Best Co-Op Games For All-Nighters (2024)

Although there are plenty of captivating single-player experiences to be had that have the capability to keep players up all night, it's much easier to get dragged into a late night when playing with friends in online co-op.

Team-based competitive games such as Counter-Strike 2 and League Of Legends are obvious examples. However, this topic aims to cover strictly cooperative games to play with friends. These games feature everything from cooperative campaign adventures all the way to addictive horde shooters, so there should be something for all kinds of players.

8 Project Zomboid - An Addictive Hardcore Simulation

Steam User Rating: 94%

Having been released all the way back in 2013, Project Zomboid has been in Early Access for over ten years now. However, despite this alarming observation, Project Zomboid is still receiving regular, meaningful updates and support from its developers.

Project Zomboid is an open-world sandbox simulation game set in a zombie apocalypse. The game is ridiculously brutal and hard to learn, but mastering its mechanics and simulated elements is especially fun with friends, and the slow-paced gameplay loop is perfect for longer play sessions.

7 LEGO: The Lord Of The Rings - A Wholesome Adventure

Steam User Rating: 90%

While some may balk at the mention of a LEGO game, LEGO: The Lord Of The Rings is a wholesome and accessible adventure that's perfect for all ages. LEGO: The Lord Of The Rings takes players on a journey that mirrors that of the classic film trilogy, while also letting players explore some of the lesser-known areas of Middle-earth in an open-world environment.

LEGO: The Lord Of The Rings is great for two players, and while it can't be played online, it does feature local co-op and Steam Remote Play. For fans of The Lord Of The Rings looking for a relaxing, accessible experience to wind down for a night, LEGO: The Lord Of The Rings is worth a shot. Furthermore, the game features natural stopping points that make calling it a night easy to do.

6 Valheim - A Massive, Thematic Survival Game

Steam User Rating: 94%

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Many survival-craft games are suited to playing all night in online co-op. However, Valheim's focus on exploration, extensive base-building, and frequently engaging combat encounters make it one of the best.

Valheim can be played with up to ten players, so it's perfect for larger groups. Furthermore, the game's plethora of content and slow-burning grind to access the majority of it make it a great game for longer sittings.

5 Payday 2 - Co-Operative Heisting

Steam User Rating: 90%

Although Payday 3 is currently available, it could be argued that Payday 2 is the better game. Furthermore, thanks to the extensive developer support Payday 2 has received over the years, it has an abundance of content to explore.

In Payday 2, players plan and execute a variety of heists, from robbing banks and jewelry stores to nabbing precious paintings. Payday 2 lets players approach heists in all manner of ways, but for less experienced players it can often devolve into frantic and chaotic shootouts.

4 Deep Rock Galactic - Co-Op Cave Mining And Horde Shooting

Steam User Rating: 97%

This combination of the horde-shooter and mining game genres can be played alone, but it's best played with friends in online co-op. In the game, players take on a variety of missions, delving down into procedurally generated caverns to mine precious minerals and blast away alien bugs.

Deep Rock Galactic's tight and addictive, mission-based gameplay loop is perfect for all-nighters; the game can be played with up to four players, and the variety of objectives and procedural generation keeps things from getting tiresome for a good while. Furthermore, the game features a solid progression system that incentivizes players to keep playing.

3 Left 4 Dead 2 - A Timeless Horde Shooter

Steam User Rating: 97%

Arguably one of the greatest sequels of all time, Left 4 Dead 2 is a zombie horde-shooter that's best played in four-player online co-op. In Left 4 Dead 2, players shoot and bludgeon their way through hordes of zombies as they make their way to a safe house at the end of the level. Left 4 Dead 2 is perfect for groups, as the game's AI Director and abundance of special enemies incentivize teamwork and often brew chaotic action gameplay.

Although it was released all the way back in 2009, Left 4 Dead 2 is still among the best online co-op games money can buy. The game features five campaigns, most of which feature superb level design, and when players run out of content there's always the Steam workshop to explore; even years after its release, Left 4 Dead 2 is still getting updates.

2 Resident Evil 5 - An Action-Packed Co-Op Campaign

Steam User Rating: 86%

Fans often praise Resident Evil 4 for its action-oriented gameplay, and its predecessors for their survival-horror, but Resident Evil 5 is often overlooked as the game that pushed the series too far toward the action-game genre. Furthermore, Resident Evil 5 is notorious for its irritating AI partner.

However, when played in online co-op, Resident Evil 5 is a joy to play; the game's campaign is a non-stop, action-packed adventure with a cheesy story and ridiculous villains. Resident Evil 5's gameplay shows its age here and there, but it consistently provides players with engaging, intense action sequences. Players might not be able to beat the game in a single sitting, but Resident Evil 5's fast-paced gameplay and light horror elements are perfect for longer sessions.

1 Helldivers 2 - Low-Stakes Action With Impressive Visuals

Steam User Rating: 85%

This hyper-polished third-person shooter is a recent smash-hit sequel that's perfect for playing with friends. Helldivers 2 features a tongue-in-cheek, satirical atmosphere and tone that's similar to that of Starship Troopers, with impressive 3D environments and well-crafted gunplay that's sure to satisfy even the stingiest of shooter fans.

Helldivers 2 allows players to play in squads of up to four, fighting against a variety of enemies to complete various objectives, like rescuing a science team from an army of Terminator-adjacent robot warriors. Helldivers 2 also features a generous revive system that means players will never be out of the action for too long, which is perfect for playing in co-op.