Revenge of the Savage Planet

I found this one while researching this list. It turned out to be a genuine surprise, a real one. It plays like It Takes Two crossed with Ratchet and Clank, vibrant colors, constantly shifting mechanics, and real forward momentum through its alien setting. Co-op is online only on Xbox, no split-screen, and there have been scattered reports of crashes during sessions, though I didn't run into any myself across several evenings. Two players split roles naturally through exploration and combat without either one feeling like a passenger. It's newer and less proven than the games above it, which is the only reason it landed here instead of higher.

The freshest entry in the honorable mentions. Revenge of the Savage Planet is a recent PS5 co-op action game built around exploring alien environments and fighting weird creatures, with enough goofy sci-fi tone to keep sessions feeling light. It's not pair-exclusive and the two-player design isn't as purposeful as the top-ranked co-op games, which is why it sits here rather than the main list. For duos who want something current and don't mind a game that supports more players but works comfortably with two, this is worth checking out.