Cat Quest II

Cat Quest II is the game I'd hand to someone who's never touched an action RPG and needs to feel competent within five minutes. Two players, simple combat, a world made of puns about cats and dogs, and you can drop in and out without a conversation about builds or gear. Nobody needs a build guide. It's shallow compared to the RPGs higher on this list, and the story is thinner than a fortune cookie, but that's not the point. Session length is whatever you want. My kind of easy Tuesday evening co-op: low investment, genuinely warm.

Cat Quest II is charming and absolutely functional as a two-player experience. The reason it's here rather than in the top ten is straightforward: Cat Quest III is also on PS Plus, covers the same ground, and does so with slightly more content and a fresher feel. If Cat Quest III weren't available, this would be an easy top-ten lock. If you've already finished the third game and want more of that exact formula, the second entry works just as well. Otherwise, start with III and come back to this if you want more.

Cat Quest II does one thing very well: it lets two people with completely different experience levels play an action RPG together without the less experienced player feeling like a passenger. The combat is light enough that someone who barely plays games can participate meaningfully, and the pun-heavy dialogue keeps the tone from taking itself seriously. It did not make the top ten because the overall game quality and replay value trail the stronger entries, but for a relaxed afternoon co-op session with someone you are trying to ease into gaming, it is one of the most approachable options on the platform.

Cat Quest II is a two-player couch co-op action RPG that plays like a very approachable adventure game, light combat, light story, light everything, in the best way. It's the friendliest on-ramp to co-op gaming for someone who doesn't play a lot of games, and the cat-and-dog pairing gives each player a distinct role. It missed the top ten because its local only, and the content depth is thinner than most of the top ten. Still an easy first pick for couples or anyone introducing a partner to gaming.

Honorable mention - narrowly missed the list