The player is in control of and at the center of the action, which is mainly comprised of physical challenges players must overcome.

The game’s character interacts with platforms(usually running, jumping, or falling) throughout the gameplay.

Let players use weapons to engage in the action, while the goal usually being to take out enemies or opposing players.

Focus the action on combat, and in most cases, hand-to-hand combat.

Focuses on combat, but instead of facing a single opponent, players face wave of enemies.

Stress cunning and precision to resolve game challenges. Usually encourage players to engage in the action covertly.

Usually set in hostile, intense, open-world environments. Players begin with minimal equipment.

Music-based games that challenge players to keep in step with the rhythm of a song or soundtrack in the game by pressing corresponding button on the controller at a precise time to accumulate points.

Most frequently incorporate two game mechanics - games-long quests or obstacles that must be conquered using a tool or item collected , as well as an action element where the item(s) are used.

Mature themes and subject matter to portray grisly and gruesome settings. Deliver nail-biting excitement amplified by a key game mechanism: limited resources like ammunition or finite weapons.

Basic action-adventure games, but aren’t linear, and often require that the player backtrack, or is kept from progressing, until they find a specific item or special tool.

Categorized by the style of gameplay, not the story or content. While technology has given developers new options to explore storytelling in the genre, at a basic level, adventure games haven’t evolved much from their text-based origins.

Gameplay is text-based, user uses keyboard to input commands in response to game programmed story arch or situation, such as “grab sword” or “go North”.

Used simple images to support the still text-based adventure. Point-and-click to interact with an on-screen object.

Requires player to build up character traits and statistics to advance the gameplay. The games often have multiple endings which are determined by how the player responds specific points in the plot.

Contain pre-filmed live-action or animation sequences. Played out from a third-person perspective and the players controls the actions.

Players interact in a real-time 3D video game world.

Second-most popular game genre. Mostly features medieval or fantasy settings. This is due mainly to the origin of the genre, which can be traced back to dungeons & dragons and other pen and paper role-playing games.

Take game elements of both action and action-adventure. Combats takes place in real-time and depends on players speed and accuracy to beat foes.

Involve hundreds of players actively interacting with each other in the same world, all players share the same or similar objective.