One of the best things about the HD generation that started with the Xbox 360 and PS3 is that the online connection was more stable. Playing online with friends was possible years before these two consoles, but the integration of systems seemed to finally hit its stride. Things have gotten even better since then with the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles offering some truly imaginative ways for players to team up.
Cross-play between consoles and PCs is even possible now, with many games also offering drop-in, drop-out co-op. Busy gamers on the go may not have enough time to dedicate to giant sessions, which is why PS4 and PS5 owners should consider checking out these amazing games with drop-in, drop-out multiplayer.
8/8 Fate 2
Fate 2 offers players a wide variety of multiplayer options. The main co-op mode revolves around Strikes, which consist of three-man teams going on story missions. The first game also had this offer, but now it’s almost impossible to go back to that experience.
Fate 2 is a platform now, and it’s unclear if Bungie will ever make a true sequel or just keep launching expansions. It’s a hard series to get into now since a lot of content has disappeared with updates, but the co-op remains amazing regardless.
7/8 Fire Ring
Fire Ring is the latest Soulslike experience released by FromSoftware. It took 2022 by storm, with the game dominating the sales charts for months after its release. Once the DLC is released, likely in 2023, the player base will likely jump back into this dominant world again.
It’s a brutal experience going in alone, but it gets a little more manageable if players invite a friend or two to join them online. Friends are most important when taking down bosses in the game, as they are some of the hardest in the series to date.
6/8 Final Fantasy 14
There are a few co-op focused ones Final Fantasy games players can jump into. For example, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin allows up to three players to join in online dungeon hack-and-slash action similar to a Soulslike RPG. It’s a fun ride from early 2022, but far from the best in the series.
Final Fantasy 14, on the other hand, has been a solid game since it was re-released in 2013. The amount of content keeps getting better and better whether playing it alone or grouping up in groups of eight for epic boss showdowns. As Fate 2it can be difficult to ease into the game now, but Final Fantasy 14 is the MMO that keeps on giving thanks to the many great, amazing expansions.
5/8 Travel
Travel is one of those games that is an important experience to tackle. There have been silent walking sims since, though Travel was like an eye opener. Players can wander this short game alone, but the true magic is engaging with another explorer online.
The best part is that this person remained anonymous. All players can do is shout out little emotes to their partners to communicate, which helps create a more unique dynamic between players, and the game is still fun to tackle now and again years later.
4/8 Monster Hunter: World
Monster Hunter: World is the ultimate multiplayer experience that requires cooperative play. The series is essentially a series of boss fights where players must slay beasts to harvest their parts. These parts are random, meaning players may need to fight a specific enemy multiple times to get a specific item to craft.
Joining up to three other players online can help make those repetitive matches less boring. This entry is great to jump into for new players to the series as it helped streamline a lot of gameplay mechanics and the world is far more open than ever before.
3/8 Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 was the first main title in the series of promotional collaborations. A friend helping out made it a less scary experience since the players were no longer alone. This also meant that it was easier to take down enemies and bosses with extra help.
It was more of an action game than ever before thanks to the co-op, which steered the franchise in a direction that didn’t sit well with all fans. Still, whether one liked it or not, the co-op gameplay is more than solid both online and offline.
2/8 Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is the last game in the Little big planet series. It is a more traditional top-down platformer than previous entries in the series which were mainly 2D. The game also removed creation tools from the experience, focusing on the content of the game instead.
Little Big Planet 3 is available for both PS4 and PS5 for those who still want to create their own levels. Both games are fun for the whole family, up to four, and they each support couch co-op as well as online play.
1/8 Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is a similar experience as Fate 2 in that it is a loot shooter. The big thing the first game did over the first Fate was four-player co-op. It was also a third-person deck shooter instead of a first-person shooter. Finally, the first game created a seamless world set in New York City instead of giving players multiple planets to roam.
The sequel is set in the Washington DC area and has expanded from there with content packs. The first game might be better, but it will probably be harder to get a game going since it’s older and not as well supported by Ubisoft these days.
