More often than not, players expect multiplayer games to be populated with people from all over the world, competing against each other to see who rises on top. The challenge in these games is immense, especially in games where players of the same skill level are matched together to keep things fair and interesting.
However, there are times when a game may not have a substantial player base or people may just be bored of being on the edge of their seats as they compete against challenging human opponents over and over again. This is when some players can simply choose to play against bots instead, which doesn't sound all that enticing at first glance. However, the following games prove that bots can be just as engaging to battle against as any human opponent.
10 Unreal Tournament: Game Of The Year Edition
Unreal Tournament is one of the most legendary arena shooters of all time. While the game is still fairly active even now, it goes without saying that trying to join a game that is entirely populated with AI opponents is easier said than done.
This is where bots come into the picture, sporting a variety of difficulties and insults to make them all the more hateable and satisfying to take out. Fighting against bots in Facing Worlds is a blast that never ceases to be tiring.
9 Boomerang Fu
Boomerang Fu is a cute fighting party game where players assume one of many cute avatars as they take out their enemies using their sharp and intuitive boomerangs. With a litany of powerups to find during each session, Boomerang Fu ends up being quite an entertaining experience indeed.
While playing with friends is a huge draw of the game, people who want their game to be as populated as possible can do so with bots. Easier bots can be used as fodder, while harder bots become a serious challenge that players need to overcome somehow.
8 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the greatest fighting video games of all time. This title features the biggest roster in any Smash game to date and is a blast to play through, with players having the option of choosing from one of many iconic figures in gaming.
The AI of the bots in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate can range from brain-dead to devilishly tactical, giving players of all skill levels a great challenge. Sure, playing with friends may be the biggest draw of the game, but there's something to be said about battling against intelligent bots who can easily smash the player if they aren't focused.
7 Hot Wheels Unleashed
Hot Wheels Unleashed is a racing game that came from out of nowhere and wowed players with its amazing arcade racing goodness. The game didn't pull any punches when it came to depicting Hot Wheels cars racing against each other, with their weight being so light that they can completely fall off the track if players aren't careful enough.
It helps that the AI is pretty smart, with bot racers wasting no time in zooming past the player if they make a single mistake. Players need to be nigh perfect while racing at higher difficulties if they want to beat the challenging and aggressive AI racers.
6 Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike is one of the most popular squad-based shooters of all time. The game started off as a mod, then became a fully-fledged product of its own that fans still have a great time with to this day.
The bots in this game are quite intelligent and will take down the player and their team using clever tactics. This makes it important to ensure that players are smart in their approach of either protecting areas or completing objectives if they wish to attain victory.
5 Payday 2
Another game where players have to work as a team and take out their enemies is Payday 2. The game puts players in the shoes of robbers as they accomplish major heists while avoiding the security and cops in the process.
Even after all the years since its release, Payday 2 is still a blast to play through and quite welcoming for newcomers. Players who want to feel like the protagonist of a major heist movie should look no further than this game.
4 Arma 3
Arma 3 is a unique military shooter that needs no introduction, being a truly wonderful and engaging experience where players must be smart and tactical to attain victory. The game's community support is unreal, featuring a wealth of user-made content that is a blast to play through.
Getting human teammates and opponents for every single one of these fan-made levels is a huge challenge, which is why players are better off populating their games with bots instead. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially since Arma 3's bots are pretty smart in their own right.
3 Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark is one of the best first-person shooters on the Nintendo 64, sharing a lot of the same DNA as Rare's other venture in this department, GoldenEye 007. The game features a fun campaign where players control the entertaining protagonist Joanna Dark, along with an engaging multiplayer mode as well.
Players who decide to battle against the bots of this game will find them to be quite challenging, even on Medium difficulty! Depending on the weapons that were in play, a game against bots could quickly turn into a chaotic yet engaging affair.
2 TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
TimeSplitters is a first-person shooter series that needs to make a comeback sooner rather than later. All three games in the series are great in their own right, with Future Perfect going all out when it came to the AI of its bots.
Players could tweak the individual stats of each bot, making for unique and engaging shootouts with each bot seemingly having a combat personality of their own. Battling against opponents who were either very fast, durable, accurate, or a combination of all three made for a great time!
1 Quake 3 Arena
It's only a given that legendary arena shooters would be renowned for their bots, especially now with their player counts not really being all that high for these games. Such is the case with Quake 3 Arena, a beloved FPS that captured the hearts of people who were lucky enough to check out this genre-defining title.
The game completely axed a single-player mode and focused on the multiplayer instead, which ended up being a wise decision in hindsight. With legendary additions such as the patented rocket jumping that has become a staple in this series along with a wealth of engaging bots to pepper with bullets, it's easy to see why Quake 3 enjoys such an immense legacy.