Games where full featured campaign co-op is available, but single player is still preferable.

[CloseTalker]

I feel like it's a pretty common thought that games are better when you can play with friends. Obviously there are single player-focused games like RDR2, God of War, etc, this isn't about that. I'm more curious about games that offer campaign co-op, but you still feel are better when played single player.

For example, I prefer playing Diablo 3 on my own. I think co-op makes the screen too cluttered, and I think the gameplay loop and meditative pace of the game is more fun when I can just zone out, throw on a podcast, and go at my own speed.

 

[AndreGX]

Tropical Freeze

Spoiler

Ironic image

 

[Deleted member 3093]

100 percent Spelunky. Spelunky is unbearable in multiplayer.

 

[RockmanBN]

Cuphead is easier in single player

 

[BrokenIcarus]

Guacamelee, it's fun for the brawler parts of it, but the platforming is the worst

 

[Sora64]

Resident Evil 6 comes to mind. The AI always does the insta death portions perfectly and also have infinite ammo unlike RE5 co-op where you actually have to manage the AI's inventory.

 

[CloseTalker]

Tropical Freeze

Spoiler

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That's a good one. I'd say any multiplayer Mario game as well

 

[Faenix1]

Dead island and dying light are coop focused but honestly I preferred playing solo.

 

[LilScooby77]

Nioh.

 

[ClickyCal']

Probably any platfomers.

 

[Saturday]

Left 4 Dead and it's sequel are righteous good fun with friends, but comfortably relaxing and worthy of a runthrough on your own, although I can't imagine you can get too much mileage out of that.

 

[Internet Nomad]

Luigi's mansion 3

 

[Prefty]

Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee

 

[Rook]

I came here to second Cuphead, particularly in run-and-gun stages.

The same is true for many side-scrolling shooters where the progression only advances when the player moves forward (e.g. Contra)

 

[Jroc]

Halo 2 Legendary is very hard during co-op because one player dying resets the game to the last checkpoint. Halo 1 Legendary was way easier during co-op since players could respawn.

 

[Amibguous Cad]

Monster Hunter.

Not that playing co-op isn't fun, of course! But you can't quite appreciate the encounter design or the nuances of the combat until it's one on one. I like to beat all the monsters solo before I start farming with friends.

 

[BasilZero]

Resident Evil 5 - at least in my experience - had no issues with the AI Sheva on the PC ver.

 

[Deleted member 42484]

NSMBwii and NSMBU.

 

[Zassimick]

The idea of playing Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2 is both incredibly appealing and dreadfully appalling. I can't imagine I'd enjoy sitting with a friend going through so much dialogue, yet I play D&D all the time so maybe if I treat it like that and I'm with the right player? I dunno.

 

[DeadDuck144]

Monster Hunter.

Not that playing co-op isn't fun, of course! But you can't quite appreciate the encounter design or the nuances of the combat until it's one on one. I like to beat all the monsters solo before I start farming with friends.

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I view some of the co-op platformers listed above the same way. It's far easier to appreciate the design/nuance of New Super Mario Bros. U when your friends aren't constantly bonking you into a pit; you could argue it's more fun though

 

[FarZa17]

I play Borderlands games better on my own than with other people, so I can have better focus and get all the stuff that I need.

 

[DeliciousSunnyD!]

Super Mario 3D World IMHO.

I want to see a successor to the 3D Land/World formula that gears its level design towards a single player more like 3D Land, rather than 4 simultaneous ones even if I still really enjoy SM3DW's levels.

 

[Rodney McKay]

I only play the Borderlands series solo.

With the exception of the raid bosses and the highest NG+ mode, the games are perfectly enjoyable single player. And even those raid bosses and Ultimate Vault Hunter mode can be done solo with the right loot and skill specs.

I think I've only done multiplayer once and personally I didn't enjoy it as much. I like being able to take my time looking at loot, opening all the chests, etc.


Diablo 3 as well, I just love that game solo and only ever tried multiplayer once when it first came out.

 

[Billfisto]

That's.. most games for me. I prefer to go at my own pace, looking for collectibles, listening to dialog, and poking around. Add another player and that inevitably just turns into running through the levels.

Plus I like to be able to pause the game to dick around on my phone or walk away and grab some food, and I hate it when other players do that to me.

 

[Rirse]

Since a new entry for it came out today, Battletoads on the NES. The original version is literally unbeatable in co-op due to a bug, which was only fix on the Rare Replay release.

 

[arturo2666]

The idea of playing Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2 is both incredibly appealing and dreadfully appalling. I can't imagine I'd enjoy sitting with a friend going through so much dialogue, yet I play D&D all the time so maybe if I treat it like that and I'm with the right player? I dunno.

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One of the good things about D:OS2 co-op is players can have independent conversations with NPCs. You don't need to wait for your friend to finish reading.

 

[spineduke]

im just here to find out about games with co-op campaigns since its such a rarity most of the time. more often than not, you'll get some side missions and thats it.

 

[Chopchop]

Enter the Gungeon is way harder in co-op than solo.

