While there are all manner of single-player horror games that offer immersive experiences, co-operative horror games are somewhat less common. This is possibly due to the fact that co-operative horror games are arguably less scary, as everything is when beside a friend.
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Related 5 Most Immersive Survival Horror Games
Survival Horror games are elevated to greater heights when their gameplay mechanics and eerie atmosphere combine into one immersive experience.
However, there remain a multitude of horror games, especially action-horror games, that manage to maintain a careful combination of terror and multiplayer chaos. Games like Lethal Company can be as scary as they are hilarious, while Left 4 Dead 2 is a lightweight horror game that offers an undemanding cooperative experience that’s more widely accessible.
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Aliens: Fireteam Elite
A Third-Person Horde Shooter Elevated By The Aliens Universe
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Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a co-operative action-horror game that’s perfect for fans of horde shooters such as Left 4 Dead 2 and the classic sci-fi horror franchise, Alien. The loyalty to the source material is admirable, from the visuals down to the sound design, making Fireteam Elite a more than suitable game for groups that enjoyed James Cameron’s Aliens.
Related The Best and Worst Alien Video Games
The Alien franchise has been around for decades, and in that time it’s managed to release a number of video games, both bad and good.
The classic horde-shooter gameplay may be fairly standard, but it’s elevated by the addition of online co-op and the immersive Alien packaging. Players that dislike the third-person perspective, however, may prefer first-person horde shooters such as Left 4 Dead 2.
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Hunt: Showdown
A Horror-Infused Extraction Shooter Best With Friends
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This horror-infused first-person extraction shooter can be played solo, but it’s clearly been designed to play with one or two friends. Playing in a team gives players a better chance of survival, and the more pairs of eyes searching the brush for danger the better.
Hunt: Showdown is a shooter first and foremost, with a focus on detailed, heavy gunplay that’s deliberate and impactful. Strategy also plays an important part in the game, which becomes more complex when playing in a team.
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Dead By Daylight
An Asymmetric Horror Game With A Focus On Teamwork
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This asymmetric multiplayer horror game pits one player, the killer, against several others, the survivors. This gameplay loop is intentionally reminiscent of a classic slasher film, and although it’s a match-based versus game, the survivors must work cooperatively in order to escape.
A solid strategy, map knowledge, and teamwork are integral to success in Dead By Daylight, making it a title that’s perfect for co-op. However, some players may get frustrated by having to rely heavily on their teammates.
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Dead Island
A Simple, Chaotic Zombie Game Elevated By Co-Op
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Although Dead Island can be played in single-player, it’s arguably at its best when playing in online co-op, which allows for up to four players. The combination of standard gunplay and simplistic hack-and-slash combat is at first an unremarkable experience, but the RPG elements and strong multiplayer capabilities elevate the overall package.
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Related Best Co-Op Zombie Games
The best co-op zombie games are the ones where players can enjoy hacking and slashing zombies together. Just make sure to be out of biting distance.
Dead Island is a fairly formulaic zombie game that tasks players with completing various quests and hacking their way through hordes of zombies. In co-op, this experience becomes far more memorable, and the simple but chaotic action-horror gameplay leaves room for memorable moments between players.
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GTFO
A Hardcore Co-Op FPS With Horrific Enemies And A Tense Atmosphere
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Survival
Adventure
Systems
OpenCritic Reviews
Top Critic Rating:
78/100 Platform(s) PC
Released
December 10, 2021
Developer(s)
10 Chambers
OpenCritic Rating
Strong
Built with cooperative play in mind, GTFO is a hardcore first-person horror shooter that challenges players at every turn. The game’s gritty tone and dark, atmospheric 3D environments offer a unique flavor, but GTFO is driven by its relentless need for solid teamwork.
In the game, players make their way through underground environments in a gameplay loop that combines stealth and strategy with fluid gunplay. GTFO is designed with four-player co-op in mind, and although it allows players to fill their line-up with AI bots if need be, it’s clearly been designed with human teams in mind.
3
Lethal Company
Chaotic Multiplayer That Blends Humor With Horror
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0/10 Leave a Review Lethal Company
Horror
Systems
OpenCritic Reviews Platform(s) PC
Released
October 23, 2023
Developer(s)
Zeekerss
Lethal Company is a co-operative sci-fi horror game designed with terror, comedy, and chaos in mind. The game tasks players with delving into dangerous facilities infested with an ensemble of horrific creatures, collecting as many valuables as they can in order to meet their company quota.
Teamwork is essential to success in Lethal Company, as players are much more likely to survive in numbers. However, the main reason to play Lethal Company with friends is that it’s simply a lot more fun, especially when making use of the game’s proximity voice chat.
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Resident Evil 5
A Survival-Horror Shooter Built For Two Players
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Resident Evil 5 could be seen as somewhat of an exaggerated mess, emphasizing action over horror with a heavy hand and carrying players through a story that’s even more B-movie than its predecessors. However, Resident Evil 5 is arguably one of the best co-op horror games, packed with action and moments that are all the more memorable with a friend.
Resident Evil 5 was clearly designed with co-op in mind, as the game’s AI partner leaves something to be desired, often making the experience a frustrating one. Playing with a friend, however, removes the frustration and replaces it with a focus on teamwork, making Resident Evil 5 rather rewarding to play cooperatively.
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Left 4 Dead 2
A Lightweight Horde Shooter With A Classic Zombie Theme
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Certainly not the most horrifying game out there, Left 4 Dead 2 is a decidedly action-oriented experience. However, the unpredictable AI Director and the dense atmosphere of its diverse environments provide the perfect level of tension, easily broken by the chaos of co-operative gameplay and the B-movie dialogue of the protagonists.
Left 4 Dead 2 can be played in single-player with AI squad-mates, but it was clearly designed with multiplayer in mind. Teamwork is essential to success, especially on harder difficulties, and players will often be reliant on their teammates to prevent the various special infected from taking them down.