DokeV dazzled at the most recent PlayStation Showcase, where for four colorful minutes it demonstrated a large open world full of goofy monsters, like a bear with boxing gloves and rideable alpacas. But while it seems these monsters are in some fashion capturable and able to stand by the player's side in battle, that's not the sole focus on DokeV.

According to lead producer Sangyoung Kim, DokeV's monsters, called Dokebi, which are "spirit-like beings" in Korean folklore. Kim told us that actual Dokebi myths are at the heart of many monster designs we've already seen.

"We thought of a lot of different ideas with the Dokebi folklore at the center," he said. "You may have seen the Anteater-like Dokebi in the video, but it’s not actually an anteater. This Dokebi represents an imaginary animal called Bulgasari that takes on the form of a bear (kind of), and it eats iron. Another Dokebi in the video is in the form of a bird wearing a traditional Korean hat; this was drawn from a dark spirit called Eoduksinii in ancient folklore.

"But not all designs take these kinds of things into consideration. There are a lot of other ones that we design freely with whatever comes to mind. Sometimes we cannot apply those to the game. So we put that into the murals in the game. I liked that this sort of inspiration helped create a very rich display of the environment."

But while the Dokebi are certainly real creatures in the world of DokeV, Kim added that it's not really like what we've come to expect from other monster capture RPGs like Pokemon or Temtem, where fights are at the center of getting the creatures to come along for the ride. In DokeV, not many people don't know of their existence, or if they do, they don't believe in them. The main character, he said, is one of only a few people who know of and can see them, and goes on an adventure to search for Dokebi to achieve their dreams.

So while he didn't give many specific details, there seems to be a lot more to befriending Dokebi than just duking it out until they decide to join the party.

"Dokebi are born from people’s dreams. For example, someone dreams of becoming a boxer but is unable to pursue that dream because of their parents or some other reason. The inability to pursue their desires manifests as a dream, creating the Boxer Dokebi.

"As players progress in the game, they will get several hints about Dokebi, and eventually, befriend them after meeting special conditions using information from these hints and reading through each Dokebi’s unique backstory.

"When there are battles on the course of the adventure, players can fight with the help of Dokebi, but there are many activities where they can use the skillset of Dokebi. Players can achieve dreams and wishes with Dokebi."

Some of those activities include exploring DokeV's large island world, fishing, kite flying, and various other minigames, including some of the goofiness we saw in the trailer — and Pearl Abyss plans to continue to add more content post-launch. Plus, there are plans for multiplayer content, both co-op as well as PvP, even though DokeV is no longer classified as an MMORPG.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

DokeV dazzled at the most recent PlayStation Showcase, where for four colorful minutes it demonstrated a large open world full of goofy monsters, like a bear with boxing gloves and rideable alpacas. But while it seems these monsters are in some fashion capturable and able to stand by the player's side in battle, that's not the sole focus on DokeV.

According to lead producer Sangyoung Kim, DokeV's monsters, called Dokebi, which are "spirit-like beings" in Korean folklore. Kim told us that actual Dokebi myths are at the heart of many monster designs we've already seen.

"We thought of a lot of different ideas with the Dokebi folklore at the center," he said. "You may have seen the Anteater-like Dokebi in the video, but it’s not actually an anteater. This Dokebi represents an imaginary animal called Bulgasari that takes on the form of a bear (kind of), and it eats iron. Another Dokebi in the video is in the form of a bird wearing a traditional Korean hat; this was drawn from a dark spirit called Eoduksinii in ancient folklore.

"But not all designs take these kinds of things into consideration. There are a lot of other ones that we design freely with whatever comes to mind. Sometimes we cannot apply those to the game. So we put that into the murals in the game. I liked that this sort of inspiration helped create a very rich display of the environment."

But while the Dokebi are certainly real creatures in the world of DokeV, Kim added that it's not really like what we've come to expect from other monster capture RPGs like Pokemon or Temtem, where fights are at the center of getting the creatures to come along for the ride. In DokeV, not many people don't know of their existence, or if they do, they don't believe in them. The main character, he said, is one of only a few people who know of and can see them, and goes on an adventure to search for Dokebi to achieve their dreams.

So while he didn't give many specific details, there seems to be a lot more to befriending Dokebi than just duking it out until they decide to join the party.

