There are many different types of games and they are usually categorized by their underlying characteristics or goals. With that we put together a list of all types of games ranging from genres of action, adventure, RPG, simulators, fighting, MOBA and several others.
Therefore, game categories or genres can also have sub-genres, and many games fit into multiple genres!
Sure, it can be confusing, but by breaking down the game mechanics, we can begin to understand how developers and publishers categorize their titles.
For example, if you're an instant gratification type of gamer, action games are probably best. Do you like solving puzzles or micro managing resources? Real-time strategy games (RTSs) or role-playing games (RPGs) may be more suitable for you.
What are the main game genres? What are the biggest games in each genre? Which genre is right for you? Fortunately, I'm here to show you by providing the complete guide to game types.
But no matter what your interest, there is definitely a game genre that will suit your taste:
Content ocultar 1 Ação 1.1 Ação e Aventura 1.1.1 Exemplos: 1.2 Soulslike 1.2.1 Exemplos: 1.3 Luta 1.3.1 Exemplos: 1.4 Beat’em Up 1.4.1 Exemplos: 1.5 Hack ‘n’ Slash 1.5.1 Exemplos: 1.6 Stealth, Furtivos ou Espionagem 1.6.1 Exemplos: 2 Shooter ou Jogos de Tiro 2.1 FPS 2.1.1 Exemplos: 2.2 TPS 2.2.1 Exemplos: 2.3 Tactical FPS 2.3.1 Shoot’em Ups 2.3.2 Exemplos: 2.4 Looter Shooter 2.4.1 Exemplos: 3 RPG 3.1 RPG de Ação 3.1.1 Exemplos: 3.2 RPG por Turnos e de Estratégia 3.2.1 Exemplos: 3.3 MMORPG 3.3.1 Exemplos: 3.4 Roguelite e Dungeon Crawlers 3.4.1 Exemplos: 3.5 JRPG 3.5.1 Exemplos: 4 Simulação 4.1 Exemplos: 4.2 Esportes 4.2.1 Exemplos: 4.3 Team Sports 4.3.1 Exemplos: 4.4 Corrida 4.4.1 Exemplos: 5 Puzzles e Jogos Party 5.1 Exemplos: 6 Sandbox (Mundo Aberto) 6.1 Exemplos: 7 Estratégia 7.1 RTS (Estratégia em Tempo Real) 7.1.1 Exemplos: 7.2 TBS (Estratégia por turnos) 7.2.1 Exemplos: 7.3 4X 7.3.1 Exemplos: 7.4 Grand Strategy 7.5 Tower Defense (Defesa de Torre) 7.5.1 Exemplos: 8 MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) 8.1 Exemplos: 9 Aventura 9.1 Walking Simulator e Aventura em Primeira Pessoa 9.1.1 Exemplos: 9.2 Point and Click (Aventura gráfica) 9.2.1 Exemplos: 9.3 Visual Novel e Filme Interativo 9.3.1 Exemplos: 10 Plataforma 10.1 Exemplos Jogos 2D/2.5D: 10.2 Exemplos Jogos 3D: 11 Terror 11.1 Survival Horror 11.1.1 Exemplos: 11.1.2 Terror Psicológico 11.1.3 Exemplos: 12 Jogo de Cartas 12.1 Exemplos: 13 Arcade 13.1 Exemplos: 14 Jogos musicais e Jogos de Ritmo 14.1 Exemplos: 15 Jogos de Sobrevivência 15.1 Exemplos: 16 City-Building (Construção de Cidades) 16.1 Exemplos: 17 Life Sim (Simulador de Vida) 17.1 Exemplos: 18 Jogos Educativos 18.1 Exemplos: 19 ConclusãoAction
“Action” type games typically place emphasis on challenging the player's reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time. In fact, when you think of action games, you might immediately think of arcade classics like Pitfall and other titles that involved a lot of virtual running and jumping. That's because even the first arcade cabinets were home to some of the best-known action games of all time. Today's action games are typically more complex than early offerings (but not always!), although the core mechanics of the genre – run, jump, attack – remain intact.
