Seamlessly intertwining single player and co-op play, Generation Zero lets you and your friends drop into and out of games at any time. You can experience this hostile world with its missing population on your own, or you can invite up to three friends to help you along. 

Here are 5 reasons why Generation Zero is best experienced in co-op.

Specialize to survive

Generation Zero allows for a certain level of gameplay customization, allowing you to navigate the skill trees and pick your favorite weapons among the game’s varied arsenal. Playing in co-op frees you to pursue your specialized way of playing the game. If you prefer to play as a sniper, or close-up with a shotgun, other players in your group can fill the gaps in your tactics with their own specializations. The game itself does not force a role on you at any point, but if you have one in mind then playing in co-op lets you pursue it with fewer worries.

Use advanced tactics

Having more bodies on the field allows you to plan, strategize, and put into effect advanced tactics. Spotting enemies using the in-game skills and a pair of binoculars lets you plan your approach and effectively take down foes. Draw in enemies into ambushes, lay traps with environmental weapons such as gas canisters, or simply assault them from more than one direction. Combat strategy is possible solo, but having up to three friends on the battlefield allows greater flexibility in planning your attack.

Level up your loot

Whilst you may not always progress the story when playing co-op (if you aren’t at the same point as the host your own game’s story will be unaffected), loot is shared across games. This means that it’s entirely possible to join a game, use the extra fire power of co-op to guide you to better loot, and then take that back to your own game. Struggling solo? Hop over to a friend’s game, gear up, then show those machines who’s boss.

Widen your exploration

The world of Östertörn is vast, and with only limited means of fast travel it can feel even vaster than it is. It’s not a barren wasteland, however, as hamlets, villages, military outposts, and more dot the map, each with the potential to contain story fragments or essential loot. With more people on your team, exploring Sweden can be sped up. Head out in different directions, then report what you find. Just be careful, travelling solo and without caution could lead you straight into a mob of roving Runners.

It’s lonely out there

There are no humans in Generation Zero’s world, bar the player character. Traversing the landscape can be lonely work, wandering the remains of a missing population. Thankfully you can bring up to three people at any point to lighten the load. After hours spent scouring empty houses and walking the ruin of humanity, it’s impossible to underestimate the impact of seeing a friendly face. Especially a friendly face decked out in the coolest clothes from the 80s.