"Dokebi are born from people’s dreams. For example, someone dreams of becoming a boxer but is unable to pursue that dream because of their parents or some other reason. The inability to pursue their desires manifests as a dream, creating the Boxer Dokebi.

"As players progress in the game, they will get several hints about Dokebi, and eventually, befriend them after meeting special conditions using information from these hints and reading through each Dokebi’s unique backstory.

"When there are battles on the course of the adventure, players can fight with the help of Dokebi, but there are many activities where they can use the skillset of Dokebi. Players can achieve dreams and wishes with Dokebi."

Some of those activities include exploring DokeV's large island world, fishing, kite flying, and various other minigames, including some of the goofiness we saw in the trailer — and Pearl Abyss plans to continue to add more content post-launch. Plus, there are plans for multiplayer content, both co-op as well as PvP, even though DokeV is no longer classified as an MMORPG.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

EA has announced that Battlefield 2042 will be delayed until November 19, 2021, pushing the release date by almost a month after its original October 22 release date.

In a press release, DICE GM Oskar Gabrielson cites ongoing complications with the COVID-19 pandemic. “Given the scale and scope of the game, we had hoped our teams would be back in our studios together as we move towards launch. With the ongoing conditions not allowing that to happen safely, and with all the hard work the teams are doing from home, we feel it is important to take the extra time to deliver on the vision of Battlefield 2042 for our players.”

Battlefield 2042 is EA and DICE’s first Battlefield game since 2018’s Battlefield 5, and it is the latest game to be hit by a delay in 2021.

Unlike some other major releases originally planned for 2021, Battlefield 2042 will still launch this year and won’t impact EA’s financial forecast for the fiscal year 2022.

EA also says an update on the Open Beta for Battlefield 2042 will be announced later this month.

Battlefield 2042 will be set in the near future and will include hallmarks of the series such as large-scale battles and huge open maps. In addition, Battlefield 2042 is set during an environmental disaster so players will contend with natural disasters like tornadoes appearing on the map as well.

A new addition to Battlefield 2042 is a mode called Portal which will let players create custom games using assets from Battlefield 2042, Battlefield 1942, Battlefield Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3.

Check out IGN’s Battlefield 2042 preview for our take on the next large-scale military shooter.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

EA has announced that Battlefield 2042 will be delayed until November 19, 2021, pushing the release date by almost a month after its original October 22 release date.

In a press release, DICE GM Oskar Gabrielson cites ongoing complications with the COVID-19 pandemic. “Given the scale and scope of the game, we had hoped our teams would be back in our studios together as we move towards launch. With the ongoing conditions not allowing that to happen safely, and with all the hard work the teams are doing from home, we feel it is important to take the extra time to deliver on the vision of Battlefield 2042 for our players.”

Battlefield 2042 is EA and DICE’s first Battlefield game since 2018’s Battlefield 5, and it is the latest game to be hit by a delay in 2021.

Unlike some other major releases originally planned for 2021, Battlefield 2042 will still launch this year and won’t impact EA’s financial forecast for the fiscal year 2022.

EA also says an update on the Open Beta for Battlefield 2042 will be announced later this month.

Battlefield 2042 will be set in the near future and will include hallmarks of the series such as large-scale battles and huge open maps. In addition, Battlefield 2042 is set during an environmental disaster so players will contend with natural disasters like tornadoes appearing on the map as well.

A new addition to Battlefield 2042 is a mode called Portal which will let players create custom games using assets from Battlefield 2042, Battlefield 1942, Battlefield Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3.

Check out IGN’s Battlefield 2042 preview for our take on the next large-scale military shooter.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

When DokeV got its latest new trailer at the recent PlayStation Showcase, some people (including us!) were initially confused. The game had originally been marketed as an MMORPG, but now all its messaging called it an "open-world action-adventure." No massive multiplayer online elements in sight.

What happened?

According to Pearl Abyss director of animation and motion capture and DokeV lead producer Sangyoung Kim, it was a simple matter of vision. At one point in its development, an MMORPG like Pearl Abyss' previous title Black Desert Online made the most sense. Now, it doesn't.

