Summary
Multiplayer modes in games are often a fun opportunity outside the main story to put your skills to the test. Rather than placing a focus on narrative, they award those looking to show off their mastery over the game’s mechanics while also offering an opportunity to get friends together to play as a unit.
In most games, these side modes are just that. Fun additions to the main game that have no bearing on the overall plot. However, there are some exceptions to his rule. Select titles opt to have these multiplayer modes tell stories that would have been impossible to convey in the main game.
Ubisoft’sFar Cryseries has never shied away from innovation or bold narrative choices. The series has also begun to welcome co-op elements, in the form of seamless drop-in, which began in Far Cry 4 and has been a staple since.Far Cry 3took a different approach however, instead offering an entirely separate campaign mode which takes place months before the events of the main game.
This multiplayer mode tells the story of four people who attempt to fight against Vaas’s pirate crew and escape the island with their lives. While it lacks the same open world exploration of the main storyline, it makes up for it in fast-paced action and challenges that require careful coordination between your team.
Trying to understand theCall Of Dutytimeline is an excellent way to confuse yourself. The stories can range from modern day, to historical battles, or glimpses at future warfare. However, certain entries within the series make it easier to tie them together, like the Modern Warfare trilogy, or in this case, the Black Ops series.
Thefourth Black Ops gamegot rid of the campaign altogether in favor of just boasting a multiplayer mode along with some familiar alternatives like Zombies and a battle royale entitled Blackout. According to the audio logs that can be collected, Blackout is more than just a precursor toWarzone. In universe, it’s a simulation where dead soldiers are trained over and over again by fighting one another.
GTAhas proven time and time again to be exactly what fans of the series have been looking for since its debut. A true multiplayer sandbox that allows you to explore Los Santos with a friend, building your wealth and reputation as you become some of the most notorious gangsters the city has ever seen.
Starting from nothing, devoted play will see you end up with your own company, penthouse suite, and a fleet of exotic cars with an arsenal of weapons to protect it all.
On your way to criminal stardom, you’ll meet with afew familiar facesfrom throughoutGrand Theft Auto 5, with some characters even returning from previous installments. GTA Online is even more notable since it takes place alongside the main game’s story and continues after, acting as an epilogue to the main narrative.
5God Of War: Ascension
Sony’s action-packedGod Of Warseries has always been focused on offering players brutal action combat along with stories featuring characters from across mythology. These single-player experiences have followed the journey of the spartan Kratos, whose rage puts him against the entire Greek pantheon of Gods, as well, eventually leading him to take on theNorse deitiesas well.
The series has never been shy about experimenting with new ideas. However, it would be the prequel games like Ascension which brought in the most bold concept. Adapting the iconic combat for multiplayer modes. Aside from the novelty of being able to hack and slash with your friends, God Of War: Ascension’s multiplayer component served a narrative purpose, showing how the weapons of Kratos’s arsenal acquired their legendary status.
4Fallout 76
TheFalloutseries has a unique way of telling its overarching narrative. Each game is largely unconnected, instead offering a snapshot of how different parts of America are dealing with the results of nuclear war. Even though the stories of each game may not intersect much, various factions like the Brotherhood of Steel, Enclave, and NCR help to establish a consistent lore.
Exploring these wastelands was a lonely endeavor until the release ofFallout 76, a multiplayer installment which served to act as a prequel to the rest of the series. Taking place only twenty-five years after the bombs fell, Fallout 76 helps to explain how the pockets of civilization that are seen in the other games came to be. Having been shaped by you and your fellow survivors reclaiming the wastelands.
When it comes to first-person shooters, most games become known for either their single player, likeDoom (2016)or their multiplayer, like in the case ofOverwatch 2. Rarely are both modes so extraordinary as to warrant the same level of attention, butHaloisn’t like many other games. The story of Master Chief is exciting and memorable, while the multiplayer component still sees play from fans years after the game’s initial release.
Halo 4 decided to award fans of both modes more directly through the War Games simulation. Through this mode we have a reason why the spartans within keep killing each other over and over again. It’s a simulation meant to train the spartans through realistic combat scenarios to get them accustomed for the real thing.
TheResident Evilseries has had numerous entries in its decades-long run. Unlike many other games that have existed for this long, Resident Evil has actually managed to keep a cohesive, if incredibly complicated, canon. Some games reveal more details than others, but by and large, they all exist in the same universe.
One notable entry that highlights this impressive streak is Umbrella Corp. A multiplayer shooter that nonetheless still carries forth the tradition of bringing new details about the world of Resident Evil. In this case, including the depths of Neo Umbrella’s experiments, as well as what happened to the spanish villages in the aftermath ofResident Evil 4.
Somewhat of a black sheep in theBioshockseries, Bioshock 2 did manage to bring some fresh ideas to the table. Spending the game in the Big Daddy suit, fighting the all new Big Sister, and introducing a multiplayer component. The Bioshock games have always focused themselves on immersive narratives told in unique settings, but the multiplayer mode offers a new way to experience Rapture.
Despite Bioshock 2 being a sequel, the multiplayer takes place prior to the events of the first game. Showcasing the combat between splicers in the civil war that ruined Rapture, the final cutscene awarded to the player leads directly into the start of the first game.
