These days I don't get to see my mates much (I live remotely, travelling is difficult).
Looking for an easy-going actionesque game with slick graphics.
Thanks!
Minecraft with buddies online is amazing.
Towerfall ascension campaign. Made by developers of Celeste (so it has A++ feeling controls). Single screen single hit kill defend against waves of enemies in several worlds. Good difficulty progression. And 4 player VS is a blast.
Not coop but vs: Duck game. Works best with 4 ppl, high skill based, super silly single screen instant hill tournament. Playing this with buddies is consistently the most fun I have had in 10 years of playing games.
Gang beasts. Very very silly, not skill based last man standing brawler on interactive maps.
Party games like jackbox can be super fun, including gartic phone, skribbl.io, cards against humanity.
For The King: Since we like tabletop RPGs and want the ease of a videogame handling all the planning, FtK scratched the itch awhile. Might be harder as a duo instead of full trio?
Portal 2: Figuring out the puzzles together was an engaging challenge.
Overcooked 2: Played as a duo and a trio, and I loved it while one of us couldn’t wait to be done, as they found it frustrating.
Divinity: Original Sin 2: Polished RPG where players don’t have to work together.
Deep Rock Galactic: Mining missions on planetoid Hoxxes for a heartless corp, fighting off the local life and trying to catch up with the hopper-bot (that carries the minerals) before the extraction ship leaves.
Sea of Thieves: Lovely ocean and weather and sunset modeling.
Valheim: I prefer this to Sea of Thieves because we can build. Fun solo and with others.
I hope you find a good fit!
Edit:
Wolfpack: Difficult submarine sim, convincingly-modeled ocean and mechanics (I’m no mariner), feels good to finally figure it out, bots are useful since they take orders, and it didn’t feel great playing as a Nazi (even if some in the navy distanced themselves from the government, per Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich)
Hell Let Loose: Some of our best co-op experiences are as a tank crew, forced to communicate and work together for a gestalt. I’d describe HLL as slick graphics.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2: L4D2 but better (?)
Other game that I played with my friends are World of Tanks and World of Warships, free to play, and if you are into military history, it could be fun.
But I would also recommend regular training for mental health. I know how it is, you are at home all the time, working remotely, and now even in winter, from my personal experience, I don't go out much, it can be like 2-3 days without me going out, but I train at home every day, 30-45 minutes. For physical and mental health.
Also check out this site: https://www.co-optimus.com/
If Playstation, I greatly enjoyed both A Way Out and It Takes Two (they're made by the same developer).
Very different gameplay styles, the latter being more of a platformer... but they'd get my vote for co-op games of the decade.
A Way Out might be better with a platonic friend for some people, but that's up to you regarding the story in It Takes Two.
Stardew Valley is nice for something chill.
Jackbox is generally good as a party game.
Plenty of friends seem to enjoy evenings of PUBG with their husbands. Not sure why as I don't have anyone to play it with these days, but you can consider that.