Games With Tacked on Multiplayer That's Actually Good

More and more, we’re seeing multiplayer being used as a selling point from publishers. After all, that’s one more reason why a gamer won’t trade-in their game after they finish it, and one way a developer can add in microtransactions. That’s why traditionally single player franchises have seen tacked on multiplayer modes. Typically this is met with eyerolling from the series’ fans since it just isn’t what they want the developer to be focusing on.

That said, sometimes these modes, despite being out of place, end up being a lot of fun. Sure, most players are still picking up the game for the campaign, but there’s still a good time to be had in these game’s multiplayer modes. Not all our winners, though, so we’ve come up with some recommendations that have successfully pulled off this tricky balancing act.

Check out our list of 10 games with tacked on multiplayer that’s actually good below:

We hope you enjoyed our look at 10 games with surprisingly good multiplayer. While we only named 10, there’s other games that have been able to both surprise and impress us on the multiplayer front.

Let us know in the comments what tacked on multiplayer modes you’ve enjoyed in games where the single player is the main draw!

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Games With Tacked on Multiplayer That's Actually Good

Games With Tacked on Multiplayer That's Actually Good
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

While Assassin's Creed's signature competitive multiplayer has been missing from recent installments, it really shined in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. It was one of the best takes on multiplayer stealth yet, which isn't seen very often. You also get to virtually cosplay as a pirate, so it's highly recommended even if Edward Kenway's adventure is the real draw in Black Flag.
Batman: Arkham Origins

While nobody was really asking for a multiplayer to Warner Bros.' excellent Batman series, Batman: Arkham Origins offered one up anyhow. It has the unique hook of having Bane and Joker thugs fighting, while Batman also lurks in the shadows attempting to end their night of crime. This is surprisingly fun, and letting your enemies take each other out is always a satisfying strategy.
Dragon Age: Inquisition

One of Dragon Age: Inquisition's coolest features is the game's cooperative mode (that can also be played solo if you don't play well with others). This dungeon crawl has players teaming up in order to battle enemies, and there's three separate campaigns. It's a separate experience from the single-player, but it's still a really fun way to experience Dragon Age with your friends.
DOOM

While DOOM features three distinct modes, the campaign is the real focus. That said, it does feature a lot of cool stuff that justifies the inclusion of multiplayer. For example, the two round-based modes, Freeze Tag and Clan Arena, really standout when compared to other console shooters. The game's creation tool set, SnapMap, also supports multiplayer, and allows players to play cooperative levels (or just ring a cowbell).
Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V's online has been constantly evolving since the game released. Not only have new features been added to it, such as online heists, it continues to be upgraded to this day. Wrecking shop in San Andreas is a blast online, and it's great to see Rockstar coming up with plenty of reasons for players to jump back in.
The Last of Us

Naughty Dog really outdid themselves with the multiplayer in The Last of Us. Sure, it seems out-of-place considering how emotionally draining the campaign is, but there's a really satisfying third-person shooter here. One of the really nice touches is how you can populate your clan by using Facebook. Naughty Dog has always toyed with integrating social media (anyone remember the awful Uncharted auto-tweets?), but this actually worked.
Mass Effect 3

Like Dragon Age: Inquisition, Mass Effect 3 features a separated multiplayer component. Called Galaxy at War, the mode allows a group of four to tackle on exclusive missions. This horde mode features 15 different maps, and the wave-based combat requires both quick reflexes and strategy to succeed.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

While the microtransactions will make you roll your eyes, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain's online mode is a ton of fun. This isn't much of a surprise, since the game plays so damn well, and there's a special joy that's triggered when you fulton another living person and not just a computer controlled character. Even the health club company that published the game can't ruin this mode.
Tomb Raider

While it's missing from its sequel, the reboot of Tomb Raider had a sneakily good multiplayer mode. The four versus four multiplayer really shined due to the game's destructible environments and solid gunplay (or more realistically how much fun the bow and arrow is to use).
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End features the Uncharted series' best shooting yet, and enhanced melee combat. That great gameplay carries over to the multiplayer side. While it won't give Overwatch something to worry about, there's still good fun to be had here. Plus, it's dumb fun to see Uncharted characters doing wacky dances.