10 Best Co-Op Shooter Games, Ranked (2024)

The wide world of co-op shooter games covers everything from Helldivers 2 to Far Cry 5, and the best games in the genre offer experiences that are well worth embarking upon with companions. Shooters can translate exceptionally well to cooperative gameplay, with basic pick-up-and-play appeal still leaving the potential for strategic depth and meaningful collaboration. Gunning down enemies is also a lot less monotonous in co-op, even when the hordes just won't stop coming.

Co-op shooter gameplay can be a great way to take a break from PvP, and it tends to promote a lot less toxicity. It's still possible to have heated moments when challenges get particularly intense, but cooperative triumphs feel especially rewarding. Throw in any mix of elements like humor, horror, or unique genre tweaks, and the best co-op shooters are adventures like no other.

10 Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Blends Melee & FPS Action

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 isn't strictly a shooter, but it's certainly possible to treat it as one. A number of unique classes offer different benefits in the war against a rodent apocalypse, and some of them operate with ranged options like crossbows and guns. Everything falls under the dark fantasy flavor of the Warhammer Fantasy setting, setting it apart from the sci-fi elements that characterize the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Vermintide 2 is the kind of game that gets better with every hour spent playing it, as the extent of its strategic depth isn't always immediately apparent. There's no shortage of horde shooters out there, but few have the same number of possibilities or the rewarding level of challenge that Vermintide offers in its more difficult modes. A lot of that complexity can be found in the melee combat, but there's still plenty to master, even when sticking to the FPS options.

9 Remnant 2 Is A Soulslike Co-Op Shooter

Another interesting game with both melee and ranged possibilities is Remnant 2, although the shooter element is a lot of what makes this one stand out in particular. Remnant 2 might be the best example of successfully marrying the soulslike style with ranged gunplay, iterating on an interesting predecessor to deliver something more polished, expansive, and varied.

Due to its soulslike nature, Remnant 2 may not be for the faint of heart, and the game certainly offers up some intimidating trials. An easy mode makes it significantly more approachable; however, playing with a skilled friend can always provide a major boost in co-op. On lower difficulties, it's possible to just focus on blasting through intense enemies, while higher ones tend to require more attention paid to loot and more time spent on careful builds.

8 Far Cry 5 Is A Perfectly Chaotic Co-Op FPS

Far Cry 5 might not be the best game in the Far Cry series, but it represented a major step up for the franchise's approach to co-op. While only side missions can be completed cooperatively in Far Cry 4, Far Cry 5 can be played with a friend from start to finish. This can make even some banal missions a lot more memorable, and it's possible to get up to all kinds of mayhem, even by accident.

Like other games in the franchise, Far Cry 5 pits players against a maniacal leader of a dangerous cult, although the American setting provides an interesting twist on the formula. If this doesn't seem appealing, the pseudo-Cuba of Far Cry 6 and the exotic alien planet of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora provide reasonable alternatives with similar core gameplay, and all feature robust co-op possibilities.

7 Risk Of Rain 2 Adds A Roguelike Twist

Although the original Risk of Rain made its mark as a 2D roguelike action-platformer, Risk of Rain 2 significantly shook things up by transitioning to a 3D third-person shooter style. The roguelike elements remain intact, however, with intense runs forcing frequent restarts while unlocking new characters and items to use and find. Nothing is maintained across playthroughs, so it's a much more traditional approach than something like Hades where some progress transfers.

For anyone patient enough to appreciate the learning curve, Risk of Rain 2 offers some significant rewards. A strong aesthetic more than makes up for simplistic graphics, and the variety across runs makes replays enticing. Risk of Rain 2 co-op supports up to four players in one game, so it's a good option for groups that can't slim down to a two-person campaign.

6 Helldivers 2 Keeps Co-Op Shooting Fresh

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Helldivers 2 is a huge co-op shooter breakout of 2024, and it's easy to see why. Like Risk of Rain 2, Helldivers 2 changes the formula from its 2D predecessor, in this case transitioning away from a top-down perspective. The end result here is particularly immersive, with the Terminid and Automaton hordes that overrun its planets feeling like smart and terrifying threats.

