The Best Multiplayer This Year - Part 1

So, what have you played the most this year? It's unlikely that you trawled through Final Fantasy XIII and a large plethora of J-RPG's so i'm gonna go out on a limb and say multiplayer. Going mano a mano against real people, just usually with guns.

There has been so many good multiplayer titles this year, but lets start from the top. Unfortunately i can only include games I've either played or heard a lot about, so some obscure titles possibly won't make it to the list.

January

MAG (Massive Action Game)


This is a game that really play's up to it's name. Intense 250 player online matches that seem like warzones, objective based missions that break people into teams inducing tactical play and... Well, 250 players, need i say more? I mean that's amazing. The only problem is, released back in January, you could have a tough time finding a 250 player game now with all the other quality titles that have come out this year.



February

Bioshock 2

To many this may just seem to be a tacked on multiplayer to enhance the overall experience. But the Bioshock multiplayer managed to bring a lot to the table, and all in a typically Bioshock like manner. Plasmids were included to help turn the tide of battle, Big daddy suits were available first come first served, and a sprawling narrative opened up of your character within the uprising before the original Bioshock as you played. Now that's just classy. Hopefully there's still players about so you can still experience the magic. Sorry, the adam *giggle and gafore*


March

Battlefield: Bad Company 2


I can't explain this multiplayer to you without the phrase "Holy Shit!" The aim of the game? Destroy the enemy teams pot's o' gold. How? By any means necessary, in this game, you'll get things done. Any structure is destructible, so an enemy in a tank is a real situation, you can't sit tight and hold for the best, oh no, you have to take that thing out before your base crumbles! I've never found a more intense multiplayer experience than the Bad Company series. The frostbite engine really does itself justice with the demolishing mechanics, this is FPS multiplayer at it's finest. Oh, did i also mention the class system is awesome, and the focus on team play really helps to get people tactical? It's just brilliant.

Fat Princess: Fistful of cake!


This game was brilliant on the Play Station Network last year, but the updated and refined PSP release just takes the cake... No pun intended? Please! The multiplayer is completely different in Fat Princess, although it can be summed up to a game of capture the flag, it's much much more! The enemy have your princess, and you have theirs. You both want your princess back, unfortunately for the kingdoms, the negotiator is out that day, so it's all out war on the other kingdom to get your princess back until he get's back! How do you stop the other team getting their princess back? By feeding her cake of course! The more you feed her, the fatter she gets, the fatter she gets, the harder she is to carry... It's a fantastic idea that includes resource collecting, classes and most importantly a heavy focus on teamwork! There is also the psn original Fat Princess which is by no means worse, pick up an entry to this series, you won't regret it.


Perfect Dark

Well what can you say? It's Perfect Dark! The N64 classic that highlighted the N64 as a multiplayer platform along with another certain title by the same company. This game defined console shooters, and deserves recognition for this, although the rezed up single player isn't as good as I remember, the multiplayer is still some of the best around. Hell, it's only 800 Microsoft-Points, why not grab it now?


April

Splinter Cell: Conviction


Two players max, sure. But you can't fault it. Conviction's multiplayer is solid, and not only contains a rich co-op experience that has a fantastic twist at the end, but also a plethora of modes to play with. One has you trying to take out the other player as stealthily as possible whilst guards patrol the map ready to shoot and kill whoever they may see. Another see's the player's working together to survive, yes, a horde mode, but still. The Splinter Cell formula gives these the spice of life, and since you only need a friend, there's no excuse not to try this one out!

Keep an eye out for part 2! (May-August)

-Serde

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