Comparison Stray vs Stellar Blade

The general genre to which the game belongs. Note that the boundary between genres can be quite blurred, and many games actually belong to several genres at once. For example, all shooters are considered a subgenre of action, the Mass Effect series combines features of a shooter and an RPG, the Metro series combines features of a shooter and a horror, etc.

The following genres belong to the category of common ones: Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Fighting, Racing, Real Time Strategy (RTS), Simulator, Sport, Strategy, Turn-based Strategy (TBS), Tactical, Adventure, Indie, Arcade, Hack and slash / Beat`em up, Puzzle, Visual Novel, Platform, Card & Board Game, Point-and-Click. A detailed description of each game genre is given in the corresponding help points.

— Shooter. Shooting games, the basis of the gameplay of which is...combat using firearms or other similar weapons (bows, lasers, etc.). In this case, the player, as a rule, controls a “live” character, not equipment, although exceptions to this rule are possible. The genre is traditionally played from the first person, third-person shooters are less common (see “Player's Perspective”).

— Role-playing (RPG). Games in which the user controls a protagonist or several characters with a certain set of characteristics. Abilities usually improve as the story progresses and the game's complexity increases, and in most cases the player controls the improvement of skills by choosing which parameters to upgrade first. In classic RPGs, victory or defeat is determined mainly by the degree of character upgrade and depends weakly on the player's skills. However, there are role-playing games where the gameplay is based on action or a shooter — in them, weak characteristics can be compensated for by coordination, reaction speed, and a competent choice of tactics. Examples include The Elder Scrolls series and modern versions of Fallout. However, upgrades are also needed in such games — otherwise, the player's weapons will not be able to inflict enough damage, he will not be able to properly repel attacks, complete quests related to certain skills, etc.

— Fighting. A type of action (see "Action") in which the player character has to fight hand-to-hand (or with cold weapons) in a limited arena — usually against one opponent at a time. Different characters have different skills and fighting styles, so to win you need to not only "quickly press buttons" but also wisely use the fighter's strengths and the opponent's weaknesses. The game often provides for various combos — combinations of actions that allow you to carry out special attacks, dodge blows, restore health, etc. The plot as such is often absent. The player can fight against computer opponents, but most games in this genre have a mode for two players on one screen — usually in a one-on-one format, but there is also a cooperative mode.

— Racing. Racing on various cars — from real cars (Need For Speed, Gran Turismo) to fantastic and fairy-tale vehicles (Mario Kart, Sonic Racing). The degree of realism in Racing games also varies — from an extremely simplified format for casual players to a carefully developed physical model and detailed controls. Quite often, a fairly detailed damage model is provided, and some games of this genre initially require the player to cause accidents (Burnout, Flatout, etc.).

— Simulator. The essence of the gameplay in simulators is reduced to modeling and detailed imitation of any actions. In highly specialized games of the genre, it is supposed to control trains, planes, cars, other machines and mechanisms. Broad-themed simulators, where the player has to perform some activity or work, captivate with a greater variety of gameplay. Conventionally, this category of games can be divided into technology simulators, life simulators (using the cult series The Sims as an example), city-building, military, biological, football simulators, etc.

— Sport. Games on the theme of various sports. These can be team games (football, basketball, hockey), individual competitions (tennis) and even combat sports (MMA). Many sports simulators are created in cooperation with specialized organizations (FIFA, NBA, NHL, UFC), commercial firms and even individual athletes — such games feature real people, teams and brands.

— Strategy. Games that require strategic thinking and tactics to achieve certain goals. In strategies, the player must control not a single character, but entire groups of units, while simultaneously planning the economic component. As a rule, resource extraction, city building and battles in games of this genre take place in large open spaces. Locations not explored by the player are often hidden by the "fog of war". Globally, two subcategories of strategies can be distinguished: turn-based (TBS) and real-time strategies (RTS) — see the corresponding points below.

— Real Time Strategy (RTS). Real-time strategies (RTS), where players simultaneously interact with each other and with the virtual world. Events in RTS strategies occur without pauses, and the player needs to make decisions quickly. Victory depends on the competent organization of the extraction and distribution of resources, economic development, tactical command and reaction speed.

