10 Best Multiplayer Roguelikes to Play With Friends
- Jul 20 2026
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Roguelikes were born solo,one player, one run, one shot at glory. But somewhere along the way, developers figured out that dying together is way more fun than dying alone. Multiplayer roguelikes have exploded in the last few years, and the best ones don't just tack on a co-op mode, they're built around it, with chaos that scales with friends and combos that only work when someone's watching your back.
Whether you're looking for a chill weekly run with your group or something you can sink 200 hours into with a partner, here's our definitive list of the best multiplayer roguelikes you can play right now.
1. Risk of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2 didn't just popularize multiplayer roguelikes, it defined the genre. Up to four players drop onto an alien planet, loot everything that isn't nailed down, and fight through escalating waves of creatures that get harder the longer you survive. The scaling system is brilliant: enemies level up based on time elapsed, so your group has to balance exploration greed against the mounting difficulty curve. One player wants to hunt for the next shrine? The other three are getting swarmed. That tension is the entire point.
With 14 survivors, a mountain of items that create absurd synergies (stack enough Ukuleles and everything on screen just dies), and multiple expansions adding new characters and stages, Risk of Rain 2 has the deepest content well in co-op roguelikes. The community is still active, mods extend the lifespan further, and no two runs feel the same.
Why it's here: The gold standard for co-op roguelikes. Nothing else matches its chaos-to-order ratio when four people are screaming about a boss while someone accidentally procs a shrine.
Get it on Steam ($24.99) · Windows
2. Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galactic plays like someone described Left 4 Dead to a group of dwarves and they took it literally. One to four players mine procedurally-generated caves, shoot alien bugs, and extract with their haul. The four classes -- Gunner, Scout, Engineer, and Driller, aren't just loadouts; they're puzzle pieces. The Gunner ziplines across chasms, the Scout lights up caverns, the Engineer builds platforms, and the Driller just... drills through walls. Every mission type demands teamwork differently, and the game's "rock and stone" culture is the most wholesome thing in cooperative gaming.
What makes DRG work as a roguelike is that the procedural cave generation means no mission plays the same way twice, and the difficulty modifiers (hazard levels, mutators, deep dives) give it that "one more run" pull. It's technically more of a co-op FPS with procedural elements than a traditional roguelike, but it scratches the exact same itch, and it does it better than almost anything else.
Why it's here: The best class-based co-op experience in any game with procedural generation. Each dwarf fills a genuine role, and the community is genuinely friendly.
Get it on Steam ($29.99) · Windows
3. Spelunky 2
Spelunky 2 is the game that made "unfair but fair" into an art form. Up to four players (online co-op or local) plunge through procedurally-generated levels full of traps, enemies, and chain reactions that turn a clean run into a disaster in seconds. The multiplayer mode is pure chaos, friendly fire is always on, your partner can grab you and throw you at enemies (or off ledges), and reviving a friend requires carrying their unconscious body to a sacrificial altar. If that sounds mean, it is. It's also hilarious.
The depth beneath the surface is staggering. There are hidden worlds, secret characters, an entire cosmic ending that most players never see, and a scoring system that rewards you for playing fast and risky. Co-op turns every decision into a negotiation, ( do we go for the vault or play it safe? ), and the game's physics-based chain reactions mean someone always triggers something spectacular.
Why it's here: The most replayable co-op roguelike ever made. Every run tells a story, and most of those stories end with someone accidentally throwing their partner into lava.
Get it on Steam ($19.99) · Windows
4. Slay the Spire 2
The original Slay the Spire defined single-player deckbuilding roguelikes. Slay the Spire 2 does the impossible: it makes that formula work with friends. The co-op mode (in Early Access since March 2025) lets two players build decks simultaneously and fight together, sharing a health pool and coordinating which cards to draft. It's still finding its footing, this is Early Access, after all, but the core idea is sound and the card design is already sharp.
Even in co-op, the fundamental loop is intact: draft cards, fight enemies, manage your energy, and figure out how your deck's engine actually works. Adding a second brain to that equation creates natural synergy situations (your partner drafts an attack buff, you draft attacks) and natural tension (you both want that rare card). As of June 2026, it's still in Early Access with regular updates.
