Asymmetrical multiplayer games are where two teams or groups of players experience the same game but with different gameplay mechanics. A stellar example is the Left 4 Dead 2: Versus Mode, which, although dated by today's standard, was one of the most popular examples of this type of game. Half play as zombies, the other half as survivors.
RELATED: Best RPGs Where You Can Be Evil
Since the early days of asymmetrical co-op and multiplayer, the genre has steadily chugged away in the background, with loads of newer games establishing themselves as big hitters in the genre. Here are some of our favorite asymmetrical multiplayer games to play in 2021.
Left 4 Dead 2 Versus Mode
With the release of Back 4 Blood later this year, you might want to return to the classic co-op experience of Left 4 Dead 2, which has sort of been stewing away in the background with continued mod support while players wait desperately for the next big zombie co-op shooter.
Two teams of four play as either survivors or zombies, with the zombie players taking control of some of Left 4 Dead's most iconic creations, like the Boomer. Everyone always wanted to play as the zombies, though, which is something you might start to see as a trend on this list.
Hidden In Plain Sight
Another dated classic, Hidden In Plain Sight is one of the most enjoyable couch co-op games out there, although it can be a bit hard to come by these days. Originally released on the Xbox 360, it was ported over to the Xbox One, but that's where the console support ended.
These days it's more available on Steam, although there are very few players. It's the sort of game you might need to get a gang together to play. The premise is simple: players control a character in a group of NPCs and try to complete tasks, while another set of players tries to spot the real players and take them down. Simple, honest goodness.
Aliens Vs. Predator
2010's Alien Vs. Predator was developed by Rebellion, a studio that diehard fans of the Aliens universe have credited with creating one of the most refined Aliens experiences yet.
Still popular in 2021 (the game has 100+ Overwhelmingly Positive Reviews on Steam this year), the versus mode in Aliens Vs. Predator is intense and addictive. No matter whether you play as an Alien or Predator, you're going to be terrified. Don't even mention the Marines. It's pitch-black most of the time. They're coming outta the goddamn walls! A great game to check out if you can get some friends together.
RELATED: Best Free Multiplayer Games For RPG Fans
Friday The 13th: The Game
Friday The 13th was once a very enjoyable asymmetrical multiplayer game. Based on the horror franchise, the game takes place with some survivors, and a player taking on the role of Jason Vorhees. Recently, though, things have gone a little downhill.
The developer servers have been dropped, which means anything left is usually a modded server, a recipe for disaster. All the original horror thrills of the game are somewhat ruined if your character has Thomas The Tank Engine for a head. If you can get a group of players together, it's still worth your time, but if not, best to stick to another game on this list.
Secret Neighbor: Hello Neighbor
Among Us, Secret Neighbor, Project Winter — these social deduction games can technically be classified as asymmetrical multiplayer games, as players do get to experience the game in different ways. While not as popular as Among Us, Secret Neighbor finds its way onto this list because it is a bit more intense. Like, actually pretty scary.
Again, the premise is pretty simple: six players try to rescue their friend from a locked basement, trying to avoid the Neighbor, who plays alongside them. Best played with a group of friends, this game will have you half-giggling half-screaming. Hello Neighbor 2 is supposedly out some time in 2021 and should have a multiplayer mode arriving, too.
Tick Tock: A Tale For Two
Developed by Other Tales Interactive, Tick Tock: A Tale For Two is a co-op asymmetrical puzzle game where two players need to work together to solve a variety of complex puzzles. It's cross-platform for Switch, mobile, and PC, so you can play wherever as long as you can talk.
It's a relatively short game, coming in at around 2 and a half hours, but for the price of just a fiver, it's definitely worth it if you're looking for a short and sweet puzzle game
Natural Selection 2
Released in 2012, Natural Selection 2 still has a small but active competitive player base, there are still servers running, and the developers even stop by every now and then. There have been over 350 updates and counting. Jeez, there was even a tournament hosted back in March. It's a classic asymmetrical multiplayer game, considered by its dedicated player base to be one of the best asymmetrical shooters ever made.
Two teams, one comprised of Aliens, the other of Humans. There is a great variety of different aliens you can play as, as well as some cool mechs for the humans. The mechanics also go way beyond other games of this genre, with a complex mix of RTS and FPS gameplay. There's a commander with a map overview and units (controlled by real players) that move around the map…it's complicated, intricate, and not exactly a casual experience.
RELATED: The Best Story-Driven Video Games
Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes
Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes from Steel Crate Games is still one of the most intense and enjoyable asymmetric co-op experiences out there. There's a bomb, you have to defuse it, but you don't know how. The only people that do can't see the bomb.
It's a fast-talking game that can quickly devolve into chaos. The so-called Experts, your mates, have the manual. They need to tell you what to do in a step-by-step process as quickly as they can, or the bomb explodes. An elegant game that is as fast-paced as it is loud.
We Were Here Together
This stripped-back asymmetrical experience is for two players only and plays out like a sort of advanced Escape Room. Some of the puzzles are extremely complicated, with one reviewer pointing out that they needed a real-life whiteboard to complete the game.
It's either a make or break for your friendship, too. Being able to essentially throw your puzzle-partner under a metaphorical bus makes for a fun, if occasionally frustrating, experience. Work together or you're just not going to get anywhere. We Were Here Together is tense, hilarious, and just a solid game to play with a mate.
Dead By Daylight
Dead By Daylight is easily the most popular asymmetrical multiplayer game on this list, with well over 350,000 Very Positive Steam reviews. It is the pinnacle of the genre, although it's already five years old.
Competitive horror shapes the gameplay of Dead By Daylight. Four players try to survive, one player tries to kill them all. It's cat-and-mouse at its brutal best. There are so many variables as you play, like abandoning your teammates to escape early, or using them as bait, that makes the game fresh each time around. A great introduction to the genre.
NEXT: Best Games To Replay Over And Over
