Best Co Op Games with Roguelike Elements

9 October 2025

Are you and your buddies on the hunt for a game that’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and keeps you coming back for “just one more run”? Well, you’re in luck! Today, we’re diving deep into the best co-op games with roguelike elements that’ll test your skills, shake your teamwork, and maybe even ruin (or strengthen) some friendships along the way.

With the explosion of roguelike mechanics in the gaming world, it's no surprise developers are blending them with co-op gameplay. It’s like peanut butter and jelly—chaotic, but oh so satisfying.

So grab your headset, rally your squad, and let’s check out the wildest and most replayable co-op roguelikes that deserve a spot on your game night roster!

What Makes a Game “Roguelike”?

Before we jump in, let’s clear up a bit of gaming jargon. When we say “roguelike,” we're talking about games that usually include:

- Procedural generation (the levels change every time)
- Permadeath or reset on failure (spicy, right?)
- Resource or stat management
- Difficulty that ramps up fast
- And of course, a ton of replayability

Now sprinkle in co-op gameplay—where you and your friends team up—and boom, you've got a roguelike co-op experience that’s addictive, frustrating, and wildly fun.

1. Risk of Rain 2

Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia
Players: 1-4

Risk of Rain 2 is like being thrown into the deep end of a swimming pool... but the water’s lava, and everything wants to kill you.

Every run in Risk of Rain 2 is a unique chaos-fest. You pick a survivor, gather quirky gear, fight off waves of enemies, and try to escape a hostile alien planet. The longer you survive, the harder things get—literally. There's even a difficulty slider that climbs relentlessly while you play.

What makes it sing in co-op is the synergy between different survivors. A tank can pull aggro while the sniper dishes out damage, and supports can keep the team alive just long enough to escape... or die together trying. It's cruel. It’s beautiful.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Fast-paced, third-person shooter mechanics
- Deep character builds and unlockables
- Chaos increases exponentially with friends (in the best way)

2. Deep Rock Galactic

Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS5, PS4
Players: 1-4

Space dwarves, procedurally generated caves, bug-squashing, and mining—what more could you ask for?

Deep Rock Galactic is as if Minecraft, Starship Troopers, and a roguelike had a love child. You and your buddies dive into fully destructible cave systems, gather resources, battle giant alien bugs, and try not to die before calling for extraction. Every mission feels like a mix of planning and “uh oh” mayhem.

It combines light roguelike elements—randomized missions, increasing difficulty, and permanent upgrades—with robust co-op mechanics. Communication is key, and you’ll be yelling “Rock and Stone!” more than you think.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Unique classes with complementary skills
- Procedural mission objectives and cave formations
- Excellent teamwork-focused gameplay

3. Gunfire Reborn

Platform(s): PC, Xbox, Mobile
Players: 1-4

Gunfire Reborn is what happens when Borderlands-style shooting meets roguelike dungeons and Chinese mythology. It’s a first-person, loot-filled joyride with colorful characters and a huge variety of guns, builds, and abilities.

Each playthrough feels fresh, thanks to randomized weapons and perks. You’ll blast your way through rooms filled with increasingly difficult enemies with the help of your squad. And don’t let the cartoony visuals fool you—this game is hard.

But when every player in your team perfectly times their abilities and absolutely melts a boss? Pure serotonin.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Satisfying gunplay and build variety
- Smooth, fast-paced co-op
- Loads of replayability with evolving challenges

4. Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania (Co-op Mod)

Platform(s): PC (modded version)
Players: 1-2 (local or online with mods)

Dead Cells isn’t natively co-op, but the modding community came to the rescue. If you're into pixel-perfect action and unforgiving platforming with tight controls, you’ll want to play this. And the Return to Castlevania DLC? Chef’s kiss.

With a cooperative mod installed, you and a friend can tear through the castle’s procedurally generated levels, dodge-roll your way out of tight spots, and pick weapon combos that complement each other (or clash terribly, no judgment).

It’s a bit harder to set up, but the challenge and satisfaction are worth it.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Fluid, satisfying combat
- Tons of weapons and upgrades
- The sense of progression is steep but rewarding

5. Spelunky 2

Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4 (local and online)

Want to lose friends faster than in Monopoly? Play Spelunky 2 in co-op.

