It’s award season once again here at Twinfinite, meaning it is time to discuss the best of the best in the last year of gaming. All throughout January, we will be taking a look at the very best games of 2021, with these articles include a handful of runner-ups and one overall winner. In this post, we’ll be going over the best co-op games of 2021.
Voted on by our staff, these three games stood out amongst the myriad of co-op titles that were released in the last year, featuring plenty of unique mechanics and gameplay elements that helped them rise to the occasion. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Best Co-op Games of 2021
Second Runner-Up: Outriders
Editor-in-Chief Ed McGlone: Outriders is a rare kind of game in the looter-shooter genre. What’s so unique about it? Well, it was actually complete and finished. It’s sad that this is a point worth mentioning in this day and age, but that’s the reality.
From start to finish Outriders is a solid co-op experience. You can play the entire campaign, which should last you up to 25-30 or so hours, with up to two friends, mixing and matching all of the four available classes. And, once you’ve loaded up with solid gear in the campaign, you can move onto Outriders’ Expedition end game and push your gear and your knowledge of the game to the limit.
Outriders is begged to be played with others. You can play solo just fine, but the character classes are designed to build on each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The Technomancer can freeze large groups of enemies for a Devastator or Trickster to slice on through. Pyromancers and Techomancers can combine power DoT skills to eat away at tough foes without having to even lay another finger.
Played alone, Outriders is a solid third-person looter-shooter, worth the price of admission and will keep you entertained for its campaign at the very least. Played with others, though, and Outriders becomes one of the most fun and memorable RPGs and co-op games of the year.
First Runner-Up: Back 4 Blood
Features Editor Andrew McMahon: Left 4 Dead stands the test of time as one of the most enjoyable co-op video games ever, as there is nothing better than just slaying hordes of zombies with friends. While it might be slightly different in some areas, Turtle Rock Studio’s Back 4 Blood hits all of the important elements that Valve’s beloved shooter made famous back in the day, especially in regards to co-op.
Not only is hunting all of the different Back 4 Blood enemies, known as Ridden, with a wide variety of guns the game has to offer a lot of fun, it’s also a good test of your friendship. Each level of this shooter requires a lot of teamwork and communication.
Going the wrong way or picking up the wrong item or weapons can be a death sentence for the whole group. While this may be frustrating in some scenarios, there is no denying how satisfying it is to complete an area that has been stumping you for a long time.
In addition, the card system in Back 4 Blood adds a nice layer of replayability. Setting one deck for one of your runs with your pals might mean a completely different playstyle is necessary in order to survive when compared to a previous run.
If you’re looking for a game you can sink hours into with friends and strangers alike in co-op, Back 4 Blood is easily one of the best choices you’ve got as of 2021.
Winner: It Takes Two
Features Editor Andrew McMahon: It Takes Two really is a special game. It’s one of those types of experiences that even people that don’t like video games rave about. Two of my best friends, who play video games somewhat sparingly themselves, even managed to get their wives that never pick up a controller to play it with them.
Hazelight Studios really knows how to make co-op games. The sheer amount of variety and accessibility featured in It Takes Two results in a lot of fun and unique gameplay moments, especially since each level has its own themes and genres. In one level, your characters will have a hammer and nail for platforming purposes, while in another, one of you can stop time and the other can duplicate themselves.
Together, you and your partner must cooperate and use your powers to progress each level. If you don’t, it’s pretty much impossible to move forward. This not only makes for a lot of interesting puzzle-solving, but it also fits into the core themes of the game and that of being a couple – or friends – in general.
It Takes Two also has a surprising amount of replayability. Not only can you and your friends/partners challenge each other to minigames again from the main menu after unlocking them, but you can also play as the other character to make for a completely different experience in a second playthrough.
Whether with a friend, family member, or loved one, It Takes Two is a co-op game that you should convince those closest to you to try and play. I guarantee it’ll result in a lot of laughs, competition, and satisfaction if you do.
