Due to the fact that criteria for genre affiliation are not clearly defined, the classification of computer games is not sufficiently systematic, and sources may differ in terms of the genre of a given project. Nevertheless there is a consensus among game developers, and a game’s genre can almost always be defined unequivocally. These most popular genres (which combine many sub-genres) are listed below.
There are games with elements of several genres, which can belong to each of them (for example, Grand Theft Auto series, Space Rangers, Rome: Total War and many others). Such projects belong either to one of the genres, which in the game is the main, or all at once, present in the game, if they are equally constitute the gameplay of the project.
Action
3D Shooter, Action Shooter
Main article: 3D Shooter
In games of this type, the player, usually acting alone, must destroy the enemies with cold and firearms to achieve certain goals in a given level, usually, after achieving the goals, the player moves on to the next level. Enemies are often: bandits (e.g. Max Payne), Nazis (e.g. Return to Castle Wolfenstein) and other “bad guys”, as well as all kinds of aliens, mutants and monsters (e.g. Half-life).
Depending on the story of the game the arsenal of the player can include both modern weapons, and their futuristic counterparts, as well as weapons that have no analogues to date. As a rule, a typical set of weapons contains: cold steel arms (knife, knuckles, piece of pipe, baseball bat), pistol, submachine or automatic rifle, shotgun, sniper rifle, multi-shot machine gun and grenades or Molotov cocktails. The weapons often have an alternative firing mode or are equipped with a telescopic sight with or without a zoom option. Also, the player can strike with his feet, or hit enemies with the buttstock or the grip of the gun. In ‘realistic’ games (e.g. FarCry, Unreal Tournament, hitpoints) than when hitting the torso.
First Person Shooter (FPS)
Third person shooter (TPS)
In First Person Shooters, it’s similar to how a player sees behind the character (First person look). In third-person shooters, the player sees the character from a fixed view (usually from the back) or an arbitrary point of view. A number of games have the ability to switch between first/third person and fixed/arbitrary camera views.
Examples of first-person shooters:
Quake series
Unreal Tournament series
Examples of third-person shooters:
Tomb Raider series
Max Payne series
Gore games
The essence of these games is to destroy hordes of stupid enemies, avalanche coming on the player. At the same time the player must have room to manoeuvre.
Examples:
the Serious Sam series.
Painkiller series
Will Rock series
Left 4 Dead
Tactical shooters
A fundamental difference from the classic shooter series is that the character is not a lone hero, and acts as part of a team. Tactical shooter games typically re-create squad activity – the interaction between soldiers, maneuvering and choosing the direction of attack, team selection and weaponry. In single player mode these features are implemented by bots, in network mode through the interaction of live players.
Examples:
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
Counter-Strike Source
Star Wars: Battlefront
Delta Force
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Fighting games
Gameplay consists solely of two or more opponents engaging in hand-to-hand combat.
Examples:
Mortal Kombat
Tekken
Virtua Fighter
Dead or Alive
Guilty Gear X
Beat Them All
A type of fighting game in which combat takes place outside the arena and with many opponents at once.
Examples:
Enter the Matrix
Path of Neo
Slasher
Third-person view games in which the main part of the gameplay is a swordfight with bladed weapons.
Examples:
Blade of darkness
Enclave
Arcade
Games in which the player must act quickly, relying primarily on their reflexes and reactions. Arcades are characterised by an elaborate system of bonuses: points, gradually unlockable game elements, etc.
The term arcade, which refers to computer games, originated in the days of slot machines which were installed in arcades. Games on them were simple to learn (in order to attract more players). Subsequently, these games have migrated to consoles and are still a major genre on them.
Stealth-action
Games in which you are not supposed to fight with most encountered opponents, and by all means avoid possible contact with them, while fulfilling the tasks at hand. Stealth elements (such as the ability to peek out from behind a corner while leaning against a wall) are often found in games of various genres.
Examples:
Assassin’s Creed
Thief
Metal Gear Solid
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
Hitman
Prince of Persia
Simulation
Technical Simulations
A simulation game. Using a computer, the physical behaviour and control of a complex technical system object (for example: a fighter jet, a car, etc.) is simulated as fully as possible. Whereas arcade games seek to entertain the player with various impossible phenomena, stunts and spice of the plot, the main criterion for the quality of simulation games is the completeness and realism of the simulation of its object (car, aircraft, etc.).
Examples:
Live for Speed
Microsoft Flight Simulator
IL-2 Sturmovik
Arcade Simulations
A simplified version of Technical Simulators, often with alternate physics. The fundamental difference from Arcade is the presence of a physical model, albeit simplified. More often than not, such physics are used in simulations of starfighters and automobiles.
Examples:
X-Wing
TIE-Fighter
Wing Commander
Need for Speed
All Wheel Drive
Economic Simulations
In games of this genre, the player can control economic systems of varying complexity, such as a town (Tropico), a farm (SimFarm), a transport company (Railroad Tycoon), etc. Often, exotic systems, such as an ant colony (SimAnt) or a dungeon (Dungeon Keeper) can be managed.
Strategy
A game which requires a strategy in order to, for example, win a military operation. The player does not control a single character, but an entire unit, enterprise or even universe. There are Turn-Based Strategy (TBS), where players take turns to make moves, and each player has an unlimited or limited (depending on the type and difficulty of the game) time to make a move, and Real Time Strategy (RTS), in which all players perform their actions simultaneously, and the passage of time is not interrupted.