— Turn-based Strategy (TBS). Turn-based strategies with consistent gameplay and an emphasis on tactical thinking. Players can carefully consider their moves and make them in turns. Examples of such games are Civilization and Heroes of Might and Magic.

— Tactical. As the genre name suggests, it emphasizes tactical thinking and balanced decision-making. It is important to think several moves ahead and put tactics ahead of reaction speed. Tactical games are usually combined with other game genres — most often these are tactical shooters (Helldivers, the Far Cry series, etc.).

— Adventure. A fairly broad category of adventure games covers several subcategories at once, which can differ significantly from each other. Their common feature is the presence of a plot, which plays a key role in the gameplay. But the gameplay itself can be different: exploring the world, solving puzzles, etc.

— Indie. Games created by independent developers or small studios — without financial support and support from large publishers. The genre name is an abbreviation of the English word Independent, which translates as "independent". Often, such game projects have non-standard gameplay, original mechanics, and a non-trivial plot presentation. The genre includes games of all genres.

— Arcade. Highly dynamic games with simple controls and a straightforward plot. Arcades rely on the player's reflexes and quick reactions. The gameplay often involves short gaming sessions and captivates with good replayability. Historically, arcades came from slot machines and portable gaming devices. Bright examples of this are the iconic Pac-Man and the no less legendary Tetris.

— Hack and slash / Beat`em up. The essence of this inseparable pair of game genres is hidden directly in the name: "hack and slash", "beat them up". The basis of the gameplay of such games is close combat with numerous opponents. But if Beat'em up is mass fights in linear levels (Battletoads, Fighting Force), then Hack and Slash requires character upgrades, and the emphasis in the subgenre is on the speed of attacks and the use of powerful combos (Diablo series, Hades, etc.).

— Puzzle. Puzzle games, in which you have to solve various problems based on logic, attentiveness and/or spatial thinking. The genre has a wide variety of game mechanics — from banal puzzle assembly to solving complex physical puzzles. As an example, we can recall the legendary Portal series of games.

— Visual Novel. Games of this genre often show a story by displaying text, static or animated images, sound or music on the screen. Gameplay in visual novels is minimal — the player is only occasionally required to make a certain choice (for example, an answer option in a dialogue). The main focus in the genre is on the plot, characters and artistic design of the game.

— Platform. The key feature of platformers is the use of characteristic platform surfaces for character movement. The hero can run on them, jump over obstacles, grab the edge of the platform and pull himself up onto it — depending on the specific gameplay mechanics. Opponents must be defeated or simply avoided. Platformers can also provide the opportunity to collect various items and secrets at each level. The simplest games of this genre have a 2D world and characteristic pixel graphics, and modern platformers use 3D rendering of the game environment.

— Card & Board Game. Adaptations of famous card games and various board games. However, this genre often features original projects with card mechanics as a basis. The most famous games in this genre are numerous variations of Monopoly.

— Point-and-Click. Games in which the character interacts with the environment using a computer mouse. You only need to "point and click". The player will have to explore locations, find objects and solve puzzles, i.e. complete various quests.

This section specifies the age group for which the game is intended. Each group contains content warnings (violence, foul language, gambling, etc.) that will help you make an informed decision.

In North America, the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) classification system applies. It uses the following ratings: EC — Early Children ( 3+), E — Everyone (6+), E10+ — Everyone 10+ ( 10+), T — Teen ( 13+), M — Mature ( 17+), and AO — Adults Only ( 18+). Games with no restrictions at all are potentially suitable for all ages and correspond to the 0+ group.

This section specifies the age group for which the game is intended. Each group contains warnings about the content (scenes of violence, profanity, gambling, etc.) that will help you make an informed decision. In Europe, the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) classification of games by age rating is adopted. It includes the following ratings: PEGI 3 ( 3+), PEGI 7 ( 7+), PEGI 12 ( 12+), PEGI 16 ( 16+), PEGI 18 ( 18+).

