Do you have any genres that you’re always willing to give a shot? This thought popped into my head recently, after I played four different metroidvanias within a short time period. There are just some genres where I’m always up for trying out a new entry, and I wonder if other people have similar experiences.
The first of these genres for me is, naturally, metroidvanias. I’ve been a fan ever since I first played Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. There’s just something so satisfying and addictive about exploring and gradually unlocking all the parts of a big map. It’s a genre rife with “Aha!” moments, especially when you discover sequence breaks and creative uses of the tools at your disposal. Plenty of metroidvanias include their own mechanical quirks, too. Touhou Luna Nights features a time-stop mechanic, Record of Lodoss War – Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth – has you regularly switching between two different spirit summons to damage different types of enemies in the same vein as shoot-em-up Ikaruga, and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has enemies randomly drop shards that the heroine absorbs to gain their powers. Metroid Dread, with its light horror elements, provided such an enjoyable twist on the formula for me that it quickly became one of my very favorite video games.
Speaking of horror, that’s the next genre on my list. I attribute my love of all things spooky to my mom, who was a big horror fan and let me watch scary movies with her when I was growing up. To that end, I took an interest in series like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Nowadays, there are tons of horror games to play thanks to the indie gaming boom of the past decade and renewed interest from big publishers. I’m not terribly picky when it comes to horror games, and find myself grabbing plenty of things to play from all over the budget spectrum. Spooky hide-and-seek games where you spend the whole time getting chased? Sure, I’ll try it. Slow, methodical gameplay where you solve puzzles and occasionally run into monsters? That’s fine, too. Multiplayer horror? Why not? From Haunting Ground to Dead by Daylight, I just can’t help but enjoy horror games.
RPGs round out the list of genres I just keep going back to. Whether turn-based or full-on action combat, I know I’m probably going to find something to like. From Fallout to Final Fantasy, some of my favorite stories and worlds can be found under the RPG label. There are plenty of options to check out on both the indie and big-budget side, and it’s been nice to see how this genre has evolved over the course of my life. There’s nothing quite like settling in for a big adventure with a new cast of heroes or revisiting an old favorite. I’m looking forward to diving into Persona 3 Reload, and the only reason I haven’t yet is that I just watched my husband’s playthrough and want to give it some room to breathe. Regardless, RPGs are irresistible to me thanks to how cozy they make adventuring feel.
When it comes to my gaming staples, metroidvanias, horror games and role-playing games fit the bill. No matter what mood I’m in or what budget I’m sticking to, I know I’ll have a good time with any of these options. How about you? Do you have any genres you just can’t get enough of? I’d love to hear about it!
Kay Talks Games 