The best co-op horror games know when to scare you senseless and when to let you experience triumph as a team over whatever spooky peril is waiting around each corner. Shadows that move when they shouldn’t, distant footsteps drawing ever closer, and the dread of confronting something unknown–it’s all better with company. Instead of facing your fears alone, you’re able (although, sometimes forced) to rely on others: sharing resources, comparing clues, calling out directions, and of course screaming over each other when everything goes wrong.
One player might stay calm and analytical, another might panic and run, and another may try desperately to keep everyone organized through the chaos. The best co-op horror games lean into the potential for mess by designing challenges that require communication–whether you’re hunting ghosts, escaping monsters, solving puzzles, or simply trying not to die first.
Turning group dynamics into gameplay mechanics isn’t easy, and there are plenty of duds out there. Fear not, however, as we’ve hand-picked the best co-op horror games to keep you on your collective toes. If you’re not quite ready for the spookiest of scares, check out our list of the best gateway horror games for slightly tamer terrors.
The House of the Dead: Remake
- Developer: MegaPixel Studio
- Release date: April 7, 2022
- Platform: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
- Number of players: 1-2
The House of the Dead: Remake is just how you remember the original–janky, absurd, over-acted… and ridiculously fun to play with a friend. The classic 1996 arcade rail shooter got a full update in 2022 with modern graphics, updated controls, and cooperative gameplay that remains faithful to the original’s chaotic charm. It is not going to be the best game you’ve ever played, but it offers a great deal of fun when played with an armed pal by your side.
As in the original, you and a partner step into the shoes of two (fairly unprofessional) agents battling through waves of grotesque undead creatures and mutated horrors. It’s good wholesome reflexive action that feels super satisfying to lean into. If you like arcade-style tension where enemies rush from all directions, House of the Dead: Remake should scratch that itch. The game pummels you with unrelenting waves of weird-and-not-so-wonderful creatures, forcing both players to communicate, divide targets, and react to sudden ambushes at speed.
Although it’s not as atmospheric or methodical as modern horror titles, its blend of frantic shooting and B-movie creature designs creates a uniquely entertaining type of fear–one that’s less about ominous cinematic dread, and more about the immediate shock of what’s bursting onto the screen next. House of the Dead: Remake supports couch co-op too, and is extremely easy to pick up–you just point and shoot and reload–making it one of the best local co-op games to play.
Resident Evil 5
- Developer: Capcom
- Release date: 13 March, 2009
- Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Number of players: 1-4
Blending the trademark tense atmosphere of the series with a heavy emphasis on teamwork, Resident Evil 5 is a great example of co-op horror done right. Ditching the casual flippancy of a multiplayer game for a heavy dose of lore expansion and genuine storytelling, Resi 5’s co-op mode is something you can really get your teeth into. With up to two players in local mode and up to four online, the game puts action at the forefront with narrative not far behind. Limited ammo, dangerously unpredictable enemy types, and claustrophobic encounters are all part of the experience, but yelling at a friend for a dodgy call might just lighten the atmosphere a little.
One of the more interesting aspects of Resident Evil 5’s co-op is the way inventory management is shared, meaning players must coordinate healing items, ammunition, and weapon roles. Boss fights often require synchronized strategies–one player may need to distract an enemy while the other attacks weak points or deploys environmental traps. Even simple exploration feels more strategic when both players have to cover different angles or watch each other’s backs during sudden enemy ambushes. You really start feeling like a specialist.
The game’s set pieces present a hefty challenge, while casual exploration throws up regular enemies that create continuous adrenaline. RE5 is a pretty standout example of how cooperative mechanics can enhance a horror-action hybrid, making it a memorable entry in the Resident Evil franchise and a foundational co-op experience. If you need more Resi in your life after experiencing the thrills first-hand, check out our ranking of the best Resident Evil games.
Fanatical and GameSpot are both owned by Fandom.
Phasmophobia
- Developer: Kinetic Games
- Release date: 18 September, 2020
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
- Number of players: 1-4
Phasmophobia has become a modern co-op horror staple, and is one of the best horror games on Xbox, having revolutionized ghost-hunting simulations with its immersive audio, unpredictable entities, and teamwork-driven objectives. It’s the classic fright night setup: up to four players enter haunted locations armed with investigative tools–from EMF readers to spirit boxes–to identify what type of ghost they’re facing. The tension arises not from scripted scares, but from dynamic AI behavior: the ghost roams, reacts to noise, and can hunt players at any time from any angle.
