Everything seems less terrifying when you’re with friends, and the thrill of facing adrenaline-pumping horrors together is the exact element of Co-op horror games.
But what makes co-op horror games so fun? They’re the ultimate test of friendship that compiles humor and spine-tingling terror in a world where you and your buddies working together isn’t just smart- its survival 101.
Not to mention the communication. With co-op horror, you have to be on the same page with your friends, coordinating every move to combat whatever may be lurking in the shadows. Some games even feature walkie-talkies to chat long distance, so you can strategize like your life depends on it. Because let’s be honest - it kind of does.
The best part of the horror scene is the atmosphere. Imagine wandering through an eerie forest where you can practically feel eyes watching you as the hair on the back of your neck stands up. Or walking through an abandoned asylum with nothing but a flashlight. Add in some jumpscares, and you’ve got yourself a terrifying adventure where you cling to each other for dear life, screaming and laughing along the way.
From surviving zombie outbreaks to hunting ghosts, here are 15 spine-chilling co-op horror games guaranteed to leave you and your friends on the edge of your seat.
15. Dead By Daylight
Dead by Daylight | Tomb Raider
New and classic slashers alike take arms as they hunt down a team of four survivors one by one. Survivors work together in different maps to activate 5 generators to unlock the doors and escape the ‘trials’, as they are called. While the survivors can bring items to help them like first aid kits and flashlights, killers can bring their own add-ons as they impale survivors on a meat hook or take matters into their own hands using something called a ‘mori’, where they can kill the players themselves.
Dead by Daylight takes place in many different locations, sometimes classic places like Haddonfield Lane from Halloween, Hawkins laboratory from Stranger Things, or Midwich Elementary School from Silent Hill. The main setting of the game takes place in a realm controlled by ‘The Entity’ that feeds on the bloodlust of killers and fear of survivors.
There are also original locations in the game like foggy forests and abandoned asylums. Killers can play on their own strengths by giving offerings to the entity that make the fog stronger or take players to a specific map. Survivors have their own offerings as well that lighten fog or add more chests to find items.
You’re screwed… or… hooked.
The main goal of survivors is to escape the map with your fellow teammates. To achieve this, survivors repair generators scattered about on the map, which are finished more quickly when working with others. Doing so earns you ‘bloodpoints’, which you can spend to level up characters and unlock new items to help you in the trials. The more you work together, the more bloodpoints you can unlock. Like healing fellow survivors’ wounds or saving them from hooks.
For killers, their goal is to hunt down the survivors and sacrifice them to the entity to end the match. Each killer has their own set of skills to help them achieve their task. For example, Michael Myers hunts survivors by stalking them, building up his powers to knock them out using only one hit. Killers are also rewarded bloodpoints for successfully sacrificing players, and the more they kill, the more they earn.
Dead By Daylight has ongoing content updates as they add new characters and listen to fans' concerns with wants or needs. Players also enjoy being able to play as some of the favorite horror characters with the asymmetrical gameplay of 1v4, making the game unique.
The trial begins.
14. Sons Of The Forest
Sons of the Forest Trailer
A plane crash sets you and teammates trying to survive in a dense forest, but you aren’t alone. Sons of the Forest is a survival co-op horror game where players can scavenge, build, and craft all while battling hostile phenomena.
The game takes place in a forest teeming with mutant creatures and cannibals.. The environment is richly diverse with animals, trees, rocks, and plants that players can interact with. There are also dynamic weather and day-night cycles that make each day different from the last.
The main goal of the game is survival. Players scavenge the forest for resources to create new weapons or build a base to ensure they make it through the night. As players continue to search through caves and caverns, they may discover secrets or pieces of lore. Players who cooperate are more likely to survive and they can work together to solve puzzles, complete objectives, and escape the forest alive, if it doesn’t consume them first.
What sets Sons Of The Forest apart from other survival horror games is its blend of genre. The game supplies a story, while also letting players free-roam a map with unmentionable horrors. The game also has some pretty funny moments, especially when playing with friends as accidents are prone to happen like destroying an entire base by moving one log (we’re looking at you Markiplier). There are also different endings to the game, which makes it especially unique as players make decisions along the way.
