Best Horror Co-Op Games

It is always a good time to get into the spooky spirit and pull out some fun horror games to play with friends. Fortunately, game developers have done a good job over the last few years pumping out some interesting horror co-op experiences, so there’s something for everyone.

Whether looking for survival experiences, shoot-em-ups, or building to fend off enemies, the best co-op horror games should be able to keep a few friends entertained and scared. The genre comes in so many shapes, sizes, and gameplay styles that there should be something that suits most groups’ preferences, be it a craving for fast-paced gunplay or something a bit more deliberate.

Updated November 26, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The last few weeks did not produce too many notable co-op multiplayer horror games, at least not to the point of warranting a special mention. Consequently, a somewhat older 2024 project has been added that can keep a group of players entertained for a while. It even supports virtual reality.

Spectral Scream

Explore, Work Together, And Survive (Or, Maybe Not)

After a couple of months in early access, Spectral Scream made its full debut to an OK reception but not too much fanfare. Unfortunately, the game did not blow up like, for example, Content Warning or Phasmophobia, and it is currently struggling to surpass 100 average players on Steam, which does not make it a great option if somebody is looking to play with strangers. However, like most co-op horror games, Spectral Scream is best experienced with friends who are ready and willing to communicate, be it to ask for help or to lambaste their partners’ failings (in a playful manner, rather than angry outbursts).

Supporting standard and VR play, Spectral Scream is not the most original game on Steam, and its core loop is fairly similar to something like Lethal Company. Basically, players need to explore an area in search of the items required to move to the next zone of Purgatory, all the while avoiding a myriad of enemies that cover a fairly wide range of designs and monster types. Most of these entities can be temporarily banished, but they will return sooner or later, creating a constant sense of tension as there is always a sense of danger.

Spectral Scream is fairly difficult, but that’s part of the fun. While perhaps not the biggest release ever, this is a decent option as long as somebody knows they will have a friend to play with. That said, solo play is viable.

Hunt The Legend Or Die Trying

Steam is not exactly lacking in early access horror games that have been stuck in an incomplete state for years, most of which are seemingly doomed to never reach that glorious 1.0 release. Debuting at the beginning of 2017 and still in early access, BIGFOOT could be dismissed as another half-baked idea with no growth; however, the game is the real deal and still receives updates on a semiregular basis.

The premise is simple: hunt Bigfoot. Players have to explore a wooden area, prep equipment, and lay traps to capture the surprisingly intimidating beast, all the while trying to avoid a quick and painful death. BIGFOOT is pretty hard, with the eponymous monster being aggressive and (mostly) smart. Along with players vs CPU, the game also supports asymmetrical multiplayer.

GTFO

Intense Meld Of Co-Op, Stealth, And Gunplay

GTFO has up to four players descending into a secret research facility swarming with zombie-like monsters. They react to sound, noises, and touch, so players must methodically take them out with hammers without waking everyone up. If they do, they must rely on a variety of guns, turrets, bombs, and other tools to fight the waves.

GTFO feels like a combination of Deadspace and The Last of Us 2. Teamwork is essential, as the game is continually tweaked to make solo play impossible. It’s a hybrid of tense stealth and guns-blazing action. The only downside to this title is that the later levels haven’t been finished as it’s in early access, but in the meantime, it’s one of the best horror games to play with friends.

Obscure & Obscure 2 (Or The Aftermath)

(Relatively) Obscure Co-Op Horror Games That Emphasize Two Players

• 	Obscure	Obscure: The Aftermath
  Platform(s)	PS2, Xbox (Original), PC	Wii, PSP, PS2, PC
  Released	2005-04-06	2008-03-25
  Developer	Hydravision Entertainment	Hydravision Entertainment
  Genre(s)	Survival Horror	Survival Horror
  Number of Players	1-2	1-2

With a prophetic title and a lot of charming jank, the Obscure games are fun old-school survival horror romps that take very obvious inspiration from Resident Evil. Both projects follow a group of students as they run around either a high school or college (with a few other smaller areas) as they try to unravel grim mysteries involving human experimentation. Although hardly masterpieces, these projects have a few strong positives in their favor, including championing co-op.

