A co-op evening
Agree on a time in advance, pick a game where the roles are clear to a newcomer and plan a tea break. It is better to finish on a high note than to drag the evening out until everyone is tired.
Guides
Guides and walkthroughs
Our walkthroughs are not about beating the toughest enemy, but about organising the game night itself. How to get friends together, what to play with a child, how to remember the controls after a long break and how to set up a family profile so that it helps rather than causes arguments.
The hardest part of co-op is not the final level but finding an evening when everyone is free. The rest sorts itself out along the way.
About this section: the advice here is universal — you can apply it to almost any game and any device. We do not describe specific menus or recommend particular games, only a sequence of steps you can adapt to your situation.
Guides
Five everyday scenarios that almost every player runs into.
Playing with a child
Choose games by age rating, with simple controls and where mistakes are not harshly punished. Let your child lead while you help — that way the game becomes something you share rather than a reason to argue.
Coming back to a game after a break
Reread the quest log, look at the control settings and start with a simple activity in a familiar place. Many games show a short recap of events — do not skip it.
Setting up a family profile
Discuss the rules with your child before setting anything up: how much time, which purchases, who they can talk to. Then set the limits on the device and review them from time to time as your child grows up.
Playing as a pair on one screen
Check whether the game supports split screen or a shared camera, charge the second controller in advance and sit so that you can both see the screen well.
24Igra articles in English
This is where standalone magazine articles for English-speaking readers will appear. We write them specifically for this version of the site, based on the questions that players and parents ask.
- Gaming Resources And Editorial Discovery: Player Experience Analysis
Field notes on how players find current, trustworthy game information across extraction shooters, ARPGs, MMOs and co-op games, plus criteria to compare sources.
- Common questions about gaming news and guide directories: Competitive Play
Common questions about using gaming news and guide directories for ranked play: what each source is for, three real scenarios, limits and a weekly routine.
- GTA 6 Player Resources and Community Guide: Practical Guide
How to follow GTA 6 before launch without the noise: official sources, confirmed facts versus expectations, community spaces and calmer habits at home.
- Aion 2 gearing: Practical Overview for Players
A calm look at gearing in Aion 2 after the global launch: goals by play style, a short-session routine, patch notes and where paid help breaks the rules.
What the editors are working on
- Twenty-minute games: how to keep a lunch break from turning into a whole evening
- Screen-time rules for teenagers that the whole family can agree on
- Playing video games with preschoolers: what parents should look for
- Coming back to a long game after months away without starting over
Editorial rules
- Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
- Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
- We do not publish advertising for games or shops, rankings, prices or reviews, and we do not cover gambling.
How to prepare a game night for a group
Gather expectations
Ask your friends what they are in the mood for: a good laugh, solving a challenge together or a relaxed chat over a game. That narrows the choice faster than any list.
Match the format to the group
For a mixed group, games with short rounds and simple rules work best. If everyone is experienced, you can go for a more demanding co-op game.
Check your setup in advance
Charge the controllers and update the game and the device the day before, not five minutes before guests arrive. An update in the middle of the evening kills the mood.
Explain the controls briefly
Show three or four basic actions and let the players discover the rest as they go. A long lecture before the start is more tiring than any level.
Take turns
If there are fewer controllers than people, agree to swap after every round. That way nobody sits idle all evening.
Agree on when to finish
Name the finishing time at the start of the evening. Then the last round becomes a pleasant full stop rather than an argument about "just one more".
How to avoid spoiling a game for yourself
- Turn off video autoplay on video services and social feeds while you are playing through the story.
- Search for hints using your exact question rather than the chapter name — you are less likely to stumble on the ending.
- Ask friends who have already finished the game to warn you about plot details in group chats.
- Do not read full achievement lists: their names sometimes give away key events.
- If you are stuck, take a break first — the solution often comes by itself with a fresh mind.
Read next
- Games
A catalogue of formats and genres: half-hour games, episodic stories, co-op, cosy games and games for the whole family.
- Mechanics
Saves, difficulty, in-game purchases, loot boxes, daily quests and online chat, explained in plain words.
- Questions
Answers to questions about the magazine, gaming time, habits, children and family settings.
- Reviews
What to look at to judge whether a game will fit your routine, and how to read other people's reviews.
What we rely on
- Manufacturers' family-settings guides
- PEGI — about the system
- ESRB — about the system
We write about general principles and habits. Menus, modes and family settings work differently in each game and service and change with updates, so check the details in the official help pages.