"We’ve had a lot of discussions about the game’s direction while working on DokeV and as the result, we concluded that making it an open-world action-adventure game allows us to best express our vision for the game," he said. "Now we are going in the direction of enjoying the diverse gameplay in the vast open world."

All that said, though, that doesn't mean the multiplayer components are gone from DokeV. The monster-filled adventure will include both a single-player experience in its main storyline, Kim told IGN, as well as "collaborative multiplayer elements to work on with other players," such as fighting boss monsters together as a group.

"Of course, there will be a PvP element in the game," he added. "For those competitive elements, we are developing it with the idea of friendly competition that encourages good sportsmanship. We will come back with more information on this in the future."

We learned several other tidbits from Kim, including the immense size of its open world, and a little about the different kinds of activities players can participate in with their Dokebi beyond just battling and exploring.

All in all, DokeV is shaping up to be a colorful and exciting undertaking, which explains why we are still, unfortunately, still left hanging on a release window. But given the apparent size and scope of the game we saw last month, it'll hopefully be worth the wait.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

When DokeV got its latest new trailer at the recent PlayStation Showcase, some people (including us!) were initially confused. The game had originally been marketed as an MMORPG, but now all its messaging called it an "open-world action-adventure." No massive multiplayer online elements in sight.

What happened?

According to Pearl Abyss director of animation and motion capture and DokeV lead producer Sangyoung Kim, it was a simple matter of vision. At one point in its development, an MMORPG like Pearl Abyss' previous title Black Desert Online made the most sense. Now, it doesn't.

"We’ve had a lot of discussions about the game’s direction while working on DokeV and as the result, we concluded that making it an open-world action-adventure game allows us to best express our vision for the game," he said. "Now we are going in the direction of enjoying the diverse gameplay in the vast open world."

All that said, though, that doesn't mean the multiplayer components are gone from DokeV. The monster-filled adventure will include both a single-player experience in its main storyline, Kim told IGN, as well as "collaborative multiplayer elements to work on with other players," such as fighting boss monsters together as a group.

"Of course, there will be a PvP element in the game," he added. "For those competitive elements, we are developing it with the idea of friendly competition that encourages good sportsmanship. We will come back with more information on this in the future."

We learned several other tidbits from Kim, including the immense size of its open world, and a little about the different kinds of activities players can participate in with their Dokebi beyond just battling and exploring.

All in all, DokeV is shaping up to be a colorful and exciting undertaking, which explains why we are still, unfortunately, still left hanging on a release window. But given the apparent size and scope of the game we saw last month, it'll hopefully be worth the wait.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Deathloop is available now, and it's drawing rave reviews for its unique loop mechanic and the creative freedom of its mechanics. But over on PC, Deathloop is currently getting hit hard by fans who are upset with stuttering issues.

Over on Steam, Deathloop currently sits at a Mixed rating with around 2,763 reviews. Many of the top reviews complain about frame rate stuttering, poor optimization, and other issues, most of which is being traced to Denuvo Anti-Piracy software.

The DRM software is notorious for causing technical issues on PC games. Dishonored 2 suffered similar problems until Bethesda removed the software. Now it's back in full force with Deathloop.

IGN reached out to Bethesda about plans to fix the issue, but received no response. In a joking Reddit post this morning, though, a user with a Bethesda flair popped in to confirm that a fix is being prioritized.

"Hey all, I'm one of the DEATHLOOP Community Managers, and while those burgers do look great, regarding performance we are aware of reports that some PC users are experiencing stuttering issues in DEATHLOOP," the user MortalEmperor wrote. "We're actively investigating the issue right now as a priority, and will update you with more specific information as soon as possible."

Once the stuttering issues are fixed, fans will find a spectacular immersive sim that should be firmly in the Game of the Year conversation for 2021. Our review called it a "new high watermark" for Arkane and developers of similar games.

"Despite its seemingly endless complexities, Deathloop is one of the most confidently designed games I’ve ever played," our reviewer wrote. "Its unique, high-concept ideas around time loops and non-linear investigation work are implemented with elegance, making its systems feel effortless to navigate, learn from, and ultimately master."

Deathloop is available now on PC and PlayStation 5.

Deathloop is available now, and it's drawing rave reviews for its unique loop mechanic and the creative freedom of its mechanics. But over on PC, Deathloop is currently getting hit hard by fans who are upset with stuttering issues.