While the campaigns can be played solo, they are designed with two users in mind, to the point that single players will have to contend with AI partners. As the latter are usually frustrating in combat scenarios, the games are way more enjoyable when humans are controlling both sides. Obscure and its sequel also have multiple playable characters (5 and 6 respectively), and they all need to be used at one point or another during the stories.

Unless someone is a die-hard fan of 2000s-era horror co-op games, they probably do not need to rush to pick up the Obscure collection; however, it is available on Steam and can occasionally be found for a steal.

Roblox

A Lot Of Horror Experiences

OK, technically, Roblox is not a horror game, but the tool contains plenty of scary stories that are just waiting to be discovered by users. Designed to grant players a platform to create unique projects, Roblox is both incredibly popular and very divisive, garnering a fairly mixed reputation. Still, if a group of friends are just looking for some short and (usually) free experiences they can cycle through, they should consider downloading this platform.

Roblox has a lot of horror options that cover a respectable spectrum of styles and preferences, even if most tend to fall under the “first-person walking sim with jump scares” subgenre. Along with plenty of single-player games, the service is absolutely stuffed with titles that support multiplayer, be it co-op, asymmetrical, or PvP.

Some co-op Roblox games are Blair, Piggy, and Radiant Residents.

Devour

Cultists Join Forces

Devour is a multiplayer game that casts up to four players as cultists trying to reverse a ritual that saw a demon take possession of their leader, Anna. Thrown into one of a few maps, players will need to scour the land in search of items that need to be burdened in order to banish the demon back to where they came from. Unfortunately, this proves to be rather difficult when a few dozen demons are running around.

Devour knows how to terrify and panic players. Friends can create a private server to play together, and this is probably the best way to experience this co-op horror game. That said, there is a single-player option for those who want an extra challenge.

Dead By Daylight

The Most Popular Asymmetrical Horror Game

Dead by Daylight is among the most popular multiplayer horror games of all time. The title’s frequent updates have helped cultivate a very active community, and the accessible core gameplay loop has enough depth and nuance to reward committed players without putting off newcomers.

For the most part, the game is known for its online portion; however, Dead by Daylight also supports custom games that allow friends to indulge in private matches. Except for (obviously) paid characters, this mode removes most restrictions, and these matches do not count towards a player’s rank.

Dead Rising 2: Off The Record

Massacre Undead Armies With A Friend

Dead Rising 2, Off the Record, and Dead Rising 3 all support 2-player co-op, and they each should be able to get the job done depending on what somebody is looking for. The latter’s faster-paced combat might be more accessible, but the older games have superior atmosphere, stories, and characters.

Off the Record took Dead Rising 2‘s story and threw Frank West into the mix, which was a net positive at this positive in the franchise. The full campaign can be played in co-op, and there is even a sandbox mode for those who just want to mess around in Capcom’s world.

Dead Island 2

Slash And Shoot Co-Op Horror Mayhem With All The Gore

An argument could be made that none of the Dead Island games qualify as horror since the scariest thing about them is the first title’s cinematic trailer, and even that is not all that terrifying. Still, zombies are synonymous with the genre, even if many undead stories focus more on visceral gore than bone-chilling frights. More importantly, Dead Island is a great franchise in general for co-op. The original game and Riptide are both more fun when played with friends, while the same could be argued for their long-awaited sequel. Just to be clear, Dead Island 2 is a blast solo thanks to its awesome gore system and simple but engaging combat, but the mayhem is enhanced when players bring two friends to the City of Angels.

Supporting only online co-op, Dead Island 2‘s handling of the feature reflects its general attitude: uncomplicated and designed to maximize fun. Other players can jump on board whenever they want once co-op is unlocked roughly 30 minutes into the campaign, and guests retain any progress made while they are not the hosts. Therefore, they can just start where they left off when they switch to single-player.

