Book it if
You want a quick, replayable shooter session that changes completely every time.
Skip it if
You want strict roles or a long-term shared world to build in.
Trip sheet
- Crew size
- 1–4 players
- Online
- Yes
- Crossplay
- No
- Split-screen
- No
- Solo
- Fully playable solo
- Voice chat
- Optional
- Danger
- Brutal
1The pitch
You and up to three friends crash on an alien planet and fight across stages, collecting items that stack into powerful builds. A timer raises the difficulty constantly, so lingering is dangerous. Runs last roughly 30 to 60 minutes, and unlocks carry over between runs.
2Playing together
Online co-op supports 1 to 4 players. The Steam version has no split-screen and no crossplay. Shared item chests and the need to revive fallen friends keep the team together, though experienced players often split up to loot faster.
3Roles in the squad
Survivors include the agile Commando, the healing support REX, the turret-building Engineer, and the melee Mercenary. Teamwork is looser than in class-based games, but complementary picks help in boss fights. Deciding who gets which item is a running discussion.
4Look & sound
Bright, clean 3D environments make it easy to read the battlefield until the screen fills with enemies and effects. The electronic soundtrack builds as the danger grows. Late-game runs become delightfully chaotic.
5Setup & value
It costs $24.99 on Steam for Windows, and every player needs a copy. Steam lists it as Playable on Deck, mostly due to small text. Paid expansions add survivors and stages but are optional.
Best bits
- Short, replayable runs
- Huge item variety
- Easy to drop in and out
- Great for mixed skill levels
Watch out
- Capped at 4 players
- Teamwork is optional for strong players
- Late runs get visually noisy
Score sheet
- Teamwork 25%
- 76
- Fun as a squad 25%
- 90
- Easy to join 15%
- 84
- Replay 20%
- 94
- Value 15%
- 88
76 × 25% + 90 × 25% + 84 × 15% + 94 × 20% + 88 × 15% = 86.10 → 86
Trip report verdict
Verdict
“Risk of Rain 2 is one of the most replayable co-op games here, with short runs that fit any evening. Teamwork is looser than in the top picks, but few games are this fun in 45 minutes.”
By the Squad Play Review editorial desk · Updated 6 Oct 2026 · How we score · Report an error
