PvE stands for Player vs. Environment, a video game genre where players face off against artificial intelligence, emphasizing teamwork over competition. PvE is one side of multiplayer games, with the other being PvP, or Player vs. Player, where players compete against real-life opponents in one-on-one or team-based matches. In PvE, players cooperate to achieve a shared goal, often by defeating increasingly powerful enemies.

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The first PvE title is believed to be Pong Doubles (1973), where players competed against a CPU in co-op-style tennis matches. Since then, the video game industry has transformed the PvE genre, with hundreds of AAA titles vying for top spots. To highlight the best, this list introduces over 20 of the best multiplayer PvE games that truly capture the genre’s essence and are worth the player’s time and money.

Updated on March 31, 2025, by Mohsen Baqery: After the success of PvE-centered games like Helldivers 2, it seems more developers are focusing on this subgenre. Monster Hunter Wilds and Space Marine 2 are recent examples of AAA games that emphasize player vs. environment elements in their gameplay. As a result, this list has been updated to include these new releases alongside some older PvE titles that we believe deserve a spot.

25

V Rising

Become a Bloodthirsty Vampire and Dominate Humans

V Rising puts players in the shoes of vampires who can form guilds and fight against hostile humans and beasts. As they kill the living and feed off their blood, they gain back their lost powers and become stronger, to the point where they evolve into the sole rulers of the game’s vast open-world map. V Rising’s gameplay features survival and crafting elements, which complement the PvE action. Killing stronger enemies leads to better loot, and better loot accelerates leveling up and building bigger castles.

An interesting aspect of V Rising’s PvE is how the game implements vampires’ weaknesses in the gameplay. For instance, sunlight is a deadly toxin that can kill them, forcing players to remain in the shadows during the day and await the nighttime to start the hunt.

24

Sea Of Thieves

A Pirate Lifestyle

Sail the seas in search of adventure as a pirate with no rules and restrictions in Sea of Thieves. Choose the path of piracy and lead an extravagant life that will keep players on the tips of their toes. Form a pirate crew and fight rival crews on the decks of magnificent ships and undiscovered islands.

The original story of Sea of Thieves features Disney’s Captain Jack Sparrow on an astounding journey. Players can become legendary pirates by fighting fearsome bandits and unearthing mystical treasures on sunken ships.

23

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters

Intergalactic Domination

Real-Time Strategy

Tactical

Systems

Released

May 5, 2022

Developer

Complex Games

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters is a turn-based RPG in which players take charge of the Grey Knights and fight the forces of Chaos in an intergalactic adventure. The futuristic gameplay of the RPG allows players to build facilities in space, conduct research into ancient mysteries, and develop bases on a host of planets.

Players can plan their every move and execute their strategy for defeating the Bloom: a cosmic plague that is capable of devouring entire worlds into oblivion. Players can level up their champions to unlock psychic abilities and equipment.

22

Age Of Empires 4

Start, Civilize, And Thrive

Age of Empires 4 is the latest strategy game in the classic franchise. Players can command their armies on land and sea to conquer kingdoms and build their empires. They’ll fight historical wars as one of the Rus, Holy Roman Empire, Chinese, English, Delhi Sultanate, Mongols, Abbasid Dynasty, and French civilizations. Each civilization has unique units that can present interesting ways to attack enemies and defend bases.

Play through four rigorous campaigns that include the Hundred Years War, the Norman campaign, The Rise of Moscow, and The Mongol Empire. Age of Empires 4 won the Best Strategy Game award at Gamescom.

21

Pokemon GO

Enjoyable Raids with Friends

Systems

Compared to most PvE modes on the list, Pokemon GO’s Raids might not have the most complicated or intricate mechanics. However, despite their simplicity, Raids have brought immense joy to players by pitting them against super-strong Pokemon for many years.

For those unfamiliar, Raids are PvE battles held at Pokemon GO’s gyms, allowing multiple players to team up against the same boss Pokemon in hopes of capturing it. This game mode remained popular even during the COVID-19 lockdowns, prompting The Pokemon Company to introduce Remote Passes, enabling players to participate in Raids from home without needing to venture outside.

20

World of Warcraft

Classic PvE for Veterans

Systems

Released

November 23, 2004

WoW’s PvE modes might not be beginner-friendly, as they throw many items, mechanics, and difficulties at players right away. However, modes like Dungeons and Raids have kept veteran players engaged for thousands of hours. Even to this day, PvE remains the most reliable method in World of Warcraft for unlocking gears and items, as well as for practicing and honing skills.

