill game where you can go at your own pace, but if you're looking to enlist some friends, some split-screen co-op is available. It comes just in time for a fresh harvest that requires some digital back-breaking work.

Metacritic: 82

Roots of Pacha

Just when you thought you'd seen all the leisurely video games focused on running a farm and building a new life--surprise!--Roots of Pacha comes out of nowhere to give you a new excuse to engage in some agricultural pursuits. But plot twist: This time, you'll be farming in ye olde prehistoric times, as Roots of Pacha takes you back to the very dawn of human civilization. It's a cute game straight out of the Stone Age, and with a few friends joining you in online co-op, there's plenty of fun to cultivate.

Metacritic: 82