Video Games: Genres and Titles

 

There are so many different types of video games that it can be hard to keep track. Unless you’re gaming day and night, it’s unlikely you will know all the genres. Check out this list for a complete rundown of video game genres. 

SandBox

SandBox is a type of game that is exactly what it sounds like – a gaming genre with no limitations. 

It’s all up to the gamer where they want to go, what they want to do, and how they do it. The best part about sandbox games is their open worlds, which give gamers endless possibilities in exploring new lands, meeting new people, and doing whatever they please. 

The downside? Sandbox games may not always have an actual “goal” or endpoint that motivates completing tasks or missions – unlike some other types of games. 

Multiplayer sandbox games are where players get to interact with each other. A few sandbox games include Minecraft, No Man’s Sky, and GTA V.

Real-time strategy (RTS) 

RTS is a genre of game in which participants usually control an army or group of people. Games of this type are typically turn-based strategies, but the player has real-time interaction through building structures and managing resources. 

Strategy games can take place over land, sea, air, and outer space. RTS games let gamers interact with their environment to win the game. Some good examples of real-time strategy games are Starcraft 2, Warcraft 3, Age of Empires, Command & Conquer series, Warzone 2100, Empire Earth II (EEEII), Rise of Nations (Ron), and Total War series.

Shooting games

Shooting games are a lot of fun to play. They include many different types, from first-person shooters (FPS) – where you see through the character’s eyes – to third-person shooters, where you only see the main character. In FPS games, you play as an individual soldier and must fight in either war or under other circumstances. 

There can be many enemies for players to defeat in this type of game. Some good examples of FPS games are the Call of Duty series, Battlefield series, Team Fortress 2, Halo: Combat Evolved/2/3/4/5/Reach, Left 4 Dead series, Borderlands series, Battleborn, Overwatch, Bioshock Infinite, Far Cry 3, Dishonored, and many more.

Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)

MOBA is a type of video game that inspired developers to embrace real-time strategy gaming. In this genre, players are assigned to either the Hero role or the Team role. The Team must work together to destroy the opposing Team’s base while protecting their own. 

Players have access to different abilities which gamers can use during battles for various effects. Some good examples are Dota 2, League of Legends, Smite, Heroes of Newerth, Vainglory, Bloodline Champions, Battlefield series’ “Rush” mode, Overwatch‘s “Assault” mode, Spellbreak, Ring Of Elysium, Paragon, Paladins: Champions of the Realm, Battleborn, and World of Tanks.

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

Role-playing (RPG)

RPG games are some of the most popular video games out there. They include all types of fantasy adventures, adventures in space, medieval stories, and many more. The goal of RPGs is to save someone/something or explore a new place where anything can happen. 

It’s basically like creating your own game with different levels and quests. Some good examples are Persona 5, Fallout 4, Divinity: Original Sin series, Borderlands 2/Pre Sequel(B2/PS), Mass Effect series, Skyrim, Dragon Age series, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (W3), World Of Warcraft (WoW), Diablo 3 (D3), and Pokemon Sun&Moon.

Sims (Simulation Games)

Simulation games are a mix of a few different video game genres. They include real-life situations where players must choose what they will do in certain conditions or react to them. 

Simulation games may also contain elements from other genres such as role-playing/strategy games, open-world games, and more. 

Some good examples of simulation games are Theme Hospital, Theme Park, Rollercoaster Tycoon series, The Sims series, Planet Coaster, Cities: Skylines, Elite: Dangerous (ED), GTA V, The Crew, Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2), Minecraft Survival Mode with cheats turned off, Farming Simulator 17 (Farming 17), and Stardew Valley.

Puzzlers (Puzzle Games)

Puzzlers are very fun to play, but they can be challenging at times. They require thinking and strategy to solve the puzzles. 

Some good examples of puzzlers are Portal series, Antichamber, The Talos Principle (TT), Mind: Path to Thalamus (MIND), QUBE, Rime, Lost Within, Journey Of A Roach, Limbo, Inside, Wadjet Eye games’ Resonance, Hiversaires, Five Nights At Freddy’s series (FNaF), Subject 13 (S13), Umineko No Naku Koro Ni (When Seagulls Cry) (Umineko), Morph Girl, Mad Father & Mother Remake (Remastered Version), The Witness, Chibi-Robo.

AAG (Action-Adventure Games)

Action-adventure games do not require much thinking, but they are still fascinating to play. They include battles with enemies like any other game but usually involve many strategies and problem-solving tactics. 

Some good examples are the Uncharted series (Among Thieves/2/3; Golden Abyss), The Last Of Us (LOST) (CiS), Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes & The Phantom Pain (MGSV), Tomb Raider 2013 reboot, Batman Arkham Knight (BAM), Assassin’s Creed series (AC1 through AC Syndicate).

Also, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (MGRR), Shadow Of Mordor (SoM), Red Dead Redemption (RDR), Devil May Cry (DMC) series, Dishonored, Sniper Elite 4 (SE4), Mafia 3 & Mafia 3: Family Kick Back (M3/MFKB), The Witcher 2&3 (W2/3), Into The Abyss (ITA), Darksiders 1&2, Tooth And Tail (TnT), Transistor, and Little Nightmares – the list goes on and on.

Photo by Cookie the Pom on Unsplash

Platformers

Platformers are games all about jumping to get to the finish line. It may sound simple, but it takes lots of practice in order to beat platformers. 

Some good examples are Super Mario Odyssey, A Hat in Time (AHatInTime), Kirby Series (Kirby 64-The Crystal Shards; Amazing Mirror; Nightmare in Dream Land; Canvas Curse; Squeak Squad), Ratchet & Clank (Ratchet & Clank) series, Sonic Mania, Rayman Origins/Legends/Raving Rabbids (RaymanORLBR), LittleBigPlanet Series (LittleBigPlanet 1-3), Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, Ori and the Blind Forest, Limbo, Yooka-Laylee, and Layers Of Fear (LoF).

S&H (Survival and Horror)

Survival and Horror games are not for the faint of heart. They usually include battles with creatures who want to kill you and an overall dark atmosphere. 

Some good examples are The Evil Within 1&2, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (RE7), Soma, Outlast series (Outlast/Whistleblower; Outlast 2), SOMA (PS4), Alien Isolation & Alien: Covenant (AI), Dead By Daylight (DBD), Five Nights At Freddy’s Series (FNaF 1-4), Kitchen Simulator 2014, Scariest Game Ever Made – Slendytubbies II, LSD Dream Emulator.

With this list, you will never run out of games to play!