Co-op Games

[Clarkson]

I'm part of a gaming group that used to play board games with each other, but have since scattered and are not often close enough to actually play board games any more. Ever since that happened a few years ago we try to get together on a fairly regular basis (generally about once a week, though depending on schedules we won't get together during a given week) online to play together there. When we started we were playing Civilization 5, but we have since transferred away. Over the course of time we've gone through Endless Legend, Offworld Trading Company, Civilization 6, Don't Starve Together, and most recently Overwatch. Recently though people have been getting tired with Overwatch and we're looking to transition to a new game again. We're thinking of trying to go to another game where we'll all working together against the AI, largely because we're recently having issues with gaps in player skill. It's been an issue since we started, but while playing Overwatch it's really come to the front as between the fact that we're often in a group of six and some of us being far better than the rest we're getting consistently matched against groups that are better and who have more communication than we do.

That said, we aren't sure what game to move to. We normally have somewhere between four and eight people. We're okay with not all of us being in the same session (so if there's something that only four people can play at the same time) as long as it doesn't require a heavy communication within the group so we can talk to people outside of that session while playing. Right now we've been tossing around playing Stellaris or Europa Universalis 4 and teaming up against the AI, or playing Vermintide 2. I figured I'd check here to see if the playground knew of a game that might work that we either hadn't heard of or had overlooked. The only device that we all own is a PC, so anything that's on a console is out unfortunately.

Thank you.

[Kaptin Keen]

Well - Armello is pretty nice. But I have the same problem.

[Drasius]

I'm part of a gaming group that used to play board games with each other, but have since scattered and are not often close enough to actually play board games any more. Ever since that happened a few years ago we try to get together on a fairly regular basis (generally about once a week, though depending on schedules we won't get together during a given week) online to play together there. When we started we were playing Civilization 5, but we have since transferred away. Over the course of time we've gone through Endless Legend, Offworld Trading Company, Civilization 6, Don't Starve Together, and most recently Overwatch. Recently though people have been getting tired with Overwatch and we're looking to transition to a new game again. We're thinking of trying to go to another game where we'll all working together against the AI, largely because we're recently having issues with gaps in player skill. It's been an issue since we started, but while playing Overwatch it's really come to the front as between the fact that we're often in a group of six and some of us being far better than the rest we're getting consistently matched against groups that are better and who have more communication than we do.

That said, we aren't sure what game to move to. We normally have somewhere between four and eight people. We're okay with not all of us being in the same session (so if there's something that only four people can play at the same time) as long as it doesn't require a heavy communication within the group so we can talk to people outside of that session while playing. Right now we've been tossing around playing Stellaris or Europa Universalis 4 and teaming up against the AI, or playing Vermintide 2. I figured I'd check here to see if the playground knew of a game that might work that we either hadn't heard of or had overlooked. The only device that we all own is a PC, so anything that's on a console is out unfortunately.

Thank you.

Vermintide 2 is pretty great and a lot of fun, but on the higher difficulties you really benefit from team communication. It does have it's own push-to-talk key though, so you could in theory bind it to a different button than your normal discord/teamspeak/whatever groupchat, but it wouldn't be optimal.

If you don't mind older stuff, then Borderlands 2 or Left 4 Dead 2 would both fit the bill (though I suspect L4D2 would have the same issues with requiring communication on the higher difficulties).

Path Of Exile might be an option too as while it's not heavily advertised, teaming up in a party is definately a thing.

[tensai_oni]

Well - Armello is pretty nice. But I have the same problem.

Unfortunately Armello has the problem of not being a co-op game. It's 100% PvP.

[Brother Oni]

There's Warframe, which is a free-to-play third person co-operative shooter which doesn't require heavy communication. You're capped to 4 players in a session, but you can drop in/drop out easily between missions.

If you get more into it, you can look into joining a clan (Warframe's equivalent of a guild) or starting your own up.

If you'd like more information, there's a WF thread on the playground. Note that there are referral links available which will give new players a nice starting boost (and in the interests of full disclosure, the referring player some bonuses as well), so please ask if you'd like a link.

[Kaptin Keen]

Unfortunately Armello has the problem of not being a co-op game. It's 100% PvP.

Well. Yes. There's that, obviously. But otherwise, you know? =)

[Knaight]

Conquest of Elysium 4 can take 8 players vs AI just fine. Dominions 5 can as well, though the AI is much less competitive there.

If you drop to 4 players the field widens considerably. I'm fond of Helldivers, but there's also Magicka, Left For Dead, Left For Dead 2, Vermintide, Titanfall (single player), Evolve, and Warframe, just off the top of my head. Cooperative squad combat games seem to be in right now.

[caden_varn]

For 2-player, portal 2 has a good campaign. And your robots can win hats to wear! Who doesn't love a robot in a hat? I don't think it does more than 2 though.

For larger groups - there are some board games out there that have been converted to PC games. Sentinels of the Multiverse is a co-op card game, and the PC version handles all the modifiers etc. for you automatically. I think there is a multiplayer mode. It's a fun game that I recommend. There are other non-coop ones like ticket to ride, smallworld & splendor that might work for you if your skill differences are more on the FPS level.

I've done Neverwinter nights 2 as 2 player co op, you should be able to get more players in I think. Might be a bit slow.