Over on Steam, Deathloop currently sits at a Mixed rating with around 2,763 reviews. Many of the top reviews complain about frame rate stuttering, poor optimization, and other issues, most of which is being traced to Denuvo Anti-Piracy software.

The DRM software is notorious for causing technical issues on PC games. Dishonored 2 suffered similar problems until Bethesda removed the software. Now it's back in full force with Deathloop.

IGN reached out to Bethesda about plans to fix the issue, but received no response. In a joking Reddit post this morning, though, a user with a Bethesda flair popped in to confirm that a fix is being prioritized.

"Hey all, I'm one of the DEATHLOOP Community Managers, and while those burgers do look great, regarding performance we are aware of reports that some PC users are experiencing stuttering issues in DEATHLOOP," the user MortalEmperor wrote. "We're actively investigating the issue right now as a priority, and will update you with more specific information as soon as possible."

Once the stuttering issues are fixed, fans will find a spectacular immersive sim that should be firmly in the Game of the Year conversation for 2021. Our review called it a "new high watermark" for Arkane and developers of similar games.

"Despite its seemingly endless complexities, Deathloop is one of the most confidently designed games I’ve ever played," our reviewer wrote. "Its unique, high-concept ideas around time loops and non-linear investigation work are implemented with elegance, making its systems feel effortless to navigate, learn from, and ultimately master."

Deathloop is available now on PC and PlayStation 5.

A great co-op game leaves you with a memorable shared experience, something you can reminisce with a friend about months or even years later. They can forge friendships, maybe test the limits of others, or even just bring people closer together. We love co-op games at IGN, which is why we wanted to take some time to put together this list of the top 10 cooperative games of all time.

Before we start though, a few caveats as we define what “co-op” means for this list. First, we wanted to focus on games that were truly built around that cooperative experience. This is a list of the top 10 cooperative games, not the 10 best games that happen to be playable cooperatively, which is why you’ll see a lot of games, or separate modes, that can only be played with two players. There are going to be a few that can be played solo, but these experiences are really defined by their cooperative versions. To make room for those games, we had to make some tough cuts, including Halo and Borderlands.

Also, to keep this from stepping on the toes of other genres, we’re omitting MMOs, MOBAs, and any games that are solely focused around competitive cooperative play. Rainbow Six Siege and the Battlefield games are amazing cooperative experiences for those on the same team, no doubt, but for this list, we want to highlight the games that bring people together to work towards a common goal that’s not simply “beat the other team.”.

With that said, here are the 10 best cooperative games of all time.

10. Splinter Cell Conviction

Even as a complementary mode to Splinter Cell: Conviction's main story, the co-op campaign absolutely shines as a thrilling and fun way to team up with a friend to eliminate tons of bad guys from the shadows. Set as a prologue to Sam Fisher’s story, you take on the roles of a US and Russian agent working together to stop a deadly black market sale, and can use the “Mark and Execute” mechanic in tandem to pull off some amazing, cinematic takedowns.

Communication is key when crouching through the dark, ratcheting up the tension as you split up to take different paths or protect your friend as they put themselves in a vulnerable situation, cleanly and quietly picking off interlopers as they try to attack your exposed partner. This surprisingly meaty campaign caps off with one of the most surprising and exhilarating endings to a co-op story ever, which may end up putting a slight strain on your friendship.

The one bummer is that servers were turned off in 2019, making it exceptionally hard to play in 2021. Just another reason why it's high time to bring both Splinter Cell and this incredible co-op mode back for all to play.

9. Overcooked 2

Overcooked became the foundation for a job-based co-op genre that has spawned many similarly frantic experiences, but there's a level of polish and iconic charm that keep us coming back to Overcooked specifically.

With the addition of the throwing mechanic in Overcooked 2, level design transformed from teetering on the edge of somewhat manageable to total, gleeful kitchen chaos. Story campaigns have chefs running back and forth between moving food trucks, pirate ships on the ocean, tossing food over active volcanoes and other varied locales that you wouldn’t normally plan to cook a plate of spaghetti at.

Nailing perfect coordination and understanding the fine-tuning of each kitchen's quirks is the key to going for perfect ratings, and it's truly a feat that only the most iron-willed chefs working in tandem can pull off.