Many action games also share similar design mechanics. The player usually progresses from level to level while the game's challenge level rises at a steady pace. The terrain gradually becomes more difficult to navigate and enemies become more difficult to defeat. Most action games end levels (or a group of levels) with a “boss fight”, which involves taking on a particularly large villain that requires a little extra subtlety and/or strength to win. Some action games also place a smaller boss in the middle of certain levels. These mid-level threats are often labeled “Minibosses,” a term that still appears in modern gaming jargon.
Action is a genre that falls into different categories depending on the focus of the game:
Action and adventure
Among the first recognizable hybrid genres, action-adventure games have a deep focus on plot and combat through story involvement and rigid game mechanics. As a result, many games can fall into this category, including the classic Legend of Zelda franchise that paved the way for multiple franchises.
Most users draw the line between action and adventure in how a game balances story and features like simulated combat. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series has been a mainstay since 2007, thanks to almost annual new releases with a high degree of immersion. They also took players through a myriad of historical locations and landscapes ranging from London during the Industrial Revolution (Syndicate) to ancient Greece (Odyssey).
Released in late 2022, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is another action-adventure title well received by the folks at Respawn, who previously worked on the Titanfall series. Other more modern examples include the Watch Dogs series, Sekiro, and the Arkham games.
It is important to note that adventure games also encompass their own genre. Many of them fall into the point-and-click subgenre, which typically involves players solving mysteries or puzzles from a first-person perspective. Think of classic titles like Escape From Monkey Island, King's Quest and Day Of The Tentacle as mainstays of this subgenre.
Examples:
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Assassin's Creed
- Grand Theft Auto V
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Batman: Arkham City
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider
- Uncharted 4
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Soulslike
Soulslike games are a relatively new genre, born out of the popularity of the Souls series. Souls like games often have common elements like high difficulty, high-stakes combat with hard-hitting enemies, sparse checkpoints, and enemies dropping souls (or some other feature used to upgrade stats and/or weapons that are lost upon death), but the player has a chance to recover lost souls if they can reach the place of their death without dying again.
Examples:
- Demon's Souls
- Dark Souls
- Bloodborne
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- hellpoint
- Code Vein
- Remnant: From the Ashes
- Hollow Knight
Fight
Fighting games are a form of action game where two characters on the screen fight one against one. Fighting games often feature unarmed combat, such as boxing or martial arts, but can also include combat with weapons such as swords or guns. Players have options to control characters on screen and engage in hand-to-hand combat with opponents.
Examples:
- Street Fighter
- Mortal Kombat
- Soul Calibur
- The King of Fighters
- Tekken
- Dead or Alive
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Guilty gear strive
Beat’em Up
Beat-em up games, or brawlers, also focus on combat, but instead of facing a single opponent, players face wave after wave of enemies. Double Dragon was one of the first beat-em ups, while God of War, Castle Crashers and Bayonetta are the most recent.
Examples:
- Streets of Rage 4
- Double Dragon
- Final Fight
- River City Girls
- Fight’n Rage
Hack ‘n’ Slash
Hacknslash is an action-adventure sub-genre focusing on combat, whether hand-to-hand or using weapons. Hacknslash means to cut and strike.
This subgenre is characterized by the protagonist who fights against a multitude of opponents quickly and frantically. Enemies appear in countless waves in the open environment. The fighting system can contain combos, and the greater the number of enemies defeated in a short time, the higher your score.
Examples:
- devil may cry
- God of War
- Bayonetta
- Ninja Gaiden
- Hades
- Dante's Inferno
- Nier Automata
- Metal Gear Rising
- Darksiders
Stealth, Stealth or Espionage
Stealth or stealth games emphasize cunning and precision to solve game challenges, and while other actions or combat can help players achieve the objective, as in Dishonored, stealth games often encourage players to get involved in the action secretly. without being seen. Metal Gear has built a franchise name in this subcategory.
