There were a lot of great multiplayer games onPS4this year. Some of them were even exclusive. Overall, as its last year as the dominant PlayStation console, the PS4 had games to spare. Now, there are some caveats to this ranking.
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First of all, these games are just some of the best of the year, all ranking high in the green numbers on Metacritic. Secondly, besides numbers, additional reading had to be considered. For example,Doom Eternalhas multiplayer and the game got an 87. However, most reviewers weren’t into the multiplayer, so even though the overall score is high the multiplayer experience is low. Exclusions or not, these games kept friends close this year.
10Dirt 5 (80)
Dirt 5may not be what one expected from a new console year. Where wasGran Turismofor PS5 andForza Motorsportfor Xbox Series X? Those sequels will surely come but for nowDirt 5will have to do. It was well received as a stand in. It did well on the new consolesalong with PS4even if it didn’t try too many new things for multiplayer.
9Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (81)
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockoutwas one of the first big multiplayer hits of the year. It was the summer game to play. Many likened it to shows likeWipeout, orMost Extreme Elimination Challenge. It’s a whacky party game that was online exclusive but still a blast regardless. Some of the mini games were better than others and could get old fast, but there is no denying the sensation this created at launch.
8Sackboy: A Big Adventure (82)
This was not what the previous entries were all about in that Sackboy didn’t have level creation likeLittleBigPlanet. That was actually a good thing because it allowed the developers to create their own well crafted co-op adventure. Whether oneplayed it on PS4, or PS5, both versions were easy to jump into for all ages. In fact it might be the most accessible game in the series yet.
7Phogs (82)
Phogsplays similarly to a game from a few years ago,Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Both games use two halves of the controller to control two different characters in order to solve puzzles.
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In this game’s case it’s a two-headed dog. Players can go it alone, which makes some of the puzzle solving feel like rubbing one’s stomach and patting their head. It’s much easier with a friend locally, or with someone online.
6The Jackbox Party Pack 7 (85)
TheJackbox Party Pack 7is, as the name suggests, the seventh entry. One would think the gimmick of playing games on one’s phone as the controller would get old at this point. Thankfully the team made yet another great set of mini games for this pack. From creating weird creatures to fight inPokémonstyle arenas to just cracking jokes, this will be the game that keeps on giving for any party situation be it through Zoom or maybe even back to in person some day.
5Nioh 2 (85)
Nioh 2is a hard game. It really makes the first feel like a cakewalk. However, it is a lot better if one can get together with up to two other friends for three player co-op. Some people prefer to play theseDark Souls-like games alone time say they conquered the challenges by themselves but another majority dig the multiplayer aspects.
4MLB The Show 20 (83)
Sony has kept the MLB license close to the chest for some time now. In the future it’s finally going to other platforms but for this year it still stayed inthe PlayStation family. It also lived up to the previous titles to dish out another great turnout for virtual baseball. Since a lot of the real baseball season was canceled, this was a way to get the game on TV via multiplayer matches which was something.
3Spelunky 2 (87)
Spelunky 2didn’t do too much new, but it also somehow did. That is to say it felt like the same game but a more solid, compact experience. The important thing most fans got out of it was thatSpelunky 2was still hard no matter if one played it alone or with friends. Death is almost certain in this game but that seems to be part of the charm.
2Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 (89)
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5was one of the worst reviewed games when it came out in 2015. Similarly Activision tried to remaster the first game before and it too was not well received.
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So the fact that this remastered collection came out not just alone but with its sequel and became one of the best reviewed games of the year is astounding. Whether skating alone or with friends in various modes, one can’t help but feel nostalgic for the 90s all over again.
1Dreams (89)
Most might not remember thatDreamscame out thisyear since it was so much earlier. It was hot while it lasted and then coverage sort of died off. The most unique thing about it, its developer tools, is also why it may not appeal to a lot of gamers. It takes a lot of dedication to get into it but that’s also why it’s a great multiplayer game because the community that is still around is thriving.
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