Summary
Demon’s Soulsforever changed the landscape of video games when it was released on the PS3 in 2009 in North America. It gathered a cult following that grew bigger with everyDark Soulsrelease, after which it hit its peak thus far in 2022 withElden Ring. Beyond FromSoftware, other companies threw their hats into the ring to create wildly challenging action RPGs too.
What made many of them tolerable were the multiplayer aspects that lessened the blows of bosses. What games allowed players to cooperatively play together better? Let’s go through the various developers, including FromSoftware, to see who reigns supreme on the co-op hill. These will be ranked based on the overall quality and the multiplayer integration.
Ashenhas one of the most unique approaches to gameplay and multiplayer. The world and character designs were obtuse, along with there not being much to the story, which makes it exciting. It was like playing the originalZeldagame with just a big map open to explore, putting gameplay ahead of a narrative.
In this world, players could meet another randomly online and either team up with them or fight them, which added to the game’s mysterious design. Players can even unlock new mechanics in co-op, like getting a boost up a wall.
Nioh 2was a samurai-themed Soulslike that was a lot more brutal than the first game. Players could join two others online or invite two others to their game to go on Missions or Expeditions.
Missions focused on specific content, such as bosses, while Expeditions were more free-form. There were limits to each mode, like players having to beat content on their own to unlock it in multiplayer, which made it a messy setup.Based onNioh 3’sdemo, it seems like multiplayer will be easier, butNioh 2will be good training for now.
Code Veinisa vampire-based Soulslikethat takes place in a ruined version of the world. Most of the game’s powers revolved around blood, but the characters were not exactly bloodsuckers in the traditional sense, plus the game was heavily influenced by anime.
Players can go through the game with their one AI-based companion, but they can also play with another online. Players still had to complete story objectives on their own, but at least exploration was aided by multiplayer. It’s a good time to play this first game since the sequel should be coming out in 2026.
Lords of the Fallenwas released in two different forms almost a decade apart: 2014 vs 2023. The 2023 version is a more complete version of the Soulslike vision, enabling two players to explore a big world together without much in the way of limitations. Players can create their character, including one of several classes, and then level them up along the way to split their class dynamically.
The snowy world may not be as diverse as other Soulslikes, and only having two-player co-op is disappointing, but the seamless gameplay is impressive.
Remnant: From the Ashesgave Soulslike fans a new way to blast through enemies via guns. The range-based gameplay made it safer to engage in combat for those new to the genre, but it wasn’t an easy game by any means, as enemies were more than capable of charging.Remnant 2has all of those qualities but more: bigger bosses, bigger areas, and bigger guns. Playing with two others online felt like going through Strikes inDestiny, except with a bit less mobility and more intense encounters.
Salt and Sacrificeis a sequel toSalt and Sanctuary, a 2D Soulslike set in a bleak, faded world. What makes multiplayer great for this game is that it can be fully played, from back to front, with another player.
Campaigns can be played online or offlineon the couch, which is the best way to play. There’s nothing better than squirming with a partner on the couch during rough sections or sharing a high five after destroying a tough boss. Hopefully, the 2D perspective doesn’t turn Soulslike fans away.
Elden Ringwas a big leap forward thanks to the open world compared to other FromSoftware games. Multiplayer could still be hard to navigate, though, with its item-based summoning instead of relying on easy-to-access menus like most multiplayer games. That wasfixed inElden Ring Nightreign, the standalone roguelike expansion that is brand new. Instead of one seamless world, players can select a boss and then get matched up with others online.
They will be dropped into a zone where they are free to roam until borders start closing up, narrowing the playing field. It’s not as big or as freeing as the original game, but the multiplayer is far superior.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originis a prequel set before the original game that reimagined the mythical Warriors of Light. This Soulslike gave players a familiar world to explore, albeit with an extreme glow-up, along withtons of Job classesto swap in and out of. Each dungeon was separated into missions, making it easy to navigate between single and multiplayer.
Unlike most Soulslikes,Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originhas difficulty modes, meaning players and their partners can go into it as a more relaxed adventure to focus more on camaraderie rather than challenge. All of these options and more make it the ideal Soulslike to play in co-op.
