20 Best Games To Remote Play With Friends On Steam

From competitive multiplayer shooter games to relaxing survival and sandbox games, here are the best games to remote play with friends on Steam.

In times of self-isolation, good games really do make a difference in routine. Since most are unable to meet with their friends or even family members in person, having that additional way of spending time with them is a way of feeling less lonely and separate.

Luckily, there are tons of games available on Steam alone that are great to get into right now. From competitive multiplayer shooter games to relaxing survival and sandbox games, everyone will without a doubt find something that fits their play style and the tastes of their friend group.

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Updated February 20th, 2023 by Russ Boswell: There are a lot of great steam games out there to play with friends. While there are many multiplayer options for those that wish to play online, there are also a handful of great multiplayer steam games that can only be played locally. Thankfully, Steam has a handy Remote Play tool that will give players a chance to enjoy local co-op games with one another, even if they are miles apart. To better outline some of the best games available with this service, the following list has been updated and now includes even more entries.

Gang Beasts

Gang Beasts 4

Gang Beasts offers up some casually wacky gameplay, letting players jump into a wild and hilarious romp that sees them tugging and pushing on one another to reign supreme as the last one standing across a variety of levels. Those that have played Human Fall Flat will be familiar with Gang Beast’s wobbly and unforgiving physics. Players will struggle sometimes just to stay on their feet, especially when their rivals are pulling at their jelly-like forms and trying to pummel them with objects.

There is a slight puzzle element to some levels and players can even work cooperatively in certain areas. There are a lot of interesting things to see and do in Gang Beasts, making it a great game to enjoy remotely.

Cuphead

Easily one of the most engaging, challenging, and artistic side-scrolling games of the last decade, Cuphead is great for those looking for something unique and visually appealing to play remotely. Players will hop into a colorful hand-drawn adventure featuring Cuphead and Mugman as they tangle with an array of painfully difficult bosses. Those that enjoy hard-as-nails side-scrolling platformers or the nostalgic feel of older cartoons will really dig what Cuphead offers.

Thanks to its drop-in style of multiplayer, Cuphead is a great and easy-to-join adventure that players can freely hop in and out of without worry.

Wizard Of Legend

There are a lot of great AAA titles on Steam for those looking to engage in some high-octane Remote Play but players shouldn’t be afraid to try some of the Indie offerings available on Steam. There are quite a few Indie games that provide just as much, if not more, fun than a traditional high-budget game.

Take, for example, Wizard of Legend. This top-down roguelike dungeon-crawling adventure is filled to the brim with spell combos and unlockable items that make each run feel different from the last. It’s a ton of fun and can be enjoyed in micro-doses thanks to the hectic nature of each attempt. Bringing along a friend just makes the experience that much better.

Overcooked 2

Those itching for something a little different may want to consider picking up Overcooked 2. This is a fun and funny cooperative cooking game that is a downright blast to play locally or remotely with family and friends. The simplistic yet difficult to master gameplay is perfect for streaming remotely and the top-down single-screen style makes it much easier for players to track what it happening remotely.

Overcooked 2 gets hectic rather quickly, with players having to work together to prepare some pretty difficult dishes. It’s a cooperative game that can only be survived by solid cooperative play.

Earth Defense Force 5

The Earth Defense Force games are often overlooked thanks to their cheesy dialogue and less-than-awe-inspiring graphics but many players don’t realize just how fun these titles are to play. The gameplay reigns supreme, with missions, monsters, mechs, and weaponized warfare against a wide array of aliens and mutant bugs.

Earth Defense Force 5 can be a lot of fun to play solo but it’s an absolute blast with multiple players. Those that have yet to try this unique brand of cooperative third-person A.I.-attacking combat should definitely give it a try.

Raft

What does one need to bring to a deserted island? The answer can be easily explored in Raft, a game which has rocketed into success through fun cooperative play. The game puts the player and their friends on the ocean, stranded on a raft which they can build and upgrade through scavenged materials used for crafting.

There’s tons of survival and exploration gameplay to be enjoyed, along with dangerous sharks and other animals that will hunt down the player and threaten their peaceful day in tropical paradise. Although the game is only in Early Access, it already has a myriad of positive reviews.

Phasmophobia

Those seeking for a more frightening cooperative experience among friends will fall in love with the dark, psychological horror environment of Phasmophobia. The game is meant for four players who in a team must wander around a house and gather some evidence of paranormal activity, using various items like the crucifix.

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Ghost hunting is a popular activity in real life, but with travel restrictions it can be hard to actually do it. Phasmophobia is a dream come true for anyone truly passionate about the paranormal in real life, and even in Early Access it has swept most players off their feet.

Sea Of Thieves

For the longest time there was a real market gap for a believable and fun pirate game, but Sea of Thieves came in to fix it. This immensely popular title has dominated Steam’s charts since it was available in Early Access, which goes to show how well it’s designed.

