The world of video games is as diverse as it is popular, with many different genres emerging and establishing themselves over the decades. These genres help to break the many, many video games that exist in today’s market into manageable and understandable groups. By knowing a game’s genre, you gain an insight into what it is intended to be similar to and, as a result, you will have expectations of the game to meet the standards of its genre. Of all the many video game genres available today, there are a handful that stand out above the rest.
1. RPG
RPGs are some of the most popular games available today. From the sprawling majesty of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to the incredible multiplayer servers of World of Warcraft, the RPG genre is home to some truly iconic titles and is most recognizably categorized by main characters who are destined to save the world and wide-open worlds for the player to explore. These are not requirements of the genre but are incredibly common elements.
2. Horror
Like RPGs, Horror games comprise some of the most famous entries of all time, including such incredible games as Resident Evil and Outlast. The Horror genre is known for its use of dark iconography and haunting music to threaten and disturb the player, putting them in a state of anxious tension that breeds a true thrill when playing the game.
3. Browser Games
Unlike other genres, browser games do not have as many specific expectations placed on them and often fall into other genre categories as well as the browser game genre. For example, online slots could just as easily fall into the category of games of chance as it could online games, and Fancy Pants is a perfect example of a puzzle platformer in an online title.
4. Roguelike
Roguelike games are an interesting genre, specifically designated as being similar to the incredibly iconic game Rogue which was released in 1980. Roguelikes are most well known for their brutal gameplay and the gradual acquisition of upgrades to make the process of beating the game slowly more and more possible. Recently, the game Hades has brought the genre to the forefront of gaming, finding critical success for its incredibly satisfying gameplay and mechanics.
5. Strategy
The strategy genre refers to games that are made to be highly, well, strategic in nature. They have their roots in old wargames and tend to revolve around a player’s ability to manage their resources and troops in a bid to overpower or outmaneuver their enemy. Some notable and popular strategy games include the Total War series and the Civilization series.
6. Puzzle-Platformer
One of the oldest and arguably most respected genres in gaming, puzzle-platformers are just what the name suggests, games that revolve around solving puzzles and jumping from platform to platform to do so. Being an incredibly venerable name in gaming there are countless notable entries when it comes to puzzle-platformers, but arguably the most well known would be the Portal series.
Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.
