Vigor

Vigor fills the survival co-op slot that nothing else on this list touches. The Outpost mode — where up to three players cooperatively build structures and defend against AI waves while managing resources — is a genuinely different experience from every other game here. It runs via PS4 backward compatibility on PS5 rather than a native client, and Bohemia Interactive's update cadence is modest compared to the bigger live-service titles above it. But the core Outpost co-op loop is free, the monetization is limited to cosmetics and seasonal passes, and if your group wants survival and crafting mechanics in a co-op package at zero cost on PS5, this is the only real option available right now.

Vigor is an extraction shooter set in post-war Norway, 1991. You drop in, loot, decide how long to push your luck, and try to leave with more than you came in with. The stash-building loop gives each run meaning beyond the match itself. The Steam player count is small, and the game was built with console play as the primary target—the UI and some control feel reflect that. If Escape from Tarkov's tension appeals but the complexity and price tag don't, Vigor is a fair free alternative that gets the risk-reward loop right without overwhelming you on day one.