Embracing the spooky season doesn’t have to be limited to October; it’s the perfect time to gather friends and dive into some thrilling horror games. Over the past few years, game developers have unleashed a diverse array of horror co-op experiences, ensuring there’s something to cater to every group’s unique taste, whether they favor survival scenarios, action-packed shoot-em-ups, or strategic building against terrifying foes.
The best co-op horror games are designed to offer a balance of entertainment and genuine fear, providing hours of enjoyment for players wanting to experience heart-racing gameplay together. With various gameplay styles and themes, this genre has something for everyone—from adrenaline-pumping gunfights to more methodical and tension-filled adventures.
Spectral Scream
Explore, Work Together, And Survive (Or Maybe Not)
After several months in early access, Spectral Scream officially launched, receiving a mixed reception. While it hasn’t reached the same heights as blockbusters like Phasmophobia, it still has potential, particularly when played with friends who thrive on communication, whether to strategize or playfully critique each other’s gameplay.
The game supports both standard and VR modes. Its core gameplay loop is reminiscent of titles like Lethal Company, where players explore various environments, gathering items to progress through a haunting world while evading a variety of enemy designs. The challenge of dealing with persistent threats creates an engaging atmosphere of continuous tension.
Bigfoot
Hunt The Legend Or Die Trying
BIGFOOT remains in early access, provoking mixed feelings. Unlike many stagnant early access titles, this game frequently receives updates, enriching the hunt for Bigfoot. Players must explore a vast area, set traps, and prepare for encounters with this fierce and cunning creature while working as a team to avoid demise.
GTFO
Intense Meld Of Co-Op, Stealth, And Gunplay
GTFO takes players into an abandoned research facility where survival hinges on stealth and teamwork against zombie-like creatures. With a focus on audio cues, players must coordinate quietly to dispatch enemies methodically. As they navigate this terrifying world, they face escalating challenges, making the cooperative experience thrilling and strategic.
Obscure & Obscure 2 (Or The Aftermath)
Relatively Obscure Co-Op Horror Games That Emphasize Two Players
The Obscure games offer a nostalgic throwback to survival horror with a subtle nod to Resident Evil. Players control a group of high school students uncovering dark secrets surrounding human experimentation. These games are designed for two players, creating a more enjoyable experience when compared to battling alongside AI companions.
Roblox
A Lot Of Horror Experiences
While not exclusively a horror game platform, Roblox hosts a multitude of user-generated horror experiences ranging from spooky adventures to intense survival games. Its diverse library caters to groups seeking casual play along with a mix of cooperative and competitive scenarios, making it a worthy option for horror enthusiasts willing to explore the depths of user creativity.
Devour
Cultists Join Forces
In Devour, up to four players take on the roles of cultists attempting to thwart a ritual gone awry. Scouring the environment for items, players must work together to banish an evil force while being hunted by terrifying demons. Playing through a private server enhances the experience significantly, while those seeking additional challenges can tackle the game solo.
Dead By Daylight
The Most Popular Asymmetrical Horror Game
Regarded as one of the most popular multiplayer horror games, Dead by Daylight offers compelling gameplay and frequent updates that intrigue both newcomers and seasoned players. Alongside competitive online matches, the option for custom games allows friends to enjoy a more casual experience, capitalizing on the game’s rich mechanics without affecting their ranks.
Dead Rising 2: Off The Record
Massacre Undead Armies With A Friend
Both Dead Rising 2 and its sequel offer cooperative gameplay for two players, allowing friends to delve into zombie-slaying chaos. Off the Record enhances the experience by introducing Frank West, merging engaging storytelling with cooperative fun. Players can tackle the full campaign or mess around in sandbox mode, catering to various play styles.
Dead Island 2
Slash And Shoot Co-Op Horror Mayhem With All The Gore
The Dead Island franchise, known for its visceral combat and zombie-filled mayhem, excels in offering co-op experiences that enhance the gameplay. Dead Island 2 maintains this tradition, encouraging teamwork to tackle the hordes of undead in a light-hearted yet horrific setting, ideal for friends eager to slice and dice their way through challenges.
