Video games are popular because the narrative, the thrill and the out of the world experience of the game entice the players. There are many video game formats where the players compete against each other and also against the game’s characters(enemies and obstacles.
However, there is a genre of video games which is an exception to the competitive game format. These games are known as cooperative games or simply called co-op (a short form of the word cooperative). The underlying principle of co-op games is that the more the number of players, the easier it is to win the game.
So most of the co-op games require a minimum of two players for the game. However, most of them allow multiple( three or four ) players to take part in the game.
If you are a lover of video games chances are that you might have already encountered co-op games and have your favorite. But if you are new in the world of co-op and want to make a well-informed choice before you start playing yourself, continue to read this article.
This article discusses more co-op games and what are the most popular co-op games that you can play on PlayStation 5.
What Are Some Of The Advantages Of Playing In A Cooperative Mode Rather Than A Competitive Mode?
Some of the most significant advantages of playing in the cooperative mode are
- Passing on weapons, extra lives, game cards, valuable powers etc
- Ability to communicate and strategy with your partners. So, for instance, if the narrative requires you to conduct a raid, then a group of players can provide fire cover while you advance in the game.
- Increasing the speed of completing the task. This is highly valuable for plots that require you to complete a task against a strict deadline.
So in sharp contrast to the competitive mode, where you are fighting two sets of enemies: your opponents and the game’s obstacles. In the co-op mode, you are fighting only one set of enemies.
Some Of The Most Popular Co-op Games That You Can Play On PlayStation
It Takes Two
The name of the game itself highlights the cooperative spirit that is necessary for this game. The same goes for the tagline, which says that “we are better together”. So if you wish to play this game, you can invite your friend via an invite card. And he can join the fun for absolutely no cost.
The narrative of the plot is quite interesting, and it is quite convoluted all through to pique your interest for a long time. The two prime characters are played by Mary and Cody, who are a married couple on the verge of a divorce.
Their daughter tries her best to reunite her parents and, in the attempt, entraps their bodies inside two dolls. From this point on, the two main characters are entrapped in the two dolls, and together they fight several obstacles to complete the narrative.
There are several subplots within the main plot which are sure to keep the excitement levels high. For instance, there is a subplot where the couple (as dolls) try to save their daughter. Then there is another subplot where Mary and Cody go through the significant events of their life, and this, in turn, helps them grow fond of each other.
Thus, unlike the blood and gore that most people associate video games with, this particular plot is endearing and is great if you are not very fond of violence and ammunition.
There are several reasons why this game, developed by Hazelight and published by Electronic Arts, is highly popular.
Firstly, the plethora of gameplay mechanics that are on offer is highly exciting. So the characters have the ability to regenerate a copy of themselves. They have the ability to go back in time if they will. All these features make the game more exciting and loved by the players.
Secondly, there are multiple subgames within the main plot. So the players remain engrossed all through the time that they play.
The plot has received several accolades over the years. For instance, it has won the Game Of The Year award for the year 2021 at the game awards and the twenty-fifth D.I.C.E Awards. It sold more than a million copies within the first month after the release of the series. Moreover, the popularity has been soaring ever since the series was released.
We recommend checking out the best games like It Takes Two for fans who want to explore further.
Overcooked 2
The overcooked series is another unconventional co-op video game series that has garnered a lot of love and appreciation. As the name suggests, the main plot revolves around a group of chefs. Although overcooked is a co-op, meaning that one then more than one and up to four people can play in this game yet, even a single person is allowed to play.
So if you wish to involve your group of friends in the narrative, all you have to do is to register multiple controllers for each person who wants to enter the plot. There are several reasons why people might want to play as a single person instead of a group of four chefs.
One of the reasons is the problem of coordination. In order to understand why coordination or the lack of it can be a major decider in Overcooked, you need to understand the plot of Overcooked.
Unlike other video games, the plot of Overcooked is fairly simple. All you have to do is assemble dishes that are ordered at regular intervals. You must serve the dishes on time, and you must not cause any major accidents in the kitchen.
Thus, the plot is fairly straightforward, but despite the simplicity of the plot, two rounds of the game are never the same. So despite all the planning, somebody ought to do something that changes the entire course of the plan.
