GRAIN ROT is designed for 4-player co-op

Online co-op for up to four players is the intended way to play. Solo is supported but the difficulty curve, the loot economy, and the anti-grief physics all assume a crew.

The standard role split

Most successful runs adopt a soft role split:

• One extractor — owns the inventory heavy-lift.
• One scout — listens at doorways, calls audio cues.
• Two breakers — split furniture and Corrupted between them.

Roles are not locked. Swap as needed, especially after a Vessel break.

Anti-grief physics you should actually use

• Dropkick an ally’s Spark to dislodge a stuck player — useful after a failed hijack.
• Block a corridor with a body to bait the Corrupted.
• Throw furniture at allies to launch their Sparks. This is sometimes the fastest way to extract a teammate from a corner.
• Hide loot in plain sight — if a teammate’s Vessel breaks near the elevator, dump their inventory onto the floor and extract it on the next trip.

If everyone breaks

You lose the run’s loot for that session. There is no recovery. This is the single biggest reason coordination matters more than combat skill.

Communication that wins runs

• “Door clear” / “Door hostile” at every threshold.
• “Inventory full” before engaging a new room.
• “I’m out” before intentionally breaking your own Vessel for anti-grief use.

Read the Multiplayer page for system requirements, controller support and Steam Family Sharing notes.