Examples:
- Splinter Cell
- Metal Gear Solid
- Hitman
- Dishonored
- Thief
- Commandos
- Dishonored
- Alien: isolation
- Deus Ex
- Assassin's Creed
Shooter or Shooting Games
Shooters, also known as shooting games, allow players to use weapons to get involved in the action, usually with the aim of eliminating enemies or opponents.
Shooters are categorized by player perspective:
First-person shooter (FPS) games are played from the main character's point of view; Call of Duty, Half-Life and Halo are good examples.
With third-person shooters like Fortnite and Splatoon, the action takes place from a vantage point where the player can see the main character, usually somewhat from above and behind.
Top-down shooters like Galaga, Space Invaders and Raiden V: Director's Cut present a complete aerial experience. While third-person shooters usually display health bars or gauges that get worse or better depending on the character's health or condition, top-down shooters are typically based on life sets, with players reaching a "game over" when this stock of lives runs out.
FPS
A first-person shooter (FPS) is an action game genre played from the protagonist's point of view. FPS (First Person Shooter) games often map player movements and provide a view of what a real person would see and do in the game.
Examples:
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Wolfenstein 3D
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Doom
- Paladins
- Overwatch
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War
- Metro Exodus
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Half-Life 2
GST
TPS (Third-Person Shooter) is a type of third-person shooter, specifically considered a subgenre of shooter games. TPS games focus on shooting targets like non-player character (NPC) enemies, player-controlled enemies, and wild animals as the main engine of the experience. Gunfight is the main feature of the game, but many recent TPS offer variations to the gameplay, such as minigames or vehicle combat.
These video games are characterized by the player's perception of their avatar and the game world from a camera situated behind the avatar, the human player can always see their avatar on the screen. These games are usually focused on a linearly structured narrative in the form of a campaign mode, playable cooperatively or alone. Another shooter convention is to offer players a competitive, player-versus-player (PVP) component. These multiplayer modes can be used in competitive leagues, as we've seen with the popular Gears of War franchise.
Examples:
- Grand Theft Auto 5
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Gears 5
- Control
- Tom Clancy's The Division 2
- Max Payne 2
Tactical FPS
Perhaps fast-paced is not your style in FPS games. Maybe you want to take it slow, be more methodical in approaching your goals. Rainbow Six, a tactical shooter in which you take control of a special unit similar to a SWAT team, you need to plan every little detail to ensure your mission is a success. Any mistake could end up in you and your team members checking out early.
Shoot’em Ups
Shoot'em ups (also known as shmups or STG) are a subgenre of the shooter genre. Shoot them, have the player control a lone character (or vehicle) whose objective is to destroy waves upon waves of enemies while dodging their attacks.
Examples:
- Gradius
- Ikaruga
- Cuphead
- DodonPachi Resurrection
- Metal Slug
- TouHou
- Contra
Looter Shooter
Looter-shooters, also known simply as “shlooters”, are a sub-genre of games defined by their inclusion of procedurally generated weapons and gear, fast-paced shooting, and the grind to obtain said procedurally-generated weapons to have the best fast-paced shooting. .
Examples:
- Outriders
- Borderlands 3
- Destiny 2
- Warframe
- Tom Clancy's The Division 2
- Alienation
- No Man's Sky
- ShadowWarrior 2
RPG
A role-playing game (Role-Playing Game) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for playing these roles in a narrative, either through literal acting or through a structured decision-making process regarding character development. Actions taken in many games succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines. The basic premise of the RPG is simple and ubiquitous in many games: you create or take control of a character who can level up through experience points.
Action RPG
Action RPG games include game elements from both action and action adventure games. A defining characteristic of action RPGs is that combat takes place in real time and relies on a player's speed and accuracy for the best opponents, rather than relying on high character attributes like charisma and dexterity.
Examples:
- Diablo
- Zelda
- Dark Souls
- The Witcher 3
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Fallout 4
- Kingdom Hearts 3
- Mass Effect
- Final Fantasy XV
Turn-based and Strategy RPG
Considering their origins in tabletop games, tactical roleplaying games are more similar to traditional board games, in that turn-based game action takes place on an isometric grid. Players use an almost chess-like strategy and a finite number of resources (armies, weapons, etc.) to conquer battles and enemies.