Your intimidation tactics will work… for now.
13. Lethal Company
Lethal Company - Trailer
You and your friends take roles as mercenaries in space working for something we like to call ‘The Company’. (Original isn’t it?) Well the company tasks you to infiltrate different abandoned exomoons to bring back goods like metal, engines, stop signs, and… a teddy bear? Then you sell those goods for money to meet your quota, which grows each mission.
The setting of Lethal Company starts with you and your crew on a ship that you can fly to any moon of your choosing. Each of these moons have different climates and challenges, not to mention weather cycles that can make your job more difficult when landing. Some of them can have quicksand, giant man-eating sandworms, beastly giants, or lightning storms. Once you land on the moons, you have to traverse through thick forests or dry deserts to find the abandoned facility where you’ll find those goods you're looking for. But once inside, you still aren’t safe. You could be chased down by mysterious slime, giant spiders, ‘loot bugs’, a strange creature known as ‘the bracken’, or even turrets. Each moon has new secrets to uncover, making the game an endless discovery of fun and amusement as you and your friends are screaming and running for your lives.
What makes Lethal Company so unique is its combination of survival horror, strategy, and action. The players rely on their teamwork and coordination to overcome challenges, survive, and thrive where each player pulls their own weight to contribute to the group’s success. Not to mention the diverse setting that allows players to kind of pick their own gameplay, especially with the ability to add mods, which keeps players engaged and coming back for more.
DON’T LOOK AWAY.
12. Phasmophobia
Phasmophobia - Announcement Trailer
I think we’ve got a ghost on our hands.
Fans of Ghost Hunters, this one's for you. It’s your turn to commune with the spirits as you and friends take on the role of paranormal investigators. In Phasmophobia, you use an array of ghost hunting equipment to determine the type of haunting you’re dealing with and complete any other objectives you’re given.
The game is set in different locations of your choosing, i.e prisons, asylums, houses, etc. Each location is meticulously designed to create a horrifying atmosphere as you stumble through the dark, typically with a cheap flashlight. You can turn the lights on, but depending on the ghost you have haunting the place it may make them stronger or you’ll pop the breaker. There are many small details in the game that players must pay attention to in order to be successful, making the game all the more interesting.
The main goal of the game is to investigate and research the hauntings located in several different buildings and determine the type of ghost it is. This can range from demon, oni, mimic, phantom, jinn, and much more as the developers continue to update the game. Using an array of equipment, you and friends can determine different types of evidence. Like an EMF reader can get up to level 5 or a UVA light can notice fingerprints. The more evidence you collect and ghosts you find, the more money you can make and more equipment you can buy. With friends, it's easier to use different equipment, as each player can only carry three things at a time. Someone can also keep watch on the cameras and communicate via walkie talkie to help others inside the building.
What sets Phasmophobia apart from other ghostly games is its immersion and realism. The game features realistic ghost hunting equipment that allows players to experience the thrill of ghost hunting first hand. Also, the different ghosts and locations make each mission completely different from the last, adding the replayability factor that keeps players on their toes.
Are we in the ghost realm?
11. Hunt: Showdown 1896
HUNT SHOWDOWN 1896 Trailer
The 19th century has its fair share of western stories, but none compare to Hunt: Showdown as it combines those classic traits of western with horror. Players take on the role of bounty hunters as they track their monstrous prey alone or in pairs in a competing world.
The game uses different maps that usually feature the swamps or bayous, creating a grisly atmosphere that resembles that of the southern gothic. Each map has its own set of challenges with different locations where you will find other monsters or the extraction point at the end. The game is set in matches, where you play until you die.
The main goal of the game is to hunt down your assigned targets before someone reaches them first. These targets are different monsters which each their own different set of dangers, but other bounty hunters are tracking the same prey as you and it's their job to make sure you don’t get to it first. The only thing you can rely on in this game is yourself and your partner.
The most notable trait of Hunt: Showdown is its combination of PvP with PvE gameplay. Meaning, you are not only fighting against the environment in the world, but also other players. This makes each match a completely unique experience as each encounter is unpredictable with high-stakes as you move forward. Every match feels like a gamble as you fight tooth and nail to reach the highest rewards you can.