Why it's here: The sequel to one of the greatest roguelikes ever made, now with co-op. Still baking, but the foundation is rock solid. Also see our Slay the Spire 2 tips guide and Slay the Spire 2 catalog page.
Get it on Steam ($24.99, Early Access) · Windows, Mac, Linux
5. Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivors is a $5 game that sold millions of copies by doing one thing incredibly well: making you feel powerful. Up to four players online co-op control characters who auto-attack while they focus on movement and picking up gems. The screen fills with hundreds of enemies, your weapons fire automatically, and the game's genius is in the escalation, you start with a single attack and end with ten weapons firing simultaneously while the screen dissolves into beautiful chaos.
The co-op mode is straightforward: everyone shares the screen, enemies scale with player count, and item drops can be shared or hoarded. At $4.99, this is the easiest sell on the list. The downside: the co-op is more "parallel play" than deep cooperation. You're all doing your own thing in the same space. But that accessibility is the point, anyone can pick this up in thirty seconds and have a blast.
Why it's here: The best bang-for-your-buck co-op roguelike. Five dollars for hundreds of hours of screen-filling chaos. It's also the game that launched an entire subgenre.
Get it on Steam ($4.99) · Windows, Mac
6. Gunfire Reborn
Gunfire Reborn is what happens when Borderlands and a roguelike have a baby. It's a cel-shaded FPS with random weapon drops, ascension (talent) trees per run, and up to four-player co-op. The gunplay is snappy, the builds get wild (double-firing a ricocheting lightning shotgun while your friend throws tornadoes is a normal Tuesday), and the difficulty scaling means you can't just coast through because someone on your team is overpowered.
The co-op works cleanly, enemies scale with players, loot drops are duplicated so nobody fights over weapons, and each character has distinct abilities that reward coordination. It's been consistently updated with new characters, weapons, and DLC expansions that add meaningful content, not just cosmetics.
Why it's here: The best co-op FPS roguelike, period. Borderlands-level build variety in bite-sized 30-60 minute runs.
Get it on Steam ($19.99) · Windows
7. Cult of the Lamb
Cult of the Lamb is a roguelike that's also a cult management sim, and somehow both halves work. The combat runs are classic top-down action roguelike -- dodge, attack, grab weapons, fight bosses. But between runs, you're building a village for your followers, feeding them, preaching to them, and occasionally sacrificing the weak ones to make the rest stronger. It's dark and funny in equal measure.
The local co-op (added post-launch as the "Unholy Alliance" update) lets a second player join as a follower who can fight alongside you in dungeons and help manage the cult. It's not as deep as the single-player experience -- player two is fundamentally a support character, but it adds a social dimension to a game that was already delightfully antisocial.
Why it's here: Two genres in one game, both executed well. The co-op is local only (shared/split screen), which is a limitation, but the core game is strong enough to carry it.
Get it on Steam ($24.99) · Windows, Mac
8. Roboquest
Roboquest is the fast-paced FPS roguelike that doesn't get enough attention. Two players (online co-op with cross-play) blast through procedurally-generated levels in a scorched futureworld, collecting weapons, upgrading their robot, and pushing deeper each run. The movement is snappy, dash, wall-jump, slide, and the gun variety is excellent, from screen-clearing rocket launchers to precision beam weapons.
What sets Roboquest apart is the feel. It runs at 120fps even on modest hardware, the guns have real impact, and the level design keeps you moving instead of camping. The class system (Corruptor, Sapper, Engineer, Elementalist, Contractor, Hunter) gives each player a distinct identity, and the upgrade paths per run are deep enough to support wildly different builds.
Why it's here: Best feeling FPS roguelike on the market. The movement and gunplay are top-tier, and two-player co-op is seamless with cross-play. Currently on sale for $14.99 (normally $24.99).
