Start with the systems everyone owns, then check how the game handles co-op and progression. Only after those fit should your group choose between a monster-hunting loop and a build-focused action RPG. “Has multiplayer” alone does not guarantee that everyone can join the same campaign or keep the progress they expect.
1. Check that everyone can play on the same platform combination
Write down each player’s system and storefront—PC, PlayStation, or Xbox—and the relevant console generation. If the group spans platforms, look for an explicit cross-play statement for the exact game and edition before anyone buys. A game being available on several systems does not, by itself, establish that players on those systems can join one another.
For example, Steam’s Monster Hunter Wilds listing marks the PC edition as supporting both Online Co-op and Cross-Platform Multiplayer. That is useful evidence for a group considering the Steam version, but it does not settle the details of every console edition.
A May 2024 PlayStation Blog announcement described Path of Exile 2 as planned to offer full cross-play and cross-progression. Treat that as an announcement, not proof that each feature is currently available on every platform. Check the current platform-specific information before choosing it.
#1 Best Overall
- 5-Minute Dungeon is the most fun you can have in 5 minutes! You'll need teamwork to defeat each dungeon in only 5 minutes, and then take on the next intense challenge. Defeat all 6 bosses to win!
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- Featuring a free timer app for Android and Apple devices, with six different themed narrators!
- Easy to learn, quick to teach: Match your cards to each symbol in the dungeon deck to win! 5-Minute Dungeon is perfect for teams of 2-5 players aged 8+.
- Includes: 275 Cards, 5 Double-Sided Hero Mats (10 Heroes Total), 3 Double-Sided Boss Mats (6 Bosses Total)
2. Decide what “co-op” needs to mean for your group
Online multiplayer, couch co-op, and playing a cooperative campaign together are different requirements. Before settling on a game, agree on the format you need and verify the details for the edition you plan to use.
- Where will you play? Decide whether everyone needs to join online, whether two or more players will share one screen, or both.
- What can you play together? Check whether the campaign’s desired sections support co-op, whether players can join or leave during a session, and what party limit applies.
- How does progress work? Find out whether progress is shared, saved separately, or tied to a host, and whether it carries across platforms.
- What does access require? Check account requirements, online-service subscriptions for each player’s platform, and whether the group needs matching editions.
The Path of Exile 2 announcement specifically described couch co-op on one console. It said two players could collaborate using one Path of Exile account or sign in with two separate accounts. Those details make it a relevant option for a pair sharing a console, but the announcement alone does not establish current availability or every platform’s present-day rules.
Rank #2
- ENTER THE WORLD OF SKYRIM: Experience the legendary open-world RPG as a tabletop adventure, exploring Tamriel through branching quests, iconic factions, and rich Elder Scrolls lore.
- COOPERATIVE OR SOLO PLAY: Designed for 1–4 players, allowing you to adventure solo or team up to face dragons, uncover conspiracies, and shape the fate of Skyrim together.
- OPEN-ENDED QUEST SYSTEM: Choose how you approach each mission—diplomacy, stealth, or combat—as your decisions permanently impact the story and the world around you.
- DEEP CHARACTER PROGRESSION: Build unique heroes with evolving skills, gear, and abilities inspired by the video game’s iconic progression systems.
- HIGH REPLAYABILITY: Modular scenarios, multiple quest paths, and varied character builds ensure every campaign feels fresh and every journey through Skyrim is different.
3. Choose the combat loop your group actually wants
Monster hunting: Monster Hunter Wilds
Steam categorizes Monster Hunter Wilds as Action, Adventure, and RPG, and its feature list includes Online Co-op. It is a grounded example for a group drawn to preparing for and fighting monsters together. The listing identifies CAPCOM as developer and publisher and gives a February 27, 2025 release date for the PC game; that date is not a performance or quality measure.
The Steam page establishes the PC listing’s co-op and cross-platform labels, not exact party limits, campaign co-op rules, physical console availability, or online subscription requirements. Check those against the platform edition your group intends to use rather than assuming the PC listing answers them.
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Rank #3
- Maladum is a fantasy miniatures board game set in the kingdoms of Enveron, a prosperous continent on a distant world
- Your players control small bands of Adventurers seeking their fortune across a detailed 3D gaming area (no glue or paint required)
- You must venture out from your camp, defeat your enemies, complete the objectives and get back to safety -- that last part is vital!
- When the Adventurers have taken their actions, the game fights back -- evil revenants shamble towards you, wandering beasts emerge from their lairs and fellow NPC Adventurers find themselves lost in the chaos, all controlled by the game's mechanics!
