Best Co-Op Games for Players Tired of Open World Bloat

With how much I've dabbled in to present my fair share of Open World lists these past few months, it's easy to forget how another way to obstruct yourself from their bloated gameplay presentation is to jump into a co-op game or multiplayer title.

And no, I don't mean any generic multiplayer household title or series—genuinely worthwhile and fun co-op games worth your time, some even enjoyable with their semi-open world styles.

Which is why I've put together a list of my favorite co-op games, which should serve you well if you're feeling burned out from your open-world or any single-player game.

10 Resident Evil 5

Watch That Boulder Get Punched

Between the tough choice of either this or the sixth entry, it had to be Resident Evil 5, and there are a couple of very good reasons, even though I equally adore the overarching storytelling and varied campaigns of RE6.

Resident Evil 5 lets you play the entire campaign in co-op as well, but the key difference is just that the entire thing is more laser-focused and compact than the next entry.

You and your partner can get done with it in less than a week, and if you're looking for some additional enjoyment out of the arcade-like gunplay, you can also hop into Mercenaries. And a friendly tip: don't miss out on getting two more friends to join you in the Mercenaries mode with the 4-player mod if possible!

9 Killing Floor 2

Obliterate Those Zeds

Honestly speaking, this list would've felt incomplete without the inclusion of Killing Floor 2. A zombie horde mode title that just about feels like the ideal sibling game when put next to Left 4 Dead 2, and one that vastly improves everything from the original. With over 10 different classes, the replayability is near endless here.

You can switch around each class at your will, level them up to unlock their perks and mess around with different weapons/equipment. It also has a great drop-in/out system that lets you play together for a couple of burst sessions across the various available maps.

It isn't a long-term multiplayer co-op game where you can easily dump a hundred hours, but given the bargain price tag on sale, trust me when I say it's a purchase you and your friends won't regret one bit as you mow down countless hordes of Zeds in each wave.

8 Dead Rising 3

A Cult-Classic Series' Peak

This felt like the opportune time to mention a gem from Capcom's Vancouver branch that doesn't get much appreciation, at least in my eyes, and that's Dead Rising 3, the third title in the aptly named zombie action adventure franchise.

Dead Rising 3’s co-op is refreshingly frictionless because the main highlight is the ruinous city of Los Perdidos, which isn’t about map icons, towers, or filler objectives—you’re never arguing over what objective to clear next. You just pick a direction your teammate wants to go in and start causing trouble together, or check which time-gated survivor needs your help.

And that's the better small detail here. Dead Rising’s overall signature time-limit structure does something modern open worlds tend to avoid, which is forcing momentum and on-the-fly decision-making for a majority of the progression.

The cherry on top is your crazy assortment of weapons that every zombie game like this needs to have, because who doesn't want to slay the undead or their abominations in a comical fashion with a laser sword?

7 Remnant 2

Every Run Feels Valuable

Although I do understand the whole presentation of the roguelite/like genre can be a turn-off for some playerbases, it goes without saying that for Remnant 2, it is worth taking the plunge, solely because of how engaging it is in co-op with a buddy or two at your side.

Unlike sprawling open worlds with endless side quests, it keeps the experience compact and meaningful. You've got a procedurally-generated world design that alters some pathways and key elements on each run. And the major standout detail lies in the tight gunplay as well as the Archetypes that you can synergize with to create the ultimate frenzy shooter.

The only caveat I'll add is that there is little variety in the weapons here. That's probably just coming from someone like me who's too obsessed with his Borderlands and Destiny glory days, but I digress. Remnant 2 is a fantastic step-up from the original, and if you can, try to get the complete edition of the game with those DLCs with your buddies, since they add a whole new layer of playtime.

6 Helldivers 2

Serve a Hot Cup of Liber-Tea

When you're not mindlessly chomping away at any of your single-player titles, then it is a humble suggestion today to ask you to consider winding down with your merry group of friends in Helldivers 2.

Become a proud trooper in the Federation of Super Earth and spread democracy by annihilating creatures, automatons, and alienic zombies. The heavy artillery and tools at your disposal feel unlimited; from the wide range of guns to unique equipment to help fend off the hordes of abominations that threaten humanity.

With a coordinated team, you guys can complete various missions or operations together on planets across a variety of difficulties.

And with how you can easily summon an entire nuke from the palm of your hand, it makes for the game having the most tomfoolery shenanigans to pull off with your pack of friends, hilariously doing their own antics on the side.

