Let’s talk about some of the best local co-op games on the PS5. This is a list of games that feel like next gen consoles… mostly. But you can play all of them in local co-op on the PlayStation 5, so let’s just get into it.
BROTHERS: A TALE OF TWO SONS REMAKE
This one’s interesting because the original game was intended to be singleplayer — you were supposed to control both brothers with one controller, each assigned to a separate analog stick. There’s an argument that adding co-op kind of changes that original intent, but as a couch co-op game, the remake gives you an entirely new way to experience it. I’m a huge fan of Hazelight Studios, and I feel like Brothers is the one game of theirs that gets overlooked these days. It’s a really emotional story that you can play through pretty quickly — I’ve probably played through it four times now — and I personally think the co-op gameplay actually improves on the original. If you like their later games like It Takes Two or Split Fiction, I highly recommend trying this one, especially this remake.
TOWERBORNE
Towerborne came to PlayStation this year along with a couch co-op update, and it’s essentially an action RPG with a beat ‘em up structure that you can play with up to four players locally. There are different classes, and the gear and build progression give it more depth than a traditional beat ‘em up. We’re still seeing a lot of new beat ‘em ups come out these days, and Towerborne seems to be one that not as many people are talking about. I still think it’s definitely worth trying.
SACKBOY: A BIG ADVENTURE
This is a 3D platformer built for co-op, and it definitely feels like Mario 3D World but with the LittleBigPlanet characters. You get four players jumping, grabbing, and swinging through colorful levels together, and it holds up really well as one of the better couch co-op platformers on PS5.
REANIMAL
Reanimal is the new co-op game from Housemarque, and it’s a much different direction for them than something like Returnal. This one has a horror storybook art style, and you play as two kid siblings exploring together, which makes it feel more like a co-op adventure game than an arcade shooter. It’s a nice change of pace to see them try something like this, and it looks like a great pick for couch co-op on PS5.
LEGO BATMAN: LEGACY OF THE DARK KNIGHT
TT Games keeps making these LEGO games, and Legacy of the Dark Knight looks like a return to the LEGO Batman formula with a much bigger, more open Gotham to explore. These games have always been solid four player co-op, and it’s nice to see a big superhero LEGO game again after so many of the newer LEGO titles have moved away from that Batman-specific focus.
BORDERLANDS 4
Borderlands 4 is here, and it’s still got that classic Borderlands co-op formula of four players dropping into the world together, looting guns, and taking on the story. Gearbox has added a lot of new traversal options this time around, and it looks like one of the more ambitious entries in the series. If you’ve played any of the past Borderlands games in co-op, this is an easy one to keep doing that with.
BALDUR’S GATE 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 has been out for a couple years now, but it’s still one of the best co-op experiences you can get on PS5, and it keeps pulling in new players. Up to four people can play through the entire campaign together, making completely different choices and builds, and the amount of reactivity to what your co-op partners do is still kind of amazing. If you haven’t tackled this one with friends yet, it’s absolutely worth it.
GEARS OF WAR: RELOADED
Gears of War: Reloaded is a full remaster of the original Gears, and that first game’s Horde-adjacent campaign co-op is still some of the best cover-based shooting co-op around. Two players can go through the campaign together, and with the updated visuals it’s a great way to either revisit it or play it for the first time. It’s a solid pickup if you want some classic Xbox-era shooter co-op on PS5.
HALO: CAMPAIGN EVOLVED
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a remake of the original Combat Evolved campaign, and that game’s split-screen co-op is a big part of why so many people have fond memories of it. This version brings it back with updated visuals and modern netcode, so you can play the whole campaign in co-op again, whether that’s locally or online. It’s a great excuse to revisit one of the games that helped define console shooter co-op in the first place.
SPLIT FICTION
Split Fiction is Hazelight’s follow-up to It Takes Two, and it’s built entirely around two player co-op again, with each player experiencing the story from a different genre perspective at the same time. It’s constantly throwing new mechanics at you, which is kind of the studio’s whole thing at this point, and it’s one of the most purely inventive co-op games to come out on PS5. If you liked It Takes Two, this is an easy recommendation.
FINAL THOUGHTS
That’s ten games that show just how strong couch co-op is on PS5 right now, from big budget shooters to smaller, weirder experiments like Reanimal. What’s your favorite couch co-op game on PS5 so far, and is there one from this list you’re most excited to try?