Labyrinthine

Terrifying Blend Of Horror And Puzzles

After spending a few years in early access, Labyrinthine made its full launch in 2023, garnering a positive reception on the whole. As suggested by the title, the game revolves around mazes and puzzles, with up to four players having to work their way through a labyrinth while solving brainteasers. Sounds easy enough on paper; however, there are (naturally) monsters chasing them, and they are quite aggressive.

Along with a story campaign that lasts a couple of hours, Labyrinthine features an alternate mode that uses procedural generation to emphasize replayability. The co-op horror game features roughly 30 monsters, along with plenty of maze variants to keep players on their toes.

Barotrauma

Explore The Unknown And Try To Remain Positive

A 2D survival horror game is unlikely to deliver the same visceral scares as, for example, Resident Evil 7 or Dead Space, but that does not mean they cannot be terrifying in their own right. Barotrauma casts players as the crew of a submarine tasked with investigating an alien world’s largely unexplored ocean, and these waters are anything but safe or welcoming.

Allowing for up to 16 participants at a time, players are assigned specific roles within the sub, and they need to complete their tasks if they want to have any chance of a successful mission. Along with just managing the vehicle’s many mechanics, the crew must keep an eye out for the ocean’s inhabitants, which come in many shapes, sizes, and nightmares.

7 Days To Die

Open-World Survival Horror That Has Come A Long Way In The Last Decade

7 Days To Die is a horror experience where up to eight players have seven days to build a base, gather weapons, establish defenses, hoard food, and then fend off a never-ending wave of the undead that comes for the player on the seventh day. It requires a good deal of teamwork, strategy, and planning to have a strong enough base to survive as long as possible.

The graphics and gameplay are a bit dated, but the game still holds up to be an enjoyable experience, and 7 Days to Die even made its full debut in July 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Players can really flex their creativity and innovation skills in this interesting survival/building game.

Dead Space 3

More Action Than Horror, But The Co-Op Is Generally Done Well

A fairly maligned sequel, Dead Space 3 is generally regarded as the worst entry in the original trilogy. Putting aside the lofty expectations placed on the release by EA, which likely contributed to the franchise’s disappearance act, this game is quite a stark departure from its predecessors, particularly the original entry. While not completely removed from the horror genre, Dead Space 3 is primarily an action shooter, albeit one that comes with its share of horrific visuals and takes place in a frozen hellscape. Although worth a run-through to experience Isaac’s full story, the 2013 title can be quite disappointing when played solo; however, Dead Space 3 shines considerably brighter in co-op.

For all the criticism that can be thrown at this sequel, Dead Space 3 cannot be accused of halfheartedly implementing 2-player co-op support. Visceral Games introduced John Carver as Isaac’s partner, a fleshed-out character who builds a nice rapport with the franchise’s lead. He even gets a few unique missions that help make the second player feel like a co-protagonist rather than someone just along for the ride. As a single-player game, Dead Space 3 only warrants a light recommendation; as a co-op horror game, the game is a must-play.

Dying Light & Dying Light 2 Stay Human

Large Map, Fun Combat, And Aggressive Zombies

Both Dying Light games have great online co-op, although an argument could be made that the first entry is superior in this respect. Both titles allow up to four players to take on the zombie apocalypse as a unit; however, Dying Light 2 restricts progress to just the host, so the other three players are essentially guests who get to visit another world for a brief time. Conversely, Dying Light allows all four players to save progress made during a co-op session.

This change slightly hurts the appeal of Dying Light 2‘s co-op feature, at least in terms of story and progression. That said, the zombie game is still a blast to play with friends since most of the fun comes from exploring this beautifully realized world. Non-host players also gain experience and items, so their time in co-op is not completely fruitless.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3 (Zombies)

A Staple Of The Multiplayer Scene

Call of Duty is, obviously, not horror, but the franchise’s Zombies at least assumes some of the genre’s iconography. This mode is also an awesome co-op experience that is fun in both local and online multiplayer. For the uninitiated, Zombies is effectively a horde mode with objectives.

