We’ve kept our eyes peeled at GDC 2022 for some of the best upcoming multiplayer games. Here’s what we found, and what we recommend keeping tabs on.
Cover image source: https://www.begonebeast.com/
That’s a wrap for GDC 2022. For the first time in 2 years, developers and creators from all around have finally been able to meet again. And although it was a tad quieter this year (obviously for good reason), it definitely wasn’t lacking in talent.
Despite what felt like an eternity, with lockdown after lockdown, it’s clear that developers have been keeping themselves busy. They wasted no time whipping up some innovative and creative games, and we’ve been spoiled with new upcoming titles this year. For those of you who didn’t get a chance to make it down, we’ve rounded up some of the top multiplayer games we spotted this year, which we reckon you should be keeping tabs on.
Think we missed someone worthy of this list? Ping us an email and we’ll consider featuring them.
Wow. What an awesome game. (And a brilliant pitch from the crew at Tandemi.)
Currently in early development, Begone Beast is a top-down hack’n’slash co-op game. And if we’re honest, it’s difficult to pin down just one thing we like about it. Aside from the mechanics and gameplay, which on their own can easily make the game stand out, we’re in love with the style and the theme of this title. They’ve managed to combine horror, cute, and eerie into one style, layering in adorable screams and well-designed enemies — without making it too intense.
From a multiplayer perspective, they’ve done a great job here, too. You can play with up to four friends. And with its fast-paced gameplay, it looks as though you’ll need to have a lot of clear communication and coordination with your friends to clear each level. But what stood out for us is they’ve managed to combine fast action gameplay with puzzles and strategy. We’re curious to see how this balances out.
Well deserved for winning the GDC pitch on day two. Definitely worth a follow. We can’t wait to see how this game progresses.
This game definitely caught our attention during the week. Another title featured at GDC Play (where developers pitch their games). This game is a multiplayer city builder, supported by an intense and rich storyline.
What stood out to us is how many elements can affect your gameplay. The overall outcome of the game is affected by your choices. But Zugalu has purposely combined tricky crises with real-time combat (either with your friends or bots), making this an interesting and fresh multiplayer strategy game.
It’s currently in early access, so we’d recommend giving it a go. And if you’re interested in how they’re making this game, they regularly share videos and host webinars, where you ask the crew live Q&As around the game.
We nearly overlooked this game, but boy are we glad we didn’t. Having released in late 2021, Unsighted is a top-down action RPG, which brings to life a rich story of a post-war world. And we can’t help but feel nostalgic. Studio Pixel Punk has opted for a dark but unique pixel art style, which reminds us of all of our favourite titles from the earlier gaming days.
But what really grabbed our attention was the gameplay. At first glance, we thought of Unsighted to be the typical linear action RPG which we’re all familiar with. But the crew at Studio Pixel Punk have actually layered on additional challenges, local multiplayer options, and dungeon raids, which gives a whole new level of life and replayability.
Unsighted was a finalist for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at GDC. Big congratulations to the team, we can’t wait to see where you take the game.
We must confess, we’re already familiar with this game, and Valheim is arguably one of our favourite titles. Its early access hit the stores in February 2021, and aside from some obvious kinks and bugs, it’s taken the market by storm. Iron Gate VB has combined action, building and crafting, adventure and story, all mixed together with a nordic theme and mythology.
Valheim easily snapped up the Debut winner for the Game Developers Choice Awards. And considering it’s still in early access and already a major hit, we can’t wait to see what updates and changes they’ll roll out next. We strongly recommend trying the game out, as well as putting this game on your watchlist.
Admittedly, we only recently stumbled across Mutant Football League at GDC this year. It was previously a winner of the Best in Play for GDC in 2018 (rightfully so). And despite it already being fully launched, we felt as though it deserved a spot on our list.
The main thing we can really say is that it’s not a game for the faint hearted. Mutant Football League brings together raw, unfiltered gore with traditional American Football to create what we can describe as an hysterical, yet intense, multiplayer experience. But Digital Dreams Entertainment has done good work to make sure it doesn’t distract away from the gameplay. If you haven’t done so already, we’d recommend you give this one a whirl.
We love multiplayer games. It’s why we built Gameye — so we can help developers give their players the best multiplayer sessions possible. So if you fancy learning a bit more about what we do, while geeking out about some of these games, then hit us up. We’d love to have a catch up.