Is he the target or are you?
10. The Outlast Trials
The Outlast Trials - 1.0 Trailer | Welcome to the Trials
Outlast is regarded as one of the scariest video game franchises ever made, but with their latest release, you can finally play side by side with a friend, but does that make it more or less scary? You and friends start the game by taking on the role of test subjects in a Cold War - era experiment conducted by, yeah you guessed it, the Murkoff Corporation. (will someone just shut them down already?)
The game takes place in a twisted facility where players must navigate dark corridors, eerie hallways, and abandoned laboratories. There are even creepy carnivals, and courtrooms that give the game a Silent Hill feel. Danger lurks around every corner as players strategize to sneak around without being seen, but let’s be honest, how well does that work out in an Outlast game?
This fun house doesn’t seem very fun…
In The Outlast Trials, the goal is to survive the twisted experiments that await you and escape the clutches of the Murkoff corporation. There are also puzzles that players must work together to solve like a “root canal” ride in the carnival or executing the judge in the courtroom. This Outlast game does not deviate from its horrifying roots as it supplies those thrills and scares while players try to figure out exactly what’s going on.
What makes this game unique to its predecessors is the ability to work alongside friends. Players have to rely on each other rather than their own survival instincts. The game also features new mechanics like crafting and new equipment. Each trial adds a new sense of dread as players do whatever they can to escape.
The doctor is in.
9. Escape The Backrooms
Escape the Backrooms Gameplay Trailer
Escape the Backrooms is an indie horror game inspired by the internet sensation, the backrooms. One to four players take on the mysterious never-ending dimension on the run from entities and other dangers as they try to escape.
The setting takes place in, as expected, the backrooms, which isa labyrinth style maze that starts in a yellow wallpapered corridor, but changes scenery with each level that players reach. There are empty pool rooms, haunted hotels, and dusty boiler rooms to name a few. In each of these levels there are different monsters to worry about, which just get scarier the further you go.
The main goal of the game is simple in concept: escape the backrooms. Players traverse each level in hopes to make it back to the real world, but this proves more difficult as the levels keep going on and on. You and your teammates work together to run and hide from those entities which work to make sure you can never leave.
Escape the Backrooms relies on its sense of exploration and discovery that makes it unique. Players have no real sense of direction or means of escape as they wander aimlessly in what seems like eternity. Each level also has its own horrors, which leaves players uncertain what may come next for them, adding plenty of room for laughs, scares, and replayability.
RUN!
8. GTFO
GTFO Trailer
With an interesting title, GTFO is a co-op first person shooter game that takes place in a dark and dreary dystopian society. You and your friends take on the role of prisoners as the warden demands you to dive into the underground complex to take out horrifying creatures known as “sleepers”.
The game takes place in The Complex known as Garganta, which is an enormous facility that runs deep beneath the Earth’s surface. You heard that right, the game takes place on Earth, specifically in a distant future in the year 2063, about ten years after The Complex is overrun by sleepers.
Despite what the title claims, the main goal of GTFO is not to escape, but to complete a series of objectives while surviving waves of enemy attacks. You and your friends receive cryptic orders from a mysterious being known as The Warden. Players have to work together to scavenge for resources and fend off hordes with firepower and strategy.
The story of GTFO is among one of the most interesting in this list, with deep lore and secrets to be uncovered, with a possible ending the developers are cooking up. The game brings back those classic co-op first person shooter elements and combines them with horror in a unique way, which delivers a thrilling experience unlike any other.
Give ‘em lead, boys.
7. Left 4 Dead 2
"The Sacrifice" Teaser
Let’s get back to a classic, because everyone loves zombies. Left 4 Dead 2 is another first person shooter set in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. You work in a team of four survivors that take on the horde of zombies in a desperate attempt to survive.
The game is set in different locations like cities, suburbs, and rural homes that are all devastated by the viral outbreak. Players move through the locations by scaling buildings or hiding in train cars in hopes to prepare for the next set of creatures that will start hunting them down.
