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The Outlast Trials just launched out of Early Access into version 1.0 and has immediately established itself as one of the best co-op horror games of 2024. The subgenre of co-op horror has been exploding in recent years with plenty of titles hitting the market to allow gamers to get scared together. So there’s no need for any players out there enjoying The Outlast Trials to worry about running out of similar experiences to play, there are a number of games like this one to continue to explore the bloody and macabre with a buddy or two.
Resident Evil Revelations 2
Resident Evil Revelations 2 may be Capcom’s best attempt at adding a co-op feature to the campaign of one of the main series games. This game is not only unique in its mysterious time-jumping story that allows the players to explore the island from two different perspectives, but the characters the players jump between also have different abilities that affect the combat and navigation of Resident Evil Revelations 2 in various ways. Player 2 might feel a little underpowered at times, but that sort of adds to the thrill of the co-op horror experience.
Lethal Company
What sets Lethal Company apart as one of the other premier recent co-op horror titles alongside The Outlast Trials is its ingenious and oftentimes hilarious integration of working together with the group. Players must coordinate their actions to solve intricate environmental puzzles, leveraging each character’s unique abilities to progress and find the items necessary to complete the level without being picked off one by one via whatever horrifying creature the game has in store. Players with good synergy can foster a sense of camaraderie that makes for an efficient crew, but more often than not the crew will probably run around screaming until everyone’s dead. That’s half the fun of it, after all.
Phasmophobia
Phasmophobia deserves all its flowers as the game that set the standard for many co-op horror experiences that followed. Players assume the roles of paranormal investigators who need to identify the various spirits in different locales before the hauntings become… too much. What truly distinguishes Phasmophobia is its use of tech like voice recognition, adding that extra layer of interaction that makes the game feel a little too real for some players.
Dead Island 2
Dead Island is where a lot of younger gamers got their start in the co-op horror scene, and Dead Island 2 has finally arrived to give more of what those players are looking for. What sets Dead Island 2 apart is its fluid combat mechanics, allowing players to unleash devastating attacks and wield an array of improvised weapons against swarms of zombies in a way that feels even more expansive and hard-hitting than its predecessor. The seamless drop-in, drop-out multiplayer also makes playing with friends a lot more fluid, as opposed to many other entries on this list which require everyone to be ready and available at the same time.
World War Z
World War Z does an amazing job plunging players into the heart of the global zombie outbreak from the famous film and novel this game is based on. It’s been said before, but this is the best option for any players wanting a more modern title that captures those Left 4 Dead thrills. The Swarm Engine World War Z utilizes takes the zombie hordes to another level, simulating thousands of zombies on-screen simultaneously, creating chaos and carnage on an epic scale.
