Genre, or, How I Never Learnt to Stop Worrying About Organising My PS4

Discussions about video game genres can often get a little stupid. There’s a number of problems going on. It’s a little more complex than film genre, in part because similar genres can be applied to the traditional stories, whereas the actual genres are named for mechanics and structure. In 2014, SuperBunnyHop commented on the ubiquity of certain controls and mechanics throughout the AAA space – twin stick controls (for both first- and third-person), upgrades, light stealth. Generic elements blurred genres together, and even as mechanics like stealth became pervasive, the stealth genre itself faded from relevance as its stalwarts stalled out. Games, especially bigger games, could incorporate so many elements that genre became hard to distill. Additionally, the complexity of developments and people’s histories with the medium cause them to view game genres with different perspectives. Most games can be described with a combination of three or four genres, and even multiple entirely separate descriptions of such. Were the Arkham games metroidvanias, beat-em-ups, action-adventure, even fighting games? Should you call them superhero games, or add on the horror description? Was Arkham City and open world or still a metroidvania? What about Arkham Knight? Are the Devil May Cry games hack-sand-slash or action? Perhaps character action? Spectacle fighter? Can you call a game as infamous as Devil May Cry 2 character action? What about DmC – can a game made in *shudder* the West be character action?

 

I’ve obviously left my tongue idling in my cheek, twisted into the shape of a question mark, but a lot of people talk about genres in such wide ways that they begin to lose focus. And yet I organise my PS4 by genre. With the exception of 2 franchise folders (Resident Evil and Doom, formerly joined by Devil May Cry), I group my games by genre. It’s the easiest way for me to look for something to play when I don’t quite know what I want. I can think “do I want to shoot, to grind, to drive” and just go to the relevant folders. I figured I’d do a little low-analysis post going through the genres I use and discussing them a little, in alphabetical order, plus highlighting a games from certain categories in each one.

 

2D Action

2D action is a genre I sometimes struggle to enjoy. I’ve completed very few of the games in it, and I don’t feel any urgency to do so. There’s a couple of games I should love in here, like Furi, but I just haven’t managed to sink my teeth in properly. There’s a combination of things that have made my time with the genre so frustrating and stop-start, but I do at least appreciate how indie developers shine here and that this folder is a collection of fun, gameplay focussed projects from across the world. Arguably Odin Sphere should be in Action RPG, but it is what it is. I also used to have a separate “action-platformer” genre, which included most metroidvania (Hollow Knight, Guacamelee). But I don’t really like platformers that much, so I’ve just folded it in. Platforming isn’t really my thing.

 

All-time favourite: Can I put Furi if I’ve barely played it? Can I put Odin Sphere if I haven’t put in the work to finish it?

Need to finish: Furi

Game I want to try: Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Future release I’m excited for: The Last Faith

 

3D Action

Probably my second-favourite genre. One I really suck at. On my PS4 it’s got quite a few titles I’ve barely started – Bayonetta, DMC HD Collection, Sekiro, Ninja Gaiden Collection, Wonderful 101, although I’ve played the first 2 a fair bit on my PS3. I don’t believe in character action or spectacle fighter anymore. To quote the GOAT, they’re JUST action games. The best ones, shining examples of the genre. Being the best doesn’t mean you shift genre, you just transcend it. I need to spend more time playing these. Shout out to God Hand, the real king of 3D action games.

 

All-time favourite: Devil May Cry 5

Need to finish: Ninja Gaiden Sigma

Game I want to try: Sifu

Future release I’m excited for: GOD HAND II: THE GOD HANDS I’ll say Hi-Fi Rush, as a non-Playstation game.

 

Action RPGs

Maybe a controversial choice, but the differentiator here is the incorporation of “RPG elements”, loosely defined as “the stuff that I hate” and more appropriately defined as “levels, loot, grinding” being welded on to projects that (I feel) would be much better off as purer action games. This is kind of the defining genre of the modern industry, where mechanics I would really enjoy are buried behind these miserable design goals. I hate everything about it, and yet there’s still a lot of cool stuff in it. All of these games are ones that I kind of play as actual action games, by the way – things like The Witcher series get their own secret category. It’ll come up soon.

 

All-time favourite: Nioh 2

Need to finish: Bloodborne

Game I want to try: Final Fantasy Origin: Stranger of Paradise

Future release I’m excited for: Final Fantasy XVI & Dragon’s Dogma II (you ruin the industry with your ubiquity, you get 2 slots in this category)

 

Beat-em-ups

Really a subcategory of 2D action – hey, the first subcategory on the list – but there’s a stricter definition and an arcade structure that define it as a subgenre. There’s a lot of hallmarks of the genre that I love: depth (and simplicity), multiple playable characters, replayability, unlockables, tight design. I’m a little disappointed that half of my current collection (River City Girls and Dragon’s Crown) take a more action-RPG approach, diminishing the appeal. There’s a lot of ones on the wishlist here, including classic collections (Capcom bundle, TMNT Cowabunga), modern classics, and different twists (Phantom Breaker Battlegrounds, Midnight Fight Express). If I had any musou games they’d go here – it’s not strictly a folder for 2D action, although I don’t know yet if Sifu fits. Maybe it is a 2D genre. Like I said, it’s a messy topic.

 

All-time favourite: Fight’N Rage

Need to finish: Dragon’s Crown Pro

Game I want to try: Streets of Rage 4

Future release I’m excited for: I’m not actually aware of any, actually. Always happy to add more to the wishlist, though.