The heart of Phasmophobia’s gameplay is communication. Players can take the classic Scooby Doo route of splitting up and looking for clues, monitoring cameras, or sweeping rooms with EMF detectors, UV lights, or temperature gauges. The need to coordinate evidence, call out discoveries, and warn teammates about ghost activity keeps everyone on edge and hyper-focused on their niche. Because tools are limited, the game encourages you to assign roles strategically, deciding who handles close-range tests and who stays safe to record data.
Phasmophobia’s infectious fear is only amplified by its use of proximity chat and the ghost’s responsiveness to your voice. Its replayability, eerie environments, and emphasis on shared fear make it one of the most influential co-op horror games of the last decade and one you absolutely have to try in the dark.
Dead by Daylight
- Developer: Behaviour Interactive
- Release date: 14 June, 2016
- Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
- Number of players: 2-5
Dead by Daylight is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror that you’d have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of. The game pits four survivors against a single killer in tense cat-and-mouse matches, and has collaborated with pretty much every horror franchise you can think of. If you’re a fan of Five Nights at Freddy’s, The Walking Dead, Alien, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, or even, uh, Nicholas Cage for some reason, you’ll find a DLC that tailors the game to your tastes.
Survivors have to work together to repair generators, avoid detection, and ultimately escape through exit gates–while the killer uses their unique powers to hunt them down. While not strictly co-op in the traditional sense, given that one of you is a killer, teamwork among survivors is essential. Coordinating distractions, rescuing allies, and healing each other become critical skills when it’s us against them. The killer, meanwhile, creates constant psychological pressure through audio cues, map control, and sudden chases.
Despite its semi-competitive structure, Dead by Daylight earns its place on this list as its horror is strengthened by cooperative survival. Few games make relying on others feel so essential–or so terrifying.
Escape The Backrooms
- Developer: Fancy Games / Blackbird Interactive
- Release date: 23 October, 2025
- Platform: PC
- Number of players: 1-4
Perfect for people who like a bit of mystery and find liminal spaces inherently terrifying, Escape the Backrooms turns an iconic creepypasta into a cooperative survival experience filled with unnerving and unseen threats. Players navigate interconnected levels–each with distinct environments, puzzles, and entities–aiming to find exits without getting caught or separated in the confusing expanse of the Backrooms. The game’s procedural unpredictability and eerie soundscapes create a uniquely unsettling atmosphere where you’ll be glad to have some backup–as long as they know to keep quiet.
Co-op keeps you sane in the Backrooms. Wandering alone into a monotonous yellow hallway or losing sight of your teammates in a dark industrial level is a singularly terrifying experience. To keep a cool head, you’ll have to communicate constantly, share discoveries, and coordinate escapes, as many levels require group problem-solving to progress. When a hostile entity appears, sticking together becomes a matter of survival, though sometimes splitting up is necessary to distract or mislead creatures. Feel free to ditch your friends if you think you can make it alone.
Labyrinthine
- Developer: Valko Game Studios
- Release date: 18 August, 2023
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
- Number of players: 1-8
Labyrinthine is a cooperative horror game centered–you may not be surprised to hear–around navigating sprawling mazes filled with puzzles, hidden clues, and terrifying enemies. Up to four players work together to explore hedge mazes, abandoned carnival grounds, and other winding environments, each packed with juicy lore and environmental storytelling. The game blends escape-room-style challenges with atmospheric horror, turning every corner into a potential scare and keeping you dialled up to 100 the entire time.
Labyrinthine’s emphasis on puzzle-solving and map awareness sets it apart from its contemporaries. Working in teams, players communicate discoveries and locations and warn each other about roaming monsters that patrol the maze. Since the layouts are complex and often disorienting, you’ll find your niche pretty quickly–maybe you’re the ideas guy, the quick thinker who deduces puzzle solutions, a bold adventurer, or maybe you’d rather just act as a lookout. If you’re a fan of puzzle games, this one might strike a chord.
Jumpscares and unexpected encounters add pressure, forcing quick decisions. Will you run, hide, or regroup? And how long can you keep going before you give up? The environment feels just as much an enemy as the physical beings chasing you down, with its creepy dynamic lighting, unsettling audio cues, and moments where players can be separated unexpectedly and forced to fend for themselves.
Demonologist
- Developer: Clock Wizard Games
- Release date: 25 September, 2023
- Platform: PC
- Number of players: 1-4
Similar to Phasmophobia, but with a stronger focus on ritualistic horror and more detailed environments, Demonologist is another haunting co-op horror game. Teams explore cursed locations like haunted mansions and abandoned asylums, seeking to identify the type of enemy present and banish it using various tools and rituals.
