16 of the Best Xbox One Co-Op Games - Article

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by, posted on 02 August 2015

Most games are more fun to play with friends, but received wisdom would have it that co-op play is becoming a thing of the past; that aside from Nintendo no other major publisher really places much emphasis on cooperative gaming experiences.



Yet there's still a wealth of cooperative titles to play even if you look at the Xbox One alone. If you just recently purchased an Xbox One, or you're a day one customer just looking for some recommendations, then I have you covered with this list of 16 Xbox One co-op games that really deserve to be given a shot and, really, this just scratches the surface.



Smite

While the MOBA genre is traditionally more at home on the PC there are some good console MOBAs out there. Smite is perhaps the most well-known of these and it proves the complete 3D MOBA experience can be made to work on consoles with a bit of tweaking. More accessible than the likes of Dota 2 and League of Legends, Smite is a good entry point to the genre and given that it's also free-to-play there's no reason not to give it a try.

Destiny

Destiny is far from perfect and has received its fair share of criticism since it launched late last year, and yet despite its flaws Destiny is still a blast to play. Top notch shooting makes this one of the best current generation shooters to play with friends online, and its upcoming expansion will add more content for gamers to play through together, hopefully rectifying one of the game's major pitfalls.

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection



Talking of shooters, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection features four-player splitscreen multiplayer, as well as online play, so it's a great co-op experience both online and on the couch. Both of the Borderlands titles included in this remaster package are also best played with buddies, so this is well worth picking up if you have yet to play Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!

Chariot

Now for something a little less well-known. Chariot is actually one of the best co-op games in years. This two-player platformer adventure title forces you to work with your partner in order to accomplish your goals. Clever puzzle solving, solid platforming, and pretty art direction makes this an overlooked gem.

Fantasia: Music Evolved

Fantasia: Music Evolved is arguably more widely recognised than Chariot but it is equally overlooked. If you own an Xbox One with Kinect then you should give it a try; not only is it one of the best music and rhythm games to be released since the genre took a nosedive at the end of the last generation but it also features fun co-op play, so you can compose music with a friend.

Warframe

Warframe is a free-to-play third person action/shooter title that is laced with some of the trappings of the MMO genre. It isn't actually a massive multiplayer online experience, but it is just as addictive and it should scratch your cooperative itch. As one of just two free-to-play titles on this list there is really no reason to not check out Warframe.

Sunset Overdrive

While Sunset Overdrive's main story mode is devoid of cooperative multiplayer, it does actually feature a mode designed around co-op play. The mode, which called Chaos Squad, is a lot of fun in its own right and serves as a great addition to the fantastic single player experience. Sunset Overdrive is also arguably the Xbox One's strongest exclusive title.

Rayman Legends

2011's Rayman Origins was a superb revival of Ubisoft's platformer series, and Rayman Legends is even better. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of the title received graphical and other technical upgrades, but more importantly for the purposes of this article they also include four player local co-op. So if you have a friend (or three), make sure you check out this platforming masterpiece.

Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris

The upcoming Rise of the Tomb Raider may lack cooperative multiplayer, but that's where the Lara Croft spin-off series has you covered. This surprisingly-good top-down puzzle/action/platformer series features is specifically designed with co-op in mind, and it's critically acclaimed to-boot.

LEGO Jurassic World

Really, I could have listed almost any of the multitude of LEGO games that have released over the years here; they all feature excellent cooperative play and have consistently bucked the dogma attached to licensed video games. But LEGO Jurassic World is the latest release and is no exception to that ground rule. Plus, you can play as dinosaurs!

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare

While Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare may be best known for its competitive multiplayer, it also features a very solid horde co-op mode. This mode is more closely aligned to the series' tower defense roots, but introduces an added dimension and some fun shooting elements. Garden Warfare owners will also be rewarded in the upcoming sequel, so don't worry too much about the game becoming obsolete next year.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Ultimate Evil Edition

Blizzard did a fantastic job with its port of Diablo III to consoles (some might even say it feels like it was always designed for consoles). Not only is the game completely at home on a controller set-up, but it also includes brand new local multiplayer. The loot grind is genuinely more enjoyable when played with a friend or family member, so Diablo III: Reaper of Souls definitely earnt its spot on this list.

Saints Row IV: Re-Elected + Gat Out of Hell

Both Saints Row IV and Gat Out of Hell (a stand-alone epilogue that released earlier this year) feature complete cooperative campaigns, so if you're looking for a fun open-world adventure to enjoy with someone else then this collection fits the bill perfectly.

Kalimba

Press Play is known for making creative platformers and Kalimba is no exception to that rule. The cooperative mode features unique levels that are not seen in the single player campaign, and the mode as a whole serves to add even more depth to an already engaging and challenging game. Anyone who is looking for a challenge, and is willing to work together with another person in the process, should consider Kalimba.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Halo: The Master Chief Collection boasts four (five if you purchase Halo 3: ODST as DLC) separate Halo campaigns, all of which can be played cooperatively. If you've never played Microsoft's iconic first-person shooter series, or perhaps you just missed out on a couple of these titles along the way, then now's the perfect time to jump on board... well, now that it is finally fixed, that is.

Far Cry 4

Far Cry 4 may feel a little bit too much like Far Cry 3, but it's still a ton of fun to explore the game world with a friend in co-op. Want to ride elephants together and takeover a base? Done. In fact, you can almost do whatever you want in the open world of Far Cry 4, which is part of what makes it such a great co-op option. Far Cry 4 may not instantly spring to mind when considering cooperative games to purchase, but perhaps it should.

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