Games with no restrictions at all are potentially suitable for all ages and correspond to the 0+ group.

The concept or plot direction that defines the atmosphere, style, and setting of a game. The theme covers the overall artistic and semantic context in which the gameplay events unfold.

In modern games, the following themes can be distinguished: Action, Fantasy, Science fiction, Horror, Thriller, Survival, Historical, Stealth, Comedy, Business, Drama, Non-fiction, Sandbox, Educational, Kids, Open world, Warfare, Party, 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate), Mystery. For more information on each direction, see the corresponding help items.

— Action. Action games with dynamic gameplay, spectacularity and high intensity of events. Coordination, control precision and quick reactions are crucial for success. Action games often feature elements of combat, shooting or hand-to-hand combat w...ith enemies.

— Fantasy. The action of such games takes place in fictional worlds with elements of magic, mythology and the supernatural. The vast majority of such games are role-playing projects or strategies in which dragons, elves, gnomes and other fantasy creatures are encountered (Hogwarts Legacy, Dragon's Dogma).

— Science fiction. Games in the "science fiction" genre, where real and fictional technological concepts are closely intertwined. Sci-fi projects are usually dedicated to the future, in which the level of technological development significantly exceeds the existing one (Ghostrunner 2, Cyberpunk 2077).

— Horror. Horror games (or "horror stories") include games with a characteristic atmosphere aimed at increasing tension, fear and anxiety. The specific genre of such games can be different. One of the most characteristic representatives is survival horror, where the game character has to confront a hostile environment in an attempt to survive. Often, such games have features of other genres - shooter (Metro), RPG (The Call Of Chtulhu), quest (The Sinking City). Be that as it may, the key feature of horror is the atmosphere - to fully complete the game, the player needs to have strong nerves.

— Thriller. The thriller theme focuses on a tense atmosphere, keeping the player constantly involved in the gameplay and not allowing him to relax. Thrillers can have elements of horror, detective, etc.

— Survival. This concept appeals to the basic instincts of any person — the need to survive. In Survival games, the character has to look for food and water, build shelters and use abandoned buildings as a refuge, collect and craft various items. The action often takes place after some kind of disaster. As an example, we can note the STALKER, Rust and The Forest series of games.

— Historical. Games based on real historical events, eras or characters. Such projects often combine historical facts with fictional elements, and the theme is found in strategies, RPGs and adventure games (for example, the Assassin's Creed series).

— Stealth. Stealth games emphasize maximum stealth. Acting head-on, eliminating enemies left and right, will not work here — it is advisable to avoid opponents, neutralize them unnoticed, use dexterity, ingenuity and stealth to advance. Note that in modern projects of this theme, the player is usually given a choice — to complete the game using Stealth or without.

— Comedy. Games with a humorous slant, which can be expressed in funny dialogues (Portal series), ridiculous situations, absurd mechanics, etc. Comedy games can be a separate genre, or combined with many other directions.

— Business. Projects in this setting focus on economics, resource management, and strategic planning to achieve goals. Typically, these are various simulators where you have to manage a farm, a business corporation, or even an entire city (Farming Simulator, Cities Skylines).

— Drama. Games with elements of dramatic plot, focusing on deep emotional experiences and characters' stories (Last of Us series). The Drama setting touches upon relationships between characters, difficult moral choices, betrayal of loved ones, etc.

— Non-fiction. Projects based on real events, true stories and scientific facts. The characters in them can be real people (both historical and quite modern — for example, the FIFA series of football simulators).

— Sandbox. In sandbox games, the hero is not limited by a strictly linear plot, but receives virtually unlimited freedom of action (GTA V, Minecraft). The character has the right to freely interact with the environment, ignoring game goals and tasks. Often the theme is combined with an open game world (see "Open world").

— Educational. A direction of educational games designed to teach the user certain skills. Educational projects can be dedicated to mathematics, history, programming, etc. As a rule, the target audience of such games is children.

