The Best Games That Combine Multiple Gameplay Perspectives

Video game genres are usually fairly static in terms of the playing fields and arenas that players engage with. Sometimes, it is a third-person open-world battleground to adventure through; other times, it is a sprawling catacomb of enemies and loot.

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9 Best Games That Blend First-Person And Third-Person Gameplay

Perspective can really change the way a game feels, and it shows in these games that have both first-person and third-person gameplay in some form.

While many titles will offer the opportunity to ride horseback with a third-person camera and an FPS-style gunplay experience, there are a select few that break the mold and blend genres and perspectives like never before. 2D meets 3D, and top-down meets shooter, combining elements from several perspectives to create a unique and inventive gameplay experience.

7

The Plucky Squire

A Storybook Adventure

Released

September 17, 2024

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence

A cute and sweet action-adventure that takes place all on a child’s desk, The Plucky Squire is a charming treat for any video game lovers. There’s platforming, there are RPG elements, beat-em-ups, and many more genres and gameplay perspectives. It practically has it all.

The art direction and style are beautiful, playing with the idea of a kid’s drawing book, whilst having some more stylized arenas outside of the desk’s surface that keep the game feeling fresh throughout. So much love and passion squeezed into a pocket-sized knight gives an experience like no other.

6

Toodee And Topdee

Cooperative And Puzzling Bosses

Toodee and Topdee is as simplistic as it is challenging. A co-op experience for platformer fans to dive into, combined with top-down puzzles that allow the player to experiment with changes in both gravity and direction.

Each puzzle is well-crafted and requires thought, and the boss encounters are challenging and engaging, demanding precise platforming and careful usage of the dimensional switches. It’s great for couch co-op or a solo challenge.

5

Super Mario Odyssey

Relive The Classic With A New Lick Of Paint

Systems

Released

October 27, 2017

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief

Mario never looked so good. Super Mario Odyssey does everything right in terms of staying true to the Mario formula while refreshing a few things like the graphics and mechanics. Travel across several kingdoms, capturing abilities from items and enemies that can be used later on to solve puzzles or access previously unseen areas.

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These open-world games let players switch perspectives to get a fresh look at the world and narrative.

It feels like a whole new experience with each Mario title, and this one is no different. The added interactions with the world and items make the gameplay feel fresh and keep all the fan-favorite moments, but bundle them into a new and modernized experience.

4

It Takes Two

A Generational Story Of Love

Released

March 26, 2021

ESRB

T for Teen: Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Language

A co-op experience that knows no contemporary, Hazelight has found the perfect formula for unforgettable co-op campaigns that redefine genres and deliver on emotional and personal levels. It Takes Two takes players on a journey of love and sacrifice set in a world of childhood wonder and mystical beings.

The gameplay is predominantly third-person platforming, but it is interwoven with well-crafted mini-games that flip the script, introducing tank combat, tug-of-wars, and wack-a-mole game modes that break up the main story and feel refreshing when each one is encountered.

3

Super Paper Mario

Hand Drawn Charm

Systems

Released

April 9, 2007

ESRB

E For Everyone Due To Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence

Perhaps one of the prime examples of 2D to 3D perspective switching, Super Paper Mario pushes the limits of what is possible in a multidimensional space. Certain segments are intended solely for 3D exploration, while others are set in a more traditional side-scrolling level, with the option to switch between the two being frequent and exciting.

Puzzle-solving feels great, the platforming is as fluid as ever, and once again, Nintendo delivers an unforgettable Mario experience without diverting from the fan-favorite tropes that players have come to expect from the franchise.

2

The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Classic Zelda Mixed With Dimension Hopping

Systems

Released

November 22, 2013

ESRB

E For Everyone due to Fantasy Violence

If Nintendo wasn’t happy enough with one universally recognizable protagonist, why not have another? Zelda has been a staple title on Nintendo devices for generations, and A Link Between Worlds is a unique spin on the gameplay, granting Link a bracelet that allows 2D walls to be traversed and gives the player access to new and exciting areas.

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Transitioning between planes feels fluid and intentional, as players are not forced to spam the ability and instead are given distinct use cases and areas that require it. Combat is as responsive as ever, and the whole classic top-down experience is a great hit of nostalgia for any long-time fans of the series.

1

NieR: Automata

Cinematic Mechanical Battles And Crispy Combat

Released

March 7, 2017

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Violence

2B in 2D, NieR: Automata serves as the pinnacle of hack-and-slash combat, having players topple ginormous mechs and hordes of robotic enemies in non-stop action sequences that are unmatched in the genre.

At several points, the camera will shift and lock into place, turning the game into anything from a side-scrolling adventure to a top-down bullet hell for a short time, which, combined with the exciting abilities and satisfying combos, delivers a unique transition of gameplay that gives more and more on every single playthrough.

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