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6 co-op video games to get you through another lockdown, part 1 – Metro.co.uk


Payday 2 – one of many Left 4 Dead clones that are perfect for lockdown (pic: Overkill Software)

A reader offers some suggestions of video games you and your friends can play online during lockdown, including Payday 2 and Vermintide 2.

As we move into another lockdown, gaming has become a way for many of us to keep in contact with friends and provide some entertainment when stuck indoors. I thought this would be a good time to look back at some co-op titles which may have passed you buy. So here is part one of my list of six co-op games you may have never played but deserve a chance.


Dying Light

The parkour hack ‘n’ slash was met by average reviews upon release but has gained a steady following since. It has even seen new DLC early last year, five years after its initial release, which is a testament to its popularity. It features four-player co-op with an open world to explore, a variety of weapons, and a day/night cycle which introduces tougher beasts as the sun goes down, giving the player a great sense of panic when the sun starts to set and you look for a safe zone to hide in.

The parkour controls seem awkward at first but before long you are re-enacting the opening of Casino Royale, just with zombies on your tail rather than James Bond. Skill trees add more ways to traverse, with grappling hooks and new moves for combat and the DLC has included a new map, vehicles, and even a trip to a medieval realm. There are some basic crafting mechanics and blueprints to find which increase your arsenal, with the later hours also adding firearms.


Payday 2

If you have played GTA 5 and ever thought: I love the heists, shame there isn’t a game like that… Well, there is! The setup of Payday 2 is simple, a group of up to four players team up to rob anything from banks to museums, malls, and casinos. Increasing the difficulty adds more rewards but also tougher enemies, who are more or less a copy of the archetypes from Left 4 Dead.

The influences from film and television are front and centre, with live action cut scenes for each heist and sound design borrowed directly from Heat. These nods continue with references to Breaking Bad, Scarface, the ability to play as John Wick or Bohdi from Point Break – who even comes with heists from the film.

Some heists take place over multiple days and can be completed entirely with stealth or by going loud. The money earned goes towards a variety of weapons and customisable masks, as well as multiple skill trees. These skill trees offer a variety of gadgets to help with plundering, such as saws for safety deposit boxes, drills for vaults gun turrets, mana hostages, and even being able to convert enemies to fight alongside you.


Warhammer: Vermintide 2

My only knowledge of Warhammer consists of walking past the Games Workshop at my local shopping centre, and watching the Astartes Project on YouTube, which I highly recommend. Other than that, I know relatively little but luckily background knowledge is not required. This is a melee focused hack ‘n’ slash which consists of a group of up to four players making their way through a fantasy world in a variety of levels, gaining experience and loot as you progress.

There are five characters to pick from, each with multiple skill trees which will accommodate most playing styles. A lot can be said about melee combat in first person games, it’s hard to judge distance, weapons can feel weightless, but somehow Vermintide manages to circumvent this. There is a case to be made that this could be some of the best melee combat around with a real visceral feeling to the swinging of your weapons.

By reader Hollinho (Twitch)

The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.


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