— Kids. Games designed for children. Most of them have a bright enough design, can have simplified gameplay, and “adult” content (sexual scenes, violence, etc.) is practically absent in such games (or is disabled in the settings by a “parental password”). It is worth considering that the age category of children's games can be different - it does not hurt to clarify it before buying.

— Open world. Projects with a large map of the surrounding virtual world and complete freedom of movement. The player chooses where to go and what to do — follow the main storyline or complete various quests and mini-tasks. Cult games of this setting are GTA V and the STALKER series

— Warfare. Games dedicated to various military actions — conflicts, battles and battle strategies. These can be real-time strategies (the game Warfare itself), action projects, etc.

— Party. As a rule, simple games for a fun and entertaining pastime with friends. May include the performance of various mini-tasks, cooperative completion of missions and much more.

— 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate). A trend in strategy computer games with the 4X concept — explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate. At the beginning of the gameplay, you will have to do research, then expand intensively, develop captured territories, and finally destroy enemies. The stages can be intertwined with each other and outside the specified sequence, but their general meaning is preserved.

— Mystery. Games with a focus on detective investigations, solving riddles and logical puzzles. Projects in the Mystery setting often have an intricate plot with unexpected turns of gameplay.

The platform for which the game is released, in other words, the series of devices for which it is designed.

Different platforms differ in both hardware and the data format in which game information is stored. So modern gaming projects are always released for a specific platform. Note that the same game may be available in several editions - for different platforms. But these versions are not interchangeable: for example, the PC version cannot be launched on PlayStation 5, but the opposite option - launching a console game on a PC - is technically quite possible (using an emulator program). However, this is quite complicated and requires high system power, so this option should only be used in cases where the game does not have a PC version, but you want to play.

— Windows PC. Games designed for Windows computers.

PC games have one important difference from console games (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, etc.): a game released for a certain console will run on any such device, while computers can differ significantly in characteristics and not all of them are able to "pull" a particular game (especially a new and resource-intensive one). So for PC games, you should definitely check the system requirements before buying.

— Linux PC. Games for computers running Linux.

In its "pure" form, relatively few games are released for the Linux system - after all, this platfo...rm is not a priori a gaming one. However, thanks to technologies like Proton from Steam and various distributions, a wide variety of games can be launched on a Linux PC. As with other PC platforms, computer specifications can vary greatly - before installing, it is important to make sure the title is compatible and the system requirements are met.

— Mac PC. Games designed for Apple computers (Mac).

The Mac PC has a limited list of games compared to Windows, as not all developers adapt their projects directly to the macOS system. However, with Apple's transition to proprietary M-series chips, gaming performance has improved significantly - as a result, there is a potential increase in the number of games for this platform. As with other PCs, it is worth considering the game's system requirements and compatibility with macOS before installing.

— Nintendo Switch. Games for Nintendo Switch — a gaming console released since 2017. First of all, it is notable for its hybrid format of operation: the console can be used both as a portable and as a desktop one. For this purpose, the design includes a main unit with a touch screen, supplemented by a docking station, where the head module is installed when connected to a TV or monitor. The Joy-Con controller has an even more unusual design, consisting of two halves — each with its own analog lever and a set of four buttons, as well as an accelerometer and a gyroscope. These "halves" can be used as gamepads for two people, controllers that respond to movements (like the Wii Remote), they can be installed on the Grip accessory, turning it into a traditional gamepad, or attached to both sides of the main unit. Games for Switch are distributed on special cartridges, as well as through the Nintendo eShop online service; there is no regional lock.

— SteamVR. Virtual reality (VR) games using SteamVR.

SteamVR is Valve's platform for virtual reality games and applications. The platform supports a wide range of VR headsets, including Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, etc. It is important to consider that VR games have high hardware requirements, and before purchasing a game, you should definitely check compatibility with a specific headset and system requirements.

— Android. Various games for mobile devices running the Android operating system.

The vast majority of games for this platform are distributed through the branded Google Play Market application store. This section presents games not specifically for Android, but multi-platform projects that have acquired support for working on Android devices as one of the options in addition to other platforms.