Real-Time Strategy, RTS
These strategies have players acting in parallel. They came somewhat later than turn-based strategy games, the first known game of the genre was 1992), the plot is based on the eponymous work of Frank Herbert. The general principles of real-time strategy were formed at the time
Turn-Based strategy, TBS
Games in which players take turns based on their actions. Turn-based strategies predate RTSs, and are considerably more varied. The separation of gameplay into turns detracts from real-life situations and removes any dynamic effect, thus these games are not as popular as real-time strategy games. TBS on the other hand give the player much more time to think, there is no rush while making a move, this gives them the opportunity to exercise their logical thinking abilities.
God Simulators
Strategies in which the player has to play the role of a god.
Examples:
Black & White series;
Dungeon Keeper series.
Economic Simulation Games
Classification of strategy games, in which they are divided into turn-based and real-time, is not the only correct. Sometimes economic simulation games, wargames and global strategy games are also referred to as a specific sub-genre of strategy, regardless of whether the games are real-time or turn-based. Economic games are the most realistic representation of market processes, the behavior of competitors closer to the present.
Wargame
Contrary to other forms of strategy, wargames do not require you to build up an army, but aim to defeat your opponent in battle using the forces at your disposal at the start of the battle.
Wargames tend to emphasise authenticity, realism and historicity.
Examples:
Steel Panthers series;
Panzer General series;
The first four games in the Squad Battles series.
Global Strategies
The most complex strategies in which the player controls a nation. Not only is war and economy in his hands, but also scientific progress, exploration of new lands, and complex diplomacy. In some of them, alongside the global map, there are local ones on which tactical battles take place. Examples:
Master of Orion series
Shogun: Total War
Rome: Total War
Medieval II: Total War
Empire: Total War
Sport
As its name suggests, this is a sport simulation, with football, hockey, basketball, tennis and golf simulations being the most popular.
Puzzles
In addition to collecting items and using them, these games solve a variety of puzzles, interned to varying degrees in the story, and the focus is on solving the puzzles. Typically, it may be necessary to assemble various, often absurd in both appearance and functionality, mechanisms. The most popular representatives of the genre are Neverhood.
Action-adventure games
The most popular quest genre today is action-adventure. It is based mainly on reactions and reflexes of the player, but there are also elements of classic quests – objects and interaction with the environment. Well-known representatives are Legend of Zelda games, Resident Evil and other horror games (which can also be considered as action-adventure).
Romantic adveture
Romantic relationship simulators. The gameplay of some of these are close to RPGs, while others are action-adventure games.
Role Playing Game, RPG
Characteristic features
The main character(s) and other characters and enemies (to a lesser extent) have a number of parameters (skills, characteristics, abilities) which determine their strengths and abilities. Usually, the main characteristic of characters and enemies is the level, which determines the overall strength of the character and determines the available skills and equipment items. All of these parameters must be improved by killing other characters and enemies, completing quests and using these very skills.
There is a well-developed and vast world, a strong storyline, ramified dialogues with different answer choices, many different characters with their own goals and personalities.
Large number of different items: equipment, potions, artifacts, etc.
Subgenres
Action RPG – shooter or beat ’em all with a fully developed RPG elements, including complex quests and advanced leveling system. At the same time the game is a full-fledged shooter or beat ’em all. Examples include Deus Ex, Hexen 2.
Hack’n’Slash RPG – RPG with an emphasis on slaying enemies, collecting the most powerful items, power-ups. Usually have a simplified world and story, a small amount of dialogue and options for quests and other tasks. Examples: Diablo, Dungeon Siege, Lineage 2.
true RPG (also simply RPG or CRPG) – role-playing game with a large number of dialogues, freedom in choosing how to solve various problems, developed world and the plot. Examples: Gothic, Planescape: Torment, Baldur’s Gate.
JRPG – (Japan RPG) role-playing game with an elaborated world and dialogues, but with less freedom of choice, often has a very fascinating, but linear storyline, lack of choice in pumping characteristics of the character, as well as a very well developed and beautiful characters. The game is somewhat like an interactive book. It is often created by Japanese developers, and there are very few games of this kind made outside of Japan. Examples: Final Fantasy, Skies of Arcadia.
Tactical RPG
RPG is a genre which is a mix of turn-based strategy. The player controls a small group of warriors, though some tactical RPGs have up to a few dozen warriors. The first tactical RPGs were released on consoles in Japan. Today, however, there are many Western and computer-based tactical RPGs.[2]
Examples:
Fallout Tactics series game.
Jagged Alliance series
Silent Storm series.
Puzzle games generally require no reaction from the player (but many keep track of the time spent solving).
Examples:
Bomb Squad
Foxhunt.
Classification by number of players
Single-player games
Designed for single player against computer.
Multiplayer
Main article: multiplayer
Multiplayer games can contain up to 32 players, and can be played over a local area network, modem, or Internet.
Single-Computer Multiplayer (Hot Seat, Splitscreen)
On modern personal computers are rare, but often found on older PCs and consoles. A hot seat is a game of one computer at a time. In splitscreen mode, the screen is divided into parts (usually two, sometimes four), each player plays on his part.
Multiplayer offline games
(Main article: turn-based strategies, etc.) can work in this format: players make moves and send the result via the web or email. Regardless of the method of communication (Fidonet, email, web…), these games have these characteristics:
Require periodic appearance on the web. But it only requires periodicity, the time of connection is chosen by the player himself, without coordination with masters and opponents.
Turns last from a few hours to a few days.
The game lasts for months to years.
Massively Multiplayer Online
Massively multiplayer online games. Most are not playable offline. The most common genres are Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs (MMORPGs). Among them, there are also browser games (games that do not require the installation of any client), of which the most distinct genre is MUD – text-based online games.
Examples of MMORPG:
World of Warcraft
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
Ragnarok Online
EVE Online
RF Online
Everquest 2
Lineage 2