Since we’ve started social distancing due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s been harder to maintain some friendships and talk about anything that isn’t related to the coronavirus. Playing games with friends online is a great way to keep in touch, have fun, and pass some time. There are hundreds of online games to choose from to play together, from typical party games, to more “intense” games, to laidback games that don’t fit typical “party games,” to more strategic games. While not all of these games have in-game voice chats, many players use Discord or other alternative text and voice programs to chat while playing. Playing video games online with friends is also a great distraction from the news cycle and gives a clear topic to talk about: the game itself.
There’s so many games to choose from, so I’ve created a list of some games with great reviews or that I’ve had personal experience and enjoyed, and divided them by genre, as a starting point. A majority of these games are available on Steam, a video game digital distribution service by Valve, but may also be available on other distribution platforms or consoles.
Group or “Party” Games
Jackbox Party Pack Series
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Fire TV, Apple TV
Number of Players: up to 8 players, even more audience members
Price: $24.99-$29.99
There’s six total Jackbox Party Packs, all available on just about any platform. Each Jackbox Party Pack has several games inside the pack and your phone is the controller! Only one person needs to buy the game and have a stable enough internet connection to screen share to friends over Zoom, Discord, or other video service platform. My personal favorite pack is Jackbox Party Pack 4 which comes with the games Fibbage 3, Survive the Internet, Monster Seeking Monster, Bracketeering, and Civic Doodle. My favorite game of the pack is Fibbage 3, where you fool your friends with lies made to seem like “truths.” There’s also a game mode called “Fibbage: Enough About You” where you complete odd facts about friends playing. You can see more about Jackbox Party Pack 4 here and explore the other Jackbox games here.
Tabletop Simulator
Platform: Steam – PC, Mac, Linux (VR Support for Oculus Rift & HTC Vive)
Number of Players: varies
Price: $19.99
Tabletop Simulator is a physics sandbox game with just you, your friends, and unlimited possibilities. Tabletop Simulator has partnered with developers and publishers to bring their games into Tabletop Simulator as paid DLC (downloadable content). Through the Steam Workshop (a section on Steam where anyone can upload their own creations), there are thousands more games to choose from (for free!) like Uno, Life, Monopoly, or Cards Against Humanity. There’s also Tabletop Mini Golf, Tabletop Pool, Eels and Escalators from Spongebob, Candyland, Secret Hitler, and so many more options. If you’re looking for hours of fun with friends, Tabletop Simulator will absolutely deliver. You can find Tabletop Simulator on Steam here.
“Chill” Games
Stardew Valley
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Switch, Wii U
Number of Players: 2-4 players
Price: $14.99
Stardew Valley is a charming pixel-graphics farming simulator and has a multiplayer mode to let you have up to three friends play with you! The game begins with the player character inheriting their grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley, just outside of Pelican Town. As the game progresses, you can unlock more areas, tools, animals, and more. You can build relationships with the townspeople, tend to your livestock, harvest crops, fish, mine, and so much more. Players decide whether to restore the old community center or side with JojaMart, which would replace the community center with a Joja Warehouse. I’ve sunk hours into Stardew Valley with both friends from home and college. You can find Stardew Valley on Steam here.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Platform: Switch
Number of Players: up to 8 players
Price: $59.99
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released on March 20, but already shows great multiplayer functions for keeping in touch. The game is set up as a deserted island getaway package and drops you on a “formerly deserted island” that now has a population of you, two animal villagers, and, of course, Tom Nook and his two sons, Timmy and Tommy. The game is in real time, so the in-game days match up with the time on your system. There are plenty of daily tasks, dubbed Nook Miles, to do at either a leisurely pace or grind out with friends. Additionally, you and your friends can visit each others’ islands (since you can’t go to each other’s houses in real life)! I’ve already clocked a few hours talking to friends on discord while exploring their islands and I can see this game staying in my rotation for a while. You can find Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo’s website here.
Strategy & Puzzle Games
Sid Meier’s Civilization V
Platform: Steam – PC, Mac
Number of Players: Up to 8 players
Price: $29.99
Sid Meier’s Civilization V, commonly referred to as “Civ V,” is a turn-based strategy game where each player is a country and the goal is to claim victory in one of many ways. The victories are as follows: domination, science, cultural, diplomatic, and time. There are several countries to choose from and each one has different perks and unique units. There are also DLC packs that add more mechanics, countries, and maps to the game. I’ve spent countless nights over the summer and breaks playing Civ with friends from home to keep in touch. What’s great about Civ is that while you do have to strategize, it’s not too mentally taxing that you can’t talk to each other. You can find Sid Meier’s Civilization V on Steam here.
Portal 2
Platform: Steam – PC, Mac
Number of Players: 2 players
Price: $9.99
Portal 2 is a platformer puzzle game with both a single-player and a co-op mode; we’ll be focusing on the co-op mode but, for what it’s worth, the single-player campaign is well worth checking out. The co-op mode follows two robots tasked with completing the game’s “test chambers.” The main feature of the game is the “portal gun” which sets down two portals which you can pass through freely. To quote the game’s description: “Success will require [the players] to not just act cooperatively, but to think cooperatively.” I played through the entire co-op campaign with one of my best friends in three nights and had a lot of fun. Portal 2 is especially good for taking your mind off the newscycle, or anything really, since you have to communicate and work together to solve the puzzles. You can find Portal 2 on Steam here.
Action Games
Grand Theft Auto V/Online
Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Number of Players: up to 30 per server
Price: $29.99
Grand Theft Auto V has an additional online component to the single-player campaign. GTA Online is an online multiplayer action-adventure game set in Los Santos and Blaine County. Online gameplay in GTA is a shared, sandbox experience and you can do pretty much whatever you want. As you gain more money, you can purchase better cars, penthouses, guns, clothes, and clubs. You can group up with friends to complete heists, freemode events, and check out the free content updates that Rockstar puts out. I’ve played several hours with friends and it’s extremely entertaining to race each other, sneak into the military base to steal planes, go on heists together, or mess around on a friend’s yacht while just talking to each other. You can find GTA V here.
Team Fortress 2
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, PS3, Xbox 360
Number of Players: up to 16 on a casual team
Price: Free to play
Team Fortress 2 is Valve’s class-based first-person shooter where you can choose between 9 distinct classes, each with their own unique abilities and personalities. The game is constantly updated with new game modes, maps, equipment, and cosmetics. The game pits two teams, red and blue, against each other. There are several game modes including control point, payload, and capture the flag, as well as competitive and casual modes. I’ve clocked countless hours playing with friends, especially when I’m burnt out from playing Overwatch, which a somewhat similar first-person shooter. You can find Team Fortress 2 on Steam here.
