There were a lot of great multiplayer games on PS4 this 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.
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 Eternal has 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.
10 Dirt 5 (80)
Dirt 5 may not be what one expected from a new console year. Where was Gran Turismo for PS5 and Forza Motorsport for Xbox Series X? Those sequels will surely come but for now Dirt 5 will have to do. It was well received as a stand in. It did well on the new consoles along with PS4 even if it didn’t try too many new things for multiplayer.
9 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (81)
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout was one of the first big multiplayer hits of the year. It was the summer game to play. Many likened it to shows like Wipeout, or Most 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.
8 Sackboy: A Big Adventure (82)
This was not what the previous entries were all about in that Sackboy didn’t have level creation like LittleBigPlanet. That was actually a good thing because it allowed the developers to create their own well crafted co-op adventure. Whether one played 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.
7 Phogs (82)
Phogs plays 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.
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.
6 The Jackbox Party Pack 7 (85)
The Jackbox Party Pack 7 is, 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 in Pokémon style 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.
5 Nioh 2 (85)
Nioh 2 is 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 these Dark Souls-like games alone time say they conquered the challenges by themselves but another majority dig the multiplayer aspects.
4 MLB 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 in the 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.
3 Spelunky 2 (87)
Spelunky 2 didn’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 that Spelunky 2 was 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.
2 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (89)
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5 was 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.
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.
1 Dreams (89)
Most might not remember that Dreams came out this year 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.