Left 4 Dead 2 is another wave-based survival game where you work together with your team to reach safety. You can scavenge for weapons, supplies, and ammunition to keep yourself well stocked to complete your objectives.
One of the most unique elements of this game is the zombies themselves. They aren’t your average slow-walking, brain-eating, mindless mob, they come in different types. Some of those are your weak types, but there are also explosive boomers, huge chargers, and spitters. There’s even more where that came from, that makes players have to learn their environment and stay vigilant in order to survive.
That’s a lot of zombies…
6. REMNANT II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9j1S-x2etM
Remnant II Gameplay
With keyboard smashing horrors beyond your imagination, REMNANT II is the sequel to the critically acclaimed video game REMNANT: From the Ashes. The sequel is a Dark Souls meets Resident Evil as players fight a great evil known as ‘The Root’.
The game takes place in different worlds like ruined castles or twisted forests. Each location has its own secrets and puzzles to discover as you work with new and old allies.
The goal of REMNANT II is to discover the cause behind the Root and exterminate it. There are many different monsters and mobs you will face along the way, which makes the game incredibly difficult and rage-worthy, but with the right team and some strategizing, you can come up with a plan to defeat these evils and be successful.
The most notable thing in REMNANT II is the players’ ability to hop between dimensions as they hunt down the root. This makes the game incredibly large, with side quests, searchable dungeons, and a world you and your friends can certainly get entrapped in.
Uh… you may need a bigger gun. Sword? Sword gun!
5. DEVOUR
DEVOUR Official Launch Trailer
Have you ever dreamed of joining a cult with your friends? Now you can! In DEVOUR, you and your teammates are tasked with summoning a demon as cult members.
The game takes place in a motley, dilapidated farmhouse and the surrounding areas, like a corn field or barn that serves the cult’s ritual site.
Players work together to hunt down and burn ritual goats that are scattered throughout the map. Meanwhile, an entity known as Anna, hunts down the players in an attempt to stop them from completing their ritual. With each sacrifice, Anna becomes more violent and sporadic.
DEVOUR is known for its fast-paced gameplay, which supplies players with a lot of good humorous moments and some easy jumpscares. It is a lot like Phasmophobia in gameplay, but it's unique with its setting and unpredictable moments. Play this game if you're looking for a great combination in horror and humor!
Sacrifice, Sacrifice, Sacrifice!
4. Demonologist
DEMONOLOGIST New Gameplay Demo
You’ve hunted ghosts, and summoned demons, now get ready to expel the demons! Similar to Phasmophobia, you and a team of four players use equipment to find and expel a demon presence in Demonologist.
There are different maps to choose from like hospitals or houses that are equally abandoned and spooky. Each map has a level requirement to unlock, which you gain by completing tasks and expelling demons. At current, there are seven maps to choose from, the most difficult being the Bedlam that requires the player to be level fifteen.
The main goal of Demonologist, of course, is to expel the paranormal. But first, you have to find out what type of demon you’re dealing with and record your evidence. They usually inhabit a specific room and can take a long time to find, especially in a larger map, so it’s better to use your team and split up.
Despite its similarity to Phasmophobia, Demonologist supplies players with a whole new list of equipment to use. Not only this, but the game supplies a new meaning to scare-factor with extreme jumpscares that often catch you off guard. Not to mention the fact, you get to actually perform the exorcism, which is arguably the best part of the game. If you and your friends are looking for a fun and scary experience, give Demonologist a try!
We’ve got ourselves a… sheet ghost?
3. Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 - Gold Edition Trailer
These Residents appear to be evil!
Dive back into the world of Resident Evil with flesh-gnawing zombies and giant tyrants, but this time with the help of your friends! One of my personal favorites on the list, Resident Evil 5 is a duo co-op campaign game where you and a friend play as Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar in Africa. What starts as a terroristic threat, unfolds into a plot of t-virus and biowarfare as the classic villain Albert Wesker returns to take over the world.
The game takes place mostly in the fictional region Kijuju, Africa. However, as most Resident Evil games go, you’ll end up on boats, in underground facilities, and even a volcano! There are even moments you’ll end up in a fast-paced car chase, all to hunt down Wesker and his bio-terroristic viruses.