Examples:
- Neverwinter
- Final Fantasy Tactics
- Ogre Battle
- X-COM
- Jagged Alliance
- The Dungeons of Moria
- Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Final Fantasy VII
- Fire Emblem
- Person
- Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Disgaea
MMORPG
Massive multiplayer online role-playing games (or MMORPGs) evolved as graphical variations of text-based multi-user dungeons (MUDs), which were developed in the late 1970s.
MMORPGs involve hundreds of players actively interacting with each other in the same world, and typically all players share the same or a similar objective.
Examples:
- Final Fantasy XIV
- World of Warcraft
- Guild Wars 2
- EVE Online
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- Lost Ark
- Black Desert
- Phantasy Star Online
Roguelite e Dungeon Crawlers
The only other game genre based on the game's name that inspired it, Rogue was a 2s 1980D computer and dungeon crawler game. The game featured a text interface and random level generation. Players overcame enemies and obstacles to increase their player stats.
Strict definitions feature turn-based gameplay, some form of permanent death, block graphics, and procedural generation.
Examples:
- Enter the Gungeon
- Hades
- Darkest Dungeon
- The Bard's Tale
- Tales of Maj'Eyal
- moonlighter
- The Binding of Isaac
- Spelunky
JRPG
Japanese RPGs (commonly known as JRPGs) are games that have distinct characteristics from Western RPGs. JRPGs are usually made by Japanese developers, but not exclusively. The term JRPG derives from console RPGs that define games like Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy.
Examples:
- final Fantasy
- Tales of
- Kingdom Hearts
- Dragon Quest
- Yakuza
- Chrono Trigger
- Xenogears
- Suikoden
- Person
- Pokémon
Simulation
These genres have evolved a lot over the years and you can really see them in the same light. But it was only with advances in graphics technology that they began to offer unique immersive experiences. The latest iterations provide impressive levels of detail and show just how much is possible with games.
Sports games have increased in variety, offering full partnerships with leading sports organizations, from the racetrack to the field or court. NBA 2K and Madden NFL are two well-known examples that feature detailed recreations of professional basketball and football, while being a simulation-style car racing game.
The simulation genre encompasses many sandbox titles, world building games and virtual reality games. The typical focus is on creating an immersive and realistic game world with epic settings, while smaller experiences may focus on a specific area or experience.
Examples:
- FIFA 21
- NBA 2K21
- The Sims 4
- Stardew Valley
- second Life
- SimCity
- Forza Horizon 4
- Project Cars
- Gran Turismo
- Need for Speed: Heat
- Trackmania
- Euro Truck Simulator 2
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
- DCS World
- Kerbal Space Program
Sports
These games are based on various sports. They have a few subgenres, emphasizing a specific sport or activity. Some can even be considered simulation games due to the realism and activities.
Examples:
- Madden NFL
- NBA Jam
- Wii Sports
- FIFA 20
- Tony Hawk's
- eFootball
Team Sports
These are the bread and butter of sports games. Baseball, basketball, football; all this is here.
Over the years, sports games have undergone extreme innovation and growth, including real players, real teams, and even real locations taken from everyday life for added realism.
Different aspects like the mechanics of the shot, the physics of executing a shot and making that perfect pass exemplify team sports games.
Fight Night and UFC are the foundation of combat sports. These two sports border on simulation, as realism and strategic play drive participants' success and failure.
Real fighters populate lineups, and players can set up their dream fights, like Muhammad Ali versus Mike Tyson.
Examples:
- Fight Night – Rodada 4
- EA Sports MMA
- UFC 2009 Undisputed
- Fight Night Champion
Race
Racing games allow players to get behind the wheel of cars, whether they are real, modified or just plain normal. These head-to-head games have evolved from arcade classics to massive simulations. Gran Turismo makes the player buy its cars, making it more than just a racing game.
Examples:
- Colin McRae Rally
- Forza Horizon 4
- Gran Turismo Sport
- The Crew
- Assetto Corsa
Puzzles and Party Games
Puzzles and party games also have significant overlap, with both emphasizing game mechanics. You can play a theme-based game or a traditional tabletop game with specific rulesets.
