Sony’s PlayStation Plus Extra subscription offers a rich variety of games catering to diverse gaming preferences. It includes expansive RPGs like Dragon Quest 11 and Skyrim, engaging action titles such as Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and competitive multiplayer games like For Honor. Whether players seek thrilling races, heartfelt adventures, or competitive challenges, there’s something for everyone, including options for cooperative play.
This article focuses on local co-op and split-screen experiences that bring friends together for memorable gaming sessions. However, online co-op games are also on the rise, and Sony’s subscription service accommodates this trend. So, what are the top online co-op PS Plus games to enjoy with friends?
Updated January 1, 2025 by Mark Sammut: As we welcome a new year, 2025 brings the anticipation of fresh game releases on Sony’s platform. Meanwhile, plenty of existing PS Plus co-op games are available to keep subscribers entertained. Additionally, we have included a newcomer that might spark some debate among players.
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We will highlight online co-op games primarily, while a few notable local co-op exceptions will also be included. The rankings reflect not only the quality of the games but also their recency on the PS Plus platform.
1. Remnant 2
A Soulslike Shooter That Excels in Co-Op
Soulslike games often incorporate cooperative mechanics, but few highlight them like Gunfire Games’ Remnant. The sequel, Remnant 2, emphasizes its online co-op capabilities, allowing three players to conquer formidable challenges together. Building on what made the first game enjoyable, this sequel offers a wider array of archetypes—each boasting distinct skills and traits to encourage diverse gameplay strategies. Aiming for team synergy between tanks and healers can significantly enhance the experience.
While it attracts Soulslike enthusiasts, the unique take on both genres may not resonate with gamers unfamiliar with such styles. The inclusion of procedurally generated elements enhances replay value, but such designs might come off as bland due to occasionally uninspired dungeon aesthetics.
2. Monster Hunter Rise
A Reliable Co-Op Experience from Capcom
Though Monster Hunter Rise offers a fulfilling solo experience exceeding 100 hours, its co-op elements are its core strength, much like previous titles in Capcom’s franchise. The game features introductory quests that allow newcomers to ease into the gameplay while teaching essential mechanics necessary for tackling challenging missions.
The co-op experience is seamless, enabling friends to connect effortlessly without the frustrations encountered in earlier iterations. The game encourages teamwork through synergizing character builds, but players can opt to use their personal favorites, regardless of what their colleagues choose.
3. Ghost of Tsushima: Legends
A Mythological-Leaning Co-Op Spin-Off
Ghost of Tsushima stands out as an exceptional action-adventure title with a remarkable single-player experience. Following its initial release, the co-op spin-off Legends emerged, featuring both Survival modes and a Story mode that guides players through around six hours of thrilling content.
Designed around four distinct classes—Samurai, Ronin, Assassin, and Hunter—players can carve their roles in various combat scenarios. Although classes like Samurai excel in solo or duo configurations, the Ronin is crafted for support, making Legends a top recommendation for anyone seeking the best PS Plus online co-op game.
4. Warhammer: Vermintide 2
Excellent Combat with Solid Presentation
Pioneering the first-person action genre with thrilling gameplay, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2023. Offering an exhilarating experience where players battle waves of rat-themed adversaries, the game remains incredibly active and resonant within the community.
With 13 original missions supplemented by free content updates, players are encourages to replay stages to experience the loot rewards. Each of the five distinct characters ensures that players can find one that perfectly aligns with their preferred playstyle.
5. The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
A Consistently Engaging Horror Co-Op Series
A part of Supermassive’s anthology series, The Dark Pictures plans to expand to eight entries. With four titles already released, including VR spin-offs, this series consistently delivers a quality co-op experience. Particularly regarded among local co-op games, House of Ashes offers a shared experience where players trade control for impactful collaborative decision-making.
Even in its online co-op iteration, House of Ashes offers an engaging dual experience, allowing two players to alternate as they navigate the plot. The unique approach of synchronized gameplay enables impactful player actions that resonate throughout the session.
6. Returnal
A Brilliant Game with Unique Co-Op Options
Game developer Housemarque is renowned for its co-op capabilities, evident in titles like Dead Nation and Resogun. Returnal, noted for its roguelike gameplay, introduced multiplayer functionality with the Ascension update, enabling two players to tackle the game’s challenges cooperatively.
Despite the difficulty, cooperative gameplay introduces revive mechanics, lending an extra layer of teamwork to the already captivating experience. Essentially mirroring the solo runs, multiplayer sessions elevate the excitement with dual Selenes working together.
7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
7 Characters, 16 Stages, and Endless Fun
Although they aren’t released as frequently as before, every new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game generates excitement. Shredder’s Revenge stands out by reviving the franchise’s beat-’em-up glory days while integrating modern gameplay elements, resulting in an affectionate homage to the 90s classics. Up to six players can join forces, choosing iconic characters like the Turtles, Master Splinter, April, and Casey Jones, each with their unique abilities.
The game adheres to the classic beat-’em-up formula, demanding mastery of combat mechanics to overcome challenging boss fights. Each level shines with references to TMNT’s past, ensuring that even solo players enjoy the nostalgic campaign.
8. Dead By Daylight
Asymmetrical Horror with Limited Cooperation
As the leading title in asymmetrical multiplayer gaming, Dead by Daylight pits four survivors against one formidable killer. While cooperation among survivors is crucial for survival due to their inherent weaknesses, players can approach communication selectively, making the gameplay experience dynamic and variable.
Although it’s primarily a player-versus-player experience rather than focusing on co-op per se, the cooperative aspects help emphasize team’s effectiveness, allowing Dead by Daylight to seamlessly fit within the best PS Plus offerings.
