Diablo 4 has been kicking up a storm lately. Itemization problems, excessive costs in the end-game, rampant hyperinflation, and an over-monetized cosmetic cash shop are just a few of the issues drawing ire from the community.
But amid all the drama, some fans are quietly kicking back at home with a friend or partner to enjoy Diablo 4’s couch co-op gameplay. The game offers two-player local co-op on PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and fans on Reddit are convinced it’s one of the best features the game has to offer.
Diablo 4 couch co-op offers a satisfying and responsive user experience
Diablo 4’s offline multiplayer mode offers all the features you’d expect from its single-player mode. Both players can interact with separate NPCs, pick up quest items, and enjoy the game to its fullest, almost like playing on two different consoles.
Fans are praising Diablo 4’s crisp, clear and concise interface, as it provides all the relevant information for two players without taking up too much screen space or being confusingly compact.
On top of this, both players can open their interface at the same time, which is a big improvement over Diablo 3. This means no more waiting for the other player to finish managing their inventory or allocating skill points before you can do your thing or get on with the game. You can even freely drop items for each other without any hassle.
It’s worth noting that the map and wardrobe interface still take up the whole screen—but with the rest of the UI being this good for couch co-op, it’s hardly a deal-breaker.
Performance-wise, the game runs just as well as the single-player version, and the experience as a whole sits well-above other couch co-op action RPGs. Top-tier games like Path of Exile, The Ascent and Alienation were couch co-op favorites, but with its responsive, snappy, and downright fun couch co-op gameplay, Diablo 4 swoops in to steal the top spot.
It helps that it’s extremely easy to tell the two player characters apart, especially thanks to the colored markers under each character, combined with the broadly distinct silhouettes of Diablo 4’s five classes.
Diablo 4’s build diversity also lends itself well to the couch co-op experience: With two players working together, it’s easy to develop characters that complement each other. For instance, one player can lean into a heavy-hitting archetype while the other focuses on support. With one applying stuns and making enemies vulnerable while the other dishes out damage, it’s easy to feel like a dream team in action.
Related: You can pet the dogs in Diablo 4, but I wasn’t ready for the responsibility
Diablo 4 quality-of-life features are a breath of fresh air for co-op
Alongside its excellent two-player offline gameplay, Diablo 4 comes with a few important quality-of-life features that make its couch co-op experience even smoother and more enjoyable than other offerings.
If one player needs to go AFK, the other can continue to explore the world and make progress—the idle character will automatically teleport to the active player. This is exceptionally useful if your teammate needs a quick break to answer the door, go to the bathroom, or take care of a couple of chores.
The feature also works when one player needs to sort through their inventory or allocate skills, allowing you to seamlessly drag them to the next objective.
Diablo 4’s couch co-op has a very low barrier to entry, and jumping in is easy and intuitive. As soon as you connect your second controller while one character is in-game, you’re given a prompt to either create a new character, or choose an existing one from a small panel in the bottom-right of the screen. After creating a new character or selecting a pre-made one, that character immediately joins the game world, and you’re good-to-go.
Related: How to teleport in Diablo 4
You can play the entirety of Diablo 4 together from the very beginning of the game, but keep in mind that you won’t be able to play together if only one of your characters is still playing through the tutorial.
All this together makes Diablo 4 a great co-op game to pick up and play, especially for partners or couples with a busy lifestyle and limited time on their hands.