Party games take this premise a step further and often include multiplayer elements. They also double down on gameplay. The Mario Party series is particularly popular and has spawned over 10 series and spin-offs.
Puzzlers, also known as puzzle games, can be as simple as Minesweeper or more deeply immersive, with fully developed environments and hybrid gameplay. The Tomb Raider series is a good example, where puzzles are built into a conventional adventure narrative and setting, making them a key game mechanic. Additionally, minimaps are often presented as puzzles that you solve (or discover) throughout the game.
Examples:
- Portal 2
- The Talos Principle
- Super Mario Party
- Wii Sports
- Jackbox Party Pack
- WarioWare: Smooth Moves
- Rayman Raving Rabbids
Sandbox (Open World)
The term “sandbox” may be more recognizable for its use in technology or even as an open mode available in certain games. It is usually associated with player choice, open environments, and non-linear gameplay. The sandbox genre has grown from a small niche to encompass a huge range of titles.
In these games, players often have less concrete goals and narrative paths to follow. Instead of defeating the boss and saving the princess, you may face a variety of tasks that you can accomplish in many different ways. This draws players into more immersive experiences, encouraging experimentation with what might be unfamiliar mechanics.
Sandbox titles can sometimes be highly conceptual and even lack some of the most recognizable gameplay elements. The 1984 Elite game is a key example, with a simple design and game focused on combat, exploration and trading. It also introduced an initial instance of procedural generation.
Simulation games like The Sims are also increasingly presented as sandbox titles, as are many popular franchises, including Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto. As game worlds expand and narratives diversify, expect more overlap with other game genres.
Examples:
- Minecraft
- The Sims
- Grand Theft Auto
- Valheim
- ARK: Survival Evolved
- Saints Row
- Red Dead Redemption
- The Witcher 3
- Just Cause
- Far Cry
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Strategy
Strategy games are games that emphasize long-term planning, analysis, and skillful reasoning to achieve victory. A player's decisions are important in determining the outcome of the game, and players must weigh the potential impact of various decisions in order to win.
RTS (Real Time Strategy)
Originally coined as a marketing term for Westwood Studios' Dune II, the RTS games (real time strategy) had been around for years before most gamers knew what the genre was. Thanks to their enduring popularity and the growth of new sub-genres, RTS games remain a notable part of the video game landscape.
In the archetypal RTS title, Dune II humans and AI players control different factions and compete with each other simultaneously in "real-time", hence the term "real-time strategy", as opposed to turn-based strategy. These games typically include resource and map management, and often feature a top-down view.
Warcraft, Age of Empires and Command & Conquer are among the most popular RTS titles, but the list doesn't stop there. And when it comes to turn-based strategy games, enthusiasts tout the Civilization series and other notable franchises. There are also titles that deliberately combine elements of both styles for mixed gameplay, such as the Total War franchise.
Examples:
- Age of Empires
- Age of Mythology
- StarCraft II
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
- Warcraft III, Homeworld
TBS (Shift Strategy)
TBS (Turn-based strategy), turn-based tactics games used to be some of the most popular PC games back then. The complex menus and entries ensure that they are not very popular on consoles. However, they have been making a comeback in recent years. These games include parallel action simulation of believable military tactics and warfare.
Examples:
- Civilization VI
- Heroes of Might and Magic V
- Age of Wonders
- Endless Legends
- The Battle for Westnoth
- King's Bounty
4X
These games are called '4X' for the subgenre principles: “eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate”.
Games like Civilization are the foundation of the subgenre, in which you start out humbly as a few units, eventually build your cities and arsenals, and destroy enemy players through combat, diplomacy, or technological advancement.
Examples:
- Civilization VI
- Stellaris
- Age of Wonder
- Sins of a Solar Empire
- Master of Orion
- Endless Legend
Grand Strategy
These games are all about the big picture. Many grand strategy games are based on history: games like Europa Universalis and the Total War franchise are grand strategies.