The thrill of the plot remains intact because you are pressured to work against the clock. So your sim in each successive round that you play is to dedicate tasks better, coordinate better and lose as little time as possible.
The reason why the game developed by Team 17 continues to enthral the players every single time they play is because of the upgrades that keep the excitement levels high. So now you have new and more complicated recipes to serve and a more hectic schedule than in the first version of the game.
Overcooked has been given several awards in the category of the best family/social game.
Deep Rock Galactic
Developed by Ghost Ship Games and published by Coffee Stain Publishing, the Deep Rock Galactic is the right series for you if adventures and explorations to outer space excite you.
The basic premise of the series is that it requires miners from a company to face life-risking situations on a fictional planet to get hold of several valuable minerals. So the fictional planet in the game has hordes of minerals in its caves. But the caves also host dangerous creatures; some of them are so dangerous that if you get too close to them, death is inevitable.
The fictitious mining company that sends out its miners on dangerous missions is named DEEP ROCK GALACTIC. The main player is a miner; however, you can add more players, and they take on rollers like a driller, an engineer etc. So the team together helps each other combat the dangerous creatures of an alien planet so that they can lay their hands on the rich mineral resources in the caves.
There are many features that do not let the players lose interest throughout the course of the series. Some of the interesting features are the varied types of raw materials that the team of miners can lay their hands on. Then there is the variety of dangerous creatures that the miners have to face to save their lives.
Again, the principle of a co-op is upheld in this series, as the better the coordination between the four members of the team, the higher the chances of surviving on the alien planet. The Deep Rock Galactic series has won several accolades, like the Indie game of the year award, and has received several nominations for its exciting plot.
A Way Out
This series developed by the Hazelight Studios is the perfect fit for you if you are a fan of prison break stories. The basic plot of the series revolves around two characters who help each other break out of prison.
There are enough turns and twists in the plot to keep the excitement levels high. For instance, the entire plan to escape the prison on a rainy night is as thrilling as it can get. The two main characters steal things like chisels, take tours to the infirmary of the prison, collect materials that can form a rope etc.
Apart from the main story, there are several backstories that make the plot complex. So there is a revenge saga where one of the main characters was wronged. The series has been appreciated on several counts, right from its gripping plot to its perfect background score that rightly captures the tension of each setting.
It was felicitated at the fifteenth British Academy game Awards in the year 2019. The most appreciated part of the series has been its innovativeness. We also have a great list for games like A Way Out.
Stardew Valley
A series developed by Eric Barone, Stardew Valley takes you back to the straightforward folklore narrative where there is no violence. The simplicity of the plot is the most appealing feature of this series.
The main plot is that the players are inheritors of a plot of land and a house which are in terrible condition. The players work hard and try to make the barren piece of land as fertile as they can. They earn money as a result of their hard work. So they tend to livestock, grow crops and sell them to make money for themselves.
However, making their inherited plot of land fertile is the sole aim of the main characters. They can also make money via other means. So there are tasks like doing other jobs and collecting certain items which can fetch money for the main characters.
Another exciting aspect of the series is that it gives the players the ability to socialize with people who are game-based characters. They can engage with these people and even get married to them to start a full-fledged family life with them.
Apart from this, there are many exciting nuances that are added to the main storyline. One such unique feature is the calendar. The calendar has months which have twenty-eight days, and each month corresponds to a particular season. The seasons in each month become important because the crop that can be raised on the plot of land is dependent on the season.
Thus, intricacies like the dependence of the season of the year with the type of crop that can be grown in a field make the plot highly thoughtful.
Then there is a concept that is related to character exhaustion. So the amount of money a character can earn is also, in a way, linked to the level of exhaustion that his body has to go through while completing the task.
There are several awards that Stardew Valley has won over the years. It has won the Golden Joystick Award. It had sold nearly forty million copies within the first two weeks of its release.
The series continues to remain popular several years after its release mainly because the developer has made efforts to take people’s feedback and incorporate necessary changes in the series.
Conclusion
The co-op mode of playing is not new, and there are several popular series which have gained the love of audiences and critics alike. There are positive aspects associated with cooperation, like their ability to coordinate and help each other. But there are several disadvantages as well. So if cooperation and following a chain of command are not your positive points, then co-op mode may be difficult for you.
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