 

Experiences/story RPGs

This one’s the odd one. I needed a place to put the games I play for reasons other than gameplay (often despite it), for RPGs that don’t scratch the tactical itch, for games where the action repels rather than compels, for games that do special things and different things. The interactive fiction folder. The cool weird stuff folder. The interesting stuff folder. The things to show my film buff friend folder. It’s not something I go to often but I do love it. The Yakuza series is sitting here for now – a controversial choice, maybe, but I don’t love the gameplay in those and it’s really living in Kamurocho that you’re there for. Recently played Mundaun, a game that fits perfectly here.

 

All-time favourite: The Witcher 3

Need to finish: Pathologic 2

Game I want to try: Planescape Torment

Future release I’m excited for: Adios

 

Fighting games

Fighting games means fighting games. I won’t compromise on this one. Arkham Asylum is not a fighting game. A beat-em-up is not a fighting game (although they sometimes have modes that let you fight one on one). I think people (and companies) have been a lot better about this lately but I still hate it when it’s misused, more than any other genre label. I used to be into FGC stuff but haven’t watched that for years. Still enjoy mashing buttons every so often with a friend or two.

 

All-time favourite: Under-Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st]

Need to finish: Samurai Shodown

Game I want to try: Melt Blood: Type Lumina

Future release I’m excited for: Street Fighter 6

 

First Person Shooters

Yeah you know what this is. It’s funny how some games can just turn you right off, whether that’s movement or control problems, FOV issues, etc. Some games just aren’t well translated to console, but I love it when it still feels good to play with dual sticks rather than m+kb. Love a good shotgun. This folder used to just be “first person” but it was getting too bloated so I trimmed it a little, sent some to the stealth category (including the immersive sims). Never played online much with the notable exception of Titanfall 2. Classic genre, beloved by many, no notes. Gonna put a lot of games in the highlights here.

 

All-time favourite: Resistance 3

Need to finish: Resident Evil 7

Game I want to try (PLEASE GIVE ME PORTS):  Cultic, HROT, Ultrakill, Blood: Fresh Supply, Dusk, Halo 1-3, Republic Commando, Crysis 3

Future release I’m excited for: Witchfire, Blood West, Trepang²

 

Roguelites

Have gone off the genre a little because it kind of undermines any arcade sensibilities with a focus on builds, while also taking away so much control. Hate how quickly you die in Risk of Rain but I also hate how slowly you seem to die in others. I guess I’m just bad at games. It’s called roguelites because there’s a big argument that’s lurking beneath the surface about what principles of Rogue make a game -like or -lite or whatever derivative of it. It’s procedurally generated runs with item drops, that’s what it is. I do appreciate how meaningful upgrades tend to feel compared to most action-RPGs.

 

All-time favourite: Risk of Rain 2

Need to finish: Enter the Gungeon

Game I want to try: Ziggurat 2

Future release I’m excited for: Risk of Rain Returns

 

Shmups

Really not my favourite genre. On a casual level I appreciate what twinstick shooters do a lot more, even if both of them rely on memorisation for high-level play. Never really been a high score player despite enjoying “arcadey” design. Have a few on my PS4 and not really looking to play more those listed plus Astebreed, Ikaruga, Shikhondo.

 

All-time favourite: Resogun

Need to finish: Jamestown+

 

Stealth

Immersive sims go here because they generally have stealth elements and it’s a relatively empty folder, plus that feels like the best way to play them. Also, the level of interactivity and focus on observing the world (and playing patiently) is common to both. Often I find my patience is tested in stealth games, while series like Hitman tested my patients by being so puzzle like. I prefer the military shooter stealth hybrids. Metro series has also found its way to this folder. I appreciate Rebellion and Mimimi Gams trying to keep it alive now that Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell are dead. I pretty much suck at this genre (you have to be smart and I am dumb) but I’ve generally enjoyed it a lot.

 

All-time favourite: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Need to finish: Metal Gear Solid, Desperados III, Metro Exodus

Game I want to try: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Thief series

Future release I’m excited for: Gloomwood

 

Third Person Shooters

My all-time favourite genre. Mercenaries in the Resident Evil series is the platonic ideal of what I want from third-person combat – a focus on movement and enemy interaction approaching a basic action game combined with satisfying shooting mechanics. I like them more than FPS games despite those seeming to be a better fit for shooters, must be the casual in me. A very flexible genre (kind of took over in the mid-2010s – look at the SuperBunnyHop video I linked earlier to see how ubiquitous that set-up was. Nothing better than an eight to fifteen hour TPS campaign. Ace Combat 7 is languishing in this folder despite me mostly playing it in first person now – a few more vehicle and mech games and they can get their own folder.

 

All-time favourite: Resident Evil 4 – no contest

Need to finish: Resident Evil 3 Remake

Game I want to try: Rollerdrome

Future release I’m excited for: uuuh… Max Payne Remake?

 

Turn-based/Strategy

Used to hate turn-based games but I’ve come to appreciate the genre as an experience thing (less so from a raw gameplay perspective). I enjoy them as both epic narratives where the joy comes from developing a robust party, and short replayable experiences where you try different approaches and compositions. Haven’t played too many of the latter, though.

 

All-time favourite: Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

Need to finish: Valkyria Chronicles

Game I want to try: Ruined King: A League of Legends Story

Future release I’m excited for: A new SMT game I suppose? Whatever XCOM-like that appeals more than XCOM comes out next?

 

Twin-stick Shooters

Not much more to say here than what I said about shmups. More appealing as a casual, more variety, although that unfortunately means opening up levels and skill trees and what have you a la Ruiner. Still enjoyed my time with the genre.

 

All-time favourite: Assault Android Cactus

Need to finish: Nex Machina

Game I want to try: The Ascent

Future release I’m excited for: ?