5 Dying Light

Decimating the Undead with Parkour

This is the last zombie co-op game, I promise. However, I'd be doing an injustice to myself and my friends if I didn't mention that it's my favorite of them all; the first Dying Light remains timeless even after all these years, even on a second or third playthrough.

Your foray into the sun-soaked city of Harran and the various undead teeming at every corner in it is always an unforgettable sight. That and, well, encountering your first true Volatile chase at night to get those adrenaline juices pumping.

I've had the pleasure of playing through a ton of co-op games in my lifetime, but Dying Light is one that I'll never get tired of revisiting with my buds every so often. The parkour traversal is fluid, the grotesque combat is still the most punchy thing you and your friends will experience, and if you get The Following DLC, have fun traversing the countryside with your personalized Dune Buggies.

4 Streets of Rage 4

Bursting with High-Octane Combos

Switching gears with another adored favorite of mine, and that's Streets of Rage 4, a modern side-scroll beat-em-up that is incredibly high in replay value for both new and aged fans of the genre, looking to get that burst of dopamine surging through their veins on a whim.

The main campaign is fully playable in co-op, and you're free to use any of the accessible characters or the unlockable ones that you slowly attain throughout the game. Got room for more than two on a cozy weekend at your house? Then it's strongly recommended that you get the Mr. X Nightmare Bundle for Survival Mode, where you can fight through endless waves of enemies in ever-increasing difficulty.

Survival Mode lets you queue four players in couch co-op, and that's where I personally think the bulk of the enjoyment is: tearing through hordes of enemies and bosses with your squad as one of you hilariously depletes their lives by falling off the map or dying to environmental traps.

3 Monster Hunter World

Prepare to Cart

For those fond of jolly cooperation in their action-heavy games, I introduce you to Capcom's flagship and cult-classic series. And what better way to dive in with your friends than with Monster Hunter World?

To those who know and the veterans, this game pretty much paved the way for the series to gain popularity on the western side of the gaming populace. With over 14 different unique weapons and up to 4-player co-op, you can endlessly slay monsters and other gargantuan creatures to your heart's content, to then make fashionized armor sets and new armaments.

With the Iceborne Expansion, you gain access to a whole new range of monsters and the Master Difficulty, which can truly test your gear and weapon mastery against the tougher monsters. Having amassed 500+ hours across two platforms and even having played the latest MH Wilds, for anyone wanting to check out this series for the first time, Monster Hunter World is the one to play with a friend or two.

2 Borderlands 2

This Ain't No Place for No Hero

You've probably heard me talk about this series in my prior work, too, and for what this list aims to do, the like-minded people will know why Borderlands 2 fits perfectly here.

Not only is it the game where I amassed most of my hours with friends, but if you're understandably tired of the open world bloat on your whim, then consider giving Borderlands 2's hub-based exploration a try with your buddies. You won't get burnt out here, I assure you.

The gunplay might feel slightly dated to some, but that's the least bit of anyone's problem, since the fun factor is beyond what you'd imagine if given the adequate attention. The overall writing and humor are perfectly balanced and not too obnoxious.

And with over six different Vault Hunters and the post-game story DLCs you can experience once you're with the base campaign, you can also consider this a co-op game with hundreds of hours of playtime if you decide to do every possible thing in it.

1 Split Fiction

Josef Fares My Beloved

Split Fiction was undoubtedly one of the biggest snubs from TGA '25, and as my wonderful colleague Ethan Krieger would have you believe from his hearty review of the game and even me right now, it is absolutely worth your time as one of the best modern co-op games on the market right now.

The storytelling may just slightly lack in comparison to the awe-inspiring tale of Cody and May in It Takes Two for me, but if you can forgive some of the corny bits, there's a fair bit to love here from both Mio and Zoe's respective backgrounds.

However, the true highlight here is rightfully the level design and gameplay. This game's technical mastery is the culmination of everything Josef Fares and his team at Hazelight had built on from previous titles. Every single main and side level is designed with such love and splendor that it infuses multiple genres—quite honestly, making it seem like a gigantic love letter to gaming.

Whether it's your best friend, spouse, parent, or whichever partner you want to rope in with you on this joyful adventure, just be sure to mentally be ready for that final level and back-to-back sequences, which will have your jaw hitting the floor like mine did on the first time.