Build-focused action RPG: Path of Exile 2
The PlayStation Blog announcement presents Path of Exile 2 as an action RPG with extensive character customization, skills, and bosses. It cited 12 character classes, 240 Skill Gems, 200 Support Gems, and a passive tree with 1,500 skills. These are game-system counts presented by Grinding Gear Games Game Director Jonathan Rogers in 2024—not measures of quality or proof that every player will enjoy the complexity.
This makes it a candidate for groups that enjoy experimenting with character builds. Before committing, check its current early-access or release status, supported platforms, and whether the announced co-op features are live for the specific systems involved.
Rank #4
- FATEFORGE: CHRONICLES OF KAAN is a mythical action-adventure cooperative campaign game. The game offers an accessible, RPG-like board game experience for 1 to 4 players.
- PLAYER DRIVEN STORY: You make the choices. You are the heroes: Set off on an epic journey across the continent of Kaan! What Fate will you forge for the lands of Kaan?
- APP GUIDES YOU LIKE A TRUE GAMEMASTER: It remembers & reacts to your choices, often when you least expect it to. It also handles all the admin, tells the story & sets the atmosphere, so you can focus on the gameplay & be the hero in your adventure.
- EPISODIC PLAY: Play in episodes of under an hour! Full of surprising twists with a sprawling story and intense fights played in episodes of under an hour.
Another candidate: Diablo IV
A February 2026 TechRadar roundup describes Diablo IV’s loot-and-progression loop and lists crossplay across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. That is a secondary-source lead rather than a definitive current platform check. If it makes your shortlist, confirm the details through current Blizzard documentation before buying.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.4. Compare the survivors on the details that affect your sessions
Once a game clears the platform and format checks, compare it with any other candidate on the same questions. Avoid treating a feature label such as “online co-op” as an answer to every one of them.
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- TEAM UP OR GO SOLO — Battle through twisting dungeon corridors in this fantasy RPG adventure for 1–4 players. Perfect for family game nights, solo quests, or quick-play dungeon crawls — setup takes under 10 minutes!
- EASY TO LEARN, FUN TO MASTER — A true gateway RPG that teaches fantasy gaming without the rule overload. Roll the dice, choose your hero, and strategize your escape past monsters, traps, and the mighty Red Dragon.
- ENDLESS REPLAYABILITY — With 120 dungeon tiles, 13 bonus quests, and randomized layouts, no two adventures are the same. Every playthrough brings new surprises, treasures, and tactical decisions.
- PORTABLE & TRAVEL-READY — Everything fits in the signature Bag of Dungeon pouch — ideal for holidays, camping trips, or on-the-go dungeon crawls. A compact fantasy board game you can take anywhere.
- FAMILY-FRIENDLY FANTASY — Designed for ages 7+, this tabletop RPG builds teamwork, strategy, and imagination. Great for kids learning role-play or adults seeking a classic, fast-paced dungeon crawl.
- Platform reach: Does the specific edition support every system in the group, and is cross-play enabled?
- Co-op shape: Is play online, local, or both? What are the party limit, campaign restrictions, and drop-in/drop-out rules?
- Progression: Is progress shared or separate, does it depend on a host, and is cross-progression supported?
- Combat: Does the group prefer discrete hunts and boss fights, or a more continuous loop of fighting enemies and building characters?
- Build complexity: Does everyone want to learn skills, equipment, and character choices, or would some players rather spend less time tuning a build?
- Access cost: What do the base game and any required expansions cost on each platform? Are online subscriptions, accounts, or matching editions required?
- Technical access: Check platform requirements and performance information for each edition. There is no comparative performance test established here.
These checks matter more than a universal ranking: a strong fit for a group that likes build experimentation may be a poor fit for one seeking straightforward, short sessions. The available game descriptions do not establish which title suits every group’s schedule or total time commitment, so make those expectations part of the conversation.
Quick Recap
5. Verify the exact edition before anyone buys
- List the group’s platforms and storefronts. Include the console generation where it matters, then eliminate candidates without explicit support for the whole group.
- Agree on session format. Decide whether you need online play, couch co-op, drop-in access, or a cooperative campaign from the beginning.
- Pick a preferred loop. Choose between a hunt-centered game such as Monster Hunter Wilds and a build-oriented candidate such as Path of Exile 2, based on what the group wants to do together.
- Open each platform’s current game page together. Verify cross-play, party size, campaign rules, progression, account and subscription requirements, current availability, and price for that specific edition.
- Buy only the edition that matches the plan. A Steam listing establishes information about the PC digital edition; it does not establish physical PS5 or Xbox stock, and one platform purchase should not be assumed to unlock copies on others.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