— iOS. Games for Apple mobile devices running the proprietary iOS operating system.

The Apple ecosystem is closed, so games for it are presented exclusively in the App Store. Similar to the point above (see "Android"), iOS support is one of the compatibility options for some multi-platform game projects.

— Xbox 360. Games for the Xbox 360 console family from Microsoft. The original console debuted back in 2005, and its various versions were released until 2017 — the latest model in the line was the Xbox 360 Slim. The main competitor of the family is the PlayStation 3 from Sony.

Many Xbox 360 hits are still available on newer consoles (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) thanks to backward compatibility. However, not all games have received such support. Games for this platform are often distributed on physical media (optical discs). Their digital versions can be downloaded with a purchased license from the Microsoft Store.

— Xbox One. Games for Xbox One — eighth-generation desktop consoles from Microsoft. The original Xbox One was released in the fall of 2013, with updates in 2016 (Xbox One S), 2017 (Xbox One X with VR headset and goggle support), and 2019 (Xbox One S All-Digital — no optical disc drive). The direct competitor of this line is Sony's PlayStation 4.

In fact, the Xbox One is not even a gaming console, but a full-fledged media center: it can work as a media player, as well as as an “intermediary” between the TV set-top box and the screen, providing additional functionality (in particular, recommendations and voice control). The gaming equipment is notable for the updated Xbox 360 gamepad and an improved version of the contactless Kinect controller. Games are distributed both on Blu-ray discs and through the Xbox Games Store online service, while the online storage is supported by the Windows 10 operating system, which allows you to buy games through a PC. Shortly after the release of the original Xbox One, the creators abandoned regional locks and the need for a constant Internet connection. The console is backward compatible with individual Xbox games of earlier generations, but in 2019, the release of such games was discontinued.

— Xbox Series X|S. Games for Microsoft's flagship consoles from the Xbox Series X|S families. This generation of consoles debuted at the end of 2020, alongside their main competitor, the Sony PlayStation 5. In 2024, the lineup received an update, plus a model without a disc drive, the All-Digital Edition, was added to it.

The gaming consoles of the family are aimed at the role of universal media players with many pre-installed streaming services and a Blu Ray drive. For generation X, many console games are available for Xbox 360 and Xbox One in backward compatibility mode.

— Sony PlayStation 4. Games for PlayStation 4 — consoles from the famous company Sony. This family was introduced in 2013 (the original PS4) and expanded in 2016 (Pro and Slim versions, as well as the PlayStation VR virtual reality system). Despite the high computing power, PS4 is promoted exclusively as a gaming device, and not as a media center (unlike its direct competitor from Microsoft — Xbox One). At the same time as the PS4, a new DualShock 4 gamepad was introduced. Game controllers of earlier versions are not supported by the console, although, of course, compatibility with motion-sensitive PS Move controllers has not gone anywhere.

From a software point of view, the key innovation was the abandonment of regional locks: access to the digital library of purchased games and launch them can be done regardless of the player's location and on any PS4. On the other hand, multiplayer has become paid - with a PSN Plus subscription (except for individual games). Backward compatibility with games for earlier PS is not provided.

— Sony PlayStation 5. Games for the new generation of popular gaming consoles from Sony, which were released at the end of 2020. Projects for PS5 provide significantly improved graphics and a higher level of user immersion in the virtual world. Thus, when developing games for this console, emphasis is placed on the deep tactile feedback of the updated DualShock joysticks and highly realistic surround sound (Tempest 3D AudioTech).

PS5 games are released both on UHD Blu-ray optical media and in digital format. To run games from discs, you need a "full" version of the PlayStation 5 console (NOT the Digital Edition modification). Please note that the manufacturer provides the possibility of backward compatibility with PlayStation 4 games, but it is not supported by all projects (more detailed information about compatibility should be clarified immediately before purchase).

The year of the official release of the game, when the project becomes available to all users. In fact, the game can be released earlier than the specified date, but with limited access in alpha and beta testing mode or in early access (when the game is not yet completed, but can already be purchased).