It’s important to note that PvP has been the primary focus of World of Warcraft developers for many years, with most players considering PvE to be less challenging. Nonetheless, PvE enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that World of Warcraft plans to introduce several new features to this mode following the success of its new PvP mode, Plunderstorm.

19

Monster Hunter Rise

Slaying Monsters In 4K

Monster Hunter Rise is an action RPG. Become a hunter and complete quests from the serene Kamura Village to gain a wealth of experience. Players can encounter dozens of ferocious monsters, such as Teostra, Chameleos, Apex Diablos, Tigrex, and Mizutsune.

Hunters can wield 14 powerful melee and ranged weapons to kill monsters in the game. Tear down monsters with the Great Sword, slice creatures with Dual Blades, or pierce wild beasts with the Light Bowgun. Monster Hunter Rise has high-quality textures with stunning visuals and supports 4k resolution.

18

Warframe

The Rise Of Militarized Clones

Warframe is a free-to-play sci-fi shooter game. Set in a distant future, the world of Warframe is divided between an empire race of militarized clones called the Grineer, a mega-corporation armed with advanced robotics called the Corpus, and a life-consuming disease called the Infested.

The third-person shooter game provides a variety of Warframe, bio-metal suits with unique abilities that let players ravage enemies in satisfying ways. People can develop skills as they play through over 30 massive quests in the game.

17

RuneScape

A Tale Of Friends, Foes, And Fairies

Systems

RuneScape is an open-world adventure game. The free-to-play MMORPG has been downloaded more than 270 million times. The game takes place in Gielinor, a mystical realm with a roster of lovable companions, friendly rogues, threatening villains, and vengeful gods.

Players can chop wood from the forest, make delicious meals, craft valuable items, and learn magical spells in the game. People can fight enemies such as Bandits, Goblins, Apeps, Herus, Crours, and Glacors in RuneScape. Gamers can also earn experience and items by playing minigames that include The Great Orb Project, Castle Wars, Pest Control, and Barbarian Assault.

16

Albion Online

PvP And PvE; The Best Of Both Worlds

Systems

Albion Online is a free-to-play massively multiplayer RPG. The game provides dynamic terrains for PvP and PvE combat. These terrains include dungeons, castles, and war camps. Condemned Harvester, Rock Giant, Undead Paragon, and Heretic Weaponsmaster are a few of the bosses that can be fought in the game.

Apart from fighting, there are a number of gathering professions that can be pursued in Albion Online. Players can catch fish, mine ores, collect wood, skin animals, and harvest fiber. The fantasy game encourages people to build meaningful relationships with their allies to progress in Albion Online.

15

Bless Unleashed

A D&D-inspired Hunt

Bless Unleashed is an action-adventure game. People can choose to play as a Berserker, a fearless class of warriors that wield melee weapons, a Crusader, champions armed with swords and shields, a Mage, arcane spellcasters that use magic to slay enemies, a Priest, protectors of the land, and a Ranger, elves that use bows and arrows to hunt their enemies.

Players can unlock plenty of combos to increase the number of chain attacks and amplify the damage dealt to enemies. The game also has skills such as Daring Assault, Burning Blade, and Counterattack that can be unlocked to improve combat.

14

Aliens: Fireteam Elite

The Formidable Xenomorph Returns

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a third-person shooter game. Set in the iconic Alien universe, people can play as marines in a fight for survival against the evolving Xenomorph threat. Gunner, Demolisher, Technician, Doc, and Recon are the 5 unique classes that are available in the game. Each class has its own special abilities and perks to strengthen combat skills against the Xenomorph.

Players can customize their fireteam with an arsenal of 30 weapons. Take out enemies such as Facehuggers and Praetorians in exciting Co-op mode. The game also has a Challenge Card system that alters gameplay offering fresh experiences during campaign missions.

13

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel

The Best TCG With PvE

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is a free-to-play trading card game. Based on the popular manga series Yu-Gi-Oh!, the trading card game lets people collect digital cards, build decks, and challenge duelists to advance through the story. It has more than 10,000 cards from the latest decks that include Brothers of Legend, Dawn of Majesty, Burst of Destiny, and Legendary Duelists: Synchro Storm.