The main goal of the game is to work through the campaign as you and a friend try to discover the truth behind these bio-weapons, where they may be coming from, and put a stop to them before they spread to the entire world. As you move through levels, new enemies will rise and you can collect money around the map to buy yourself new weapons, armor, and upgrades to take them down. You will also, in classic Resident Evil fashion, come across puzzles that you’ll have to solve and even better when they require both you and your friend to put your heads together to figure it out. And, of course, the huge boss fight at the end makes all your efforts rewarding, when you finally put a stop to these evil antics.
What sets Resident Evil 5 apart from other games and its predecessors is its emphasis on an action-oriented campaign and cooperative multiplayer. No other Resident Evil game has supplied the co-op before this one, and it's actually required for this campaign. Of course, you can use ai to control the other character depending on which you choose to play, but it isn’t as fun without a friend by your side. Unlike some other games on this list, you can even play on the same console with split screen action. So grab two controllers, fire up the ol’ console and get ready to shoot your way through the infected.
Somehow, Wesker returned.
2. Aliens: Fireteam Elite
Ever dreamed of being Sigourney Weaver as she takes on those xenomorph aliens in space? In Aliens: Fireteam Elite you can not only test your skills in survival, but also in firepower! The game is a third-person shooter set in the iconic Alien universe where you and your team are colonial marines tasked with sweeping through ships and other dangerous environments as you take out threatening hordes of xenomorphs.
The game is basically a sequel to the original movie trilogy as you explore space stations, ships, and colonies. Each mission takes you somewhere different as you work through the campaign and unravel the lore that’s hiding within. The atmosphere is tense as the different types of aliens can hide or charge you at any moment. You may even have to face queens and their commanded armies, which is horrifying! Sometimes aliens can pop out of ceiling tiles and pounce on you from above, requiring a great deal of support from your teammates when you’re in a pickle.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite features mission-based combat where your main goal is to complete a series of objectives in each mission while combating waves of xenomorph hordes. Players can choose through a variety of classes, each with unique abilities and weapons, and eventually you can upgrade those weapons to make sure you’re well prepared.
Uniquely, the game features extremely fast-paced gameplay in a campaign-like setting. You have to communicate with your team in order to survive. This may mean deploying sentry guns or reviving your fallen comrades all to ensure you survive in an environment where your odds are greatly stacked against you. With the immersive atmosphere and great cooperative gameplay, Aliens: Fireteam Elite offers an adrenaline-pumping experience that’s perfect for fans of sci-fi and shooter games alike.
That thing is HUGE!
1. Back 4 Blood
Back 4 Blood - Launch Trailer
Returning to campaign co-ops ends this list off with Back 4 Blood. Back 4 Blood is a cooperative first-person shooter where you and friends take on the role of “cleaners” who are fighting against killer hordes of infected humans and mutants.
The game is set in multiple environments like overgrown cities, rural areas and industrial complexes. Players progress through these locations as the campaign moves forward.
Back 4 Blood has one main goal: survive the onslaught of infected to progress the story. Of the eight cleaners you can choose from, each has their own special abilities and bonuses to help you survive; like increased speed or health. You can also, like in any zombie game, scavenge for new weapons, ammo, and supplies to fortify your positions or prepare for the next set of infected.
The most unique element of Back 4 Blood is its integrated card system. Known as the “Game Director”, which adjusts gameplay based on how the players perform in the game and the choices they make. These cards can offer buffs to your character, but there are two types: player cards and corruption cards. The selected cards will last the entirety of the campaign, so you have to choose wisely. This card system feels like classic RPG, while still implementing first-person shooter zombie game elements. With the creators of Left 4 Dead behind the scenes, Back 4 Blood is a great game for you and friends if you’re looking for a good fight.
Maybe we should make a run for it…
You may also be interested in:
- 10 Best Pc Horror Games To Play With Friends at a Sleepover
- Top 15 Horror Games with the Best Graphics
- 10 Cooperative Games That Require Teamwork To Win
