The 6 best online games to play right now with your friends (or foes)

 

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The 6 finest online games to play with your pals right now (or foes)

We've put up a list of the greatest online games for you to play with your pals (or foes)

The finest online games allow you to explore new worlds, take on new challenges, and collect ultra-rare loot while doing it with your pals. Meet up with an old pal for some virtual exploration even if you're thousands of miles distant in person, or make new friends and form your own clan without ever leaving your house. There are more multiplayer games than ever before because of improved internet speeds and the emergence of live streaming games, but - whisper it - not all of them are excellent. Fortunately for you, we've put together a list of the top 6 online games available right now.

Here's how we made our decision: first, we decided to only include games that are truly online, that is, games in which online connectivity is a key aspect. Some single-player games with excellent multiplayer options, such as Uncharted 4, are not included. We're also leaving out the finest MMORPGs because they're such a distinct genre that they deserve their own list. Aside from those two rigorous guidelines, any game, from shooters to story games, was eligible for inclusion in the top six online games. Continue reading to see which games made the cut, and then check out our list of the greatest co-op games for more online fun while cooperating!

6. Dead by Daylight

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS Developer: Behaviour Interactive Format(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS

Back when asymmetrical multiplayer games were all the rage (remember Evolve? ), a clever developer thought to himself, "What if we reproduced classic slasher films, with a squad of vulnerable teenagers and one unstoppable killer?" Dead by Daylight is the result, and it's basically Friday the 13th: The Game (if it wasn't already a game in and of itself). Whereas Friday the 13th concentrates entirely on Jason Voorhees, Dead by Daylight features a diverse cast of killers, including unique characters as well as well-known names like Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, and the Jigsaw Killer. This one isn't for the faint of heart.

5. PUBG

PUBG Corporation is the game's developer.

PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, iOS, and Android

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, or PUBG for short, helped to popularize some of the most fundamental rules of the battle royale genre, such as the diminishing safe zone, vast area, and 100-player configuration. Other battle royale games have adopted a cartoonish appearance, but PUBG sticks to realism (or at least as realistic as a 100-person deathmatch with exploding cars and sometimes wonky physics can be). Bullet drop and one-shot kills are to be expected.

4. Tetris 99 

Arika is the creator of the Nintendo Switch game.

What does a free-to-play Tetris game doing on this list have the name of all that tessellates? You may well ask that, but if you do, you have almost probably not played Tetris 99, one of the most tight and intense multiplayer games in recent memory. The concept is brilliant: it's essentially Tetris Battle Royale, with every two lines you clear going to one of your 99 opponents, either at random, those closest to death, players now fighting you, or those closest to triumph. It's a brand-new take on a game that debuted nearly 40 years ago, and it's available for free if you purchase a Nintendo Online pass (which you should definitely do if only to play the other Switch games on this list).

3. Red Dead Online

Format(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia Developer: Rockstar Games

The sequel to Red Dead Redemption is a masterpiece. Red Dead Online, the multiplayer component, hasn't quite reached the same level of popularity as its Grand Theft Auto 5 counterpart (see number 18), but it's still a hootin', hollerin' good time. You can do anything in the single-player campaign, including hunting, robbing stagecoaches, and having a shave in the back of a saloon, but multiplayer offers new experiences. There's a comprehensive tale to follow, as well as pop-up events, racing, and competitive team battles. Gather a group of friends and charge in.

2. Counter Strike Global Offensive

Blizzard Entertainment Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

So many games owe their existence to the Diablo series, from Torchlight to Path of Exile, and the grandfather of the hack-and-slash genre is still alive and well. Despite the fact that Diablo 3 is eight years old, its crunchy, flashy combat still feels as responsive as any other game we've played. It's addictive in singleplayer, but it's even better with a group of online adventurers that have complementing skills. You don't have to battle over legendary goods because each player gets their own loot drop, but you can share everything you acquire with your buddies, making it easier than ever to build up screen-wiping builds. Its seven classes each have their own set of mechanics to learn, and it's worth going through the campaign with each one. Just make sure you increase the difficulty from what you'd use solo, because you'll soon be tearing through demons at a frightening rate with your squad.

1. Risk of Rain 2

Developer: Hopoo Games Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch

You may have missed the first Risk of Rain when it was released in 2013, but the sequel is bigger and flashier while maintaining what made the first so exceptional, in a literal sense. The transition from a 2D to a full 3D perspective was unexpected, but it brilliantly captures the hectic movement of the strange roguelike. Players can team up in groups of up to four (or go solo) to battle wave after wave of foes by selecting from a variety of unique characters, each with their own weapons and abilities. As you go through the stages, you earn currency that you may use to purchase items, and here is where Risk of Rain 2's magic lies. This is the game for you if you've ever wanted to be a hybrid between a plant and a robot that can crawl on the floor with its roots while simultaneously shooting seeds, or a fairly typical commando who gradually becomes faster and more agile with the correct supplies. It's a must-have for long co-op nights with buddies online, thanks to its randomly generated structure and engaging "one more game" nature.

For the remainder of our top online games, go to page three...