The Best Games Like A Way Out

Games like A Way Out at a glance

How these alternatives were selected

The closest A Way Out alternatives make teamwork part of their design rather than treating another player as extra firepower. The ranking prioritizes:

• Cooperative actions that require communication
• Story campaigns that can be shared
• Puzzles or encounters with different player responsibilities
• Local, split-screen or online co-op support
• Memorable characters and directed progression
• Distinct alternatives for puzzle, action and casual players
• Availability on PC

The first six games are the strongest direct matches. The remaining picks preserve specific parts of A Way Out, such as cinematic action, shared problem-solving or a coordinated escape.

1. Split Fiction

Best overall game like A Way Out

Split Fiction is the closest modern successor to A Way Out’s two-player design. Mio and Zoe become trapped inside interconnected science-fiction and fantasy stories, and escaping requires both players to use complementary abilities.

Every major section introduces a new cooperative idea. One player may transform into a creature while the other manipulates the environment, or each may receive different movement and combat tools. The game avoids letting one participant solve everything while the other waits.

Like A Way Out, Split Fiction is designed for exactly two players and cannot be completed alone. It supports local split-screen and online co-op, while Friend’s Pass allows one owner to invite a second participant.

The tone and setting are less grounded than A Way Out, but the cinematic pacing, divided responsibilities and constant interaction make it the strongest direct recommendation.

Choose Split Fiction if the defining appeal was a complete story created specifically for two people rather than a solo campaign with co-op added later.

2. It Takes Two

Best for varied two-player gameplay

It Takes Two follows Cody and May after both are transformed into dolls. The pair must move through a changing series of platforming, puzzle and action scenarios while dealing with the conflict that separated them.

The game changes mechanics frequently. One chapter may involve magnets, another time manipulation, and another two tools that only function when used together. Both participants receive meaningful abilities rather than sharing one identical moveset.

It Takes Two is exclusively cooperative and supports local split-screen or online play. Friend’s Pass lets an invited partner join without owning another full copy.

Compared with A Way Out, it is more colorful and mechanically playful. The emotional story remains important, but the larger variety of levels gives the campaign a less realistic tone.

Choose It Takes Two if puzzles, platforming and constant surprises matter more than crime drama.

3. Unravel Two

Best emotional co-op puzzle platformer

Unravel Two connects two small Yarnys through a shared thread. Players use that connection to swing, climb, create bridges and help one another cross environmental obstacles.

The physical link turns cooperation into a visible mechanic. One Yarny can anchor the thread while the other moves, and both may need to establish the correct position before attempting a difficult sequence.

The story is communicated largely through environments and background events rather than long conversations. This creates a quieter experience than A Way Out while preserving its interest in trust and companionship.

Unravel Two supports local co-op and can also be played alone by switching or combining control of the Yarnys. It does not list native online co-op.

Choose it for a shorter, gentler journey with puzzles and platforming. It is also suitable for PCs with more modest storage and memory availability.

4. Escape Academy

Best for two-player escape-room puzzles

Escape Academy turns a series of themed rooms into a puzzle campaign. Players inspect objects, interpret clues, hack systems and combine information before the timer expires.

Communication is central because two people can search different parts of the room and report what each has found. Dividing the investigation is often faster than following one another through every clue.

The game supports solo play, local split-screen and online co-op. That flexibility distinguishes it from A Way Out, which always requires another player.

Its story is lighter and less cinematic, but the repeated act of escaping makes it an obvious recommendation for players who enjoyed solving problems together.

Choose Escape Academy if the escape itself matters more than chases and combat. A pair that enjoys taking notes and explaining visual details gets the most from it.

5. The Escapists 2

Best for planning another prison break

The Escapists 2 is the most direct thematic alternative to A Way Out. Players study prison routines, gather materials, craft tools and develop an escape plan.

The top-down structure replaces cinematic action with strategy. A successful attempt may require disguises, hidden contraband, timed movements and tasks performed by different players.

Co-op supports local and online multiplayer, while solo play remains available. Several prisons implement different restrictions and escape opportunities, giving the game more replay value than one fixed story.

The pixel-art presentation is less dramatic than A Way Out, but it provides much greater freedom in how to approach the central problem.