In them, you need to lead a nation or faction to victory, managing the economy, technology research and, of course, military might.
Tower Defense (Tower Defense)
These games are for biting your nails. You need, unsurprisingly, to defend your base. The AI will launch thousands of enemy units at you, and you are tasked with adapting and overcoming their attack.
It requires you to change your playstyle on the fly, as well as make instant decisions to minimize damage to your base and maximize efficiency.
Examples:
- Clash Royale
- Plants vs Zombies
- Orcs Must Die!
- Bloons TD Battles
- Minion Masters
- Kingdom Rush
MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena)
MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) is an increasingly popular genre with connections to a variety of other styles, multiplayer online battle arena games share many features with real-time strategy games. There is a top-down perspective that emphasizes map and resource management, as well as real-time competition between players.
The main difference between MOBAs and RTS games is the character and role of the player. In a MOBA, you can have a faction lineup and many of the RTS fundamentals in play, but typically you only control a single character. This is a significant contrast to most RTS games where you build communities and command multiple units.
MOBA games also prioritize multiplayer and team play. While some well-known titles feature AI-controlled elements, you typically play and compete against other human players to fulfill a set of victory conditions.
The niche is dominated by Dota 2 and League of Legends, both of which have developed substantial audiences in eSports. Want to know more about this growing genre? Check out our list of the top 10 MOBA games for PC today to dive into the most popular titles.
Examples:
- league of legends
- Dota 2
- Smite
- Mobile Legends
- Heroes of the Storm
- Arena of Valor
Adventure
Adventure games involve unraveling stories, exploring worlds and solving puzzles. Adventure games focus on solving puzzles within a narrative framework, often with little or no action elements.
Walking Simulator and First Person Adventure
Walking Simulator games are an interesting type of game. Instead of having a lot of action, walking simulators are exactly what they sound like. They focus heavily on their stories, often with elements of mystery or horror, in which players circle. Most of these titles are short and can be won in just a few hours.
Examples:
- What Remains of Edith Finch
- Stanley Parable
- A short hike
- Dear Esther
- Gone Home
- Firewatch
- What Remains of Edith Finch
Point and Click (Graphic Adventure)
Point and Click games refers to a type of adventure game, in which the user mainly interacts with the mouse or any pointing device (be it the finger on the cell phone). This type of game requires minimal computer knowledge and is really simple to use even for casual gamers compared to 3D-FPS or another game where you will use a 100-button mouse to survive.
Examples:
- The Secret of Monkey Island
- Grim Fandango
- Day of the Tentacle
- Broken sword
- The longest journey
- Kathy Rain
- Runaway
Visual Novel and Interactive Film
A Visual Novel (VN) or Interactive Movies usually consists of having a rich plot due to the amount of time that can be devoted to a game. It has its own original soundtrack like any other game. Visual novels also often feature branching plots, except for kinetic novels, which we'll discuss later. The only difference between a VN and interactive movie and a conventional game is that you spend most of your time reading, rather than actively engaging in a task.
Examples:
- Detroit: Become Human
- Doki Doki Literature Club!
- Until Dawn
- CLANNAD
- Nekopara
Platform
The name “platform” game refers to the series of platforms on which a character can run and jump in many of these games. In a platform game, the player's avatar may need to solve puzzles, defeat enemies, avoid obstacles, collect coins, reach a destination, and/or complete other level objectives. Platformers are often considered a subgenre of action games, but many of their elements can appear in other genres, such as adventure, strategy, and puzzles.
The platform game genre has two types, 2D/2.5D games and 3D games.
Examples 2D/2.5D Games:
- Sonic Mania
- Super Mario Bros.
- Braid
- Megaman X
- Donkey Kong Country
- Super Meat Boy
- Metroid
- Castlevania
- Spelunky
Examples 3D Games:
- Super Mario Galaxy
- Super Mario 64
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Spyro Reignited Trilogy
- Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
- A has in time
Terror
Horror is an even broader category, likely encompassing dozens of survival titles. Almost anything with zombies, a post-apocalyptic storyline, or lots of jump scares is considered horror. These titles are also often psychological and use tension to engage the player in the game. On the pure horror side, you have games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Alien: Isolation, and Blair Witch. However, the most popular horror titles tend to fall on the survival horror side, such as the Resident Evil and Evil Within franchises.
