It’s an unbelievably good feeling when you and your mates absolutely trounce the opposing team. That feeling of your squad being a well-oiled and organised, ass-kicking machine helps take gaming to the next level. Both for competitive and cooperative gaming, having a few mates with you can make games infinitely more enjoyable. Being able to communicate and coordinate with your mates in competitive gaming certainly gives you the edge over a team of disorganised randomers.
I love co-op and team based games. Working with other players and talking makes games so much more fun for me. With that in mind, this list of games are perfect for you and your mates to get together and destroy the competition. Before we get started on the main list however, there are a few honourable mentions that didn’t quite make it onto the list, but are still a ton of fun with some mates.
Battlefield 4/ Battlefield HardlineÂ
The Battlefield series is well known for its big scale battles, vehicular combat and class mechanics. Both Battlefield 4 and Hardline offer the core battlefield experience with the added bonus of being able to coordinate in a squad, with each member being highlighted and squads able to coordinate between who needs to go what class and what the plan of action is to win the game.
Borderlands 2/ Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
While these games are a little older than most of the others on this list, they deserve mention nevertheless. The Borderlands series is known for a few things; colourful characters and story, the ‘not cell-shaded’ art style, and bazillions of guns. Other aspects to the games are the fun shooting mechanics, RPG and number based gameplay, as well as the varied and unique character classes. If you fancy a fun and humorous romp with some class based shooting is definitely worth giving this a go.
Dark Souls
It might seem a little odd to say that the games in the Dark Souls series are fun to play with other people. In fact, to some hardcore fans, the idea of using a summoned player to help out might be considered blasphemy. I found that the From Software title was more enjoyable with a friend or two to help out. Whether that was fighting bosses or taking part on some PvP action, it was a great deal of fun when there was someone else around to share in the awesome world that has been created.
With those few honourable mentions out of the way, it’s time for the main list. These are all games that really benefit from playing with a full team and are best enjoyed with a couple of mates.
1. Overwatch
This title definitely has to be on the list. Blizzard’s MOBA-esque shooter has taken the gaming world by storm. With a strong emphasis on teamwork and team composition, Overwatch lends itself very well to squad-based gameplay. Having a coordinated team that communicates effectively is certainly going to help your chances of winning. With the recent addition of a ranked playlist, squads looking to take competitive play to the next level can do so.
2. The Elder Scrolls Online
If you and your friends are fans of MMOs or the Elder Scrolls series then ESO is certainly worth giving a try. You can coordinate your classes to work together, with some players opting to be a tank build and others being the designated healer, or become a ‘gank squad’ for PvP, the choice is really up to you and your friends. There’s a great deal of things to do, whether you’re exploring Tamriel, running through challenging dungeons or taking part in ESO’s PvP and sieging a castle, it is infinitely more fun with a few friends to push through with.
3. Rocket League
Psyonix’s rocket-powered-car slash football hybrid is seriously fun. Like games such as FIFA or other sports games, having a team of your mates is tons of fun. From a kick about, competing against each other or putting your squad up against other teams, there’s plenty to do. With a great variety of game modes and arenas there’s plenty to do for two players and for eight players to play together or against each other, with almost unlimited replayability.
4. Grand Theft Auto Online
GTA5’s multiplayer has changed a great deal since it launched back in 2013. With street races, stunt races, missions, heists and so much more, you and your mates won’t run out of things to do. The online living world is a great place for you and your friends to do anything from showing off your nicest cars, playing the adversarial modes to playing chicken with planes. There’s loads to do from easy laidback stuff and just messing about to getting more involved with multiplayer and heists if you fancy making a bit of in game cash.
5. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
For those who might want a more realistic and tactical shooter, Siege is great. 5v5 team-based gameplay focused on coordinating between attacking and defending. Being able to have a squad that knows what they’re doing and can talk really gives you an edge in competitive play. Siege’s quick-fire, one life rounds mixed with different operators give almost unlimited replayability. For squads that really work well together and want to test their teamwork, a ranked playlist allows teams and clans to play a more difficult and tactical game.
So there it is, my top 5 games (and a few extras) that are great to play with friends. These are just some of the dozens of games that are awesome with friends, from teams of two up to eight players and more. Whether it’s co-op or competitive, games are more fun with friends. What are some of your favourite games to play with your mates? Let us know in the comments.