This game is brutally difficult and makes no apologies for it. Every run is a new adventure where one false move can end your entire group’s progress. But somehow, that’s what makes it so good. You’ll laugh, cry, scream, and beg for your teammates not to accidentally drop a rock on your head.

Spelunky 2 mixes procedural level generation with hundreds of surprises—some good, most deadly. But hey, part of the fun is making mistakes... over and over again.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Hardcore challenge with infinite replay value
- Hilarious and unexpected interactions
- True test of teamwork (and patience)

6. Barony

Platform(s): PC
Players: 1-4 (online and local)

Barony isn’t the prettiest game on this list, but what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in depth.

This classic-style dungeon crawler has full RPG mechanics, permadeath, and brutal difficulty. Every floor offers new monsters, loot, traps, and secrets. It's like playing a 3D pixelated version of Dungeons and Dragons with your friends—and dying, a lot.

There’s a surprising amount of strategy in team compositions and inventory management. And with each death comes the desire to try again, smarter this time (hopefully).

Why You’ll Love It:

- Old-school charm with complex mechanics
- Deep customization and build variety
- Genuinely challenging and strategic co-op

7. Curse of the Dead Gods (Co-op Mod)

Platform(s): PC (modding required)
Players: 1-2

Much like Dead Cells, Curse of the Dead Gods isn’t natively co-op, but fans added a workaround. This is a brutal roguelike with a combat system that feels like Hades meets Dark Souls.

You'll plunge into a cursed temple full of traps, monsters, and risk/reward choices. Light and darkness play a huge role, and the curses you gain don't just hurt—they often tempt you with power.

The modded co-op experience gives this intense game a social twist and double the panic when traps go off.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Gritty, satisfying combat system
- Roguelike mechanics with tons of depth
- High-stakes gameplay that demands focus

8. Noita (Co-op Mods)

Platform(s): PC
Players: 1-2 (with mods)

Noita is pure chaos in a bottle. It’s a physics-based roguelike where every pixel is simulated, every spell is a science experiment, and every death is a lesson in humility.

The co-op mod lets you bring a friend into this magical blender of explosions, fire, acid, and ill-timed spell combos. It’s not a casual experience, but it’s unforgettable. Misfire a spell and you could collapse a cave, flood your team, or summon a demon-thing by accident. Good times.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Spell crafting system is insanely deep
- Emergent gameplay like no other
- Watching it all go wrong is half the fun

9. Streets of Rogue

Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Players: 1-4

Take GTA, roguelike elements, and a whole lot of “what if we made this super weird”—and you’ve got Streets of Rogue.

Each run takes you through neon-glowing city levels full of random missions. Maybe you’ll need to steal an item. Maybe you’ll have to break someone out of jail. Maybe you’ll just go feral with a shrink ray. The choice is yours.

Four players can join in, turning this crazy sandbox into a hurricane of chaos. And with characters like a vampire, gorilla, and hacker (all with unique abilities), the replay value is off the charts.

Why You’ll Love It:

- Sandbox gameplay with endless possibilities
- Hilarious character combos and strategy
- Pure co-op mayhem—nothing’s off-limits

10. HADES II (Early Access or Upcoming*)

Platform(s): PC (coming soon)
Players: 1-2 (rumored/planned)

Okay, so this one’s a bit of a teaser. Supergiant’s sequel to Hades is in the pipeline, and while the first game was purely solo, there are strong signs they’re exploring multiplayer options for Hades II.

If co-op actually makes it into the game, expect one of the tightest roguelike experiences—god-tier storytelling, buttery-smooth combat, and Greek myth shenanigans—all with your bestie along for the ride.

Why You’ll Be Hyped:

- Hades was already a GOTY contender
- Even more gods, upgrades, and lore
- A chance to descend into hell... together!

Final Thoughts: Chaos Is Better with Friends

Let’s be honest—roguelike games can be brutal. They’ll humble you, frustrate you, and make you question your life choices. But when you throw in co-op? You laugh more. You strategize. You scream when everything goes wrong... or right.

Whether you’re fighting space bugs, spelunking through cursed tombs, or juggling exploding wands, these games offer endless heart-pounding moments and “we almost had it!” vibes.

So pick your poison, gather your crew, and prepare to die. A lot.

But trust me—you’ll love every second of it.