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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   1305 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for February 20, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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If anybody has recommendations for multiplayer cooperative games that can be played in 20 - 40 minute chunks, I'd like to hear them.

Examples include:

  • Helldivers 2
  • Darktide
  • Vermintide
  • Jump space (getting a little long)
  • Phasmaphobia

Bonus points if you can tell me why it's fun.

Space Marine 2?

It's fun, because on the surface it's a power fantasy romp. But underneath it's got excellent mechanics.

This is me and my friend's main go-to.

Some stuff my group has done recently that roughly fits your criteria:

  • PlateUp: Swap back and forth between a light automation/progression game and a flow state. Pretty vulnerable to quarterbacking if that is a problem for your group.
  • Risk of Rain 2: Roguelike shooter, where you are reacting to the relics you get and trying to keep your team members builds in mind for sharing items. Quite a variety of characters with vastly different playstyles and some achievement based unlocks (do a hard weird thing to get a variant of this ability which is roughly balanced). Difficult to get win, so shared sense of accomplishment.
  • Tabletop Simulator: One of our members is really into board games so recently we've played Spirit Island, Sentinels of the Multiverse and Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship. All probably longer than you want.
  • Hammerwatch: Kill monsters, get gold/exp, get cooler abilities, repeat. Class based which encourages cooperation.
  • Divinity Original Sin 2: Play D&D but you don't need a DM. Less reactive than a real DM can be but more competent than many and will put up with more bullshit.

Most of the games my kids like fit your definition but don't really fit your examples. Listing them all anyway, in roughly increasing order of how much I like playing multiplayer games of them:

  • Stardew Valley
  • Minecraft
  • Core Keeper
  • Don't Starve Together
  • Team Fortress 2, Mann vs Machine
  • Project Zomboid
  • Wildermyth

Of course the all-time great is one I haven't introduced my kids to, because it really needs closure and if you play it in 40 minute chunks you'll need like a hundred of them: Baldur's Gate 1+2.

If you're curious about any of those let me know and I'll elaborate.

One of my kids likes playing Peak with her friends, but the rest of us haven't tried it yet.

Deep Rock Galactic. You are a team of dwarves, going on mining missions in procedurally generated caves while fighting off waves of bugs. The missions are reasonable length, the dwarf classes complement each other nicely, and the tone of the game is fun, dark comedy stuff. Definitely worth your time. Rock and stone!

I'm a huge fan. Looking forward to the new one coming out this year.

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