Entities interact with the environment in unsettling ways, lights flicker realistically, objects move suddenly, and apparitions manifest with dramatic intensity, making you feel like you’re about to get attacked at any moment. Players need to collaborate closely to gather evidence using EMF meters, spirit boxes, ectoplasma glass, and other instruments. Once the ghost type is identified, you still can’t quite relax, needing to then perform an exorcism that requires coordination and timing.
The combination of tense ritual mechanics, genuinely unexpected scares, and teamwork-heavy gameplay makes Demonologist a strong entry in the co-op horror genre for friends seeking a dark, puzzle-filled ghost-hunting title.
Little Nightmares III
- Developer: Supermassive Games
- Release date: 10 October, 2025
- Platform: Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X/S
- Number of players: 1-2
Little Nightmares III is not the best entry in the acclaimed Little Nightmares series, that goes to the previous game, but this installment introduces cooperative play, allowing two players to explore the haunting, handmade world together as new protagonists, Low and Alone. For that, we still think it worth a play. There’s something in the push-and-pull panic of maneuvering these awful situations as two tiny teammates that adds depth to the already-established lore of the series.
Players work together to solve puzzles, traverse dangerous environments, and escape grotesque, towering enemies. Each character has a unique item–Low’s bow for ranged interactions or Alone’s wrench for breaking obstacles–which encourages teamwork and creative problem-solving. You really can’t do this alone.
It can’t be denied that co-op also heightens the emotional core of Little Nightmares. The setup has always emphasized vulnerability, and sharing that vulnerability with another player adds a new dimension of hope and despair as you navigate the desolate, surreal landscapes together.
Although cross-play and cross-saves are supported, they might take a bit of explaining, so check out our Little Nightmares 3 cross-play guide for more details.
Pacify
- Developer: Shawn Hitchcock
- Release date: 22 February, 2019
- Platform: PC
- Number of players: 1-4
If you like your co-op horror games fast-paced, tense, and packed with jumpscares, Pacify fits the job description. Your task is to investigate haunted locations and attempt to neutralize hostile beings before they attack. The goal is to work together to gather items, complete objectives, and survive increasingly aggressive encounters from spooked-up enemies.
The game’s frantic nature sets it apart from more methodical ghost-hunting titles like Phasmaphobia or Demonologist. Tasks often require players to split up to find keys, dolls, or ritual materials, but doing so increases the risk of being caught by the unpredictable spirit. When the ghost becomes enraged, the atmosphere shifts dramatically. Lights dim, audio distorts, and players must scramble to regroup or finish objectives quickly and hope for the best.
It’s a simple game with fairly low-budget graphical stylings, but that does nothing to reduce the panic of hearing footsteps behind you or the relief of completing the final objective before you all get slaughtered.
Sons of the Forest
- Developer: Endnight Games
- Release date: 22 February, 2024
- Platform: PC
- Number of players: 1-8
Sons of the Forest expands on the survival horror foundation of its popular predecessor with a deeper crafting system, larger map, and improved cooperative mechanics. After crash-landing on a remote island filled with cannibals, mutants, and unsettlingly intelligent enemies (again), you’ll need to do everything you can to stay alive and solve the mystery at the heart of The Forest. It’s the perfect time to pick it up and get your dose of lore, as the latest upcoming Forest game seems to take place in outer space.
Co-op transforms the experience by letting players divide responsibilities and build complex bases together. Working as a team allows groups to take on the island’s threats with more confidence, particularly when dealing with large mutant encounters or navigating the labyrinthine cave networks that are packed to the gills with enemies.
The game’s potential AI companions add another cooperative dimension for those who like to play alone, but nothing compares to coordinating with actual teammates. Defending your base from raids, constructing elaborate fortifications, or confronting powerful boss-like enemies becomes far more manageable–and more fun–in a group.
Panicore
- Developer: ZTEK Studio
- Release date: 31 May, 2024
- Platform: PC
- Number of players: 1-5
One for the insatiable urban explorers, Panicore is a cooperative survival horror game that focuses on small-team gameplay and unpredictable, deadly monsters found in abandoned spaces. Schools, hospitals, and other eerie locations are left empty and decaying, clearly heaving with paranormal entities, but your hubristic group of friends just can’t resist the allure of the unknown. You’ll have to outwit the monsters lurking within, all while keeping quiet and hiding in claustrophobic spaces to stay out of sight.
Navigating dark hallways, searching for keys, and solving tasks all require coordinated effort, particularly when a wrong move can alert the entity instantly. Every second counts, and every brain cell stays engaged as there are multiple answers to the ultimate puzzle: how the hell do we leave this place?