Labyrinthine
Explore The Unknown And Try To Remain Positive
Emerging from early access in 2023, Labyrinthine focuses on teamwork in solving puzzles while navigating through a maze filled with aggressive entities. With different modes to enhance replayability and a variety of monsters to encounter, this game provides both a campaign and procedural challenges for cooperative play.
Barotrauma
Explore The Unknown And Try To Remain Positive
In Barotrauma, players take on the role of a submarine crew investigating the treacherous waters of an alien ocean. With roles assigned among up to 16 players, cooperation is essential to navigate the sub’s complexities while fending off the aquatic horrors that lurk beneath. The game’s emphasis on teamwork and strategy leads to thrilling experiences through the unknown.
7 Days To Die
Open-World Survival Horror That Has Come A Long Way In The Last Decade
7 Days To Die offers an immersive horror experience where players must collaborate to build defenses, gather resources, and survive waves of relentless zombies. The recent updates have revamped its graphics and gameplay, maintaining its appeal among survival horror fans, especially with its official launch in July 2024 on multiple platforms.
Dead Space 3
More Action Than Horror, But The Co-Op Is Generally Done Well
Though critiqued as the weakest in the Dead Space trilogy, Dead Space 3 successfully implements cooperative gameplay that enhances the experience. The addition of John Carver as a playable partner enriches the narrative and gameplay, making it a worthwhile choice for players seeking horror with a focus on collaboration.
Dying Light & Dying Light 2: Stay Human
Large Map, Fun Combat, And Aggressive Zombies
Offering thrilling co-op experiences, both Dying Light games allow players to confront the challenges of a zombie apocalypse. While the original grants complete progress retention in co-op sessions, Dying Light 2 designates progress solely to the host, which slightly diminishes its cooperative appeal. Nonetheless, both games provide freedom to explore and enjoy dynamic combat against fierce zombies.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3 (Zombies)
A Staple Of The Multiplayer Scene
While Call of Duty primarily leans toward action, its Zombies mode introduces horror elements, making it ideal for cooperative play. In both local and online multiplayer, players fend off hordes of undead while unlocking new weapons and progressing through an engaging storyline. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 remains a standout example within this mode.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Zombies)
A Pass To Kill Zombies
The recent release of Black Ops 6 marks an important chapter for the franchise, now available on Game Pass, enticing players who previously hesitated to invest in newer titles. Retaining the familiar structure of prior Zombies modes, players face waves of foes while accomplishing objectives for a gratifying experience.
The Outlast Trials
Solo Play Is Scarier, But Co-Op Is More Replayable
Transitioning from a single-player to a multiplayer focus, The Outlast Trials introduces a mission-based structure, encouraging players to escape a facility filled with horrifying experiments. The game effectively balances solo intensity with cooperative replayability, making it appealing to various gamers.
SCP: Labrat
Free Fear
Inspired by the SCP Foundation, SCP: Labrat is a free horror game that supports both single player and multiplayer modes. While its single-player experience is more polished, venturing into the cooperative aspect presents an additional layer of excitement, inviting players to escape the ominous facility together.
Phasmophobia
Live Out Your Ghost Hunting Fantasies (Or Nightmares)
Phasmophobia distinguishes itself as a premier online horror game, allowing up to four players to explore haunted locations in search of ghostly evidence. Unlike typical ghost-hunting games, players are tasked solely with identifying the ghost types instead of attempting to exorcise them, adding a unique dynamic to the gameplay experience.
Sons Of The Forest
Great Evolution Of An Already Great Survival Horror Co-Op Game
Sons of the Forest, a sequel to the original The Forest, refines its predecessor’s gameplay elements to deliver an engrossing open-world survival horror experience. Highlighting cooperative gameplay, up to eight players can collaborate to navigate an uncharted island infused with cannibal threats, promising thrilling moments with friends as they tackle challenges together.
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