Multiplayer horror games offer a variety of experiences, from the asymmetric PvP ofDead By Daylightto the co-operative shenanigans of titles likeLethal CompanyandREPO. These experiences can range from linear adventures to short-form scares, but those with more active gameplay tend to emphasize teamwork above all else.
While co-operative horror games can be less scary than single-player experiences, these titles use their dangerous locales and horrifying creatures to encourage players to work together. By offering high lethality gameplay rife with hazards, players often need to work together in order to survive.
is a co-operative horror game that excels with its asymmetric creatures, providing a great deal of emergent gameplay. The variety of foes inLethal Companyand their dynamic behaviorsoften requires teamworkin order to be successful, with brash and reckless players often meeting untimely ends.
Lethal Companytasks players with salvaging what they can from creepy, industrial environments rife with these creatures in order to meet an ever-increasing quota. Since players lose any loot they’ve gained after a full team wipe, they’re encouraged to watch each other’s backs at all times, resulting in a decidedly team-oriented experience.
Hunt: Showdownisn’t a terrifying experience, but its variety of monstrous enemies offers a decidedly creepy world to tread through. Asan extraction shooter,Hunt: Showdownblends PvE with PvP, excelling with co-operative play that encourages players to look after each other as they attempt to hunt down deadly creatures before anyone else can.
The deadly gunplay ofHunt: Showdownresults in high lethality gameplay, made all the more dangerous thanks to the abundance of mobs. While some players may be able to dispatch these creatures with relative ease, they create a consistent distraction that can wear supplies thin and attract aggressive players. As a result, working as a team is often integral to survival.
Dead By Daylightis a unique PvP horror game that does its best to adapt the structure ofa violent slasher flickwith asymmetric gameplay. In the game, four survivors with very minimal abilities are tasked with escaping a deadly killer, controlled by an opposing player.
Since the balance of power is so heavily in favor of the killer, survivors must work together in order to succeed. It’s not uncommon for survivors to get killed in the process of escaping, but by working together, they can often enable others to get away.
Similar toLethal Company,REPOis a co-operative horror game that tasks a group of players with exploringa series of creepy environments. These environments are packed with valuable goods, but several nasty creatures and hazards stand in the way.
What’s particularly unique aboutREPOis that the game’s variety of valuables can be damaged; players must manually carry these goods around, and knocking them into a wall or dropping them on the ground can result in a total loss of value. As a result, players must work together not only to survive, but to keep their loot from becoming damaged.
Resident Evil 6is a slick combination of action and horror that won’t be for everyone, but it’s elevated by its co-operative play. When playing with a friend,Resident Evil 6’sflaws are less obvious, and instead its strengths are able to shine, particularly its focus on teamwork.
In the game, players must watch each other’s backs in order to survive, as they are often outnumbered and many of the game’s enemies are deadly. This is even more so on harder difficulties, where it could be argued that the game shines.
Left 4 Dead 2combineshorror and actionwith a breakneck pace, throwing dynamic threats at players with a variety of special enemies and an AI director that controls the ebb and flow of gameplay. The massive hordes and tight level designs provide frantic sprints from one safe room to another, but it’s the aforementioned special enemies that inspire teamwork.
With so many enemies on screen, it’s easy to get worn down and taken out inLeft 4 Dead 2; if a player is somehow separated from the group and surrounded, there’s typically little that their friends can do. However, by sticking together and keeping an eagle eye out for special enemies, players can dramatically increase their chances of success.
Though it’s a far cry fromthe survival horrorof the original games,Resident Evil 5offers players a tense and action-packed journey that excels in co-operative play. This is thanks to the game’s design, which revolves heavily around the partnership between the two protagonists, Chris and Sheva.
Despite featuring a stronger focus on action,Resident Evil 5maintains a certain levelof resource management. As a result, players must be careful with their bullets, especially on harder difficulties. This encourages sharing and teamwork to ensure both players are able to defend themselves. Furthermore, if one player goes down, it’s game over, so it’s in both players' interests to keep their partner alive.
