Gaming has become one of the most popular ways to pass leisure time and release pressure. Co-op, the abbreviation of cooperative video game, is a video game that allows players to work together as teammates, usually against one or more non-player character opponents. Playing co-op games with your friends is so much fun but can be quite costly due to the average price of a new video game that hits store shelves. Here on this page, several best free and paid co-op games are recommended.

Part 1: Best Free 2-Player Games to Play on PC

A two-player game is a multiplayer game that is played by precisely two players. 2-player games are particularly suitable for couples or families. The below are 6 best free 2-player games to play on the computer.

1. Damnosaur

Dinosaurs have time traveled from their destined extinction to the present day. As Proh - and her brain-eating friend, Gon - it's up to you to restore Jollywood to its former glory. Seek out the dinos, fight them, and survive as long as you can. Maybe even save the world? If you have a friend over and they're getting sick of watching you play DAMNOSAUR, why not invite them to join in? DAMNOSAUR has a local co-op with a few tweaks made to make it an enjoyable, chaotic experience you can share with a friend.

free 2-player game

2. With You

With You is a wholesome cooperative puzzle-platformer game for just two players to enjoy. Together, the oddly-shaped couple must collaborate to solve a series of physics and platforming segments through problem-solving, gentle communication, and jumping on each other. Short and sweet, with its intentionally-wonky controls, With You resolves to improve the bonds and intimacy between the two players and (quite literally) bring them closer together.

free 2-player game

3. Unsolved Case

Unsolved Case is the free prequel to the popular cooperative point-and-click puzzle game “Cryptic Killer” series. Dip your toes in and go back to where it all began as you team up as two detective duo Old Dog and Ally, up against the Cryptic Killer. For the first time in the series, you'll encounter a labyrinth of puzzles and challenges laid by one of the most devious minds in the world. Solve puzzles, crack codes, and find a way out. Unsolved Case is a free game for two players to complete in 30-60 minutes. In this puzzle game, you'll get a taste of the mystery to come over the 5-part Cryptic Killer series.

free 2-player game

4. We Were Here

We Were Here is the free pilot episode in a series of cooperative standalone puzzle adventures. Lost in a frozen wasteland and split up from your partner inside an abandoned castle, the only possession you have left is a walkie-talkie with a familiar voice on the other end.

free 2-player game

5. Come With Me

Come with Me is a two-player cooperative game set in a puzzle-filled magical world. Solve puzzles together and help each other by using your asymmetrical abilities and collected memories to uncover the mystery of the world. When the village plunges into darkness, Com and Mi go on an adventure to bring back the light. Com is strong and bulky whereas Mi is small and agile. You can only complete your adventure by working closely together.

free 2-player game

6. Cuphead

Cuphead is a classic run-and-gun action game heavily focused on boss battles. Inspired by cartoons of the 1930s, the visuals and audio are painstakingly created with the same techniques of the era, i.e. traditional hand-drawn cel animation, watercolor backgrounds, and original jazz recordings. Play as Cuphead or Mugman (in single-player or local co-op) as you traverse strange worlds, acquire new weapons, learn powerful super moves, and discover hidden secrets while you try to pay your debt back to the devil.

free 2-player game

Part 2: Best Paid 2-Player/Co-op Games to Play

Compared to free 2-player games online, there are more paid 2-player games and co-op games that are available for people to play. In the following content, we have collected several best games for 2 players or multiple players. Check these best 2-player/co-op games.

1. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a 2013 adventure game developed by Starbreeze Studios and published by 505 Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3/4, Xbox One, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Nintendo Switch, etc. The narrative takes place in a fantasy world filled with fictitious creatures such as orcs and trolls, where two young brothers set out on a journey to find a cure for their father's illness. The game is often mentioned as an example of artistry in video games due to its heavy narrative.

paid 2-player game

2. No More Room In Hell 2

No More Room in Hell 2 is a cooperative first-person survival horror video game, created by Matt "Maxx" Kazan and initially developed as a modification for Valve's Source game engine. Set in a zombie apocalypse, the player assumes the role of one of eight remaining survivors, with a focus on cooperation and survival.

