Turn-Based Games With Online Co-Op

Highlights

• Turn-based combat is common in strategy and tactics games, especially RPGs rooted in tabletop RPGs.
• There are a variety of turn-based games available that can be played in solo or online co-op, offering something for everyone.
• Some recommended turn-based games include Wasteland 3, For The King, Inkbound, Across The Obelisk, Pit People, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Wildermyth, and Baldur’s Gate 3, each with their own unique features and gameplay mechanics.

Turn-based combat is frequently used in strategy and tactics games. RPGs, especially, often include turn-based combat systems, likely due to them having roots in turn-based tabletop RPGs. However, due to their slow and methodical nature, turn-based games are often single-player experiences.

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This topic aims to give a broad and varied selection of turn-based games that can be played in both solo and online co-op and although there are a handful of turn-based RPGs here, there should be something here for everyone.

1 Wasteland 3 – Explore A Frozen Colorado

Steam User Rating: 84%

This sequel to 2014’s Wasteland 2 sees players adventuring through a post-apocalyptic, frozen Colorado, controlling a party of rangers as they take on dangerous missions, make and break allegiances, and work towards one of the game’s various endings.

Wasteland 3 is a joy to play solo, but the game’s online co-op is well-integrated, with its only downside being the small handful of known bugs that can sometimes interrupt play sessions. Co-op is also a fun way to shake up the experience for returning players, and a great way to introduce friends to turn-based RPGs.

2 For The King – A Simple, Low-Poly Strategy Game

Steam User Rating: 88%

This simplistic game features a vibrant, colorful, low-poly art style, a solid soundtrack, and gameplay that feels like a tabletop game. Although this game does have a recently released sequel, For The King 2 has received mixed reviews, making the original a much safer bet at the time of writing.

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For The King sees players taking turns moving their characters around an overworld map, taking on quests and visiting unique locations on the way, then battling it out in turn-based combat encounters, mini-dungeons, and climactic boss fights. For The King is a solid experience with a lot of customization options, allowing players to tailor the game to their needs. For The King’s only downside is its party size of three, meaning duos will have to choose who gets control of the extra character, and groups larger than three won’t be able to play together.

3 Inkbound – A Unique Experience From The Team Behind Monster Train

Steam User Rating: 90%

This turn-based tactics roguelike features a beautiful, cartoon art style, powerful item synergies to discover, and a unique take on turn-based combat and online co-op. Inkbound is still in Early Access at the time of writing, but its developers, Shiny Shoe (the team behind Monster Train) have continued to actively update and support the game, making it a promising title.

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In Inkbound, players explore the world in real-time, and can even take turns simultaneously in combat, allowing players to control the pace of the game to fit their group’s playstyle. This approach also means that easier combat encounters can take no time at all for skilled players, while players can slow down and deliberate over strategic choices in the more challenging encounters.

4 Across The Obelisk – A Deck-Building Roguelite For Up To Four Players

Steam User Rating: 90%

This turn-based deck-building roguelite is at its best when played in online co-op, with players making joint decisions in the game’s overworld, and taking turns in traditional turn-based combat in the game’s variety of encounters.

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Across The Obelisk plays similarly to games such as Slay The Spire, but its multitude of characters and party size of four, as well as its inclusion of online co-op, help it to stand out from Mega Crit’s indie hit. Across The Obelisk can be played with up to three other players, features a lot of variety, and has light RPG mechanics that add some much-needed depth to the game, boosting its replay value even further.

5 Pit People – A Tongue-In-Cheek Adventure

Steam User Rating: 93%

This 2D turn-based adventure game was developed by The Behemoth, the team behind such arcade indie classics as Castle Crashers and Battleblock Theater. The game features Behemoth’s classic cartoon art style and humor and is arguably one of Behemoth’s most underrated games.

Pit People doesn’t take itself seriously at all, nor is it a particularly challenging game. Instead, it’s a unique and adventurous journey with some talented voice work, polished mechanics, and a solid turn-based combat system.

6 Divinity: Original Sin 2 – An RPG Where Teamwork Matters

Steam User Rating: 95%

This incredibly deep and complex RPG features a great narrative told over the course of a long campaign, fleshed-out characters, and well-crafted environments. The variety of locations in Divinity: Original Sin 2, and the environments within, are not only impressive to look at but integral to the gameplay.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 features a variety of elemental and environmental effects that work in tandem with each other, forcing players to pay close attention to their surroundings in combat to make the most out of their elemental attacks. This focus on elements and environment won’t be for every RPG fan, let alone every player, and the game’s long-winded tutorial area makes the game a slow-burner, but Divinity: Original Sin 2 offers plenty of opportunities for cooperative teamwork and synergy.

7 Wildermyth – An Organic Roleplaying Experience

Steam User Rating: 95%

This procedurally generated, story-driven RPG features a charming 2D, hand-drawn aesthetic and a tabletop-RPG-style combat system that’s as easy to learn as it is strategic. Wildermyth has players fighting off a variety of villainous creatures in a bid to defend the surrounding land, either in single-player or in online co-op.

Players will build characters that each have their interpersonal relationships with the party, allowing for a lot of organic storytelling and emergent gameplay. Thanks to its online co-op, Wildermyth is arguably one of the best roleplaying experiences in video game format.

8 Baldur’s Gate 3 – A Fantasy Epic

Steam User Rating: 96%

This deep and complex RPG from developers Larian Studios (the team behind Divinity: Original Sin 2) is packed with content. The game features a long and well-written narrative that features endless variations and branching paths that make each playthrough of the game extremely unique.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has enough content to keep one player satisfied for a long time, but the addition of online co-op allows Baldur’s Gate 3 to evoke similar feelings to that of a tabletop RPG, allowing players to adventure through the world and experience the game’s rich story together.

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