Summary
- Multiplayer games are not always preferred; some games like Anthem could have been better received as single-player experiences.
- Experimenting with multiplayer features in single-player games, like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, can sometimes disappoint.
- Some titles, such as Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4, faced backlash for focusing solely on multiplayer and excluding a single-player campaign.
Sometimes, a video game gets announced, gets hyped, and then gets de-hyped once it is revealed that the game is solely focused on multiplayer. Multiplayer games can be great, but they are not always what gamers want to see. Maybe it is the next entry in a popular series, or maybe it's a brand-new title with rich lore that looks like it could have been cool to explore as a single-player experience.
8 Best Multiplayer Soulslike Games, Ranked
Many Soulslike games let players team up with one or more friends, but these multiplayer games do it the best.
That doesn't mean that these multiplayer games are bad. They may have just been more appreciated as single-player titles. Here's a look at how these particular multiplayer-focused titles could have been handled better as single-player games.
8 Anthem
A Live-Service Fail
Anthem
- Released
- February 22, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
Anthem was the first major BioWare game that was directly made with co-op in mind. It was chasing the live-service and looter shooter trend of the time made popular by Destiny and Tom Clancy’s The Division.
While the core gameplay loop was solid, giving players multiple mechs to inhabit and a big world to explore while flying, the story was lacking. It was also much shorter than most BioWare games as they didn’t seem to have a road map in mind. If they had focused on a single-player game instead, perhaps things could have been different.
7 Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons (Switch Version)
Baby Steps
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
- Released
- August 7, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was released in 2013 as a novel idea for a puzzle adventure game. Players could control two brothers: one for each stick on the controller. It was hard to get used to, but that’s what made the gameplay so inventive.
For example, one brother could distract a dog while the other escaped. This was changed in the Switch version, which added co-op. While optional, it kind of goes against the point of the game, making it feel like a weird misstep of a port.
6 Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4
Blacklisted
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
- Released
- October 12, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Gamers usually get everything they could want in a Call of Duty package, including an engaging story, a robust multiplayer suite of modes, and, sometimes, an additional co-op campaign. However, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 astounded fans when Activision announced it was not going to have a campaign for the game.
The 35 Best Multiplayer RPGs of All Time
These are the best multiplayer RPGs for those looking to gather up a few friends for some timeless co-op adventures.
Instead, there were the usual amount of multiplayer modes, a new Battle Royale mode, and zombie co-op. While it did review well, single-player fans were baffled by the exclusion of a campaign.
5 Final Fantasy 14
Did They Really Need Two?
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
- August 27, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Final Fantasy 9, Final Fantasy 10, and Final Fantasy 11 were all announced at the same time and were promised to give fans something different. Final Fantasy 11 was a huge deal because it was going to be an MMO, which was released in 2002 in Japan and 2004 in North America. In 2010, Square Enix launched Final Fantasy 14 as another MMO while still supporting Final Fantasy 11.
Final Fantasy 14 is well beloved, at least after its 2013 reboot, but it’s still strange that Square Enix made two MMOs not far apart from each other when they could have made an offline single-player experience.
4 The Legend Of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Costume Quest
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
- Released
- October 23, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
Before The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, Nintendo experimented with many multiplayer-focused Zelda games, but they usually featured four players. This game instead focused on three players and emphasized costume changes. These costumes gave the colored Links new powers, which was a novel but fun idea for a gameplay loop.
While it can be played solo, the computer assistance is not great, making it nearly impossible to finish alone. It’s a shame this Zelda game will probably fade into the background because of this fact.
3 Metroid Prime: Federation Force
A Rough Reveal
Metroid Prime: Federation Force
- Released
- August 19, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Metroid: Other M was a divisive game on the Wii when it launched in 2010, but at its core, it was a solid Samus Aran adventure. The series was dormant for years after that until Metroid Prime: Federation Force was revealed in 2015.
The 10 Best Multiplayer Games Of The 90s, Ranked
The 1990s saw the release of dozens of unforgettable multiplayer video games, and we're here to celebrate 10 of the absolute best of the bunch.
It pushed Samus aside and featured generic soldiers in colorful little mech suits instead. To say fans were upset would be an understatement. Even with a full multiplayer party, it doesn’t reach those lofty Metroid heights. A single-player Samus game would have been appreciated by fans a lot more.
2 Silent Hill: Book Of Memories
Missing The Point
Silent Hill: Book of Memories
- Released
- October 16, 2012
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Dungeon Crawler
Silent Hill has always been Resident Evil’s moodier cousin that was more focused on telling a heartbreaking story over having B-movie dialogue and heavy action. That’s why it was surprising to see Silent Hill: Book of Memories announced for the PS Vita, as the whole concept just seemed counter-intuitive to the franchise.
It’s a Diablo-like game that fans can play with friends. Ignoring that it's a Silent Hill title, it’s not a bad Diablo clone, but attached to Silent Hill, it couldn’t make less sense if they tried.
1 Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Not So Rock Solid
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
- Released
- February 2, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
Batman: Arkham Knight was released in 2015 and concluded Batman’s trilogy of games. Rumors swirled about Rocksteady Studios’ next game for ages, including a Superman, a Wonder Woman, and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. Instead, they released Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in 2024 after numerous delays.
They could have learned from BioWare and Anthem here, as a live-service looter shooter with these heroes, other than Deadshot, doesn’t make a lot of sense. Deadshot serving as the sole hero hunting the Justice League could have made for a more compelling action-adventure game.
8 Best First-Person Co-Op Games On PS5, Ranked
The PS5’s first-person library is growing, and these multiplayer co-op options will be fun for game night together with friends.