8. Streets of Rage 4

Street of Rage 4 is anything but a nostalgia play, despite coming out over 15 years after the last entry in the series. This is one of the best beat-em-ups of all time, straight up, and it shines even brighter in co-op mode, and not just because you’ll have a much better chance to survive it’s challenging difficulty. More than anything else, what makes Streets of Rage such a great co-op game is its balance of approachability and depth.

It’s super easy to jump right in, adjust the difficulty and assists to your preference, and have a blast even with someone who doesn’t know all of the ins-and-outs of the franchise. But gather together a group of veterans who know how to really dig into Streets of Rage 4’s mechanical depth, and it’s even more fun to challenge yourself to get as far as you can, especially with the Mr. X Nightmare Survival mode DLC released after launch.

Whichever side of the fence you’re on, grab a metal pipe off the ground, an apple for health out of a trash can, and jump into one of the most fun co-op games around.

7. Divinity Original Sin 2

Much like its clear inspiration, Dungeons and Dragons, Divinity Original Sin 2 is a tremendously fun cooperative experience, but it does require finding the right partner or group to play with. After all, it’s an incredibly dense RPG with tons of dialogue, character customization options, and turn-based combat, but if you do find that right person or people willing to engage with its depth and commit to a full campaign much like you would with a D&D group, Divinity Original Sin 2 is an unforgettable co-op experience.

Every fight is its own cooperative puzzle where you must coordinate with your party, plan moves ahead, and make careful use of your own character's unique skills in order to overcome some truly tough battles. And just like a good D&D game, it’s all about exploring the story as a group, discovering how your choices impact the world, and working together to achieve your goals.

6. Monster Hunter World

Monster Hunter: World brilliantly retains its intricacy, difficulty, and sense of wonder through multiplayer. A great single-player experience is catapulted into the amazing category with fellow hunters in co-op. Whether on the hunt against a fantastic beast, or back at the hub just getting silly, sharing the exhilarating process of prepping for a difficult battle and barely making it by the skin of your teeth is one you have to experience with your pals, and not just your Palicos.

Admittedly, playing through the main story with friends can be a bit of a tedious task at times, but the story missions are just a ludicrously small fraction of the hundreds of hours of adventure Monster Hunter: World has to offer, especially when much of the “post-game” content is at its best when played in teams, like the intimidating Behemoth with recognizable MMO mechanics from the Final Fantasy 14 crossover, or the sincerely difficult arch-tempered Elder Dragons, and the most challenging of all, Fatalis.

Defeating these fiercest of foes with your bestest of buds will strengthen those bonds even more - or make you want to disown someone for not drinking their Armorskin. Either way, it’s a great time.

5. Left 4 Dead 2

The Left 4 Dead games drop players into what is essentially a video game version of the zombie movies 28 Days Later or Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake. That is, it’s you and some friends versus thousands of hungry and very fast zombies. And teamwork is essential if you want to survive the legions of the undead in this magic experience that developers have been trying to recapture ever since its debut.

Each campaign’s objectives will be much more achievable if all players work together, consistently communicate, and take on specific roles within the group. One of Left 4 Dead’s most genius inclusions is the A.I. director, which monitors your team’s progress and tones down — or ramps up — the difficulty based on how well you’re doing. If you’re doing too well, the A.I. Director can make success practically a nightmare, and having real human buddies at your side may just give you the edge you need to make it through.

Oh, and why Left 4 Dead 2 over the original? It’s got better Special Infected (the Jockey is a personal favorite), a better campaign, and Valve even ported over everything from L4D1 into the sequel...so you don’t even need the first game to experience all its fun.

4. Sea of Thieves

To those who have had dreams of donning a pirate's hat and setting sail on the salty waves in search of treasure and wonder, Sea of Thieves is the game for you. From following lore-filled Tall Tales that lead to valuable treasure or manning the 4-pirate vessel, The Galleon, to battle enemy ships on the water; a coordinated band of friends makes everything a lot more manageable, and fun, in this swashbuckling world.

Having your crew at your side when setting foot on islands of nautical baddies and delving into caves with powerful pirate captains is always optimal to assure a bountiful voyage. Hilarity can ensue at any moment with a collection of pirate items on hand like a banjo and hurdy-gurdy for sea shanty sing-alongs or a tankard for some booze-based camaraderie.

