Some people don’t like massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), and some people love them. This article considers the idea that there are some games out there that offer genre alternatives. This article uses Fallout Shelter as its primary example, but there are other genre alternatives out there that help broaden the audience for each genre.
What is a Genre Alternative?
As mentioned in the introduction, there are certain games out there that really hit the mark. They are what some people would call perfect examples of a genre game. For example, many people agree that the game “Thief 2” is a perfect example of a stealth game (or “Dishonored 2” if you wish). Others consider “Metal Gear Solid 5” to be a perfect example of a stealth game. Some of the early Assassin’s Creed games are also considered prime examples of the stealth genre.
A genre alternative to these beloved stealth games may be something like “Alien Isolation” because it is a closed environment with no real weapons and a strong emphasis on reality. There are isometric games like “Invisible Inc” and “Commando’s 2,” where not being seen and operating stealthily are core game mechanics. There is not much crossover between the people who like these types of stealth games over those like “Thief 2”; they are genre alternatives.
If you think about it, many genres have non-obvious alternatives depending on how you play them. For example, action games like “Sniper Elite 4” and “Far Cry 5” are not strictly considered to be stealth games, and yet if you play them stealthily, not only does the playing style work, but it also actually makes the games more interesting.
Why Bother With Genre Alternatives?
The gaming industry is so diverse because people like different things. We see a lot of the same thing in movies. For example, if you say the word “rom-com,” you can almost guess what sort of things it will contain. There will be a misunderstanding, a few tears, a few sweet moments, somebody will be changed forever, and love will triumph over all.
Games have become generic, especially big-budget games because they need to create stuff that will sell to the widest audience, but even by modern standards, the gaming industry has a fairly diverse set of games and genres. Genre alternatives are important because different people like different stuff.
Some games are amazing by most standards, but there are still people who don’t like them. For example, most people agree that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a brilliant game. It is the defining level of console quality for the Playstation 4/Xbox One era. Yet, some people don’t like it because it isn’t a pick-up-and-play game, and it is very narrative-heavy. Some consider Dark Souls 1 and 3 to be examples of perfect games, but some people don’t like the punishing level of difficulty, or the fact that all you do is fight enemies.
There are some people who want to play MMO games, but who don’t like this style of game. So, here is why the game “Fallout Shelter” is an MMO game for people who don’t like MMO games.
The Upward March of Progression
Most games have some sort of progression, but MMOs typically have the sort of progression where you get better, stronger, and unlock more things, but essentially go nowhere. Fallout Shelter doesn’t have multiplayer modes but otherwise allows you to progress in the same treading-water way that you do with MMOs.
Going on Quests For Currency and Consumables
In most MMOs, especially in fantasy and sci-fi, you go on quests and you receive rewards. These are almost always things like currency, consumables, weapons and armor, and the same is true for Fallout Shelter.
A Wide And Customizable Cast
The most popular MMOs give you a single character to customize and build up, but some give you a whole cast of characters to upgrade, and that is also what Fallout Shelter gives you. You can breed your own characters if you wish, or you can pick them up from the wasteland.
Dismantling and Crafting
Crafting hasn’t always been a core feature of MMOs. Crafting systems are more of a semi-modern trend that now dominates a wide variety of games. Fallout Shelter has systems where you can craft weapons and armor while deconstructing said items to sell the parts or use the parts for further crafting.
Skills and Leveling Up
This mechanic works in two ways. You firstly level up your characters, and you also level up your vault by buying and earning new room upgrades. Similar to how you can use ESO gold to buy houses, you can use Fallout caps to buy things like weapon crafting rooms.
What About the Rest of the Fallout Franchise?
Hasn’t this article simply proved that the Fallout franchise formula is uncomfortably similar to the MMO genre? Well yes, that is the case. It is so much the case that when “Fallout 76” was created, it was Fallout’s first venture into full MMO territory. They already had the ingredients, and even though the project itself was a disaster, it was an easy answer for the developers since almost every MMO mechanic was already in place (except the multiplayer bit).
On that note, isn’t “Fallout 76” an MMO genre alternative? No, it isn’t. “Fallout 76” actually is an MMO. It is no more an alternative than semi-skimmed milk is to skimmed milk.
Final Thoughts – Experiment With Alternatives
This article isn’t a call to action for all people to start trying ugly indie games, or to start paying for shovelware. This article isn’t going to insult you with advice on how you should try new things. Instead, it offers the idea that the game genres you hate may have genre alternatives that you love. Here are a few examples to get you started.
Kingdom Rush Franchise vs Space Run
Some people consider the “Kingdom Rush” games to be the gold star of tower defense, but if you dislike that genre, then try something like the “Space Run” franchise where you are moving rather than your enemies, and where you get to gamble with risk and reward depending on your confidence/recklessness level.
Stardew Valley vs Rimworld
There are quite a few farming/life simulators out there, and games like “Stardew Valley” and the “Sims” are known as top of their class. An alternative is something like “Rimworld” or even “Oxygen Not Included” for a deeper exploitation of the world around you.
Doom vs SuperHot
There are lots of first-person shooters out there that are similar to “Doom” in one way or another and they all rely on fast-paced action. Alternatives like “Super Hot” allow you full control of how quickly the enemy moves.
Left 4 Dead 2 vs Call of Duty
Explaining how these two differ is tough. In “COD” you are working together to win, but in “L4D2,” you are working as a team to survive. The difference is subtle until you start playing.
Sports Games vs Rocket League
Things like “Wii Sports,” along with many other sports games, allow you to control just one player while being part of a team. “Rocket League” sees you playing as one character on a team and your level of skill makes a massive difference to gameplay.
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