 

[CrypticSlayer]

I prefer my first Halo and Gears of war playthroughs be single player. I feel that I can get more immersed in those games playing alone.

 

[thetrin]

I can't think of a single time where co-op was available and I opted for single player instead.

 

[Captain of Outer Space]

All of them for me.

 

[Kupo Kupopo]

Monster Hunter.

Not that playing co-op isn't fun, of course! But you can't quite appreciate the encounter design or the nuances of the combat until it's one on one. I like to beat all the monsters solo before I start farming with friends.

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yeah, monster hunter's a good one. myself, i really enjoyed both the division games & the ghost recon games this gen solo. enjoyed just progressing at my own pace...

 

[piratethingy]

I can't think of a single time where co-op was available and I opted for single player instead.

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Yup. Of the examples listed so far I'd only agree with Spelunky, but I'm not sure that really counts as "fully-fledged co-op".

 

[Landy828]

Every single game I play, except for a few my kids want me to couch co-op with them.

Otherwise I'm 100% single player.

 

[steviestar3]

Trine 2

Co-op makes it way too easy to brute force all the puzzles

 

[HardRojo]

Avengers. The only reason I'm not playing that game is the GaaS stuff coupled with all the co-op shit. Really enjoyed the first couple of hours of the beta though.

 

[Deleted member 68874]

Divinity OS 2.

While in co-op it'd be a more enjoyable experience, having to find time to play a 60+ hour RPG with someone is damn near impossible.

 

[Whowasphone]

Probably any platfomers.

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Except Rayman legends/origins. Co-op gives you a life line when you're downed(bubbled?) Whereas in single player you're instantly popped.

 

[Whowasphone]

im just here to find out about games with co-op campaigns since its such a rarity most of the time. more often than not, you'll get some side missions and thats it.

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Few people ever mention it, but the coop (couch in particular) in splinter cell blacklist is extremely enjoyable.

 

[Sheng Long]

Contra was always easier for me in single player.

 

[FallenGrace]

Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2.

You miss so much playing co-op of writing and quests. I know it seems popular but I hated it co-op

 

[Mr.Deadshot]

Dead Space 3 obviously. The atmosphere is just better alone.

 

[Jegriva]

Splinter Cell Chaos Theory and RAGE have full fledged cooperative campaign with exclusive levels... and basically nobody has ever played them.

 

[Iztok]

Ghost Recon Wildlands is actually amazing in CO-OP, but going solo and taking it slow, methodical (not always possible with a group of friends), and with the stuff you can do with the AI - might be my preffered way to play.

 

[FaceHugger]

Cat Quest 2. It's not really difficult either way, but when solo the off character is always invincible. So you have to worry a lot less about healing / defensive spells / et al.

 

[Soj]

Remnant: From the Ashes

My favourite game this gen, but I don't really enjoy the co-op. Probably doesn't help that it barely worked at launch.

 

[JigglesBunny]

New Super Mario Bros Wii/Wii U/Deluxe.

I can't help but barrel through the levels at mach speed, don't pick me up and toss me off the level because you're upset that you can't keep up!

 

[Dervius]

Remnant: From the Ashes

My favourite game this gen, but I don't really enjoy the co-op. Probably doesn't help that it barely worked at launch.

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There are alot of good picks in this thread, but this isn't one of them IMO.

It's a very, very good game solo. But it's a great game in coop. Some of the build synergies you can play with add a layer of strategy just missing from the core game, and they let you experiment in a way that solo play makes more difficult.

 

[Pyro]

Few people ever mention it, but the coop (couch in particular) in splinter cell blacklist is extremely enjoyable.

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Funnily enough this is my pick. Something about stealth makes me want to go it alone, kinda like survival horror.

 

[Dervius]

The idea of playing Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2 is both incredibly appealing and dreadfully appalling. I can't imagine I'd enjoy sitting with a friend going through so much dialogue, yet I play D&D all the time so maybe if I treat it like that and I'm with the right player? I dunno.

Click to shrink...

Divinity OS 2.

While in co-op it'd be a more enjoyable experience, having to find time to play a 60+ hour RPG with someone is damn near impossible.

Click to shrink...

Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2.

You miss so much playing co-op of writing and quests. I know it seems popular but I hated it co-op

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I agree with these.

I have D:OS2 on both PC and Xbox One. I started the Xbox One playthrough solo, which made me fall in love with the game. I got midway through Act 2 then started a fresh campaign with three friends on PC.

It's really enjoyable cooperatively, as all of your party members are now individuals and do things you wouldn't have expected. I loved it until I got past where I had gotten on my Xbox playthrough. It's hard to pay attention to all of the dialog when in a party of four and diminishes the initial experience to a degree, but you also don't want to inhibit the general chat and shenanigans of the group which is largely the point.

I think the best solution is to play first solo, then again as a group / coop to get the best of both worlds. I loved acting as a semi-guide through the first couple acts to my friends so that when they asked "where do we go now" I had some options for them, but not all of the answers because of how variable some of the quests are.

This may have been less of an issue with D:OS1 as it was only two people, and if you're both equally committed and into it you can get a similar experience to solo.