And for those who always hoped for a Pirates of the Caribbean video game, the Disney-collaborated Pirate’s Life storyline now available in Sea of Thieves makes these virtual high seas all the more alluring to explore. Savvy?

3. It Takes Two

If creativity was electricity, It Takes Two power an entire town. Hazelight Studios’ brilliant co-op-only adventure released just this year and yet it is so good that it clearly deserves a spot in the upper echelon of the all time great co-op games.

The key to It Takes Two’s success as a cooperative experience is that it always maintains its core as a co-op platformer, but with every new area, it changes up the rules, and how its two characters, Cody and May, must interact with each other. The result is a game that always feels fresh, and always encourages its co-op partners to figure out new ways of working together.

Just when it feels like the game has done everything it can with one mechanic, it moves on to a new one that’s just as fun as the last. And most importantly, everything is built around the idea of cooperating with your partner, as it literally cannot be played alone.

2. Rock Band 4

Guitar Hero may have started the plastic instrument trend, but when Rock Band came out, it turned it into a co-op phenomena, and while we could really put any of the Rock Band games here, we’re going with Rock Band 4 simply because it’s the most available one to play in 2021 and features years of iteration under its belt.

Rock Band is quite simply the ultimate four-player co-op experience for two key reasons: it’s a damn good rhythm and karaoke game first and foremost, regardless of what instrument you’re playing, with an expansive catalogue stretching across genres and eras. But secondly, there’s a unique social aspect to Rock Band that just isn’t present in any other game.

You can play Rock Band to achieve high scores and gold star every song on expert, but its most joyful version is one where you’re not worrying about any of that. Instead, the most important part is goofing off with your friends and pretending to be rock stars together, an experience Rock Band delivers in (ace of) spades. For those that continue to virtually rock, we salute you.

1. Portal 2

Portal 2 is one of the greatest puzzle games of all time, but what’s even more impressive about it is that, in addition to having that stellar single-player campaign, on top of that is, in our opinion, the best co-op experience of all time. It’s perfectly paced, brilliantly split up into multiple areas, each focusing on a different puzzle mechanic, and strikes just the right mix between tests of skill and tests of the mind.

The puzzles themselves are more complex than ever before, especially since you now have four portals to work with as opposed to the two in single-player mode, but they somehow never become frustrating because it’s always fun to experiment, piece together the puzzle bit by bit, and collaborate with your buddy whether through voice chat or the clever pinging system. Even 10 years later, there’s still nothing quite like playing Portal 2 with a friend.

And that’s our list! Like so many others, this was a very tough list to cull to just 10, with games like Resident Evil 5, Destiny 2, and the aforementioned Borderlands and Halo games just missing this list for one reason or another. Let us know what you think in the comments.

A great co-op game leaves you with a memorable shared experience, something you can reminisce with a friend about months or even years later. They can forge friendships, maybe test the limits of others, or even just bring people closer together. We love co-op games at IGN, which is why we wanted to take some time to put together this list of the top 10 cooperative games of all time.

Before we start though, a few caveats as we define what “co-op” means for this list. First, we wanted to focus on games that were truly built around that cooperative experience. This is a list of the top 10 cooperative games, not the 10 best games that happen to be playable cooperatively, which is why you’ll see a lot of games, or separate modes, that can only be played with two players. There are going to be a few that can be played solo, but these experiences are really defined by their cooperative versions. To make room for those games, we had to make some tough cuts, including Halo and Borderlands.

Also, to keep this from stepping on the toes of other genres, we’re omitting MMOs, MOBAs, and any games that are solely focused around competitive cooperative play. Rainbow Six Siege and the Battlefield games are amazing cooperative experiences for those on the same team, no doubt, but for this list, we want to highlight the games that bring people together to work towards a common goal that’s not simply “beat the other team.”.

With that said, here are the 10 best cooperative games of all time.

10. Splinter Cell Conviction

Even as a complementary mode to Splinter Cell: Conviction's main story, the co-op campaign absolutely shines as a thrilling and fun way to team up with a friend to eliminate tons of bad guys from the shadows. Set as a prologue to Sam Fisher’s story, you take on the roles of a US and Russian agent working together to stop a deadly black market sale, and can use the “Mark and Execute” mechanic in tandem to pull off some amazing, cinematic takedowns.