Choose The Escapists 2 when the prison setting and escape planning were more appealing than the cinematic narrative.

6. Chained Together

Best for perfectly synchronized movement

Chained Together physically links up to four characters as they climb from the depths of Hell. Every jump and mistake affects the rest of the group.

The chain creates immediate cooperative consequences. One player can stabilize another, but an unsafe movement can pull everyone from a platform and erase substantial progress.

Success depends on agreed timing and concise communication. Difficult sections become easier when one player calls the movement while the others avoid acting independently.

The game supports solo, local co-op and online co-op. It does not offer A Way Out’s directed crime story, but few alternatives make coordination feel as necessary during every moment of play.

Choose Chained Together for platforming pressure and shared failure. Avoid it if repeated falls are likely to make the group stop enjoying the session.

7. Resident Evil 5

Best for an action-horror co-op campaign

Resident Evil 5 pairs two characters throughout a campaign involving hostile creatures, limited resources and large action encounters.

Partners share ammunition, healing and inventory decisions. Helping an endangered teammate is essential because separation or poor resource distribution can quickly end an encounter.

The campaign can be played solo with an AI partner or cooperatively. Its structure is more combat-heavy than A Way Out and places less emphasis on environmental puzzles or two-perspective storytelling.

Despite its age, Resident Evil 5 remains a useful recommendation because the entire main adventure is built around a pair supporting one another.

Choose it when shooting and action-horror sound more appealing than platforming. The game’s content and tone are considerably more intense than the family-friendly co-op alternatives.

8. Borderlands 3

Best looter-shooter alternative

Borderlands 3 supports a shared campaign across several worlds with four playable Vault Hunters, skill trees and a large variety of weapons.

Co-op players can combine character abilities, revive one another and divide battlefield roles. Level and loot systems provide a reason to continue playing after the main campaign.

Unlike A Way Out, the campaign is not designed specifically for two people and can be played alone or with a larger online group. Cooperation improves combat but is not required to understand the story.

The game is also much more focused on equipment, statistics and repeated loot upgrades. That creates a longer progression loop but less intimate two-character storytelling.

Choose Borderlands 3 if the desired alternative is a substantial co-op shooter rather than an asymmetric puzzle adventure.

9. Overcooked! 2

Best for chaotic task coordination

Overcooked! 2 asks up to four chefs to prepare and serve orders inside kitchens that introduce moving platforms, hazards and changing layouts.

The controls are simple, but success requires clear division of labor. One person may prepare ingredients while another cooks, washes dishes or delivers completed orders.

Throwing ingredients lets players work across gaps and maintain a production line. Later stages make those lines difficult to preserve by moving workstations or separating the team.

The game supports local and online co-op as well as solo play. Its narrative is deliberately light, so the similarity to A Way Out comes from communication and shared responsibility rather than story.

Choose Overcooked! 2 for short sessions, larger groups and escalating cooperative chaos.

10. Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition

Best open-world co-op adventure

Sea of Thieves lets a crew choose voyages, sail between islands, search for treasure and encounter other players in a shared world.

Operating the ship naturally creates roles. Someone steers, someone navigates, and others adjust sails, fire cannons or repair damage. Those responsibilities can change quickly during a storm or battle.

Unlike A Way Out, Sea of Thieves is an open-ended sandbox rather than one directed campaign. The strongest stories are often created by the crew’s decisions and unexpected encounters.

Online co-op is required for the shared crew experience. The game does not provide A Way Out’s local split-screen structure and has a substantially larger storage requirement.

Choose Sea of Thieves for long-term group adventures and emergent stories rather than a fixed two-player narrative.

11. Cuphead

Best difficult local co-op challenge

Cuphead is a run-and-gun game centered on demanding boss battles and a hand-drawn presentation inspired by early animation.

Local co-op adds a second character who can contribute damage and revive a partner under specific conditions. The extra player also adds more visual activity and does not remove the need to learn attack patterns.

The campaign rewards repeated attempts, precise movement and communication about positioning. Its challenge is mechanical rather than puzzle-based.

Cuphead can be played alone and supports local co-op, but native online co-op is not listed.

