RPGs, at their core, have always been cooperative. Obviously, there are plenty of great examples of single-player role-playing games, but the feeling of conquering a gigantic hurdle with a group of friends is pretty hard to beat. When talking about RPGs, it is pretty hard not to bring up Baldur's Gate 3, as not only did the game completely change the genre and the perception around it, but it also managed to deliver one of the best cooperative experiences in the entire genre. The reason for this is how well it integrates tabletop ideas into a virtual world, letting every player feel like they are playing a vital role in the campaign by giving them a huge amount of power, both in terms of combat strength and in the character interactions that drive the majority of the narrative.
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However, even though BG3 is considered by many to be one of the greatest co-op RPGs ever made, there are still a few games out there that manage to match it in terms of quality, with some even surpassing it in a few specific ways. It is a pretty high bar to cross, and only the very best games in the genre can happily sit alongside Larian's crowning jewel, each bringing an insanely high caliber of gameplay, story, and world-building that can all be enjoyed as a group. Making an exceptionL RPG is hard enough as is, but when factoring in multiple players, things become incredibly complex. Yet over the years, many developers have defied expectations and shown that it is not only possible to create a great co-op role-playing game, but that it can actually be even more fun to play with friends than to go out adventuring alone.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Fighting Is Better Together
Details:
- Fully reactive combat scenarios
- Party members each have a narrative role
Divinity: Original Sin 2 remains one of the most fully realized cooperative RPGs ever designed, and in many ways represents the purest expression of Larian's design philosophy. Its world is reactive to an extreme degree, with combat encounters built around elemental interactions, environmental manipulation, and improvisation, all components that only become more impressive when experienced with other players. Each fight becomes a playground for creativity, as players can choose to spread elements or explode nearby objects to cause chaos, and it feels like nearly every system exists to be exploited by those willing to work together.
Also, the co-op aspects are so seamlessly integrated into both the combat and the narrative. Party members can pursue conflicting goals, betray one another, or split off entirely, allowing the role-playing to emerge naturally rather than players feeling forced down one specific route. On top of this, many conversations can actually be influenced mid-scene by other players, reinforcing the feeling of a shared world where everyone gets a say. Unlike Baldur’s Gate 3’s more cinematic approach, the game embraces chaos and player-driven storytelling above all else, showing that Larian is not just a one-trick pony but an unmatched creative power in the RPG world.
Monster Hunter: World
Mastering The Beasts As A Team
Details:
- Skill-based fights
- Encounters built around teamwork
Monster Hunter: World excels not through a huge range of branching narratives, but through mechanical depth and cooperative mastery. Every hunt is a complex puzzle that demands preparation and coordination, as well as a healthy dose of skill from each player involved. Rather than everyone existing as a separate entity, each player fulfills a distinct role based on weapon choice and playstyle, and unlike traditional RPGs, their progression is tied directly to their ability to work together and learn the ins and outs of each monster and the weapons used to take them down, rather than stats alone.
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Solo players can, of course, find a huge amount of success in the fights, but the co-op transforms the hunts into tactical battles where positioning and communication matter just as much as raw damage. The main reason for this is how dynamic the creatures are, as they constantly react to player behavior, stumbling and feeling the full force of status effects and environmental traps placed by the group. While the story elements certainly take a backseat, the game still manages to feel incredibly engaging from start to finish, giving players of all kinds a chance to truly feel like a power warrior capable of toppling giants.
Elden Ring
Conquering Titans With The Power Of Friendship
Details:
- Coordination needed in tougher encounters
- Modding support to boost co-op functionality
Elden Ring follows the classic FromSoftware style of not incorporating a simplistic co-op mode, instead forcing players to use summons, passwords, and, quite frankly, awkward connection methods to actually play with one another. However, with the seamless co-op mod, all of those pains are removed, turning the gigantic world into a cooperative landscape where players are free to work together and take out any number of bosses without ever needing to return to their world. It is very clear that some encounters were even made with several players in mind, but the extra set of swords doesn't guarantee victory, as the team will still need to play well and coordinate their swings in order to make it through alive.
One thing that really carries the co-op is how many different builds and playstyles the game offers. Players can run headfirst, wielding a giant greatsword, or take a step back and launch magic missiles from afar, but no matter what approach they take, they will always contribute in some way. Even just moving around the world feels super enjoyable with others, as suddenly, the lone wolf journey becomes a communal effort to fight against evil and purge the world of all those striving to corrupt it. And for those who have never experienced the glory of Elden Ring outside of solo play, the mod is a great way of jumping back in to try something new that they certainly won't regret.
Wasteland 3
Hard Choices But Shared Consequences
Details:
- Group decision-making
- Tactical squad-based combat
Wasteland 3 offers a tightly integrated co-op narrative experience that remains one of the best in the genre. Designed from the ground up for two-player cooperation, it allows players to control squads independently while shaping the world together, making tough decisions and thinking about long-term consequences that can easily have a huge impact on the entire campaign.
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When it comes to combat, there is a big emphasis on tactical positioning and squad synergy, rewarding coordinated players who choose to use their tools together over those who value raw power. There is also a strong sense of shared accountability, as rather than one player driving the story forward, everyone involved plays an important role in deciding the outcomes of small and major plot points. By simply having another player in the world, every interaction seems to carry more weight, and there will be countless moments where the discussion about what to do next actually takes longer than the actions themselves.
Honorable Mentions - Very Close To Exceptional
Details:
- Outward - reliance on teammates for exploration
- Diablo 4 - Lighter on roleplay, but still great gameplay
- Path of Exile - huge build variety without so much narrative immersion
Outward thrives on hardship and shared struggles, forcing players to navigate without hand-holding, making cooperation essential for basic survival. Every journey becomes a test of preparation and trust, and while it might not quite reach the quality of BG3, it still stands as a stellar co-op RPG experience.
Diablo 4 delivers polished, drop-in cooperative action, blending accessibility with long-term progression for players who want to really grind out into the late game. The role-play elements certainly become secondary to the fights, but the action is enough to keep any party of players entertained for hours on end.
PoE offers unmatched build complexity and theorycrafting depth that can lead many players to spend huge amounts of time just thinking about how to progress their character. Not as immersive as some other RPGs, it manages to provide enough content and variety for a whole group of players to have fun and work together, regardless of whether they are a DPS mage or a tanky bruiser.
These games all deserve recognition within the RPG space for their ability to reward co-op play in genuinely meaningful ways. Like many other cases, the gameplay does come first, which can lower the overall narrative impact of the experience, yet there are enough stakes at hand for players to remain invested and continue to coordinate their party for many sessions down the line.
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