Our review method

What we cover

Online co-op and party games that people in the UK can play today with friends on a phone, computer or console. Every game in the lobby can be played online, and most on one screen too. We prefer games with clear ends to a round and honest pricing, and we say so when a game sells extras.

How we play

Online with friends and in public lobbies where a game has them, on one sofa with family, and alone where that is possible. We look at the store, the chat settings and the accounts a game needs, set up the family settings on each platform and time ordinary sittings.

The four things we score

• Together: how well the game works with friends, online and on one screen.
• Clarity: how quickly a new player understands what to do.
• Fun per round: laughs, surprises and good moments in a typical round.
• Leaving: clear stopping points, fair online play and honest pricing.

Scores and labels

One editorial score out of five, in tenths, shown as a ring in the game’s colour. The score also sets a label:

• Must-play (from 4.5): One of the best online games we have played with friends.
• Great pick (from 4.2): Excellent with the right group; the report says which group.
• Good fun (from 4.0): Very good, with a catch or two we spell out.
• Niche pick (below 4.0): Uneven, but worth a try if it sounds like your crowd.

Pace

Pace says how a game feels, never how good it is:

• Chilled: relaxed rounds where nobody needs fast reactions.
• Thinky: planning matters more than quick hands.
• Frantic: fast, loud rounds with lots happening at once.

Round length and leave points

The round length on each card is the typical sitting we timed, from loading in to a sensible stop. The leave point is where stopping costs nothing: the end of a round, a level, a match or a run. Neither changes the score.

The ready check and party timer

The ready check follows common advice for healthy play: agree the end time before starting, keep water close, set chat to friends, finish chores first and buy nothing mid-session. The party timer calls a break for eyes every 20 minutes, water every 40 and a stretch every hour.

Facts

Platforms, player counts, chat, accounts, extras and prices come from our own play and are checked against each game’s official site and store pages, which stay the reference for current prices and age labels.

Never

No paid placements, no sponsored scores, no invented facts and no reviews of games we have not played.