9. Tetris Effect: Connected
A Classic Revamped for Multiplayer
Tetris Effect transformed the classic puzzle game into an engaging modern experience, retaining its charm while adding unique elements. The 2020 release of Tetris Effect: Connected further enriched the game with multiplayer modes designed for both competitive and cooperative play.
In co-op mode, players work toward completing distinct puzzles while confronting an AI adversary. As puzzles intertwine, they create a captivating collective experience, enriching the core gameplay and enhancing the fun through collaboration.
10. Back 4 Blood
A Solid Left 4 Dead-Style Shooter
Back 4 Blood, a co-op shooter reminiscent of Left 4 Dead, has made a significant impact with its engaging gameplay and visual aesthetics. The game’s unique card-based system provides customization options and diverse class mechanics that allow players to create synergistic teams.
While not achieving legendary status like its predecessor, Back 4 Blood still provides an entertaining experience that promises hours of team-based fun, ideal for a night of gaming with friends.
11. Zombie Army 4: Dead War
Another Strong Team-Based Shooter
For those leaning towards a third-person perspective in zombie shooters, Zombie Army 4: Dead War presents a commendable choice. Set in an alternative post-World War II environment, players combat waves of undead with a blend of colorful and grotesque visuals.
The game’s narrative and entertaining missions deliver a satisfying cooperative story experience, accompanied by a variety of weapons and a rewarding perk system that adds depth to the combat.
12. Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince
Stunning Visuals, Puzzles, and Class-Based Fun
Offering an enchanting experience for those in search of co-op action-platformers, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince is a must-try. Newcomers need not worry, as this installment can be enjoyed without prior experience from previous titles in the series.
In Trine 4, three characters embark on a fantasy quest, utilizing unique abilities to solve puzzles while mixing in combat elements. Different modes allow players to choose between fixed characters or freely swap among the heroes in a co-op session, promoting collaboration and creativity.
13. Dead Island 2
Slay Together
October 2024’s lineup for PS Plus Extra and Premium introduced several intriguing online co-op games, notably including Dead Island 2. After a lengthy development cycle, this sequel to the beloved franchise emerged as a surprisingly well-crafted experience. Set in a zombie-infested Los Angeles, players embark on missions to slay undead foes efficiently.
Co-op features become available within the early stages of gameplay, allowing friends to select from six unique ‘slayers,’ each offering distinct skills to aid in the campaign’s streamlined yet engaging story. Dead Island 2 stands out as a thrilling tale, seamlessly blending fun and camaraderie in zombie-slaying mayhem.
14. Outriders
A Worthwhile Co-Op Campaign
Despite receiving mixed reviews upon launch, Outriders remains a noteworthy co-op shooter that captivates players with its explosive gameplay. Allowing three players to engage in its campaign together, the class system allows for creating powerful combinations, transforming challenging encounters into exhilarating experiences.
Although some narrative elements fall flat, the engaging action, coupled with rapid-fire combat, makes Outriders a game better experienced in cooperative play—almost a must-have title for those seeking enjoyable online sessions.
15. Demon’s Souls (2020)
Co-Op: A Significant Part of the Souls Experience
FromSoftware’s remake of its classic, Demon’s Souls embraces a unique multiplayer experience, allowing players to invade or summon each other based on their chosen items. What stands out is the co-op feature, enabling four players to join forces against the game’s challenging encounters.
While combat remains competitive with potential invasions from other players, the ability to summon allies fosters community, creating a dynamic experience that enriches the challenging world of Demon’s Souls.
16. Dying Light 2: Stay Human
The Core Gameplay Excels Despite Flaws
Dying Light 2 offers an engaging co-op experience, despite some execution quirks. The exhilarating gameplay fosters opportunities for fun with friends, even if the multiplayer addition feels somewhat disjointed. The game encourages thrilling free-running exploration amidst a world inundated with zombies, emphasizing fast-paced movement and combat.
While only the host player can progress the story, shared resource acquisition means all players retain their loot, allowing for moments of triumph even if not everyone drives the narrative forward.
17. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
A Strong Option for Long-Term Co-Op Play
The Division 2 builds on its predecessor’s solid framework, seamlessly blending single-player and cooperative content. Players can expect around 30 hours of engaging story gameplay, which can be shared or experienced solo. Post-campaign content focuses on competitive PvP and various cooperative missions, facilitating opportunities for four-player groups to strategize and execute missions effectively.
18. Killing Floor 2
Chaotic Fun in Cooperative Zombie Slaying
Killing Floor 2 remains a quintessential co-op game for fans of chaotic zombie-blasting action. Launched in 2016, its core gameplay loop is still engaging, characterized by frantic combat and satisfying progression mechanics. Players work as a team through a sequence of levels, engaging in relentless zombie hordes.
While the mechanics are straightforward, the character ‘Perks’ lend complexity and replayability, facilitating squads of up to six players to strategize and thrive on teamwork. Although playable solo, the true essence of Killing Floor 2 shines in cooperative settings.
19. Payday 2: Crimewave Edition
A Co-Op Staple
Payday 2 has maintained its popularity over the past decade, allowing friends to team up collaboratively in orchestrating high-stakes heists. While it can be played solo, the true thrill lies in coordinating with companions to execute successful missions.
The game’s progression system enhances the experience, enabling players to unlock improved gear and skills while establishing a sense of camaraderie and growth among the crew, resulting in a compelling cooperative journey.
20. Space Engineers
Collaborate to Build
Space Engineers offers a unique gaming experience distinct from other PS Plus co-op games. Often likened to “Minecraft in space,”this title allows players to engage in expansive crafting projects within a sandbox environment.
The initial learning curve can be steep, necessitating some practice before engaging in multiplayer servers. However, once acclimated, players often find the true enjoyment lie in collaborative efforts to construct and explore within the cosmos.
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