Helldivers 2 (2024)

A squad of up to four can meet for an operation and leave with a rescue, disastrous airstrike or improbable extraction to talk about. Choose difficulty for the people present rather than the most regular player's unlocks. Individual equipment progression lets friends arrive with different histories, but advanced missions demand concentration and friendly fire is real. It needs an internet connection, and updates can make a long absence worth a short warm-up.