Gaming
Games
5 PS4 games you need at your next party
Pull people out of the kitchen at your next party by sitting them down in front of these hits.
While a lot of multiplayer gaming is done online nowadays, you’d be really missing out if you weren’t paying attention to some of the best PS4 party games. There is actually a surprisingly long list of potential choices here, but we’ve decided to try and cut it down for you, just to give you the cream of the crop, as it were. So, if you’re planning on having a get together anytime soon, here is our list of the best PS4 party games.
Now, obviously, some of these will be more suited to you depending on how many people are coming, how into games they are, and also how many drinks you’ll be having, but they’re all great games in their own right anyway. It’s worth mentioning that there are a lot more than just these to go on, and it’d be a crime not to mention games like Starwhal and Nidhogg. Still, these are the five that have the most chaotic energy, while also offering a variety of gameplay experiences.
Crawl
Crawl offers roguelike gameplay with competitive multiplayer
© Powerhoof
Crawl might be the least well-known on this list, and that’s probably in part because it has a steeper learning curve than the others. It plays a bit like a digital version of Munchkin, a group of four people try and hit level ten before defeating a boss to win. The catch here is that there can only be one hero at a time; the rest of the players will be controlling a variety of traps, monsters, and even the bosses themselves to try and take back their life.
You see, while only one person can be alive at a time, if you can kill that person off, then you’ll be resurrected. This leads to a constant state of tension while playing, and it’s unlike any other party game around. It’s also got a wonderfully dark feel and some very pretty pixel art. Oh, and the soundtrack is amazing. Crawl isn’t a game for everyone, but if you can get a group of people who love constantly one-upping each other, then this is the game for them.
Jackbox Party Pack 5
Every Jackbox Party Pack is stuffed full of silly party games
© Jackbox Games
If you’ve ever played Quiplash, then you’re already familiar with the works of Jackbox. Honestly, fans could argue for decades about which of the packs is the best, but there is something to love in all of them. Jackbox Party Pack 5 contains a game where robots fight in rap battles, and that’s the reason it’s the pick here.
You’ve got a trivia game in You Don’t Know Jack, a game all about making weird decisions with Split the Room, an actual video game with Zeeple Dome, and then the two standout titles; Mad Verse City and Patently Stupid. Mad Verse City is the aforementioned robot rap game, where a robotic voice reads out your sweet rhymes. Patently Stupid has you designing products and giving presentations to try and sell them. It’s a great collection on the whole, but these two really elevate it above and beyond.
TowerFall Ascension
Towerfall is the Robin Hood battle royale game you didn't know you needed
© towerfall-ascension
Some games mark themselves as truly special as soon as you pick them up. TowerFall Ascension is one of those games. It’s a perfect mix of easy-to-learn controls, hard-to-master strategies, and incredibly fast-paced gameplay. Each match has you facing off against your friends with each of you equipped with a bow and limited arrows.
The thing that makes TowerFall one of the best PS4 party games is the constant scramble to pick up new items or to recover a missed shot and replenish your own ammo. It’s got this amazing tug of war feel to it, and every match is different thanks to a variety of power-ups and unique level designs. Plus, you can even add modifiers to make it even sillier, like turning people invisible, or causing players to die if they try and fire with an empty quiver. It’s just excellent, and it has a co-op mode too, just in case you feel like being nice.
Gang Beasts
Gang Beasts
© Double Fine
If you learned how to design games, but were also an agent of pure chaos, then Gang Beasts is what you’d come up with. In it, players face-off against each other in brutal fights to the death. Your aim is to throw opponents into the sea, under cars, or into meat grinders. All of that sounds brutal, but it’s all done using playdough-like characters who all struggle to coordinate themselves. It’s a bit like getting the clumsiest person you know to do ballet, hauntingly beautiful in its peculiarity.
This is mostly down to the controls; each arm is controlled with a different button, which makes every action you perform a test of skill, but also luck. You might be trying to grab onto an enemy and hoist them into the air, but if you’ve not headbutted them to stun them first, then it’s likely that you’ll both be taking a tumble out of the level. There’s also the fact that you can master the controls in a way that lets you climb away from danger, just don’t expect to ever really be safe though. It’s pure chaos in game form, and that’s what makes it one of the best PS4 party games.
Overcooked 2
Too many cooks may spoil broth, but additional players elevate Overcooked 2
© Team 17
While every other game on this list is competitive, Overcooked 2 is all about working together. You and three of your friends will have to work together in an increasingly hostile environment, all with the aim of making good food, and keeping people happy. If you were to try and combine Takeshi’s Castle and Hell’s Kitchen, this is basically what you’d get.
As a team, you’ll have to keep an eye on different ingredients, different cooking stations, and hazards like cars, lava, and hot air balloons. Overcooked 2 builds on everything the original game did so well, but there’s just more of it. There’s also a heap of DLC to get your hands on to keep the game going even longer. Just be prepared to shout at your friends and family, kitchen work is stressful, and this game really proves that.
