For two people who want a varied campaign, start with Split Fiction. For a regular four-player mission night, choose Deep Rock Galactic. PEAK suits a group looking for climbing mishaps, while R.E.P.O. gives up to six people a reason to coordinate under pressure.
The useful comparison is group size, everyday activity, and the number of copies you need. This 2026 shortlist uses the native PC versions rather than lobby mods. Local play, online play, and crossplay are different features, so the individual entries explain the main buying catch.
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Split Fiction: Two Players, One Shared Campaign
Split Fiction follows two writers traveling through science-fiction and fantasy worlds whose mechanics change throughout the adventure. Choose it when your pair wants a directed cooperative campaign and can commit to progressing together.
The supported Friend's Pass lets one full-game owner invite a guest for online play. Both players can try the opening with the pass before a full owner is required to continue. Follow EA's Friend's Pass instructions for the platform pairing; a guest pass is not a separate owned copy.
It Takes Two: Two Players, Relationship-Driven Adventure
It Takes Two is built around cooperation, with different tasks for each player rather than a solo game that happens to allow a companion. It is a good fit for a pair that likes solving problems through conversation and timing.
A supported Friend's Pass can avoid buying two full copies for online play. Check the pairing you intend to use, since It Takes Two does not share every crossplay feature of Split Fiction. Neither recommendation becomes a three-player game because friends can take turns watching.
Portal 2: Two Players, Puzzle Solving
Portal 2's separate co-op campaign gives each robot portal tools and asks you to think through a room together. Progress usually comes from explaining an idea clearly, not from bringing the strongest equipment.
Choose it for a pair that enjoys discussing solutions. A veteran who immediately solves every chamber can leave a newcomer feeling like a passenger, so agree to let both people experiment. Confirm the local or online setup before purchasing.
Deep Rock Galactic: Up to Four, Regular Mission Nights
Deep Rock Galactic features different dwarf classes that contribute traversal tools and combat roles during mining expeditions. Missions provide a clear shared objective without requiring everyone to manage a permanent survival base.
Each online participant needs a compatible copy. The Steam and Xbox/Microsoft Store versions do not form one universal crossplay pool. If somebody uses a console, consult our cross-platform co-op guide before buying the Steam version for everyone.
PEAK: Up to Four, Physical Cooperation
PEAK creates small shared emergencies during a climb: a friend runs out of stamina, a route looks dangerous, or somebody needs help reaching the next safe spot. Choose it for a group that enjoys laughing at mistakes and trying again.
A smaller group can play without filling all four spaces. It is not a solo climbing simulation or a large survival-building world. Check the current PC requirements rather than assuming a modest price means every school or work laptop can run it.
R.E.P.O.: Up to Six, Horror and Fragile Cargo
R.E.P.O. tasks your group with transporting valuable objects without wrecking them while threats complicate the route. The physical awkwardness is the distinguishing feature: success depends on handling cargo as well as staying alive.
Native six-player support makes it practical for a group that outgrows four-person horror games. All players still need the PC release and a working connection.
Murky Divers: Up to Eight, a Larger Horror Group
Murky Divers mixes underwater navigation, resource management, and retrieving dangerous evidence. The extra player capacity gives a larger group an alternative to squeezing everyone into a four-person game.
More available slots do not guarantee a smoother session. Assign responsibilities and finish voice setup before the first expedition. Check the native cap and current requirements on the official listing; this recommendation does not rely on a lobby-size mod.
Overcooked!
2: Up to Four, Local or Online Kitchen Chaos
Overcooked! 2 gives every player immediate work through coordinating ingredients, movement, and serving orders. Short stages make it a useful choice when the group wants something energetic without committing to an ongoing world.
Overcooked! 2 and Overcooked! All You Can Eat are different purchases with different multiplayer support. Do not choose the cheaper name and assume it supplies the other edition's crossplay. Confirm the exact version and controller setup first.
Valheim: Up to Ten, a Long-Term Survival World
Valheim lets your group build a settlement, prepare equipment, and take on expeditions whose risks grow with your ambitions. Choose it if your group wants a place to return to over many sessions rather than a sequence of independent party rounds.
Valheim's current Steam release is the completed 2026 release, so older Early Access descriptions need updating. The time commitment remains substantial. Decide who maintains the shared world and when people may progress before everybody buys a copy.
Which Game Should Three Friends Choose?
Deep Rock Galactic and PEAK both accommodate a trio without needing a fourth player. R.E.P.O. is the horror option for three. Split Fiction, It Takes Two, and Portal 2's co-op campaign are designed for two, so they do not fit one simultaneous three-player session.
Quick Comparison by Group Size
For gifts, use our PC game gifting guide to avoid storefront mismatches.
