While PlayStation 5 single-player games are not entirely dying, just look at PlayStation’s first-party games, multiplayer games are the most sought after. It adds a social aspect to gaming that makes it eternal. And, honestly, the smartest developers out there can’t make an AI opponent which compares to playing against other humans ( for now! ).
Below are the best PlayStation 5 multiplayer games across different genres, online-only or couch multiplayer: as long as the games make you interact with another human player, it is part of this list.
1. Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter which is akin to an MMORPG-lite than the usual FPS multiplayer games out there. It also has this addictive gameplay of looting. This game emphasizes team-based gameplay and social interaction with other players in reaching objectives. This game also has the best gunplay for a multiplayer shooter.
In Destiny 2, you can choose among three classes: Hunter, Titan, or Warlock. Each of these three classes provides a unique set of movement and combat abilities.
Just like an MMORPG, you go about however you like. You can follow the story content or fight your way in multiplayer. Whatever progress you have, it will carry on wherever you are playing.
As of this writing, Destiny 2 has evolved into an entirely different game as compared to its release back in 2017, so be wary of the reviews you may stumble upon, as a lot of things improved from gunplay to balance since its launch. There is also new content like a focus on PVE and Crucible. There are also modes that are new to the Destiny franchise including a season pass.
2. Call of Duty: Warzone 2
Battle Royale games have dropped in recent years in all flavors. From the slow, methodical purveyor of the genre in PUBG: Battlegrounds to twitchy high-movement hero-shooter in Apex Legends, Battle Royale games have never been this alive. Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is the middle of everything, it is grounded enough not to feature flying/teleporting enemies around, while not being a harrowing timesink by being “arcadey”.
The gunfights have been some of the most contentious issues thus far. The multiplayer experience in Modern Warfare 2 offers a very short time to kill (TTK), which radically affects the tempo of the game. The TTK is still incredibly swift, notably faster than previous iterations, and this might work in your favor if you have a decent high-ground site camping out in an open area, but gun fights are short and anyone’s game.
If you’ve played Warzone 1, you’ll know what to expect in terms of gameplay. Call of Duty, in fact, continues to provide the best first-person experience in the game business. The gameplay here will always be unique, and the addition of new moves such as the ability to execute Dolphin Dive and climb walls added an aesthetic touch to the game while also increasing its fun.
Vehicle handling has improved over Warzone 1, with each car having its own heaviness and making you feel like you’re driving a vehicle. Furthermore, fuel does not stay with you forever, and it depletes steadily as you drive. Players can also destroy car pieces that require repair, which provides some realism.
3. Fortnite
It is really hard to reduce Fortnite into words regarding its current state since it changes a lot of times and is always in a significant manner.
Whatever is written about Fortnite today will be obsolete as soon as an update hits. This cartoony Battle Royale has so many crossovers NBA superstars and fictional characters like Darth Vader share the same universe.
4. Apex Legends
Apex Legends is a Battle Royale game that may be played in three-player squads, duos, or solos. The game’s mechanics are extremely slick, and the gunplay is extremely pleasant and rewarding.
The game includes a large range of weapons and attachments that may be utilized to tailor your loadout to your preferences.
The characters, or “Legends,” as they are referred to in the game, have distinct talents and skills that can be employed to improve team play. Each character has its own set of powers and playstyles, and the game encourages player cooperation and teamwork.
Apex Legends has fantastic graphics. The texturing, lighting, and color palette create a lovely environment that immerses players in the all-out battle royal among a number of teams. The characters’ (read: Legends) design is also fabolous.
5. Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 received backlash for reducing the number of players from 6 versus 6 to 5 versus 5 for balance purposes. Regardless if such reasoning holds water or not, Overwatch is still a team-based hero-shooter that is worth playing.
Overwatch was worth its price tag when it had a price tag in 2016. Now that it is free-to-play, an influx of new players should be a welcome addition to one of the best multiplayer games on the PS5.
6. Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 is on this list because no multiplayer racing game comes close to it in terms of getting the best out of the PlayStation 5 hardware. And by hardware, that means the DualSense controller. The day/night cycle, as well as dynamic weather, all have an impact on how cars handle and drive. Because of the cooler temperatures of the road and so on, the cars behave differently at night. The perception of speed appeared to have improved as well.
As to its multiplayer component, most modern video games have multiplayer functionality from the start, with players simply selecting the option from the main menu.
Gran Turismo 7 takes a novel approach, requiring players to accomplish a series of objectives before they can enjoy the game’s local and online multiplayer activities. Think of it as the license portion of Driver in PlayStation One but way less agonizing.
7. NBA 2K23
NBA Live is dead, long live the 2K series. It is amazing how NBA 2K became the de facto NBA game when for a long stretch of time, NBA Live had it all.
Microtransactions aside, there has never been a basketball game that is as good as NBA 2K23. If you just want to play ball casually with other people playing as actual NBA teams, current or historic, then NBA 2K23 is for you.