Become a master duelist by progressing through the story in Solo mode and competing against international duelists in Multiplayer mode.

12

Destiny 2

Destined To Be Epic

Destiny 2 is an action and adventure game. The FPS game lets people play as a Guardian, protector of the City, the only home for humanity in a solar system under siege by the Red Legion. Explore a futuristic universe to unite members of the Vanguard to save humanity from its plight.

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Fusion rifles, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, shotguns, and grenades are a few of the weapons that can be used in the game. Destiny 2 offers hundreds of destinations to conquer and loot in a rich PvE setting.

11

Deep Rock Galactic

Space Mining, Shooting, And Hunting

Deep Rock Galactic is a FPS game. It features fully destructible environments, dangerous caves, and endless waves of alien monsters to fight. Play as the Gunner and mow down enemies with powerful weapons, lead the way as the Scout, mine through solid rocks as the Driller, or set up turrets and defensive structures as the Engineer.

Discover and collect rare minerals and ores on the planet of Hoxxes IV. These minerals include Bismor, Croppa, Magnite, and Jadiz. The caves in the game are swarming with hostile creatures such as Glyphid Dreadnought, Korlok Sprout, Naedocyte Breeder, and Spitball Infector.

10

Thunder Tier One

United Against The Common Enemy

Thunder Tier One is an action game with a top-down perspective. The shooter game allows players to join an elite special operations team on a mission to infiltrate and annihilate a terrorist organization. Play with up to 4 friends in Co-op mode or play with AI teammates to secure victory against the paramilitary force known as SBR.

The action shooter game is set in the Eastern European nation of Salobia. Each weapon in the game has unique attributes including accuracy, rate of fire, muzzle velocity, and range. Exfil, Advance and Secure, Death Match, and Domination are the 4 modes available in the game.

9

Back 4 Blood

United Against the Dead

Turtle Rock Studios’ Back 4 Blood aims to capture the co-op excitement of Left 4 Dead while adding a fresh twist. It brings back familiar looter-shooter elements but updates them with a new spin that’s both innovative and nostalgic. The standout feature of the PvE experience is its unique card-based progression system, allowing players to customize how their operators interact with the world and take down zombies. The impact of card decks is significant enough to motivate players to experiment with better combinations and optimize their builds.

While Back 4 Blood may lack the appeal of some AAA titles in the genre, it keeps players engaged with constant challenges. The reliance on teammates for progression, paired with increasingly difficult objectives, strengthens team bonds—an excellent feature for a PvE game.

8

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

A Triple-A PvE Experience with High Replayability

Space Marine 2 is the perfect AAA experience for fans of PvE, as it offers two different co-op modes against AI: Campaign and Operations.

In the Campaign, up to three players team up to tackle the main objectives and progress through the story. In Operations, however, the team confronts waves of enemies in various loops centered around PvE-focused objectives. While the Campaign takes approximately eight to nine hours to complete, the Operations mode offers high replayability, with enemies and mini-bosses varying in each playthrough.

7

Risk of Rain Returns

PvE Meets Roguelike in This Game’s Intense Combat

Risk of Rain Returns is among the few successful remakes in recent history. The original game could also easily qualify for this list. However, with all the new content and characters, the remade Risk of Rain offers a much more solid option for PvE fans. It includes everything that makes the genre great: creatively designed enemies, challenging missions, and a seamless co-op experience.

Being a roguelike is one of the primary advantages of Risk of Rain Return. It enhances the game’s replayability compared to a casual PvE game, providing a consistent stream of challenging missions and stronger enemies to keep players engaged. Additionally, the remade version now features much smoother visuals, enhanced animations, and polished sound design, all of which elevate the experience, making it a must-play for both newcomers and veteran players.

6

Monster Hunter Wilds

The Perfect Blend of Complexity and Fun

The Munster Hunter franchise has not always been beginner-friendly. However, its latest installment, Wilds, is likely the most accessible title among recent releases. This does not imply that the co-op experience has been simplified. It remains quite complicated to join a lobby or form a squad to hunt monsters. Nevertheless, the gameplay difficulty has been reduced, and there are now quality-of-life features that enhance the PvE experience when playing with friends.

Once the player understands the parties, lobbies, and servers, they can join four-player squads and explore the open-world map to undertake hunt quests or concentrate on completing the campaign. Either way, the gameplay is highly engaging and worth investing hundreds of hours in.