Summary
Some great games could have benefited from a lack of online multiplayer features. There are some incredible games that feature online multiplayer that takes away from some elements of the game and detract from what should be the main focus of its great single-player experience for the sake of an extended lifespan through online services.
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Whether it’s the time the developers put into the game by splitting the team to work on a multiplayer component, or just because the online multiplayer isn’t all that great, some of these games would have been better without online multiplayer, which could be telling considering some titles here actually have had their online services removed and retired.
5Batman: Arkham Origins
For years, players have wanted a Batman game where they could explore Gotham City with friends. WhenBatman: Arkham Originsannounced a multiplayer mode, excitement brewed, but slowly dwindled when it was revealed to be a PvP-style game. Whilst innovative,Batman: Arkham Origins’ multiplayer mode shut down quickly, and did not sustain an audience to justify its existence, even if it had a few interesting features.
The game would have benefited from a system more likeGotham Knights, where Batman and Robin could take down their foes across Gotham City. There’s no telling how much development went into this multiplayer mode, but the added time on the story could havehelped with some boss fightsas well as some new side missions for Batman’s iconic Rogues Gallery.
Instead of just continuing the story of theDead Spaceprotagonist Isaac Clarke,Dead Space 3decided to bring a new character along for the journey, one that would enable players to finally experienceDead Spaceco-op. The horrifying adventure of survival with Isaac Clarke and John Carver may be a fun addition, but it certainly takes away from the horrorsand scares that come from an experience in isolation.
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TheDead Spacegames really benefited from being alone and having no one to watch the back of the player holding the Plasma Cutter. However,Dead Space 3changed that with co-op, allowing players to rely on another soldier. It also subtracted from the terror and immersion, turning the series into more of a shooter than a horror, even if the co-op is great fun.
3Halo: Infinite
It seems like it’s been years sinceHalofans have agreed on the direction of the franchise. Since Bungie leftHaloand put Master Chief to bed for a long-deserved rest, it wouldn’t be long until 343 Industries would take over theHalofranchise, and lead the new direction and future campaigns of Master Chief. Despite the excitement surroundingHalo: Infinite, it didn’t live up to the expectations of a few players, and many wonder if the onlinemultiplayer is to blame.
It’s no secret thatHalo: Infiniteand its free-to-play multiplayer would have split the development team of 343, with some members working on multiplayer and others on theHalo: Infinitestory mode. The game could have probably benefited from adeeper dive into Master Chief, rather than a multiplayer mode that seems more inactive than most PvP games, with a Battle Pass system that doesn’t offer all that much.
2Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The story of Venom Snake is a grand one, and it leaves many fans with questions about the unfolding answers that take place across the game.Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painadds new intrigue and depth to its characters and icons ofBig Boss and Ocelot, but it also adds some confusion, considering there is a multiplayer element in which players could invade other online players’ bases to steal their soldiers, materials, and potentially their nuclear weapons. This led to anxieties when booting up the game, wondering what and who was stolen from the revamped Mother Base.
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The idea of having to hold off invasions detracts from theMetal Gear Solid 5story at hand. Players will be too anxious to ensure their Outer Heaven base is safe, fortified, and free from invaders, rather than exploring the open-worldMetal Geargame. Maybe without the multiplayer elements,The Phantom Painwould’ve had more time to finish before the controversial and messy conclusionbetween Kojima and Konami.
1Assassin’s Creed Unity
Assassin’s Creed Unitywas set to be the firstAssassin’s Creedgame with a multiplayer component that featured PvE content. BeforeAssassin’s Creed Unity, multiplayer modes were reserved for a tactical hunt of PvP content, yet Unity was going to be a way to bring in more than oneAssassin into the fight of Paris, where parkour and combat were going to be an endless joy. Yet, the game failed to deliver somewhat.
The online multiplayer ofAssassin’s Creed Unitysuffered greatly from performance issues and led to some notorious bugs in video game history. The multiplayer sometimes didn’t work, and could only be used in certain missions. It detracted from what the game ofAssassin’s Creed Unitycould have been, and it’s a shame Ubisoft hasn’t tried it again.