[Brother Oni]

There's the Friday the 13th game, but I don't know exactly how the match making works in that and it's PVP (Jason vs up to 7 survivors).

Similarly, there's Dead by Daylight, only with less survivors (1v4).

Looking up some online lists, some stick out:

Viscera Clean up detail - technically PVE, you're space janitors cleaning up after your typical first person shooter rampage through a level.
Payday 2 - PVE, up to 4 players plan and execute heist jobs
Arma series - third person military sim game.
Killing Floor 2 - first person zombie wave defence game

[Triaxx]

You might try Shell Shock Live. It's a team vs team game or free for all, but you can also play Marksman mode which is each of you shooting at a target. If you don't select teams it'll randomly assign them so you're not one group versus another all the time. And while some communication is helpful, it's got a built in text chat that works fine.

In the same vein, Supreme Commander Forged Alliance Forever is fun, and while it's somewhat competitive, as long as you've got good net and non-potato computers, you can get all eight people on one team with the adaptive maps.

If you don't mind an older Diablo style game, there's always Sacred, which supports up to eight players in one game session. It's all PvE and has enough variety you can each pick the sort of character you like and run with it.

Baldur's Gate 1/2, and Icewind Dale each have an Enhanced Edition and can be played by up to 6 people at a time with one character per person.

[NRSASD]

If shooters are what you're looking for, I recommend Insurgency (modern day middle east) or Day of Infamy (WW2 europe). They're a lot of fun in their co-op vs AI matches and quite cheap. Only word of caution is that they are very intense, and Day of Infamy can be rather gruesome. Not buckets of blood like Killing Floor, but more screaming while burning or twitching sadly after being dismembered by artillery gruesome. They're both very, very good games that support up to 8 players, but definitely not for everyone.

[Velaryon]

It doesn't come out on PC until later this year, but Monster Hunter: World might be worth a look for your group. That's what my friends and I started playing when we got tired of Overwatch and Destiny 2.

If you aren't familiar with the series, the object is to... well, hunt monsters. You leave your town hub and go to the area, then look for tracks, follow them to locate the monster, and battle it/chase it down to either capture or kill it. You can use pieces harvested off monsters to craft stronger gear, allowing you to challenge more difficult monsters. There are also a pretty wide variety of weapons, ranging from swords to bowguns to a giant hunting horn that gives out team buffs and also works as a blunt weapon, and many many more.

You can only bring up to 4 people on a hunt is the only thing, but if there are more than 4 in your group you can split into two groups and do separate hunts, and it should be relatively simple to mix and match teams between hunts.

I think it's scheduled for a fall release on PC, but the console versions are out now if you want to see some gameplay videos.

[Clarkson]

Thanks everyone. I'll bring these options up to the group and see what they think. We'll still be discussing for a bit if anyone has additional ideas.

[Razade]

Borderlands, Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel are great games. Cap of four but a lot of fun.

[Olinser]

I'm part of a gaming group that used to play board games with each other, but have since scattered and are not often close enough to actually play board games any more. Ever since that happened a few years ago we try to get together on a fairly regular basis (generally about once a week, though depending on schedules we won't get together during a given week) online to play together there. When we started we were playing Civilization 5, but we have since transferred away. Over the course of time we've gone through Endless Legend, Offworld Trading Company, Civilization 6, Don't Starve Together, and most recently Overwatch. Recently though people have been getting tired with Overwatch and we're looking to transition to a new game again. We're thinking of trying to go to another game where we'll all working together against the AI, largely because we're recently having issues with gaps in player skill. It's been an issue since we started, but while playing Overwatch it's really come to the front as between the fact that we're often in a group of six and some of us being far better than the rest we're getting consistently matched against groups that are better and who have more communication than we do.

That said, we aren't sure what game to move to. We normally have somewhere between four and eight people. We're okay with not all of us being in the same session (so if there's something that only four people can play at the same time) as long as it doesn't require a heavy communication within the group so we can talk to people outside of that session while playing. Right now we've been tossing around playing Stellaris or Europa Universalis 4 and teaming up against the AI, or playing Vermintide 2. I figured I'd check here to see if the playground knew of a game that might work that we either hadn't heard of or had overlooked. The only device that we all own is a PC, so anything that's on a console is out unfortunately.

Thank you.

Dominions 5 is a pretty good game for a group. Its somewhat like Civilization but all turns are resolved simultaneously and you can play by sending turns in by email (there's actually a thread on this forum for it).

Stellaris, while I enjoy the game, is not a good fit for what you're trying to do. Games take a LONG time to actually finish, and unless you want to either abandon games in progress or have different people take over empires initially played by others (usually a bad idea), you're never going to finish a game.

If you liked Overwatch you may want to look at something like Player Unknown Battlegrounds or Fortnite.

[FilipePassosCoe]

loved laying LOTR Return of the King with my brother. little smart-ass always used legolas and stole my kills, getting all the XP.
great times

[Honest Tiefling]

You might want to consider going into the Diablo-Clone area of action RPGs. I'm quite fond of Titan Quest and Torchlight II, and some builds are quite forgiving and still useful.

Borderlands I and II are good. I'd give Borderlands the Pre-sequel a pass, due to the issue of the jump pads. If you have people bad at platforming, they are going to be in for a world of frustration with those things.