Most games these days come with the option of playing either in single player or multi-player. But most of the time they game will work best in one of those modes. Here’s a list of my top 5 games that I think work better as a multi-player game rather than as a single player one, but cater to both types of play (with one exception). Few of these games are new, and in fact most of them are on the 360 so make the most of the backwards compatibility!
Catherine (360)
So I’ll start with the odd one out. Catherine is a single player puzzle game with date-simulation elements. You play as Vincent who is admittedly a bit of a washed up sleazebag and the story takes place shortly after his girlfriend Katherine announces her pregnancy. Vincent, who enjoys his laid back life, isn’t quite ready to be a dad and after a night of heavy drinking in his local bar, sleeps with a young woman named Catherine. After his indecency every time he sleeps he has to navigate through a series of puzzles in order to escape his fears which manifest in the nightmare as fearsome monsters- and if he fails to escape he dies in the real world. Outside of the nightmare world the player has the option of interacting with other troubled characters and helping them, as well as either trying to save your relationship with Katherine, or forge a new one with Catherine.
So what makes this single player game a great one for playing with friends? Mainly it’s the puzzle block mazes the player has to clear. The game has a range of difficulties but also increases in difficulty the further the player is into the game and it’s easy to become hung up and frustrated on that one level you just can’t clear. So playing with a friend and taking it in alternate turns every time one of you dies trying to attempt the puzzles is a fun way to prevent you from getting too frustrated with the game. It’s also a good laugh to see if you both agree on some of the questions the game poses you- for example is “Is there more to a relationship than physical attraction?”
The Borderlands series (360, one)
I imagine most of you are aware of the Borderlands series. But just in case you’re note here’s a quick overview. Taking place on the alien planet Pandora, Borderlands sees a number of mercenaries named vault hunters who are searching for legendary treasure said to be contained in a large vault (hence their name). The player has a choice of four classes (six if you include the second’s DLC for mechromancer and psycho) which are a siren, hunter, soldier and berserker. Unlike most fps games, Borderlands doesn’t take itself too seriously. Its story is solid and fairly straightforward to follow, but has a nice amount of silliness mixed in. Some examples of this silliness are Teenage Mutant Ninja turtle easter eggs and the range of colourful characters and mobs who inhabit Pandora.
So why is this best played in multi-player rather than single player? For me personally it mainly comes down to the silliness. There’ll be lots of “Did you see that?!” moments which I think are best shared with at least one other person. Also, although the difficulty scales based on the number of players, having another person there for combat is pretty useful. One particular feature springs to mind- Moxxi’s underdome. A battle arena where you have it out with numerous mobs in order to get loot in exchange. This can be fairly tricky solo as the mobs obviously focus all their efforts on you, with another player in the mix it makes the odds a bit more fair but without losing any of its fun. A great silly fps, that’s so addictive you’ll really want to share it.
Trials series (360, one)
Trials, being an Xbox live game can seemingly be an easy game to overlook. It may seem like a regular racing game but don’t be fooled! With its clever implementation of physics it’s not a case of simply driving your bike around the various courses. The game features a heavy use of physics which you, as a player, must balance out in order to navigate the series of hills, obstacles and jumps. All this makes for a pretty fun and silly game.
So why multi-player? Again, like the Borderlands series, the silliness is best shared with other players. Especially with the ability to edit and make your own tracks, providing hours of entertainment. Also because of its silliness it balances out the competitiveness- I think it’s pretty tricky to get angrily competitive when your driver’s legs and arms are flailing around. A great one for parties!
Minecraft (360, one)
Now this game I’m sure you’ve heard of. Minecraft is a massively popular sandbox game that allows players to build, destroy and mine to their hearts content in a procedurally generated environment. I find when playing alone it’s quite easy to run out of ideas (and resources without a big trek). Having another player in the game really helps with both of these problems. It becomes less of a chore to gather resources knowing that it can be done twice as fast. As the old saying goes: two heads are better than one, and this proves true with Minecraft, having another player to bounce ideas with really helps you to be pretty creative, even if it’s just making lewd objects out of blocks.
The other side of this is playing against each other- although make sure you’re all aware that this is the mode you’re playing before doing so. There’s a lot of scope with this- you can set your own rules and the like, though you can’t enforce them. Playing against each other can lead to all sorts of antics, from minor things like stealing from each other’s chests, to setting each other’s houses on fire- stone houses are your friends. Minecraft has so many possibilities in multi-player it’d seem absurd to play it and limit yourself in single player.
Trine 2 (360)
I’ll preface this one with a warning- this only really works if you both have mics. Trine 2 is a 2-d fantasy puzzle platformer that has its player(s) switch between a choice of three characters, each with their own unique set of abilities, in order to progress through levels laden with puzzles. The three characters are Amadeus the Wizard, Zoya the thief and Pontius the Knight. Amaedus can use magic to move obstacles and create boxes and planks, Zoya can use arrows and a grappling hook, and Pontius can deflect projectiles and smash through walls. With all these abilities at hand, I found that when I played it, it was sometimes a bit difficult to communicate to the other player what they’re meant to be doing with that character. So yes, mics are for the best here.
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