Communication is key when crouching through the dark, ratcheting up the tension as you split up to take different paths or protect your friend as they put themselves in a vulnerable situation, cleanly and quietly picking off interlopers as they try to attack your exposed partner. This surprisingly meaty campaign caps off with one of the most surprising and exhilarating endings to a co-op story ever, which may end up putting a slight strain on your friendship.

The one bummer is that servers were turned off in 2019, making it exceptionally hard to play in 2021. Just another reason why it's high time to bring both Splinter Cell and this incredible co-op mode back for all to play.

9. Overcooked 2

Overcooked became the foundation for a job-based co-op genre that has spawned many similarly frantic experiences, but there's a level of polish and iconic charm that keep us coming back to Overcooked specifically.

With the addition of the throwing mechanic in Overcooked 2, level design transformed from teetering on the edge of somewhat manageable to total, gleeful kitchen chaos. Story campaigns have chefs running back and forth between moving food trucks, pirate ships on the ocean, tossing food over active volcanoes and other varied locales that you wouldn’t normally plan to cook a plate of spaghetti at.

Nailing perfect coordination and understanding the fine-tuning of each kitchen's quirks is the key to going for perfect ratings, and it's truly a feat that only the most iron-willed chefs working in tandem can pull off.

8. Streets of Rage 4

Street of Rage 4 is anything but a nostalgia play, despite coming out over 15 years after the last entry in the series. This is one of the best beat-em-ups of all time, straight up, and it shines even brighter in co-op mode, and not just because you’ll have a much better chance to survive it’s challenging difficulty. More than anything else, what makes Streets of Rage such a great co-op game is its balance of approachability and depth.

It’s super easy to jump right in, adjust the difficulty and assists to your preference, and have a blast even with someone who doesn’t know all of the ins-and-outs of the franchise. But gather together a group of veterans who know how to really dig into Streets of Rage 4’s mechanical depth, and it’s even more fun to challenge yourself to get as far as you can, especially with the Mr. X Nightmare Survival mode DLC released after launch.

Whichever side of the fence you’re on, grab a metal pipe off the ground, an apple for health out of a trash can, and jump into one of the most fun co-op games around.

7. Divinity Original Sin 2

Much like its clear inspiration, Dungeons and Dragons, Divinity Original Sin 2 is a tremendously fun cooperative experience, but it does require finding the right partner or group to play with. After all, it’s an incredibly dense RPG with tons of dialogue, character customization options, and turn-based combat, but if you do find that right person or people willing to engage with its depth and commit to a full campaign much like you would with a D&D group, Divinity Original Sin 2 is an unforgettable co-op experience.

Every fight is its own cooperative puzzle where you must coordinate with your party, plan moves ahead, and make careful use of your own character's unique skills in order to overcome some truly tough battles. And just like a good D&D game, it’s all about exploring the story as a group, discovering how your choices impact the world, and working together to achieve your goals.

6. Monster Hunter World

Monster Hunter: World brilliantly retains its intricacy, difficulty, and sense of wonder through multiplayer. A great single-player experience is catapulted into the amazing category with fellow hunters in co-op. Whether on the hunt against a fantastic beast, or back at the hub just getting silly, sharing the exhilarating process of prepping for a difficult battle and barely making it by the skin of your teeth is one you have to experience with your pals, and not just your Palicos.

Admittedly, playing through the main story with friends can be a bit of a tedious task at times, but the story missions are just a ludicrously small fraction of the hundreds of hours of adventure Monster Hunter: World has to offer, especially when much of the “post-game” content is at its best when played in teams, like the intimidating Behemoth with recognizable MMO mechanics from the Final Fantasy 14 crossover, or the sincerely difficult arch-tempered Elder Dragons, and the most challenging of all, Fatalis.

Defeating these fiercest of foes with your bestest of buds will strengthen those bonds even more - or make you want to disown someone for not drinking their Armorskin. Either way, it’s a great time.

