We continue our ‘The best PC games for…’ series, this time recommending the best online multiplayer games. As much we love playing with friends and family, they’re not always around to play with us. If you are alone but don’t want to play alone, there’s nothing better than online multiplayer games.
Role playing, action, adventure– almost every genre has an online game that you can enjoy with virtual friends. We’ve listed a few of the best ones below, but remember, this is only a small selection of what’s out there.
Marvel Heroes: become a superhero and save the world
Who doesn’t like Marvel superheroes? Not only are the movies great, but the games get better every year. Offline, you can play Lego Marvel Super Heroes, but you can also play the online Marvel Heroes game. It’s a role-playing action game with an original story: Dr. Doom has unleashed chaos by setting all the super villains free. Given the situation, S.H.I.E.L.D., led by Nick Fury, summons the best superheroes to tackle the problem. You’ll become Iron-Man, Daredevil, Spider-Man, Black Widow or any other famous Marvel hero, ready to jump right into the action.
World of Tanks: the most popular war on the internet
If collecting is your thing, and you’re into war games, you’ll definitely enjoy World of Tanks. The game lets you participate in exciting tank battles on a grand scale, with over thirty users for each battlefield. Since war isn’t exactly something you take on alone, you can join a team and conquer territories from rival teams. And don’t worry, it’s not hard to find allies. WoT is, as of today, one of the most popular free online games available.
Blacklight Retribution: this century’s Counter Strike
If you prefer classic shooters to tank warfare, a good option is Blacklight: Retribution. This FPS is very addictive, with a similar design to Counter Strike and simple yet futuristic battles. The 3D graphics are very realistic and the gameplay is pretty standard. Blacklight is an excellent free online alternative to classic war games like CoD or Battlefield.
Star Wars: The Old Republic: May the force be with us
In a galaxy not so far away, Bioware launched what promised to be the best MMO in history, and the future rival of World of Warcraft, with Star Wars: The Old Republic. It didn’t exactly work out as planned, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not an entertaining online game (that’s free!). Whether you’re a supporter of the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire, you’ll find something that suits you in this online role playing game. You’ll have to carry out missions for either side as one of the original characters, where you’ll come across some old friends from George Lucas’ epic saga. This game is not to be missed if you’re a Star Wars fan, or if you’re just tired of the standard fantasy MMO.
Dota 2: a dream come true for Warcraft fans
Great games can come from player suggestions; Dota 2 is one of them. It started out as a custom map for Warcraft III, and is now one of the most successful online games on Steam. The gameplay is based on the evolution of the heroes, and their teamwork seems to be at the peak of the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre, which has its origins in the Warcraft saga mods.
As good as offline (and paid) games
As you can see, there are online games to please everybody. Many of them are free-to-play, and unless you’re desperate for help, you’ll be able to make progress without spending a dime. As computers keep getting more powerful – and internet connections keep getting faster – online games are definite competition for offline games as a great way to pass the time.
Make sure to check out the rest of our ‘The best PC games for…’ series to find PC games to suite your every need.
Which is your favorite online multiplayer game?