Best Horror Co-Op Games

Highlights

• GTFO is a popular horror co-op game where players must tactically take out zombie-like monsters in a secret research facility.
• Desolate is an open-world survival horror game that is more manageable and less overwhelming when played in co-op mode.
• Pacify is a horror co-op game where players work together to subdue a terrifying little girl, creating moments of terror and suspense.

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 the enemy gameplay, the best co-op horror games should be able to keep a few friends entertained and scared.

Updated on August 11th, 2023: This List has been updated to include a video version of the article. The Video version details 10 hand-picked entries from the piece, showing off each of the games for readers who have never seen the gameplay in action.

22 GTFO

This game came out of nowhere and has been steadily gaining a loyal fanbase. 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.

Related: Survival Horror Games To Scare Yourself With This Halloween (& Some To Make You Laugh Afterwards)

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.

Check it out on Steam!

21 Desolate

An open-word survival horror game developed by a small team, Desolate deserves credit for its ambition and scope, even if the overall package might have benefited from a more refined and narrow approach. After leaving their bunker, players wander onto a strange island filled with mutated monsters and humans, and they must piece together the setting’s history while exploring the fairly expansive map.

Although solo runs are supported and viable, Desolate is a bit better when played in co-op as exploration is far more manageable when tackled in a group. Admittedly, this does come at the expense of tension since enemy encounters suddenly become a lot less overwhelming, but this exchange is worth it.

Check it out on Steam!

20 Pacify

Pacify is a horror co-op that has four players working together to subdue and capture a terrifying little girl capable of immense evil. Players need to explore the house, and gather keys, clues, and any tools they can to appease the malevolent evil.

RELATED: Best Horror Games On Xbox Game Pass (October 2021)

While it can be played solo it’s designed to be one of those scary games to play with friends. This game was created by the developers of Emily Wants To Play which means while it’s simplistic, it’s solid. Few moments are as terrifying as turning a corner only to find an enraged floating little girl.

Check it out on Steam!

19 Devour

Released at the beginning of 2021 and still active more than two years later, 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 there are a few dozen demons running around.

Devour is an intense game designed to terrify and panic players, and it generally accomplishes its goal. 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.

Check it out on Steam!

18 The Outlast Trials

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.

Check it out on Steam!

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.

Check it out on Steam!

Back 4 Blood is a fun co-op horror game for fans of titles like Left 4 Dead. Built by the same minds who created Valve’s franchise, this game is a worthy successor to co-op zombie horde action.

Related: Best Horror Games That Don’t Rely On Jump Scares

With multiple characters to choose from, a variety of weapons to wield, and terrifying Ridden enemies this is a great game to play for the Halloween season. Some feel the AI may need a little tweaking, but the guts of the game are solid and anyone who enjoyed Left 4 Dead or its sequel should have a blast with this one.

Check it out on Amazon!

15 Dead Rising 2: Off The Record

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.

Check it out on Amazon!

14 Barotrauma

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.

Check it out on Steam!

Dead By Daylight gives four players the task of escaping a nightmarish map as Survivors while a fifth player acting as the Killer tries to take them out before they can get away. There are four generators that must be repaired before the doors will open, and the Killer will be busy knocking down players and placing them on hooks to feed them to the mysterious Entity.

It’s a fun and fast-paced experience that has players lurking in the shadows, employing some interesting skills, and having a wicked good time terrifying their friends as the Killer.

Check it out on Amazon!

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.

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The graphics and gameplay are a bit dated, but the game still holds up to be an enjoyable experience. Players can really flex their creativity and innovation skills in this interesting survival/building game.

Check it out on Amazon!

11 Ghost Watchers

In Early Access, Ghost Watchers takes a familiar concept and throws a co-op twist. Either alone or with companions, players have to explore a haunted house in order to identify the ghost and then hunt them. The former component is probably the most interesting part of the game since it emphasizes exploration and investigation.

Ghost Watchers is still rough-around-the-edges, and the scares die down after a few playthroughs. Nevertheless, this is a solid co-op horror option.

Check it out on Steam!

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.

RELATED: Beginner Tips For Dying Light 2: Stay Human You Need To Know

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.

Check out Dying Light 2 on Amazon!

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.

Check it out on Amazon!

Left 4 Dead 2 is one of the older co-op horror games, and Valve’s first-person shooter has aged beautifully. In campaign mode, up to four players are tasked with navigating the city of New Orleans to find safety and escape the hordes of mutating zombies.

In Versus mode, eight players can go head-to-head in teams of four, with one side playing the humans struggling to survive and the other playing the ravenous special infected trying to take them down. This game is fast-paced and loads of fun both as humans and special infected.

Check it out on Steam!

Remnant: From The Ashes is ludicrously fun. Supporting up to three players, people join forces to rid the world of otherworldly creatures known as the Root. This requires players to explore other dimensions and find the source of the terrible swarm.

Each player has their own unique character with varying skills and abilities to help everyone survive. If someone enjoys tough games like Bloodborne but wants guns and a multiplayer campaign, Remnant: From The Ashes is the way to go.

Check it out on Amazon!

A lot of players have mixed feelings about Resident Evil 5, but the two-player co-op experience is a lot of fun. Two friends can fight through the campaign together or jump into a short Mercenaries Mode that functions like horde mode but on a timer.

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If a player can get over an annoying inventory management system, they will find that RE5 has a lot to offer for those who want to shoot through hordes of the undead and experience a decent story while doing it. The Mercenaries Mode is also nice if someone only has a few minutes to play.

Check it out on Amazon!

If a group of friends wants to get together and play a horror game then Killing Floor 2 should be in contention. It supports up to six players and tasks them with eradicating the undead, a process that entails meeting objectives and pumping lead into the enemy.

Killing Floor 2 also has a Versus mode that supports a whopping 12 players going head-to-head in teams of six with survivors versus zeds. This is a great party co-op horror game and versus is way too fun for its own good.

Check it out on Amazon!

Dead Space 3 received a lot of flak for being more action-oriented than horror, but its multiplayer has certainly made up for it. Two players can join forces to bring down the Necromorphs on Tau Volantis, and the co-op campaign follows the same story as the solo version. It also has an ingenious game mechanic that causes one player to see things that aren’t there for the other player.

If players want to see their friend freak out and shoot at empty air or question why their partner can’t see the blood-soaked walls too, then Dead Space 3 is a great game to play this Halloween.

Check it out on Amazon!

3 Deceit

Deceit is a game about human behavior. Six players awaken in a mysterious room, and while four people are tasked with escaping, the other two are infected and will look to take out the innocent parties.

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The game is all about deception as the “good” players try to figure out who isn’t human and kill those they suspect of being enemies. Deceit has been known to be a friendship breaker so make sure to take breaks when people start taking things too seriously.

Check it out on Steam!