Offline Multiplayer in Games

[derek.haines]

Does offline multiplayer (co-op, splitscreen, ect.) still have a place in a gaming world that's become increasingly dominated by a populous demanding online gameplay?

I know I still love offline gameplay, because sometimes I want to have a person sitting right there besides me, and I hate that it's getting the shaft in favor of online multiplayer. I think both can coexist peacefully in the same game. Truthfully, it's getting to the point where offline co-op is becoming a deciding factor in my purchase of a game (I ALMOST bought Haze because of it, and that game simply wasn't good). I want to sit next to my girlfriend when I play games with her, not send her into another room with another TV and console so we can play together.

 

[IWontGetOverTheDam]

It really depends on the genre of the game. A game like a fighting game, which usually don't work well online, is usually strictly in person, while the FPS genre thrives off of online capabilities.

 

[Symphony X]

Online multiplayer is dominating so much so that a lot of games are being made with only the ability to be played online.

I love online multiplayer, but I don't think offline should be cut out.
I enjoy knowing who I'm playing much more.

 

[Cashed]

It was more of a problem at the beginning of this generation, whereas now developers have realized "Oh, you guys want online multiplayer AND offline multiplayer? Our bad!".

 

[Firus]

I'm with you, derek. It's ridiculous, why should you have to play online and ONLY online? Take Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, for example. It only has online multiplayer. I've wanted to play against my friends multiple times in the game, and it can only happen when we play online. Why should we have to go online to play with our friends? At least allow you to play online with your friends, if they're too lazy to include a separate mode. I guess it's the price you have to pay for decent online on the Wii, but I know it happens on other consoles too, I've just not played other games like that. I'd prefer offline only than online only.

 

[Mr.GAW]

Games need to have splitscreen online as well. Even though I'm not a huge fan of COD4, my buddies are, and we can't play online when they come to hang out, because we only have two t.v.'s, and they don't all want to bring their boxes.

Halo 3 got that right. I'll sacrifice my full screen if it means I can actually chill with my friends in person when we play games.

 

[Qzzy]

Omg, Yes! They need more off line co op games.

If you want to play with your girlfriend, I highly suggest Kirby Super Star. Great game. I've noticed a lot of girls like kirby. But Kirby Superstar is awesome for everyone. It's just fun. Interesting challenge the first play through getting a hundred percent, but not difficult. Great replay value though, going for better times or using different powers. Best Boss Rush Mode ever too. They're coming out with a DS remake soon if you not into playing the game on roms.

If she's more of a competent gamer, i suggest Gunstar Heroes, for the genesis. Great run and gun shooter. Adjustable difficulty from really really easy, to way hard. Going with two player i think makes it a little harder at first, since you might not be used to the fact that you can throw each other, sometimes into very bad situations. Also weapons are a considerably weaker to balance things out.. You can get this online for the Wii, if again you disapprove of roms.

Lego star wars looks like a fun. I played a demo and would have bought it, but had no one to play with at the time. Would buy it now, but i learned Lego Batman is coming out soon. Pretty simple games, but it's Legos!

Mario Kart 64 you can play co op against computers and collect the trophies. For some stupid reason, they took offline co-op for Mario Kart Wii. You can still do 2 players on the same wii online, but it's not as fun i think.

Mario strikers is great too, with more a learning curve than i expected. Not hard, i was just disappointed originally since i was looking for a party game. really hard co-op. At least for me. v_v

And while not simultaneous co-op, you can't forget about Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Those games are always great playing with other people, cheering them on when they're in difficult situations, or making fun of them when they screw up. Those games are great. You can get mario bros. 3 on the wii. Not sure about super mario world, but I'm pretty sure it's on the wii too.

I guess i should mention x-men legends 1 and 2. They're good, but the boss battles are annoying. It best to do boss battles with one player. Regular game play is good though. There's also Marvel ultimate alliance, but that went felt slower or something. They took out a lot of option in the air. Feels more like generic beat-em up. Maybe it was just the wii version that i played. v_v

I never played it, but i hear Bubble Bobble (not Puzzle Bobble, though also a good game) is a good co-op game. Some of the gauntlet games too, along with guardian Heroes is supposed good too, but i've never played them.

I really hope you like some of my suggestions. Good luck.

 

[cheap_josh]

Does offline multiplayer (co-op, splitscreen, ect.) still have a place in a gaming world that's become increasingly dominated by a populous demanding online gameplay?

No. I'm mostly a PC and X360 gamer and some of the last few games I bought I was only interested in the online.
Unreal Tournament 3 - for the online
Orange Box - just for Team Fortress 2 online
Call of Duty 4 - I've never even played the single player

It's obvious I'm biased because of the games I play aren't for offline multiplay. But I still say online is important (which is why I'm super disappointed in Brawl). Offline multiplayer just doesn't do it for me. Why limit yourself to inside your house when you can be competitive (or not competitive, whatever floats your boat) online and against a whole bunch of people?

