Summary
ThePS5is moving along nicely, and 2025 could be among the generation’s biggest years yet. There are already plenty ofamazing games to play. The system’s backward compatibility alone grants players access to some of their favorite titles with a serious graphical boost.
There are quite a fewgreat co-op gamesplayers can run on theirPS5sand play with friends locally or through the internet. Enthralling storylines have never been the domain of these kinds of titles, but that doesn’t mean that good writing has never been successfully incorporated into a co-op game. Let’s take a look at thebest PS5 co-op story games.
Updated on July 19, 2025, by Mark Sammut:2025 has been building up momentum well, and the last few weeks have produced a couple of fantastic cooperative games. Monster Hunter Wilds is pretty awesome, but its story is far from the point. Fortunately, aPS5 co-op game with a great storydebuted on June 25, 2025.
People who played through Massive Monster’sCult of the Lambin 2022 might be surprised to see it recommended as a co-op option. After all, the game was solely single-player for the first two years of its existence, up until the developer dropped theUnholy Alliance updatethat introduced co-op. This download is completely free and introduces a second playable character in the form of the goat, who comes along for the ride alongside the eponymous lamb. Species aside, the lamb and goat are largely identical in terms of the gameplay, although the latter’s presence does change a few cutscenes.
While hardly game-changing, co-op is nevertheless a good fit forCult of the Lamb, one that could provide just enough incentive for lapsed players to go for another run. More importantly, the strengths that apply to the single-player experience hold for the local co-op mode, meaning an addictive loop revolving around dungeon crawling and management simulation.Cult of the Lamb’s story is nothing too special in the grand scheme of things, but it is elevated by complementary mechanics that grant players quite a bit of control in how they run their cult and manage their followers.
TheCat Questgames are just the best bite-sized RPGs. All three entries offer delightful romps with simple but satisfying combat, streamlined progression and weapon systems, and a whole lot of cat puns. The latter is enough to warrant a recommendation, butCat Quest 3has way more to offer than witty dialogue that emphasizes the franchise’s adorableness. Overall, this is probably the best game in the series, which means something in a franchise defined by consistency.
While not revolving around co-op likeCat Quest 2, which has two protagonists who are both central to the story, the 2024 sequel’s implementation of the feature is arguably just as good, at least in terms of the gameplay. Although not important to the story, the second player can mostly do the same things as the main user, so they should not feel too short-changed. Narratively,Cat Quest 3mostly just tasks players to find a treasure before a sinister pirate, a situation that serves as a justifiable excuse to explore the gorgeous world. Nobody is going to claim the plot is deep, but it fits the game’s tone and world perfectly, all the while presenting plenty of opportunities to interact with cute NPCs.
This case is weird. Starbreeze’sBrothers: A Tale of Two Sonswas specifically designed around the player controlling two siblings simultaneously, a decision that helped foster a strong connection with the characters while also complementing the story’s theme of brotherhood and dependency. Despite seemingly being ideal for co-op, Starbreeze deliberately avoided adding multiplayer to the game, and while playing it, this omission never feels like an oversight or mistake.
Avantgarden’s remake adds co-op, allowing each player to control one brother. Except for a graphical upgrade, this change is the main difference offered by the 2024 version, and it arguably produced a less memorable overall experience. That said,Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remakeis still an above-averagePS5 co-op game with a great storythat can readily be completed in a single sitting. Even if it does not reach the heights of the original, it is still worth playing.
Well, wasn’t this a nice surprise? In November 2024,Sabotage released the “Dawn of Equinox” update forSea of Stars, a free release that brought quite a few changes. The opening hour was revisited, and the combat system was tweaked in a few key areas.
Both of these updates were great, but the most exciting addition was the introduction of 3-player co-op. Evidently requiring a lot of time and effort, this feature allows players to roam the world together, so they don’t just contribute during battles.Sea of Starswas already a great turn-based RPG, and the “Dawn of Equinox” just took it up to the next level.
Baldur’s Gate 3overshadows every otherDungeons & Dragonsgame on PS5, particularly titles that are also tactical RPGs.Solasta: Crown of the Magisteris not on the same level as Larian’s masterpiece, and if a player is unsure which project to pick up, they need to go with the latter. However, this statement is solely a celebration ofBG3rather than a condemnation ofSolasta; in fact, the latter is a pretty good all-around experience and a sound investment if a group ofD&Dfans are craving a fairly faithful video game adaptation.
