Obviously, multiplayer games have been popular since the beginning of the industry’s history, with most games being built on arcade and local multiplayer. Of course, with the continuous spread of high-speed internet, multiplayer gaming in the last decade has been predominantly online.Since the COVID-19 era, online multiplayer games have become more popularthan ever. Especially in the wake of 2020, when a lot of new and existing players were spending more time working from home and sheltering in place, friends and family were getting together over a couple of rounds ofAmong Us,Call of Duty: Warzone,Fall Guys, and the like.
2021 was similarly no exception with the amount of great new multiplayer games released; there was a healthy spread of long-running franchises, new IPs, and various other unique titles. Fans of first-person shooters, brawler/hack and slash action games, racing games, strategy games, and more received plenty of exciting new games to link up with friends on. Even if 2021 was a bit of a strange year for games as a whole, there were still plenty of unique multiplayer experiences that came out and impressed fans.
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Age of Empires 4
Those looking for a complex and tactical multiplayer experience are likely well aware of theAge of Empiresreal-time strategy franchise. 15 years later, the long-awaitedAge of Empires 4builds upon the foundation of the series by making a rock-solid return to form. Focusing on eight unique civilizations throughout an enticing story campaign was enjoyable at first, but the real challenge was facing enemy players' factions online. Offering that same traditional and tactical experience in private matches or public matchmakingmadeAge of Empires 4a compelling RTS experiencethat always presented a different challenge between new civilizations and players.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
As evergreen as the seasons, this year’sCall of Dutyentry brought the franchise back to WW2, and along with it the addicting multiplayer formula that’s continued to captivate fans. Even if this year’s entry is not nearly as popularWarzonehas become,Call of Duty: Vanguardstill offers a more typicalCall of Dutyexperienceover the immensely popular battle royale. Those looking for the familiar setup of tight and fast-paced gunplay, Create-A-Class, Gunsmith, and more,Call of Duty: Vanguard’s got all of that wrapped into its historical fiction setting. Plus, the new Champion Hill competitive mode is an interesting spin on the Gunfight game mode that’s quickly become one ofVanguard’s best multiplayer options.
Chivalry 2
Speaking of historical fiction, for those that prefer a medieval and melee-oriented multiplayer experience,Chivalry 2is an excellently chaotic option. Clashing swords, giant impaling ballistae, and plenty of blood spread across the battlefield permeate theChivalry 2experience. The strangely zany multiplayer experience makes for some silly fun for those looking to engage in some mindless and entertaining violence. A variety of different weapons, interactive objects, and some physics shenanigans are what makeChivalry 2a mildly skill-based but ultimately entertaining hack and slash romp that’s likely to instill hilarity and hype for friends charging castles together.
Deathloop
Adding a degree of competitiveDark Souls-style multiplayer to its signature gameplay style,Deathloopis like an Arkane-developed shooter with player invasions. Whilethe story, world, and style ofDeathloopare reason enough to hop into the game through singleplayer, players being able to invade gameplay sessions as charismatic antagonist Julianna makes for unlimited unique encounters.
Players can find a variety of different supernatural abilities to wreck and get wrecked in Blackreef, as players attempt to stop the Groundhog Day scenario and break free from the loop.Deathloopprovides a fascinating iteration on theDishonored-style gameplay fans are used to, but with a competitive multiplayer twist.
Forza Horizon 5
TheForzaseries has been treating racing fans for years now, especially with theHorizongames.Forza Horizon 5builds off its established foundation of success by heading to Mexico. Themajority ofForza Horizon 5is played in a shared open world, meaning friends can drop in and out of players' sessions and can freely explore the condensed South American region at will. Players can set up convoys freely to start racing together casually. Additionally, PvP racing has been refocused to be less about ranked play and more about freedom in play. The excellence ofForza Horizon 5’s open-world freedom is great, but experiencing it with a friend is a lot better.
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Halo Infinite
While some fans may be disappointed that co-op isn’t available at launch, there’s plenty ofHaloto be played with the surprise release of the multiplayer. Fans and newcomers haveflocked to the free-to-play multiplayer beta forHalo Infinite, which has largely seen positive reception. WhileInfiniteis serving as a return-to-form for theHalofranchise as a whole, the multiplayer plays out just like classicHalo: it’s scrappy and mechanically tight, and filled with a variety of weapons and abilities to consistently shake up the core gameplay. Progression gripes aside,Halois arguably the best FPS multiplayer experienced released throughout 2021.
Knockout City
Resembling an eccentric version of dodgeball in video game form,Knockout Citywas a surprise hit in 2021. After a great showing with the game’s multiplayer beta in April, the EA-published game saw a ton of success on release thanks to its release on EA Play and Xbox Game Pass. Players vie for domination in elimination-style matches of 3v3/4v4, and there’s a surprising amount of competitive depth capable in the action game’s tactics. Tons of acrobatic movement mechanics, different dodgeballs with various abilities like rapid-fire and sniper balls, as well asfrenetic game speed all makeKnockout Citya laidback but exciting affairworth the free-to-start entry price.
Lemnis Gate
One of the more unique shooters to release in the last few years, few FPS titles offer the experience thatLemnis Gatedoes. Incorporatingyet another time loop into the core gameplay,Lemnis Gateis a turn-based competitive shooter that involves elements of strategy injected into short, 25-second rounds. Players choose their operative and enter the battlefield, tackling objectives in whatever order of their choosing. Each round’s actions will then persist throughout the rest of the game, as players adapt to opponents' sabotage and attempt to complete the objectives.Lemnis Gateis a unique spin on competitive FPS that’s a degree of strategy not seen in other shooters around it.
Riders Republic
For those looking for an extreme sports-style game a laSSX,Ubisoft’sRiders Republicprovides an all-season versionof that high-octane experience.Riders Republicpacks in a ton of different activities for players to engage with: zooming around in a wingsuit (that’s occasionally rocket-powered), traversing dangerous terrain on mountain bikes, and descending down the slopes on skiis/snowboard. The game follows a very similar design toForza Horizon 5, allowing players to largely tackle whatever events they want, exploring a surprisingly varied open world area that’s begging players to explore and shred to their heart’s content.
Splitgate
WhileHalo Infiniteprovided a much-needed return-to-form for the franchise,Splitgateoffers something wholly different forHaloand FPS fans.WhileHalogames were foundational forSplitgate’s development, the game’s main gimmick sets it apart from other competitive FPS games in a big way: Portals.
With the console release this year,Splitgatehas seen a significant rise in popularity thanks to its unique mechanics setting it apart. Players can get some pretty nasty shots and maintain some insane movement momentum as they zoom across different portals and fight their opponents.Splitgateoffers a strange twist on the FPS genrethat seems natural givenPortal’s popularity but feels right at home among other popular competitive shooters in the genre.
Multiplayer games saw a ton of unique releases throughout 2021, offering a variety of different experiences for all sorts of players. In many cases, various genres saw several innovative and groundbreaking new games, while others honed in on refining ever-popular gameplay loops that were revitalized in 2021. Whether it’sKnockout City,Halo Infinite,Lemnis Gate, orForza Horizon 5, multiplayer gaming with friends and adversaries had an excellent year in 2021.