paid 2-player game

3. Warframe

Warframe is a third-person take on Destiny, albeit with a space ninja who can perform all manner of aerial acrobatics. Start by slicing everything up with a katana and eventually uncover the depth Warframe has to offer. There’s a complex story full of twists and turns, space exploration, and much more waiting beyond those opening few hours. Oh, and this one is free too.

paid 2-player game

4. A Way Out

From the creators of Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons comes A Way Out, an exclusive co-op adventure where you play the role of one of two prisoners making their daring escape from prison. What begins as a thrilling breakout quickly turns into an unpredictable, emotional adventure unlike anything seen or played before. A Way Out is an experience that must be played with two players. Each player controls one of the main characters, Leo and Vincent, in a reluctant alliance to break out of prison and gain their freedom.

paid 2-player game

5. Starbound

Available for Windows, OS X, Linux, and Xbox Game Pass, Starbound is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Chucklefish. Starbound takes place in a two-dimensional, procedurally generated universe that the player is able to explore to obtain new weapons, armor, and items and to visit towns and villages inhabited by various intelligent lifeforms. In Starbound, you create your own story - there’s no wrong way to play! You may choose to save the universe from the forces that destroyed your home, uncovering greater galactic mysteries in the process, or you may wish to forego a heroic journey entirely in favor of colonizing uncharted planets.

paid 2-player game

6. Unravel 2

Building off the yarn-filled gameplay of the original, Unravel 2 puts players in control of two Yarnys as they explore the world and solve puzzles. It’s a fun romp through a beautiful world and one that you’ll find filled with the inspiration of real-world Scandinavian locations. Work together to solve puzzles, avoid the water, and experience a heartfelt story that will have you reaching for the tissue box at least once or twice.

paid 2-player game

Extension: Record Two-player Gameplay Video via Screen Recorder

We could watch quite a lot of wonderful gaming videos on gaming video-sharing sites such as twitch.tv. No matter you are playing 2-player video games or multi-player video games, you could view related gaming videos on these gaming video-sharing sites. Is there any way for you to record your gameplay video and then upload it to twitch.tv or other video sites for sharing?

Leawo Screen Recorder could help you solve this. As a professional screen activity recorder, Leawo Screen Recorder could record any activity on your computer screen. It could perform as a screen recorder to record all activities on the computer screen as HD screencast, webcam recorder to record video from webcam, audio recorder to record audio from system and/or microphone, and screen capture to capture anything on screen as a screen snapper. It could record your gameplay video into MP4 or other digital video files for use at your own will.

Download and install Leawo Screen Recorder on your computer. Then, follow the below guide to learn how to record gameplay videos for yourself.

  • Leawo Screen Recorder
  • Leawo Screen Recorder

    - Support Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11.
    - Provide various doodle and annotation tools.
    - Support to record online class, PowerPoint presentation, and zoom meeting.
    - Smoothly record gameplay in high quality, including large 3D games.
    - Add background music or voiceover to video.
    - Integrate more advanced functions like real-time drawing, scheduled recording, shortcut controls, etc.

Step 1: Set output preferences

Kick off Leawo Screen Recorder. Before recording screen, you need to set the output directory, such as video format/encoder/quality/frame rate, and audio quality/sample rate. Hit the three-bar icon on the top menu bar and choose the "Settings" option in the drop-down menu. When a "Preferences" panel pops up, you can click the "Output" tab in the left column to set output preferences.

record gameplay

Step 2: Select recording area

Once you click the "Record Screen" button on the main interface, a drop-down menu will pop up, where you can select recording region among Full Screen, Select region/window, Fixed region, or Recently used size.

record gameplay

Step 3: Configure related settings

After configuring recording area, you then need to set System Sound, MicroPhone, and Webcam settings.

record gameplay

Step 4: Check recordings

Finally, click the red “REC” button before you start playing video games for recording. You could record until the game is over and then click the red button to stop recording and save recordings.

record gameplay

Once the recording completes, you could then view the recorded files, open its file folder, rename recordings, etc. In this way, you could easily record any video game you are playing. Here we end our review of the co-op/2-player games that actually work for most players globally and an effective way to record gameplay.