The best local co-op games released in 2025

2025 has been a solid year in terms of gaming, with many great titles released. Many of the most critically acclaimed titles have been single-player adventures or online multiplayer experiences. But the gaming world hasn't completely forgotten about traditional local co-op games.

It's hard to say that it's been a great year for people who enjoy sitting on the couch playing games with friends. That said, there were a few gems that deserved a lot of respect and attention. A collection of the best local co-op titles of 2025.

Power Wash Simulator 2

The name PowerWash Simulator 2 doesn't sound like the most exciting video game ever made. But many people like it. Because it is a very comfortable and satisfying experience.

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As the name suggests, you'll be cleaning using a power washer in the game, or two power washers in co-op. It's not an overly complicated gameplay loop. You are tasked with cleaning up the caked-on mud and start spraying water on it. There are various nozzles that change the functionality of the power washer, but they do not make the game more complicated. But the lack of depth in the game doesn't take away from the fact that it's very enjoyable to watch all the grime and dust fly away. This is the type of co-op game you want to play when you simply want to relax.

Gears of War: Reloaded

In 2025, the unimaginable happened. Gears of War is now available for PlayStation systems. This isn't a new Gears of War game. It is an updated version of the Ultimate Edition remake of the first game. So it's basically a remaster of the remake and a way to welcome PlayStation fans to the series.

Aside from significant visual and performance upgrades, it is identical to the original game in the series. But that's not a bad thing. Because the original Gears of War is one of the best third-person shooters of all time. More importantly, it's one of the best co-op shooters of all time. Even after all these years, it's really fun to step into Marcus and Dom's shoes and take on the Locust hordes. And in this version, the core cover-based shots feel smoother than ever.

Revenge of the Savage Planet

Revenge of the Savage Planet is an action-adventure game with survival elements. At first you wake up on a strange planet with no supplies, and quickly discover that you have been fired by the employer who sent you there. So you are stranded and have to find your way back home. This means you have to explore multiple planets and gather resources.

Exploration is one of the best parts of the game. Mainly because each planet is visually distinct and has its own unique characteristics. But one thing they have in common is that they are bright and colorful. This is because the game has a cartoonish aesthetic, which fits well with its less serious tone. So this is definitely not a wild co-op adventure. Still, it's fun.

Absolem

Absolum combines traditional side-scrolling beat 'em up elements with roguelike elements. With each run, you gain passive abilities that you lose when you die in classic roguelike fashion. The beat 'em up elements come into play during the run as you constantly battle groups of enemies and the occasional boss while trying to move forward.

As is essential to all fighting titles, the game quickly delivers satisfying, simple combos to enemies. The types of combos and special attacks you have will depend on the character you choose. This is because there are four groups of heroes to choose from. The game does a good job of distinguishing them from each other, and in co-op it's nice to utilize more than one ability during a run.

marvel space invasion

Marvel Cosmic Invasion looks and plays similar to classic fighting games from the 80s and 90s like Streets of Rage. So the game has a real old-school feel to it. One of the differences from previous games is the number of playable characters.

You can take control of many different heroes from the Marvel universe, and each player can equip two heroes at a time. This means you can quickly switch between the two heroes during a level. It's not like switching between individual skins. Each hero has a unique moveset and plays differently. Unless, of course, you decide to play as the same character in every level, this adds a nice variety to the experience.

Borderlands 4

The Borderlands series has consistently delivered excellent first-person co-op looter shooters. This trend continued in Borderlands 4. The game centers around a group of Vault Hunters who join the resistance to take down an evil tyrant. Of course, the game's story and characters are nothing short of amazing. But the core gameplay more than makes up for it.

As with other games in the series, the gunplay is incredibly smooth and satisfying. What's even better is that the game has a variety of different types of weapons, which helps keep the shooting mechanics fresh throughout your adventure. Guns aren't the only thing you rely on in battle. Whichever Vault Hunter you choose, they will have unique skills that will surely help you.

split novel

The most talked about and famous co-op game of 2025 is definitely Split Fiction. This is an action-adventure game that emphasizes cooperative play, as it cannot be played alone. In it, you follow the adventures of two struggling writers, Zoe and Mio, who agree to work with a large publishing company. The company plans to put all of its writers into a special machine to exploit their ideas. Mio is understandably unconvinced, so they scuffle and accidentally end up in Zoe's machine.

The two become trapped there, and must play out the story they wrote to escape. The result is a collection of highly creative and well-designed levels that you must beat. During your adventure, you learn more about Joey and Mio. They turn out to be very likable and interesting protagonists with more depth than they first seem.

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