In my late twenties, I decided to figure out exactly what kind of beer I liked. I knew I preferred beer to spirits or wine but didn’t have a deep understanding of the different kinds of beer. I went to my grocery store and systematically tried different styles and figured out my personal preferences. Since then, I may branch out here or there, but I pretty much stay in my lane. However, there are times when trying something new makes me realize I don’t only enjoy one flavor. Similarly, with video games, many people decide they are RPG enthusiasts, or fighting game fans, and focus on that genre of gameplay only. But should they seek some variety?

Genre is a compelling topic in video games because a game doesn’t have just one genre. There is the gameplay genre, and then there is the story genre. These are completely separate. A turn-based RPG can be a noir detective game and eschew the typical fantasy setting. A visual novel might be a thriller instead of a romance. This is where, I think, video games can get particularly interesting. Some roguelikes, which is generally considered a genre unto itself, are platformer based while others are bullet hell games–and that’s leaving out the story genre of such games entirely. Suffice it to say, there are a wide variety of games in all kinds of genres with various interesting combinations of gameplay, story, mechanics, characters, and settings.

I think it’s important to get to know what kind of games you like. If you’ve bought more than a handful in your life, there’s a good chance you’ve bought a game that was highly recommended but didn’t gel with you. We all have limited time and money, so it’s good to know what you like. Are you a horror fan? Do you like fast-paced games? Strategy enthusiast? Cool. Play that then.

While knowing your gaming preferences can enhance your experience, failing to take risks with the games you play can also lead you down a path of boring sameness. Expanding your horizons with a type of game you’ve hardly or never played can open you up to a whole new set of enjoyable experiences. For example, you might find that not only do you like things other than first-person shooters, but also, you find there are only a handful of genres you strongly dislike. If you have a service like Game Pass available, that can make taking risks a lot easier.

Video games are a unique art form that can provide a mix of story genres and gameplay genres. Sometimes a video game is more akin to a sport, while at other times, games are more like a novel. Or a movie. Or a comic book. Sometimes they feel like a marathon. And yet, they’re something different than all of those things. The breadth of available experiences in this particular leisure activity warrants investigation. Ultimately, it’s supposed to be fun, and when you find something fun, it’s understandable to want to stick with that.

What do you think? Have you found what kinds of games you like and now you stick to those? Are you a generalist? Let us know in the comments below, or join the Boss Rush Discord and the conversation there.

Image Source: Xbox