What would a world without gas stations even look like? Dead cars as far as the eye can see, dogs and cats living together... It would be complete anarchy! Well, The Last Gas Station from Alawar dares to imagine just such a brave new world. That world just got a little less lonely because the game has been updated with 2-player online co-op. The station is open right now on Steam.
Look, there aren't many cooperative driving games. There are even fewer that require two players. That's WheelMates from Firevolt, though, a 2-player RC car driving adventure that's built solely for co-op. Thankfully, the game includes a friend pass, so a second online player can join in for free, in addition to 2-player split-screen support. Early Steam reviews are super positive, so this could be the next big co-op game.
I'm not big on building decks, whether the decks are made of cards or planks of wood in the back yard. Thus, a deck-builder needs to be pretty unusual to peak my interest. Duo Quest from 1 plus 1 Studios and Rising Tide is just such a game. It's 2-player only (local or online), and the cards that players draw require them to ask questions about each other. Answer correctly to damage foes; fail, and the team's adventure might come to a premature end. The quest begins on Steam on September 16.
Today, Microsoft held its annual Xbox Games Showcase to announce and highlight the games coming to Xbox platforms this year and next year. The lineup features some a handful of co-op games (mostly titles we already knew about, such as Gears of War: E-Day), some third-party heavy hitters, and a smattering of interesting indie games.
In early 2025, Hit Start Studios released a plucky little spelunking game called Brave Escape on Steam. The game is all about a dude and his robot cooperating to make their way through a gigantic cave, and it's exclusively playable in co-op. No single-player escaping around here! Well, there's even more cave-climbing to do now thanks to the latest update, which adds 45 more levels. Additionally, we've learned that Brave Escape is coming to consoles this year.
It's always sad when a game developer dies, but especially so when that person is the founder of an actual genre. Yoshihisa Kishimoto is just such a person. He created the Kunio-kun/River City and Double Dragon franchises, and as such, is considered the father of the beat 'em up genre. Double Dragon was instrumental in popularizing cooperative multiplayer, so his influence even extends beyond the genre that he created. Lamentably, Kishimito died on April 2, as reported by his son.
The original Everhood is a beloved single-player RPG with music battles for Switch and Steam, sort of a cross between Undertale and Guitar Hero. It did well enough to get a slightly less popular sequel, and now a roguelike spinoff called Everhood Hunters is in the works. Roguelikes are generally pretty awesome (see SWORN and TMNT: Splintered Fate), and this one will feature 2-player online co-op, so it's definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Dotemu's Absolum broke all kinds of sales records when it debuted on PlayStation, Switch, and Steam last year. The developers even promised a big Version 1.1 update which came along in February of this year. All the while, Xbox gamers had no choice but to look on from the outside and long for the coveted Absolum beat 'em up roguelike experience. It wasn't easy, I can tell you. Thankfully, those long months of yearning are finally behind us. Absolum came out on Xbox Series consoles today, and it's even on Game Pass. It's time to get absolumming, boys and girls!
Absolum is one of the most popular new beat 'em ups of 2025 (right alongside MARVEL Cosmic Invasion), so it's no surprise that the game will continue to grow. Today, Dotemu announced that a version 1.1 update is in the works, as well as what the update will include. The only downside is that the update won't be released for a while yet, but there's plenty to look forward to!
We've been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Double Dragon Revive, the first 3D Double Dragon in a long time, since Arc System Works announced it last year. Well, the game officially launches on October 23, and players who preordered the Deluxe Edition already have early access as of today. How's the co-op? We'll tell you soon, but Revive's final developer diary reveals juicy new co-op details that are sure to get series fans excited.
Me oh my, it's a good season for beat 'em ups. Arc System Works' Double Dragon: Revive is just around the corner, and Dotemu's Absolum recently landed on all platforms but the beleaguered Xbox. Not only is Absolum garnering piles of critical praise, it has also sold over 200,000 copies in its first week of release. That's an impressive debut for Dotemu's first game that isn't a remake or a sequel to an existing franchise. It certainly helps that the game is a gorgeous 2D beat 'em up with 2-player local and online co-op.
Dodge Roll and Devolver Digital's Enter the Gungeon is a hit twin-stick shooter roguelike that debuted nearly ten years ago. Since then, it has received several DLCs and a single-player spin-off called Exit the Dungeon. Well, it seems that there's more life left in Enter the Gungeon yet. It's finally coming to Android and iOS, and with online co-op not found in the big-screen versions.