Survival Horror
In survival horror they will for sure freeze your blood and give you a scare. The player is thrown into an actively antagonistic landscape, (usually) populated by supernatural horrors, forcing them to use their combat and intuition to survive.
Examples:
- resident evil
- Alone in the Dark
- The Evil Within
- Outlast
- Silent Hill
- Dead Space
- dark
Psychological Horror
Psychological horror games are a kind of horror games with a particular focus on mental, emotional and psychological states to scare, disturb or scare the audience. Psychological horror games differ from survival horror games in that the game doesn't focus on jump scares or monsters, but rather disturbing situations.
Examples:
- SOMA
- Inside
- Little Nightmares
- Layers of Fear
- Amnesia
- Observer
- Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Cards game
Card games are, in essence, competitive. You create your deck of cards, ensuring they have powerful synergies and combinations. Games of this genre take place in turns, and it is essential to take a good look at what the opponent is doing. In addition to having a good strategy, you must adapt to your opponent's movements.
Examples:
- Hearthstone
- Gwent
- Magic The Gathering: Arena
- Yu Gi Oh! Duel Links,
- Legends of Runeterra
Arcade
Arcade games often have short levels that quickly increase in difficulty with simple and intuitive controls. Players play as long as the game avatar is alive. In order for this business model to be profitable, the game's difficulty must be high enough to make players reach the final stage of the game and be engaging or addictive enough to keep them playing. Arcade games generally store player scores, ranks, and records.
Examples:
- Tetris
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
- Pac-Man
- Space Invaders
- Bomberman
- NBA Jam
- Pong
- Streets of Rage
- Metal Slug
- Out Run
- R-Type
Music Games and Rhythm Games
A music game is a game in which the gameplay is meaningful and almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs. Music games can take a variety of forms and are often grouped with puzzle games due to the common use of "rhythmically generated puzzles".
A rhythm game is loosely defined as any title that uses music as a guidance method to show the player when to press buttons or move the analog or digital stick in a way that matches the beat of the music. While the heavy focus on music can make this genre easier to spot, the ways players interact with the game can vary significantly.
Examples:
- Dance Dance Revolution
- Just Dance
- Sing It
- SingStar
- Friday Night Funkin '
- Rocksmith
- Rock Band
- fuser
Survival Games
In survival games, players are placed in a hostile environment (think jungle, desert, arctic), often with few or no tools, and are tasked with basic survival. This trend has been growing in recent years. With games like Rust, the survival genre is becoming more and more legitimate. They are a mixture of strategy, action and role playing.
Examples:
- Valheim
- Subnautica
- Grounded
- Frost Punk
- Outward
- Raft
- RimWorld
- Rust
City-Building
City building makes the player build cities from scratch. Cities: Skylines and SimCity are great examples of this genre.
The player not only builds buildings, but participates in connecting power lines, water mains, highways and shortcuts.
Examples:
- Cities Skylines
- Year 1800
- Banished
- Builders of Egypt
- Surviving Mars
- SimCity
- Tropico
Life Sim (Life Simulator)
These games allow players to simulate life. That is, The Sims has the player building a family unit and a house for them to live in.
They are then tasked with controlling everything from work attendance to bathroom breaks.
You are present every step of the way along with the characters' lives.
Examples:
- Stardew Valley
- Animal Crossing
- The Sims
- My Time at Portia
- Two Point Hospital
- Jurassic World Evolution
- second Life
Educational games
These games emphasize learning something. They are generally aimed at younger players.
Oregon Trail was a unique educational game as it had different elements of game genres combined into an educational package that didn't feel like an educational game.
These games can teach children to read, do math, study better and get them interested in different subjects at school.
Examples:
- Overland
- The Flame in the Flood
- 80 Days
- The Banner Saga
