The Best PC Games To Play Online With Friends (That Aren’t MOBAs)

It looks like we may be starting to relax lockdown measures around the world, but many of us are still mostly confined to the four walls of our own homes and wishing we could be sat in a sunny beer garden with our friends. So, what’s the next best thing to see people in real life? Seeing them online, of course! But, with lockdown stretching into 100+ days at this point, we’ve had about as many Zoom pub quizzes as we can handle. So, it’s time for something different – video games.

We’ve rounded up our top picks for the best PC games to play online with friends (that aren’t MOBAs) so you can stay in touch without the need for another General Knowledge round.

Overcooked 2

Hiding behind the cute and colorful aesthetic is the true nature of this game – chaos. While the first iteration of the game only allowed for couch co-op, Overcooked 2 brought with it online multiplayer, opening up the fun for distant friends to play together. Depending on who you choose to play this game with, it can make or break your relationship – so be forewarned.

You need to work as a team to keep a busy kitchen going, serving up meals to order while on the clock. The levels get harder, more stressful, and much, much weirder as the game progresses promising a multitude of curse words and outbreaks of laughter.

Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes

While this is technically a couch co-op game, all you need to play with friends across the world is your favorite voice app. This is potentially another game that could make or break your relationships though – so do proceed with caution. You and your friends need to defuse a bomb, and as luck would have it – you have a whole set of instructions for just that. Problem is, only one of you can see the actual bomb, the other(s) can only see the instructions.

Communication is key here as you need to accurately describe the bomb and the instructions so you don’t blow everything up. It’s fast-paced, stressful, and a whole lot of fun. And, while it was made for VR initially, you can still enjoy it without a headset (but it is a whole lot more fun with one!).

Don’t Starve Together

A co-op survival game that allows for up to five players at a time is one of the few non-competitive multiplayer games out there. The game begins with all the players appearing on the map with no resources whatsoever. With clever gameplay and good teamwork, you can eventually begin to build structures to protect you and farms to keep you fed.

It is a brutal survival game with 2D, paper-style graphics that places as much importance on hiding from monsters as it does on eating enough. And the character options are as terrifying as they are loveable – which is probably why they’ve been made into Funkos.

Civilization 5

If you’re looking for a multiplayer game that can take you a good few hours to get through, then have I got the game for you! Civilization is now on its sixth iteration, it’s Civ 5 that everyone still keeps coming back to time and again. Each player takes the role of a historical leader building their empire from the ground up. You control armies, develop technologies, and spread religions.

There are many ways to win in Civ 5, and you’ll need cunning and planning to reach those wins with your friends alongside you. A great strategy game to play while chatting on voice for the evening.

Destiny 2

Destiny 2 has been a popular multiplayer FPS for a while now, and with all the latest updates and expansions revealed covering the next two years, it looks set to be here for a while. And, with cross-platform play on the roadmap for future developments, you’ll soon be able to play with even more of your friends.

Stardew Valley

Not all online multiplayer games need to be fast-paced or competitive. Take Stardew Valley for instance. This pixel-perfect simulator lets you and up to three friends work together to build up your own farm and make your new community a better place. As the game progresses, you also get to head down into the mines and fight off slime to collect more resources. This is a charming game that can really help pass away the long hours in lockdown.

Final Word

Whether you want to relieve stress by shooting aliens with your friends, or want to have a hectic few hours, these are some of our favorite PC games to play online with friends. Of course, you also have all the popular MOBA titles like Apex Legends, Fortnite, and League of Legends if they’re more your speed.

What are your favorite online multiplayer games? Let us know in the comments section below!