However, if you want to be the best of the best as your avatar, you have to pay for it. The horrendous Virtual Currency-based player progression is just not worth it.
8. Rainbow Six: Siege
This game has been amazing across the seven years of its existence, from the tactical gameplay to the distinctive operators based on real-life events and tactical units like the 707th SMB or the GIGN. The developers have paid attention to minute aspects, which is quite remarkable.
This first-person teamwork-based shooter relies entirely on player skill, team play, and auditory cues. It’s a breath of new air in the oversaturated shooter industry, where everyone is shooting for individual accolades. It is okay to die in Rainbow Six: Siege as the kill-death ratio is not important. However, there is a learning curve and the community is rather harsh to beginners.
9. Rocket League
What keeps millions of players returning after all these years to this soccer-cum-destruction derby? It’s not difficult to figure out. Rocket League is relatively simple to learn but has a high skill ceiling.
You don’t have to spend more than a few minutes of your day having fun, though it might be tough to stop. It’s loud and amusing, wild and ridiculous—yet it rewards exact play and practice and gives top-skilled players incredible opportunities.
Rocket League’s allure hasn’t waned for many of those players. Rocket League cannot be beaten or even mastered. It grows and scales with your ability, keeping you entertained whether you are a veteran or a fresh-faced newbie.
10. Madden NFL 23
Just like NBA 2K23, Madden NFL 23 has no competition. There is nothing in the market that makes an NFL game due to an exclusive licensing agreement with EA.
Madden NFL 23 is best played in franchise mode. Yet every American football fan out there will always want to play with friends or strangers over multiplayer sessions. And Madden NFL 23 does this job well because of its yearly gameplay tweaks. Also, Madden strives to deliver new animations every year, but this time EA Tiburon went all out.
EA introduced a series of new, realistic animations to the game with its new FieldSENSE technology to make it feel more natural. A new 360-degree cut feature on the pitch allows players to place their foot on the ground and instantly change directions at any time.
Madden NFL 23 also brings back tackle battles, which let players press buttons to try to fight for extra yards at the risk of fumbling. There are also many new celebrations, such as the popular Griddy dance.
11. Dead by Daylight
Tired of all these sports and sports-like games? Had enough of these Battle Royales and shooters? Here comes Dead by Daylight a first-person asymmetrical multiplayer which is based on slasher films.
It’s unique premise – a multiplayer horror game in which one person plays a serial killer stalking, slashing, and attempting to capture a team of four survivors before they can complete tasks and escape – has been imitated but never excelled.
Intricate yet intuitive checks and balances, as well as well-constructed characters, produce a rising back-and-forth that naturally recreates a horror film’s tense storyline, often ending in close calls. This is basically Among Us on steroids, but that is a reductive view. And surprise, it’s Among Us next.
12. Among Us
Among Us is a social deduction game that is simplistic when you look glance at it, but it is actually as complex as it is enjoyable. This game is infamous for ending friendships all over the world.
Well, multiplayer games are supposed to be fun with friends, but the crux of the game is betraying them. Hence, you have to sacrifice your friendship in order to get out ahead of the game.
13. FIFA 23
FIFA 23 is the soccer supreme of video games. Although it can be argued that Football Manager games are better games, those games are not made for multiplayer sessions. FIFA 23 is for those gamers who want to play soccer (or football) with friends locally or online.
FIFA 23’s gameplay is the main attraction, and it’s the most fun core gameplay of a FIFA game in a long time. The addition of an improved HyperMotion engine, which was first launched last year, increases player motion, giving several of them distinct feels and movement.
14. Final Fantasy XIV
If you are tired of realistic violence or hypermasculinity with all these sports games, be a real nerd and play Final Fantasy XIV. This MMORPG is known to have great storylines and its community is one of the most friendly out there. MMORPGs and to a larger degree, the video games community, are notorious for being toxic.
Final Fantasy XIV is the best MMORPG right now. Nothing comes close to its scope and core gameplay. Music, art direction, and UI / controls are all tight. And in 2010 when it first launched it was one of the worst games of all time.
15. GTA Online
GTA V as a single-player experience is divine. Now, its multiplayer aspect? It is actually better than anyone would have thought.
GTA Online is likewise a worthwhile game to play, with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The option to acquire properties, and businesses, compete and/or cooperate with other players adds to the immersion of the game and gives the impression that you are maturing with your character.
You will witness your character develop from a petty crook doing minor jobs for Lamar and Gerald to a successful criminal mastermind. While this type of gameplay is enjoyable, moving through the rankings is challenging and time-consuming. This is especially true for people who are full-time students, employees or do actually have lives due to time constraints.
If you’re short on time and just getting started with GTA Online, but you still want to have fun, just purchase the Criminal Mastermind Pack to get ahead. You have to spend money to have money.