5. Left 4 Dead 2

The Left 4 Dead games drop players into what is essentially a video game version of the zombie movies 28 Days Later or Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake. That is, it’s you and some friends versus thousands of hungry and very fast zombies. And teamwork is essential if you want to survive the legions of the undead in this magic experience that developers have been trying to recapture ever since its debut.

Each campaign’s objectives will be much more achievable if all players work together, consistently communicate, and take on specific roles within the group. One of Left 4 Dead’s most genius inclusions is the A.I. director, which monitors your team’s progress and tones down — or ramps up — the difficulty based on how well you’re doing. If you’re doing too well, the A.I. Director can make success practically a nightmare, and having real human buddies at your side may just give you the edge you need to make it through.

Oh, and why Left 4 Dead 2 over the original? It’s got better Special Infected (the Jockey is a personal favorite), a better campaign, and Valve even ported over everything from L4D1 into the sequel...so you don’t even need the first game to experience all its fun.

4. Sea of Thieves

To those who have had dreams of donning a pirate's hat and setting sail on the salty waves in search of treasure and wonder, Sea of Thieves is the game for you. From following lore-filled Tall Tales that lead to valuable treasure or manning the 4-pirate vessel, The Galleon, to battle enemy ships on the water; a coordinated band of friends makes everything a lot more manageable, and fun, in this swashbuckling world.

Having your crew at your side when setting foot on islands of nautical baddies and delving into caves with powerful pirate captains is always optimal to assure a bountiful voyage. Hilarity can ensue at any moment with a collection of pirate items on hand like a banjo and hurdy-gurdy for sea shanty sing-alongs or a tankard for some booze-based camaraderie.

And for those who always hoped for a Pirates of the Caribbean video game, the Disney-collaborated Pirate’s Life storyline now available in Sea of Thieves makes these virtual high seas all the more alluring to explore. Savvy?

3. It Takes Two

If creativity was electricity, It Takes Two power an entire town. Hazelight Studios’ brilliant co-op-only adventure released just this year and yet it is so good that it clearly deserves a spot in the upper echelon of the all time great co-op games.

The key to It Takes Two’s success as a cooperative experience is that it always maintains its core as a co-op platformer, but with every new area, it changes up the rules, and how its two characters, Cody and May, must interact with each other. The result is a game that always feels fresh, and always encourages its co-op partners to figure out new ways of working together.

Just when it feels like the game has done everything it can with one mechanic, it moves on to a new one that’s just as fun as the last. And most importantly, everything is built around the idea of cooperating with your partner, as it literally cannot be played alone.

2. Rock Band 4

Guitar Hero may have started the plastic instrument trend, but when Rock Band came out, it turned it into a co-op phenomena, and while we could really put any of the Rock Band games here, we’re going with Rock Band 4 simply because it’s the most available one to play in 2021 and features years of iteration under its belt.

Rock Band is quite simply the ultimate four-player co-op experience for two key reasons: it’s a damn good rhythm and karaoke game first and foremost, regardless of what instrument you’re playing, with an expansive catalogue stretching across genres and eras. But secondly, there’s a unique social aspect to Rock Band that just isn’t present in any other game.

You can play Rock Band to achieve high scores and gold star every song on expert, but its most joyful version is one where you’re not worrying about any of that. Instead, the most important part is goofing off with your friends and pretending to be rock stars together, an experience Rock Band delivers in (ace of) spades. For those that continue to virtually rock, we salute you.

1. Portal 2

Portal 2 is one of the greatest puzzle games of all time, but what’s even more impressive about it is that, in addition to having that stellar single-player campaign, on top of that is, in our opinion, the best co-op experience of all time. It’s perfectly paced, brilliantly split up into multiple areas, each focusing on a different puzzle mechanic, and strikes just the right mix between tests of skill and tests of the mind.

The puzzles themselves are more complex than ever before, especially since you now have four portals to work with as opposed to the two in single-player mode, but they somehow never become frustrating because it’s always fun to experiment, piece together the puzzle bit by bit, and collaborate with your buddy whether through voice chat or the clever pinging system. Even 10 years later, there’s still nothing quite like playing Portal 2 with a friend.

And that’s our list! Like so many others, this was a very tough list to cull to just 10, with games like Resident Evil 5, Destiny 2, and the aforementioned Borderlands and Halo games just missing this list for one reason or another. Let us know what you think in the comments.