Get it on Steam ($14.99 on sale, normally $24.99) · Windows
9. Don't Starve Together
Don't Starve Together is the cooperative survival game that started the entire "survive with friends and probably betray them" genre. Up to six players gather resources, craft tools, build bases, and try not to starve, freeze, or get eaten by hounds during the first winter. The Tim Burton art style, the punishing seasonal cycle, and the constant tension between "we need to explore" and "we need to not die" create emergent stories that no other game matches.
This isn't a traditional roguelike, it's a survival game with permadeath and procedural worlds, but it hits all the same notes: random worlds, upgrade paths, escalating difficulty, and the "one more day" compulsion. The Together edition includes all the content from the original game plus Reign of Giants, Shipwrecked, and more, plus dedicated server support and the ability to die together in style.
Why it's here: The definitive cooperative survival game with roguelike DNA. If your group wants something longer-form than a 30-minute run, this is it.
Get it on Steam ($14.99) · Windows, Mac, Linux
10. Enter the Gungeon
Enter the Gungeon is the bullet hell dungeon crawler that started the "dodge roll" trend. Up to two players (local co-op only) descend through procedurally-generated floors, find increasingly ridiculous guns (the Bee Hive shoots bees, the Megahand fires Mega Man-style projectiles), and try to reach the bottom without getting hit by one of the approximately ten thousand bullets on screen at any given time.
The co-op is local-only, which is a genuine limitation, you need someone on your couch, not your friends list. But if you have that, Enter the Gungeon is one of the tightest-designed action roguelikes ever made. Every gun feels distinct, every enemy pattern is learnable, and the "mastery" curve is deeply satisfying. The 2019 "A Farewell to Arms" update added the final batch of content, making this a complete, polished experience.
Why it's here: The best local co-op roguelike, with the best gun design in the genre. Local-only holds it back from ranking higher, but the design is impeccable.
Get it on Steam ($14.99) · Windows, Linux
Also Worth Playing
These didn't make the top 10 but deserve a shout:
- Barotrauma ($34.99) -- 2D co-op submarine simulator in space. Less traditional roguelike, more "manage a floating tin can while everything goes wrong." Steer, fight monsters, fix leaks, and argue about who pressed the wrong button. Best with a crew of friends who communicate.
- Risk of Rain Returns ($14.99) -- The 2D remake of the original Risk of Rain. Local and online co-op, tighter level design than RoR2, and the classic item-stacking chaos in a 2D package. Worth playing if you prefer the original's pacing.
- Heavenly Bodies ($19.99) -- Not a roguelike, but the most physically-demanding co-op game on this list. Wrangle a cosmonaut's limbs in zero gravity to fix a space station. Pure chaos with a friend on the couch.
The One to Watch: Hades II
Hades II doesn't have multiplayer yet, but Supergiant has confirmed co-op is coming. Given that Hades II is already one of the best roguelikes on PC (see our full roguelikes list), and the original Hades set the bar for narrative roguelikes, this is the game most likely to reshape the top of this list when co-op drops. Watch Hades II on GameMinr for updates.
FAQ
What's the difference between a roguelike and a roguelite?
Strictly speaking, a "roguelike" is turn-based, grid-based, and permadeath, like the original Rogue from 1980. Everything on this list is technically a "roguelite" (real-time, meta-progression, runs). But in 2026, "roguelike" has become the common term for both, and we use it that way here. If you want the purist distinction, our roguelikes genre hub covers it in detail.
Which multiplayer roguelike should I start with?
Risk of Rain 2. It's the most accessible, has the largest player base (easier to find groups), and the learning curve is gradual, you can have fun on your first run while still discovering new mechanics 50 hours in. Deep Rock Galactic is the next easiest entry point if you prefer methodical teamwork over chaos.
Can I play all of these solo?
Yes, every game on this list supports single-player. The question is whether they're better with friends. Risk of Rain 2, Deep Rock Galactic, and Spelunky 2 gain the most from co-op. Don't Starve Together is a different game entirely in co-op -- it goes from a tense survival experience to a chaotic group project.
Does Hades II have multiplayer?
Not yet. As of June 2026, Hades II is single-player only. Supergiant has confirmed co-op is planned, but there's no release date. We'll update this list as soon as it drops.