Although live-service elements can often be a detriment to games, Helldivers 2 is a rare case of continual updates done well. A game master oversees a shifting story and war campaign that constantly tasks the community with new objectives, and a satirically jingoistic tone gives players something to unite around. Co-op can be great even with random players, and finding or building a squad that works well together makes intense missions feel fantastic.

5 Halo: The Master Chief Collection Is A Co-Op Bundle

Halo is a great series for co-op as a whole, and the easiest way to jump into that experience is by picking up Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The remastered bundle includes Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo Reach, and Halo 4, so it's hard to deny that it's rich in possibilities.

Every game in Halo: The Master Chief Collection includes co-op, although a couple of missions in Halo 2 are single-player only. The first two games feature two-player co-op, while the rest expand the options to support four players. Thanks to the variety of missions and environments across the Halo series, playing through The Master Chief Collection isn't likely to get stale quickly, making it a contender for the best value to be found in the co-op shooter realm.

4 Borderlands 2 Defines Co-Op Looter Shooters

Borderlands 2 is often one of the first games that comes up in discussions about co-op shooters, and it's not without good reason. From a distinct cel-shaded art style to a signature brand of humor, Borderlands 2 carves out a personality that most similar games fail to match. Even if the jokes don't always land, the gameplay does, with satisfying gunplay and varied environments carrying an expansive adventure.

The best part of Borderlands 2 lies in the weapons, which are full of creative gimmicks that make swapping out equipment feel consistently exciting. In co-op, sharing this loot can be hard, but letting each player settle into a distinct niche starts to make everything click. Borderlands 3 is also a strong option for a co-op looter shooter, but Borderlands 2 remains the defining game in the series even today.

3 Sniper Elite 4 Is Perfect For Two

Co-op has been an iconic feature of the Sniper Elite games from the start, even if the PC version of the original title sadly lacks the split-screen of the original PS2 release. Sniper Elite 4 has no such drawbacks, however, and playing through its interesting campaign is definitely better with a friend. If more players want to join the fray, there's also a survival mode that can support up to four participants.

Sniper Elite 4 focuses on an Italian setting, something often under-represented in World War 2 games, and some massive stages prove both gorgeous and fun to play. It's possible to take a run-and-gun approach, but patient sniping also tends to be rewarded, making it a strong option for those who prefer something less frenetic. X-ray killcams are also a staple Sniper Elite feature, although they can be turned off if the extra gore isn't a draw.

2 Deep Rock Galactic Is A Space Dwarf FPS

Deep Rock Galactic's approach to its setting immediately stands out from other co-op shooters, tossing dwarves into a sci-fi setting that focuses on the dangers of space mining. The game's procedurally generated caves would be interesting to explore even if they were static environments, but they're significantly elevated by the fact that they're completely destructible. Riches await within these mines, but so do hostile alien creatures that don't take kindly to interloping dwarves.

Beyond that, Deep Rock Galactic's greatest strength lies in interesting classes that work well together, rewarding both well-engineered builds and teams that know how to balance their strengths. Like Helldivers 2, Deep Rock Galactic benefits from ongoing development that actually tends to improve the game and a passionate community that's always eager for more, ensuring that it hasn't stagnated years after its release.

1 Left 4 Dead 2 Is A Co-Op Shooter Titan

Left 4 Dead 2 defined the co-op horde shooter genre when it released in 2009, and all these years later, it still clings to the throne. Plenty of other games have attempted to replicate its success, layering new systems and ideas onto the basic guns-blazing premise. Nothing has managed to stick in the same way, however, and the only thing capable of standing a real chance might be a Left 4 Dead 3 that may never come.

Left 4 Dead 2's ease of access is also a major part of its appeal, and it's hard to overstate how simple it is to pick up and play. The game is frequently on sale for only a few dollars, and its age and use of the Source engine also make it easy to run on even lower-end hardware. With memorable modes, great enemy designs, and plenty of community content, there's little stopping anyone from grabbing some friends and having a great co-op shooter time in Left 4 Dead 2.