Video games are best enjoyed with friends. Together you can finish tough quests, claim the loot and pummel dangerous enemies.
As sweet and jubilant as gaming victories can be, playing with friends makes failing all the more bitter and fraught with the tendencies to want to shout at your partners. Here we take a look at a list of the top Xbox One games that are likely to make even the strongest of friendships feel some strain.
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Borderlands 2
- Overcooked
- Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
- Mortal Kombat
- Payday 2
- Battleblock Theatre
Left 4 Dead 2
While Left 4 Dead can be played as a single-player game, it's in its multiplayer that it really becomes an experience. As each level progresses and the scenarios change for each, the players will have to manage wave upon wave of zombies, covering their own and each other's backs in order to get to the safe room. However, there are lots of hazards along the way, from mutants, witches and even car alarms that will trip you up and attempt to stall you so you can be overcome.
Left for Dead becomes a firefight for survival with finite healing resources that your teammates could share with you, but might not, which in turn makes you hoard your healing stash. Quietly rushing through the sugar mills, desperately trying not to alert the wailing witch who will claw your eyes out if you get too close, your teammate decides to shoot her with one bullet and she comes for you, while the rest rush on ahead and you lie bleeding out on the floor. Thanks "mate." Other modes let you switch it up and become a mutant zombie, attacking the survivors, allowing you to unleash hell upon them in retaliation. Ah, sweet revenge. Left 4 Dead 2 is available on Xbox One Backward Compatibility for $4.99!
Borderlands 2
As well as being awesome to look at, Borderlands 2 is great fun to play with other people. This bright and hilarious loot shooter with a whopping 17.75 million unique guns to use sees you teaming up with friends to help tackle the questlines and earn lots of lovely loot.
However, like with many games on this list, the slightest slip in concentration could see it all go pear shaped before long. The "Second Wind" mechanic gives the player a short window of time after their health and shields have been depleted in which to get a kill before they respawn, like the last chance self-revive. This mechanic isn't so great when your kill is stolen from you at the last moment by someone who wasn't paying attention to you or their wider surroundings. Rather than coming to your aid and reviving you, they've just taken the only thing that was saving you respawn costs and time for the sake of their own killstreak. Sigh.
Or imagine, you've just spent eight of your last Eridium to pay to get into the Terramorphus Raid boss — a boss so tough he's practically invincible — in order to get his ridiculously rare loot drops. You've been trying and trying and it finally drops after countless hours. You run over and just as you're about to pick it up, your friend grabs it. If you see it and can get to it first, it's yours. You could duel for it, but your opponent doesn't have to accept. Borderlands 2 can be bought on Xbox One as part of the Borderlands: Handsome Collection for $59.99.
Overcooked
How can a game about cooking food make anyone mad? The cute and lovable kitchen citizens in Overcooked are bustling around under your command, chopping, frying and serving up a storm to hungry customers. The only downside is the kitchen is obstacle-laden, from crazy layout designs to everything being inconveniently far away from each other. Overcooked becomes a culinary cacophony of shouting commands for more lettuce to be chopped, and catching the fish from the stove before it catches fire, all within a time limit. In an attempt to get as many courses served as quickly as possible, players must work together utilizing the space and being as efficient possible.
Overcooked supports up to four local players, and the simple controls mean two players can share a controller, which can become a tug-of-war while you're manically dancing around on the spot not knowing which way to turn. The slightest moments of hesitation can see a successful kitchen burn to the ground, just like your friendship. Overcooked is available on Xbox One for $16.99.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Deep in space is a little spaceship. You and your love (or your player two) are in charge of steering this ship through the hazards of space together. With more jobs than spare hands, you'll be bustling around inside spaceships with varying internal designs, making you plan your path ahead in advance to get to the station you need. One of you might work the shields while the other shoots the cannon, but who will steer you out of the way of oncoming dangers? Local co-op play works well for communication needs, but this bright and beautiful indie packs a surprising bite that may have you squabbling in your loveship. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is available on Xbox One for $14.99.
Mortal Kombat XL
Fighting games are tricky. You're either really good or really bad at them, so it comes as no surprise that some might harbor some ill feelings towards one of the most famous fighting game franchises of all time: Mortal Kombat. Regardless of which side of the fence you're on, you're likely to experience some snarky comments and frustrated words.
Everyone hates a button-basher, and the sting of being beaten is worsened when your victor had no idea what they were doing or repeatedly used the same moves. On the other hand, there is little fun in being repeatedly beaten, especially when they're pulling off sick Fatalities (that you don't know how to do) just to rub it in. Mortal Kombat is great when you're evenly matched against your opponent, but victory doesn't taste so sweet when your opponent isn't as good as you and can't keep the pace. Mortal Kombat is available on Xbox One for $39.99.
Payday 2
Payday 2 is all about planning and carrying out a heist with your friends for huge rewards. Each team member has their own unique job to do, but while the timer ticks, someone is likely to be caught, which will alert the police. With seven levels of difficulty, Payday 2 offers lots of gameplay variety from fairly simple, to controller-breakingly frustrating. At the highest difficulty, the rewards will be higher. But with so much to lose, you'll be cursing the one who got you all caught. Payday 2 is available on Xbox One for $49.99.
Battleblock Theater
This ingenious indie platformer can be played singly, or with friends. The single-player mode has you platforming levels alone. The multiplayer mode is more of the same, but much harder. Battleblock is a scrappy platformer, full of hazards to traverse and things to collect. With friends, the fun is extended while the pair of you must work together to make your way through the levels. Stepping on switches will open paths for the other player, but don't expect happy handholding playtime. Stepping off the button, the platform they had summoned to help you vanishes in midair, leaving you to fall into the water below and drown. Communication is key, so unless you have a headset connected, you'll curse the other player blind for being such an ass. Battleblock Theater is available on Xbox One Backward Compatibility for $3.74.
Your thoughts
What games have you played that caused a rift between you and your buddies? Let us know in the comments.