Offline multiplay is good for playing at parties/social gatherings but it's not like I'm doing that every day, all the time. I have a sibling and I don't really play multiplayer games with him at all. We play Brawl sometimes, but only for a few matches and we get bored.

I don't disapprove of offline multiplay in games, but they should have an online mode too.

 

[Engel]

Games need to have splitscreen online as well. Even though I'm not a huge fan of COD4, my buddies are, and we can't play online when they come to hang out, because we only have two t.v.'s, and they don't all want to bring their boxes.

Halo 3 got that right. I'll sacrifice my full screen if it means I can actually chill with my friends in person when we play games.

Hey, we actually agree on something >_<. Games should have both offline and online multiplayer and the possibility of splitscreen for the online part.

Bubble Bobble

That game was awesome on the NES.

 

[derek.haines]

I really hope you like some of my suggestions. Good luck.

We've beaten through Bubble Bobble and Mario Bros. 3 both on the NES and the VC dozens of times simply because we can play together. I'm totally picking up Kirby Super Star, because we both have DSs and we like to put them to good use (and I loved the game on the SNES). I played a couple rounds of LEGO Star Wars with a buddy of mine a couple years ago, and it was a fun time. Like Gears of War, it was designed with co-op play in mind and I loved it. I bought it just for that reason.

We're basically buying a PS3 and XBOX 360 for the co-op games. There are just very few on the Wii, and it frankly kinda sucks. Mario Galaxy's was tacked-on, but at least it gave us an excuse to play together. Since we've gotten a PS3, Resistance has become our little savior, providing hours of offline co-op action. When we pick up a 360, I've already got Gears of War waiting for me, and with the news that Fable will feature offline co-op, there should be alot of fun awaiting us.

I don't have a big TV in the least bit, but like many of you I'm totally willing to sacrifice to the split-screen gods for the ability to play with another real human being. Online play certainly has it's place, but there's really nothing like having a bunch of people over for a marathon fragfest in Halo, or (in times past) Goldeneye. I've heard some developers argue that offline multiplayer is too processor-intensive, and if that's the case then I'm fully prepared to sacrifice graphical complexity for the mere inclusion of the feature.

 

[XACE-K]

It really depends on the genre of the game. A game like a fighting game, which usually don't work well online, is usually strictly in person, while the FPS genre thrives off of online capabilities.

This is what my answer would be.

 

[K64]

Does offline multiplayer (co-op, splitscreen, ect.) still have a place in a gaming world that's become increasingly dominated by a populous demanding online gameplay?
I hope not, playing with my brother brings laughter. When teamed up online it's not da same.

 

[digitalmaster287]

Yeah, I really hate it when games have online but not offline multiplayer. It just seems like a scam by the developers becasue offline multiplayer requires only one copy of the game when online needs multiple. That's why I like the Nintendo party games, because they ALL have offline multiplayer and my friends and I usually get together to play video games once a month or so.

 

[gocubs12345]

Offline Multiplayer will always be better and funner for some friends. But if online really is the moneymaker and a big deal, Games should have the option of multiple users online on the same console at once like Halo 3. If you don't have offline multiplayer at least give us online same console multiplayer.

 

[Sad Panda323]

I don't have a big TV in the least bit, but like many of you I'm totally willing to sacrifice to the split-screen gods for the ability to play with another real human being.

This remind s of a time when Halo 3 first came out, and I wanted to play co-op with a friend, but he wouldn't let me because he didn't want to play split-screen.

Not surprisingly, this is also the same friend that blows me off quite frequently to play WoW.

 

[/\/\/-\77]

I've had a lot of problems wit that too. I purchased san Xbox 360 because I liked a lot of the games and a lot of them that even only say co-op, the co-op is only online, games such as crackdown and...something else that I bought and can't think of what it was.

Plus they focus games too much on it. Like, it will be this tiny game just because it has wicked awesome online and then you can't play online (such as myself) and then you're stck with this game that isn't even fun.

 

[derek.haines]

I've had a lot of problems wit that too. I purchased san Xbox 360 because I liked a lot of the games and a lot of them that even only say co-op, the co-op is only online, games such as crackdown and...something else that I bought and can't think of what it was.

Plus they focus games too much on it. Like, it will be this tiny game just because it has wicked awesome online and then you can't play online (such as myself) and then you're stck with this game that isn't even fun.

I've read reviews for literally dozens of games that have all said just that: "The single-player mode kinda sucks, but the online multiplayer makes up for it." Then the game is given a decent score like the inclusion of online is some kind of a free pass for laziness. I don't need to play every game I buy with a 1000 of my not-so-closest friends. It's one thing to give an already great game a multiplayer component. GTA IV is the perfect example: This game can be played for hundreds of hours BY YOURSELF--the multiplayer is just icing on the cake. If it wasn't there, it wouldn't have ruined the experience at all. On the other hand, a game like Battlefield Bad Company wouldn't have even been half the game it was without multiplayer.