Choose it when both players want a difficult action game and are comfortable repeating encounters. It is not a good replacement for A Way Out’s cinematic pacing or realistic story.

12. Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons

Best solo game built around two protagonists

Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons follows two siblings on a journey to find a cure for their parent. One player controls both characters simultaneously, traditionally assigning one brother to each side of a controller.

Each brother has different strengths, and environmental puzzles require both to contribute. The control scheme turns their relationship into a mechanical idea rather than presenting companionship only through dialogue.

The original PC version is single-player. It therefore should not be described as a conventional two-person co-op alternative, even though its dual-character design influenced later cooperative adventures.

Choose Brothers when narrative, visual storytelling and controlling two linked characters matter more than sharing the campaign with another person.

Which A Way Out alternative should you play first?

Match the game to the feature you want to preserve:

• Closest modern alternative: Split Fiction
• Most varied two-player campaign: It Takes Two
• Emotional puzzle platforming: Unravel Two
• Escape-room puzzles: Escape Academy
• Prison-break planning: The Escapists 2
• Movement synchronization: Chained Together
• Action-horror campaign: Resident Evil 5
• Loot-driven shooting: Borderlands 3
• Chaotic task coordination: Overcooked! 2
• Open-world crew adventure: Sea of Thieves: 2026 Edition
• Difficult local action: Cuphead
• Single-player dual-character story: Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons

Split Fiction is the best first choice for players who want another cinematic adventure made specifically for two people. The Escapists 2 is the better thematic match, while It Takes Two provides the broadest mechanical variety.

Local co-op versus online co-op

Local co-op places both players on one PC and screen. It creates direct communication and avoids maintaining two installations, but usually requires suitable controllers and enough space for both players.

Online co-op gives each participant an individual screen and system. It is better for distant friends and games where each player needs a private viewpoint.

A Way Out supports both structures. Among the alternatives:

• Split Fiction and It Takes Two support local and online co-op
• Unravel Two and Cuphead focus on local co-op
• Sea of Thieves focuses on online play
• Escape Academy, The Escapists 2 and Overcooked! 2 support both local and online options

Always check the current PC feature list before purchasing two copies, especially when Friend’s Pass or Remote Play options may affect the required setup.

Games like A Way Out that can be played solo

A Way Out cannot be completed alone, but several alternatives include solo modes.

Unravel Two lets one player control both Yarnys. Escape Academy and The Escapists 2 preserve their puzzles and planning without another participant. Borderlands 3 and Resident Evil 5 provide complete solo campaigns, while Brothers is designed entirely around one player controlling two characters.

Split Fiction and It Takes Two remain two-player-only experiences. Their levels rely on separate abilities and simultaneous actions that are not delegated to an AI companion.

Best games like A Way Out for couples

Split Fiction and It Takes Two are the strongest recommendations for one regular pair because every chapter gives both participants an essential role.

Unravel Two offers a calmer experience with less dialogue and combat. Escape Academy suits pairs who enjoy discussing clues, while Overcooked! 2 creates shorter sessions built around task management.

Difficulty and preferred communication style matter more than the relationship between the players. Cuphead and Chained Together can be rewarding, but repeated failure may be less relaxing than a story-led campaign.

What makes a game similar to A Way Out?

The most relevant similarities are structural rather than visual:

• A campaign shared by two players
• Different information or abilities for each participant
• Puzzles that require simultaneous actions
• Story progression tied to cooperation
• Local or online co-op support
• Cinematic transitions between gameplay styles
• Situations where communication matters more than individual skill

No alternative reproduces every feature. Split Fiction and It Takes Two come closest to the two-player structure, while The Escapists 2 matches the prison theme and Brothers matches the focus on two linked protagonists.

Final recommendations

Split Fiction is the best game like A Way Out for most pairs. It Takes Two is the strongest alternative for inventive level design, Unravel Two provides a quieter local co-op journey, and The Escapists 2 offers the closest prison-break theme.

Choose Escape Academy for puzzles, Resident Evil 5 for action-horror, Borderlands 3 for long-term shooting and loot, or Overcooked! 2 for a larger group.

The ideal follow-up depends on which part of A Way Out mattered most. Its cinematic story, forced cooperation and prison escape can each lead to a different next game.