Co-op gaming is one of the best ways to experience a title with a friend or partner, given how intense and engaging gaming can get when players have to either team up or fight against the people close to them. There's a reason why so many titles become so much more engaging when co-op enters the picture, with several titles making the most of this particular gaming dynamic to let people take part in rich and entertaining experiences that don't get boring anytime soon.

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Of course, most people would assume that two people tackling the same task becomes easier in co-op...but that's nowhere near the truth. In fact, there are several games that account for the inclusion of another person in the gameplay loop and make it a point to increase the challenge of the game so that players don't end up completely obliterating any challenge that might've seemed impossible in solo play.

10 Borderlands

Pandora in Borderlands 2

Borderlands is one of the most popular co-op shooters around, with the entire trilogy being a blast to play through. Suffice it to say, enemies in the game get more health the more partners are in a play session.

So, players who end up playing with loot hoarders or inept players will find the games to be quite a challenge indeed. Of course, this can pave the way for hilarity instead of frustration, unless someone takes the game too seriously.

9 Dark Souls

dark souls havel

Dark Souls is one of the greatest action RPGs ever made, integrating a bunch of unique mechanics that have become quite common in the industry nowadays. One of these includes seamless co-op and PvP where players can join a game to either fight with or against the player.

In the case of co-op, it only goes without saying that bosses in the game get a health boost if more players are present in a play session. If the helpers are skilled, then this shouldn't be an issue...but the same isn't the case if the player has teamed up with buffoons who die early and leave them to fend off alone against a tough boss that is even beefier!

8 Overcooked 2

Overcooked 2

Overcooked 2 is one of the first games that come to mind when players talk about tough co-op games. Coordinating with a player to try and trying to finish off cooking challenges is easier said than done, especially with the chaos that ensues in each and every level of Overcooked 2.

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Of course, this difficulty is subject to the skill levels of both players. That being said, some players might actually like the idea of controlling each chef on their own instead, since it lets them go through stages at their own pace.

7 Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Another Xbox series may get the Master Chief Collection-treatment.

Halo is one of the most popular and beloved FPS titles of all time. The release of the major titles, fittingly labeled the Master Chief Collection, ensures that players can enjoy the co-op mechanics that were present in the original titles too.

Of course, this co-op is made pretty challenging by forcing players to deal with enemies who have higher health. This can be quite an issue if players are teamed up with others whose skill levels might not be all that high, since it leaves the bulk of the killing responsibilities on the player who can actually tackle these threats with finesse.

6 Elden Ring

Image from Elden Ring showing a number of players ganging up on a huge boss.

Elden Ring is one of FromSoftware's most popular titles to date. The game is still making waves to this day, featuring the beloved co-op that most people fondly remember from titles in the past.

That being said, the world of Elden Ring is so vast that certain bosses might be encountered well before the player has the means to deal with them. This problem is exacerbated in co-op, with the majority of these bosses featuring more health that can turn these encounters into a downright drag!

5 Divinity: Original Sin 2

Combat-Ready Characters in Divinity Original Sin 2

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the most popular CRPGs of the modern era, featuring a massive campaign that is filled to the brim with content. It also lets players engage in co-op gameplay, although this might not be as alluring a prospect as most people might think.

This is because Divinity: Original Sin 2 is hard enough as is, and players who aren't in sync when it comes to their strategies will find it challenging to deal with even the simplest enemies in the game. Depending on the player's strategies and skill levels, co-op can either be an intensely rewarding experience...or a wildly frustrating one!

4 Portal 2

Portal 2

Portal 2 is one of the greatest puzzle games ever made, featuring both a single-player and co-op campaign that is a ton of fun to play through. However, the latter can turn this delightful game into a nightmare for players who aren't in sync while solving the puzzles.

Timing the placement of portals and trying to communicate solutions when both players have wildly different approaches to a particular puzzle can be a pretty frustrating affair. While Portal 2's co-op campaign is funny, players won't feel like laughing if every puzzle turns into a chore with no solution in sight.

3 Bloodborne

Image from Bloodborne showing the Hunter in Yharnam at night.

Another FromSoftware game makes its way on this list in the form of Bloodborne. Given the pattern of previous games and how they deal with co-op, it's easy to see why this Lovecraftian adventure makes the list.

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What makes Bloodborne even more frustrating in co-op is that many people consider this title to be the hardest FromSoftware game of all time. So, teaming up with an inept hunter to take down bosses like the Orphan of Kos or Ludwig can be an absolute nightmare.

2 Monster Hunter: World

Monster-Hunter-World-Gameplay-Screenshot-Official

Monster Hunter: World is arguably the most popular game in this beloved series. The release on home consoles was a great move on Capcom's part, popularizing this title in a way that most people never expected!

A big part of Monster Hunter: World is teaming up with other players to tackle hunts, which might sound like the best way to tackle these tough monsters. However, the HP of a monster increases with each partner in a hunt, and this list has made it evidently clear that this can prove to be a curse if certain players simply aren't as skilled as others.

1 Cuphead

Cuphead

Cuphead is one of the best platforming bullet-hell titles to have been released in recent times. The amazing details of the animation coupled with the hard-as-nails gameplay make for an engaging title that most players can't get enough of.

Cuphead can also be tackled in co-op, but this just adds to the chaos that takes place on screen while also increasing the health of bosses. While the revive mechanic makes for a welcome respite, some might argue that this still isn't enough to make up for the added challenge that co-op brings to the table in Cuphead, a game that is already notoriously difficult as is.

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