The Daily Grind: What's your favorite non-MMO genre?
by Eliot Lefebvre 
Nov 1st 2009 at 8:00AM
Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind
Long before we had the soaring crafts and grand interstellar vistas of EVE Online, most games that involved spaceships were of a very set type. They usually involved one small ship, a horde of other ships, bullets flying everywhere, and a number of lives that were expressly designed to eat up as many quarters as possible. The gaming field has changed quite a bit since then, but scrolling shooters in the vein of Darius or R-Type can still eat up hours on end... much like most MMOs, although without as much emphasis on virtual worlds. And there's little denying that for fans of the genre, they're as effective at reducing stress.
Today, we ask our readers: what's your favorite game type that doesn't fall under our header? Do you prefer traditional console RPGs? Do you veer more toward fighting games, or strategy titles, or is it a mishmash of different things that appeal to you? You could argue the elements of Team Fortress 2 or Borderlands, but they generally fall under a different aegis than Champions Online or EverQuest II for most players... so what about you? What do you like to kick back with when you aren't on your MMO of choice?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Anjohl said on 8:20AM 11-01-2009
Easy: Strategy. Defense Grid, Praetorian, Empire Earth, and many others.
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BeaNo said on 8:27AM 11-01-2009
RPG's are my first love of gaming. FPS would be second.
Right now, I find myself playing Oblivion (again) and Borderlands instead of an mmo as I don't seem to enjoy myself in any mmo around atm. One of the joys of a good RPG for me is replay value. No other genre imo really comes close to offering the same potential replay value as a good RPG.
Really enjoying Borderlands right now, the merging of rpg with fps is probably my ultimate game (Deus Ex
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TommyB said on 8:42AM 11-01-2009
Same for me, RPG + FPS combined, stuff like Gothic or Fallout 3.
e.pauley.jr said on 8:34AM 11-01-2009
4x space games, like Sword of the Stars
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Brendan Drain said on 11:29AM 11-01-2009
Same here, 4x space games rock. I haven't played sword of the stars or sins of a solar empire but Master of Orion 2 will remain my all-time favourite game no matter what :D
Ninevah said on 3:15PM 11-01-2009
Yeah, SotS rocks!
DrunkenIdiot said on 8:48AM 11-01-2009
I really enjoy dogfighting space sims. While EVE still falls under the category of space sim, games like Freespace where reflexes are everything really capture the moment. As the author writes, "one small ship, a horde of other ships, bullets flying everywhere". Although I understand they are talking about a completely different game, applied to a different context and you have what I enjoy.
Therefore it's no surprise that I'm looking forward to Jumpgate Evolution and Black Prophecy :)
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Anjohl said on 10:27AM 11-02-2009
Lofl, how exactly is Eve a "space sim"? Pointing and clicking has NO logical real world analogue, certainly not the "captain of the ship" BS that people use to justify it's terrible control interface. Hopefully Black Prophecy or Jumpgate Evolution will have the economic and player-driven content depth that Eve does, so people can play a TRUE space sim.
Jonis Jalopy said on 6:05PM 11-02-2009
My first love is Fighting Games. From the Street Fighter 2 on my SNES to Tekken 6 on my PS3, I'm addicted to them all =)
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LaughingTarget said on 9:02AM 11-01-2009
Story driven platformers. Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted, etc.
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CheesyTaco said on 9:10AM 11-01-2009
RPG's. Specifically ones made by Bioware.
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Looski said on 9:39AM 11-01-2009
My first love is FPS. I just love shooting things. TF2, L4D, CoD4, anything with and amazing muiltiplayer. Second would have to be the fps/rpg hybrids into the pc rpgs. Love bioware and a more fast paced game. Jrpgs tend to lose me, and I have tried!
I want to try Fallen Earth sooooo badly.
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Bryan said on 9:46AM 11-01-2009
RPGs hands down. Namely the Final Fantasy variety. Problem with that is....they hardly make em anymore! Gotta wait years in between installments.
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noamraz05 said on 12:38PM 11-01-2009
RPG's.
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breezer said on 10:16AM 11-01-2009
what ever's good.
I have billboard top 40 tastes when it comes to gaming. I want to make sure I'm getting my money's worth.
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Wisdomandlore said on 10:25AM 11-01-2009
RPGs mainly, although I also play FPS games, strategy, action, adventure, and platforming. Right now I'm probably looking forward to the New Super Mario Bros on Wii (simultaneous multiplayer Mario = win). I'll probably pick up Borderlands, Dragon Age, and Zelda: Spirit Tracks before years end as well. Then Bioshock 2 and Mass Effect 2 early next year. I would be playing Demon Souls and Uncharted 2 if I had PS3.
I used to obsessed with JRPGs, but the genre has become stagnant and honestly I don't have the time to play all the ones that come out today. Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and some of the Atlus titles are the only ones I even check out anymore.
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eyeball2452 said on 12:32PM 11-01-2009
I agree. I'd probably pick RPGs first. Used to love jRPGs, but got tired of them after FFX due to there being more cut scenes than actual game play.
I'd rank the best RPGs like this:
1. Chrono Trigger
2. FFVI (FFIII)
3. SWTOR
My second choice would be FPSs and ranked like this:
1. Halo
2. CoD
Scarr said on 10:31AM 11-01-2009
Seems like good timing to post a question like this, seeing as mmos are really struggling these days. I think having been burned 3 (at least) times by 'failures' (hype does not match reality), people are sick of the genre.... at least I am.
Anyways, Torchlight (action rpg?) is fun, but my favorite would have to be space exploration / conquest games. RPGs are fun if done 'right' (good mix of sandbox, story, and dynamic world).
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Psychotic Storm said on 11:45AM 11-01-2009
Science fiction Strategy, lets hope SC2 will live half the legend SC was.
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torak said on 11:46AM 11-01-2009
Man, I have some tried and true fall backs when I'm not playing an MMO.
Dawn of War, World in Conflict, Battlefield 2 w/ mods, Star Wars Battlefront 2 maybe some Company of Heroes...oh, and I can always get into some Vampire the Masquerade and Knights of the Old Republic.
That's a lot of older games I know but I don't play that much so I still get a lot of mileage out of them.
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