There are a lot of co-op options in open-world games, but just because the option is there, it doesn’t automatically mean the co-op experience makes the overall game better. For example, Donkey Kong Bananza is a 10/10 game, but the co-op option is not a 10/10 experience since the second player cannot do much, but it is a nice option to have.
For an open-world game to have good co-op gameplay, there needs to be a better balance. Every player has to come away from the experience gaining something. The following games, including Saints Row: The Third and Elden Ring, do just that. They will be ranked considering the base game and how well co-op is implemented.
Elden Ring
Explore The Lands Between With A Trio
- Co-Op Options: Three Online
Elden Ring’s open-world design lends itself well to the co-op format. FromSoftware has always offered co-op support in their Soulslike games, but Elden Ring was an upgrade. Players could summon two of their friends to join wherever they wanted in the world and then fully explore together. They could attack mobs of enemies, look for secrets, or try to defeat one of Elden Ring’s many bosses.
Once a boss was defeated, the party would disband, but players could always reassemble their friends afterward. It’s a weird setup for co-op, admittedly, but once players have it figured out, they won’t want to explore the world without companions, as it just makes things easier, including when online raiders show up. Elden Ring Nightreign, the roguelike side story, also only offered three-player co-op, so those who like the main game will probably enjoy the spinoff too.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Save D.C. With Your Squad
- Co-Op Options: Four To Eight Online (Co-Op Missions Vs Raids)
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 took the fight from New York City to Washington, D.C., where the virus spread. Players could squad up with up to three other players online to explore and hunt for loot, shoot random enemies, or tackle specific missions. Even though this is an RPG shooter, it’s also heavily reliant on tactics, and a well-rounded team can make all the difference. In other words, running and gunning just won’t cut it.
There are different classes in the game called Specializations, which dictate some skills and specials. Sharpshooter will be good at long-ranged attacks, while a Demolitionist will be good at dealing with crowds. Working with a team behind cover, or faking out enemies and then flanking them, are always smart moves. There is also a Raid-style mode that supports eight-player co-op for even more intense action, but that’s for end-game builds primarily. Overall, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that a Tom Clancy game would have great co-op.
Grand Theft Auto Online
Pull Off Amazing Heists Or RP
- Co-Op Options: Two-Eight Online (Depends On The Mission)
Grand Theft Auto 5 launched in 2013, and while there have been different versions and updates, most of the content has remained unchanged for decades. That is not the case with its multiplayer mode, Grand Theft Auto Online, which has received several big missions since 2013. At any time, when players jump into a game, they will be able to come across twenty-nine others, all doing their thing in the city. They could technically join up to create chaos, but there are specific missions designed around a rotating party limit, too.
Player count can range from two to eight players. For example, “Truck Together” can split up two teams of four who have to work together to steal trucks and protect them on the road, which takes a smart crew to pull off since the game sends a lot of response units. “No Hay Bronca” is an evolving mission involving everything from trying to get a package to blowing up vehicles, and that only offers four-player co-op. Overall, there are dozens of great heists to pull off with friends in Grand Theft Auto Online, or if they just want to wreak a little havoc in the city, that’s an option too.
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