The game has a ton of features from managing a vessel to combat at sea to even exploring various islands and gathering loot as a member of a pirate crew. The game has come an immensely long way, both visually and gameplay wise, and won’t leave any fans of the pirate life cold.

Rust

Players looking for something exceptionally challenging, ruthless and difficult should turn their sights on Rust, a game which has been around for quite some time but which saw a sudden surge in popularity as of recent.

Rust is all about survival and picking the right server. At the start the player has nothing but their own naked body to survive the dangerous wilderness and the evil ways of other players, so either alone or with the help of teammates, they must gather resources, build strong forts and raid their opponents to come out on top.

Among Us

One of the most, if not the most popular Steam game in 2020, Among Us is a classic story of success that took place years after the game’s initial release. Thanks to a ton of positive advertisement from streamers, Among Us rocketed into everyone’s favorite game due to how light of a software it is and how almost anyone could participate and still thrive in the game.

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Among Us is a game about trust and betrayal. Aboard your home in space, there’s several crew members clad in various colors. Everyone has a job to complete, but an impostor is out to get everyone else and betray them. Who could it be? With each round, a vote is taken to see who doesn’t deserve the trust of the crew.

PAYDAY 2

For a co-op shooter experience, one of the best games to snatch right now is PAYDAY 2, due to its affordable price tag. The game provides just the right amount of fun and chaos, as players can step into the shoes of criminals who can undertake various heists of banks and shops.

The cool part about this shooter is also the fact that players can team up with their friends. A group of up to four players playing together is ideal for a fun experience, and there’s tons of character customization available as well.

Dead By Daylight

There are not that many horror games that are fun to play with friends, but Dead By Daylight innovates with its unique concept of monsters and survivors. While the game can get pretty mechanically and technically challenging, there’s definitely space for casual players as well.

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Essentially, each round pits survivors against a single monster in an asymmetrical competitive survival round. While the monster has the advantage of powerful perks, players have the advantage of numbers and their own unique perks. Most of the monsters are also references to popular movies, which makes the game even more fun.

Warframe

Fans of sci-fi shooters shouldn’t miss out on Warframe, which is currently one of the most successful games out there. The great part about it? It’s free to play, and it offers a pretty solid multiplayer experience in a well-designed futuristic world.

Players basically design their very own character, a Warframe, based on thirty pre-existing models with unique abilities. Not just that, the game offers a really good range of different weapons. Players can group up with three other friends and set up a party of four in total to take on adventures.

Divinity: Original Sin II

Friend groups that are looking to experience a Dungeons & Dragons-style game, but can’t meet in person to do their weekly pen-and-paper RPG, should definitely get into Divinity: Original Sin II. The game can be either played solo or with up to 4 players in a party, and the more the merrier.

Each player can design their very own Sourcerer and then fight through the immersive and extremely well-designed world and story of Rivellon, where people like the Sourcerers are hunted down for being dangerously powerful magic users.

Terraria

While Minecraft is undoubtedly one of the best games to get into along with friends in times of self-isolation, for a brand new survival sandbox experience players can also opt for a more traditional looking game: Terraria.

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Similarly to Minecraft, Terraria allows for the creation of servers, but if an investment like that isn’t an option, a regular multiplayer world allows up to eight players to play at the same time. With a classic retro game look and the same concept of survive, build and thrive as Minecraft, this game is bound to bring entertainment for hours.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Maybe sandbox survival games are too slow for some players, in which case there are incredibly competitive and high stakes games like Rainbow Six Siege that really put the players under pressure.

Each round pits two teams of various operators with their own skills and strengths, with one team having to attack and the other having to defend a certain area. Counter-Strike players, in particular, will fall in love with this game, and with friends, it’s even more fun and competitive.

Rocket League

Easy to learn but hard to master, Rocket League has reached its current popularity for good reason. Its unique and fast-paced gameplay pits players in vehicles against each other in a game of high-speed soccer on various different maps.

The game is best played with friends, either in casual or competitive mode. Some game modes involve simple 1-versus-1 matchups, while others have two full teams of 4 versus 4 players. For a very different kind of competitive experience, this one’s definitely worth a shot.

Stardew Valley

In-between all these competitive shooter games, why not set up a farm with friends in the relaxing world of Stardew Valley? After growing tired of their dreary life, the main character (the player) of Stardew Valley moves to the countryside to take over their grandfather’s old farm and bring it back to its old glory.

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Up to four players can enter a single game, and with recent changes, the economy system has been improved for multiplayer experience as well. From farming, fishing to getting to know the inhabitants of Pelican Town, there’s no game more soothing as this one.

Garry’s Mod

A staple that any gamer should have installed from Steam, Garry’s Mod is basically the ultimate sandbox game that allows players to do just about whatever they want with physics of the world. That being said, the game is more than just a place to mess around.

Some of the classic game modes include Prop Hunt, which allows players to disguise themselves as props and hide from the hunter within a map, Trouble In Terrorist Town which pits players against each other as they try to figure out who the traitors are, or even Murder, which puts one player as a killer tasked with slaying the rest.