Summary
Halloween should be shared with everyone. That’s why the best horror movies for the holiday offer more playful scares rather than the hardcore shocks one gets from movies likeMartyrsorAudition. People want to jump in their seats and gasp, not run for the hills with tears in their eyes.
What should gamers do when they want to share the spirit with their friends who do not play video games? A lot of co-op horror games are just too hard for those who lack experience in the medium. Thankfully, there are a few good options to choose from. The games below are easy to get into even if someone has never touched a controller before.
For the sake of accessibility, games that are not pure horror games are also considered.
TheResident Evilseries had arun of co-op-centered games starting withResident Evil 5. Most of the games put both players on even ground. From a gameplay perspective, it rarely matters who is player one except for some moments where the two heroes split up.Resident Evil: Revelations 2changes this up entirely.
Player two takes on a supporting role with minimal to no combat. If player one is experienced enough, they can fend themselves off from the undead while directing the second player what to do. It makes player two’s role less fun if someone is looking for intense, zombie-slaying action, but it is perfect for the purposes of this list. For expertResident Evilfans, the Raid Mode has plenty of intense co-op action similar toResident Evil 5.
Supermassive Games has carved out a nice niche of narrative-based horror games.They made a name for themselves withUntil Dawnand are now releasing smaller horror game experiences with theDark Picturesanthology series. The first entry in this series isMan of Medan. The game offers both local and online co-op, letting players engage in a pass-the-controller mode or a more complex mode where both players control different characters simultaneously.
Luckily for those lacking gamer reflexes, the game does not end if someone fails a quick-time event or even when a character dies.Man of Medancan still be beaten without all the protagonists surviving. It both raises the stakes of gameplay and makes it more accessible than the average game where game-overs and constant repetition grow frustrating over time.
Until Dawndoes not officially have a multiplayer mode, but it still makes for a great game to play with friends. They can either watch someone play it like they were watching a movie or friends can pass the controller between each other.
While not a horror game in the sense that it tries to scare players at every corner,Diablo 4’smorose aesthetic and grim violence sit well within the cosmic horror space. The opening cinematic alone is enough to make some people’s skin crawl, but the in-game graphics are detailed enough to make people wince at the acts of violence during the cutscenes.
Like all the best action RPGs,Diablo 4allows for simple playstyles along with the option to go deeper into the systems. For friends who do not play video games often, it is just as joyful to go through the campaign on the lowest difficulty where success does not hinge on having a perfect build.
Jump into the world of Sanctuary with one or more friends and have a blast slaying some demons and stopping Lilith’s plan for subjugating the world.
With the constantly changing seasons, even expert players will often start new characters, meaning newcomers will not be left in the dust and everyone can start fresh at the same time.
2Hidden Agenda
Friends Can Play With Their Phones And Vote Together On Decisions
The idea of a co-op game where players can join in with their phones is perfectly casual.Hidden Agenda, however, has a few tricks up its sleeve to make the experience intense enough for the spirit of horror. For one, the story itself is a tense psychological thriller where players' decisions have a huge impact on the plot’s outcome.
Secondly, a player will receive hidden instructions unbeknownst to others in the room. Hence the nameHidden Agenda.Unlike other games from developer Supermassive,Hidden Agendadoes not dive into any supernatural elements, perhaps making it even scarier than its other works. Scheming behind other player’s backs might take a toll on a friendship, however.
Horror games are rarely associated with high-speed action, butDoomfits the bill for both FPS fans and those who want something a little spooky. It is about demons from hell invading Mars, after all. The graphics are just good enough to spark one’s imagination, letting players picture a more detailed version of the grotesque pixelated models.
WhileDoomrevolutionized PC gaming with its competitive multiplayer,it is also fully playable in co-op. Going through the game’s numerous levels with one or more friends is a joy. Having numerous people look for keycards also makes the more labyrinthine levels easier to navigate.
Modern first-person shooters are difficult to handle for gaming novices.Doom, however, has deceptively simple controls. Players do not have to worry about precise aiming or even looking up and down. Bullets hit enemies as long as players shoot in the right general direction.
