What to play with two: 10 co-op games that hook you
A selection of two-player co-op games in 2026 – from stories that can't be played solo to large online co-ops. Which ones you can finish together in one evening, and which ones you can sink a hundred hours into.
Lootaem editorial team
· 5 min read · 984 words
Two-player co-op is a separate kind of fun: not "I play, you watch", but two pairs of hands on one task. We picked 10 games that are good specifically with two – from stories that can't be played solo at all, to large online worlds for hundreds of hours. Different genres, different pace: some you finish in one evening, others you get hooked on until spring. We show the selection in full, and on each game's page you can see the price and place an order.
It Takes Two
If the question "what to play with two" has one right answer at all, this is it. It Takes Two is the 2021 "Game of the Year" winner from Hazelight, the studio that defined the genre: Cody and May, a married couple on the verge of divorce, turn into dolls and work through dozens of mechanics, each of which needs four hands. The game cannot be launched solo – it is about two players by definition. There is little text, everything relies on action, so the interface language hardly matters.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
Split Fiction
A new co-op game from the same Hazelight (2025) – two writers, Mio and Zoe, get stuck inside their own stories and jump between cyberpunk and fantasy. The same DNA as It Takes Two: pure two-player co-op, constantly changing mechanics, no boring moments. If you have already finished It Takes Two – start here.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
A Way Out
Hazelight's first game and still one of the best stories for two. A Way Out is a crime thriller about two prisoners, Vincent and Leo, who plan an escape and go on the run. Constant split-screen, synchronized scenes, an ending that is better not to spoil. Also co-op only – it can't be finished solo.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
Baldur's Gate 3
When you want not an evening but a hundred hours. Baldur's Gate 3 is the 2023 role-playing "game of the year" from Larian: turn-based combat under D&D rules, a huge world and decisions that actually change the story. Co-op for up to four, but with two it is almost ideal: each plays their own heroes, and you argue over every turn.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
Valheim
A Scandinavian survival game that is easiest to drag a friend into. Valheim – build a house, gather resources, take down bosses from the peaceful meadows to the fiery Ashlands. The server supports up to ten, but with two it works great: one chops wood, the other builds – and the evening slips by unnoticed.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
Helldivers 2
Loud, funny, team-based. Helldivers 2 is a co-op shooter from Arrowhead and Sony: you land on hostile planets "for democracy" and fight off hordes, while accidentally blowing each other up with an orbital strike. Designed for four, but keeps the pace with two as well.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
Remnant II
For those who like a challenge and shooting. Remnant II is a soulslike shooter with co-op for up to three, procedural worlds and boss arenas: each run is different from the last. A 2023 "game of the year" contender. With two it is easier to split the roles when taking on tough bosses.
Lootaem catalog page →
Palworld
A 2024 phenomenon with 32 million players. Palworld – catch mysterious Pals, build a base and survive in an open world. The server supports up to 32 people, but with two it is fun too: one automates the base, the other goes on an expedition for new Pals.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
Borderlands 3
A classic co-op looter for "shooting and shouting". Borderlands 3 – billions of weapon variants, four Vault Hunters and galactic villains. Co-op for up to four, with split-screen – so two can play on one screen, from the couch.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →
Sea of Thieves
When you want adventures, not grind. Sea of Thieves is a pirate sandbox from Rare: a crew on one galleon, treasure hunting, naval battles and stories. With two it is the coziest format: one at the helm, the other at the sails and cannons.
Page in the Lootaem catalog →What to pick for your evening
The short version, so you do not have to scroll back up:
- One evening and a strong story – It Takes Two, A Way Out, Split Fiction.
- Get hooked for a long time – Baldur's Gate 3, Valheim, Palworld.
- Shoot and laugh – Helldivers 2, Borderlands 3, Remnant II.
- Adventure without grind – Sea of Thieves.
All ten are in the Lootaem catalog – open a game's page to see the offer.
Questions and answers
Do you need to buy the game twice to play with two?
It depends on the game. For Hazelight's stories (It Takes Two, A Way Out, Split Fiction) there is a Friend's Pass: one person buys the game and the second joins for free. In large online co-ops like Baldur's Gate 3 or Helldivers 2, each player needs a copy.
Which games in the selection run on one screen (split-screen)?
Hazelight's stories – It Takes Two, A Way Out, Split Fiction – are built for split-screen; Borderlands 3 also supports split-screen. The rest are played online.
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