Players have to work together to resist an undead army while steadily earning points to unlock weapons, benefits, and progress through a map. This mode even has a storyline. Most of the modern entries have decent-to-good Zombies modes, but if forced to highlight one example, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 would have to be it.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Zombies)

A Pass To Kill Zombies

Doubling down on Call of Duty might seem unnecessary, but Black Ops 6 warrants a mention for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is the most recent entry in the series, which naturally means that quite a few players have migrated to it. Secondly, and most importantly, it is the first project in the franchise to debut directly on Game Pass, making it immediately available to both Xbox and PC players. Considering each release tends to sell like hotcakes, this news might not sound that important, but Black Ops 6 is likely to bring back quite a few lapsed players who have not felt motivated to purchase the recent entries.

After experimenting with Modern Warfare 3‘s Zombies mode, which is also on Game Pass, Black Ops 6‘s iteration opted for a more traditional approach, effectively aping the structure of Black Ops Cold War. Players have two maps at their disposal, and they have to survive waves of undead enemies while completing objectives, pushing forward, and unlocking better weapons. Simple, enjoyable, and pretty challenging.

The Outlast Trials

Solo Play Is Scarier, But Co-Op Is More Replayable

Any franchise that decides to shift from predominantly single-player experiences to multiplayer takes the risk of alienating its core fanbase as it tries to attract a new one. The Outlast Trials manages this transition better than many of its peers, although it should be noted that the early access game is not really all that similar to previous entries in the series. While single-player is an option, The Outlast Trials is undoubtedly intended to be played in co-op.

Unlike its predecessors, this project follows a mission-based structure that has players work their way through a few levels as they try to complete objectives. In general, the player’s goal is to escape a facility that is conducting human experimentation, all the while avoiding all sorts of creative and creepy entities.

SCP: Labrat

Free Fear

A free-to-play option inspired by the SCP Foundation, SCP: Labrat takes inspiration from Containment Breach, offering a fun horror option that supports both single and multiplayer. Now, the former is the better-rounded and optimized experience, so newcomers might want to give that a try to see if they like the general gameplay loop and atmosphere. If that clicks, they can try co-op multiplayer, which challenges two players to try and leave the facility behind.

SCP: Labrat is rough around the edges and can feel, at times, like an early access project, despite not being classified as such. However, a lot of love was obviously put into the project, and it is a good pick since it does not require an investment. The game also supports VR.

Phasmophobia

Live Out Your Ghost Hunting Fantasies (Or Nightmares)

Phasmophobia has gained a reputation as one of those great online horror games to play with friends. Up to four players can team up as ghost hunters to enter a haunted area and gather clues as to the nature of the haunting.

It’s unique in that players aren’t meant to banish, pacify, or subdue the ghost. The only goal is to identify what it is and get out alive. There are various types of ghosts with their own characteristics and dangers. There are passive Spirits, Yurei that can damage sanity faster, hard-to-find Shades, nearly silent Mylings, and the aggressive Demons that hunt players anywhere on the map.

After spending a few years on Steam,
Phasmophobia
made its console debut on October 29, 2024. It is also available on PS VR2, for those who prefer their horror to come with heightened realism.

Sons Of The Forest

Great Evolution Of An Already Great Survival Horror Co-Op Game

Endnight Games struck gold with The Forest, a great open-world project that should satisfy both survival and horror fans. Naturally, a sequel seemed like only a matter of time, and expectations were high. Remarkably, Sons of the Forest is arguably an even better game than its predecessor, fine-tuning and expanding nearly everything that worked in the original to craft a similar but improved overall campaign. Ultimately, the core appeal remains the same: surviving on an uncharted island filled with cannibals. This time around, players are sent to search for a missing family, an expedition that quickly goes sideways. Before long, they will be struggling to meet their basic resources, build bases, interact with the complex locals, and explore horrifying caves.

Sons of the Forest‘s co-op enables eight players to jump on the same server, allowing them to work together to survive the island’s terrors. An argument could be made the single-player experience complements the narrative, setting, and tone a bit better; however, solo survivors will still have two companions, so it is not a huge departure from playing Sons of the Forest with friends. If nothing else, most players should be more useful than Kelvin.