Based on the 5e,Solasta’s combat does a great job of translating the tabletop game’s rules and rhythm. The gameplay is comfortably the project’s strongest feature, along with arobust character creatorthat gives players plenty of room to experiment with classes. While nothing too amazing,Solasta’s story is enjoyable and keeps things accessible and simple, making for a fun romp that does not require too much prior knowledge ofD&D(even if it is a benefit).
Ghost of Tsushimais a great single-player open-world game that features accessible but challenging combat, breathtaking visuals, a historical Japanese setting, and a pretty good story. While nothing too amazing, the latter is generally told well and features a strong range of secondary characters, most of whom have bigger personalities than Jin, the protagonist.GoTis fantastic, but the standard story does not support co-op.
Fortunately,Sucker Punch eventually releasedLegends, a multiplayer mode that has enough content to feel like a fully fleshed project in its own right. Although not completely removed from Jin’s story and Mongol invasion,Legendsadds a mythological element, casting players as resurrected warriors who come back to take on an Oni uprising. The premise is, admittedly, a bit fantastical and far-fetched compared to the fairly grounded central story; however, it is told with the same sense of gravitas and top-tier presentation.
Legendsis split into four modes, and most people will likely spend their time in Survival. This option allows four players to engage in PvE co-op to defeat wave after wave of enemies and protect three regions. While fun and replayable, Survival has no plot; consequently, if some narrative drive is what someone is seeking, they will need to check out Story. This mode features 10 arcs that are split into three chapters each, and they tell fairly self-contained tales that are similar toGoT’s side quests, albeit with a supernatural twist. Although not amazing, the stories are relatively fun and do not overstay their welcome.
TheLegogames are always reliable options when it comes to lighthearted co-op games, andThe Skywalker Sagais a contender for the best in the franchise. Covering all nine main movies, the campaign is chock-full of content, Easter eggs, and unlockable characters. Die-hardStar Warsfans should get a kick out of seeing this humorous but still quite authentic adaptation; conversely, people who are not that into the sci-fi property should still find something to enjoy in this gorgeous adventure.
Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagahandles local co-op in largely the same way as otherLegogames, permitting friends to go along for the ride without impacting much of the story. Online co-op is not supported, so this is just for those looking to take on the Empire from the comfort of a single couch.
As part of the “Ascension” update,Returnaladded co-op, permitting up to two players to combine forces. Only online co-op is supported, and the feature is activated once someone dies for the first time. After that point, that person will be able to host a public or private session from Selene’s crash site; alternatively, they can join a cycle. Co-op does not significantly change theReturnalexperience, although the game’s difficulty is ramped up to make up for the fact there are two Selenes.
A rogue-like,Returnalfollows a scout who lands on an alien planet and becomes stuck in a time loop. Delivering quite an emotional storyline that complements the premise and gameplay, Housemarque’s title is among thebest PS5 co-op gameson the market.
What constitutes a good story? Does it have to be deep? Emotional? Nuanced or epic? Or, does it just have to be entertaining? Now, even more so than movies, video game stories can be tricky to accurately rate since a campaign can be extremely fun despite having a terrible narrative.Space Marine 2is a bit of a special situation since it cannot be recommended specifically for its story, but it can 100% be recommended for its co-op campaign. Putting aside all the online content designed to keep people coming back for more,Space Marine 2’s shining achievement is its bombastic story mode that delivers epic visuals and a great sense of scale.
While more than playable alone, the campaign is far better alongside two friends, just because they are likely to be way more useful than AI partners. Together, three Space Marines should have a blast destroying Tyranid armies across an array of planets, and that’s all the game has to offer to be a success. Fortunately,Space Marine 2goes the extra mile by supplying a competent story with some character growth for the protagonist (Titus), even if the writing is generally quite simple and straightforward.
More importantly,Space Marine 2nails the feeling of being in a war. Throughout the campaign, players will find themselves regularly looking over expansive battlefields defined by destruction and death, and it is both awe-inspiring and horrifying. The protagonist has to be fairly secure in their beliefs as otherwise the story wouldn’t work, but there is just enough depth to be worth following rather than just ignoring.
Those who are looking for something a little more relaxing and charming should check outChicory: A Colorful Tale. It’s a great change of pace, putting players into a world that has seemingly lost its color and tasking them with literally painting things back to life.
It’s a joy to run through with a friend, and the story is heartwarming, to say the least. This is the perfect thing to pop in for a relaxing night on the couch. It’s a great little indie-style gem hidden among the bigger co-op offerings.
