Best Games That Revived a Genre

Summary

Devil May Cry 3 revived the hack and slash genre with expanded combat and a charismatic protagonist.
Street Fighter 4 saved the competitive edge of fighting games, bringing them back into the mainstream.
Fire Emblem: Awakening breathed new life into tactical RPGs, making them both accessible and engaging.

Over time in the intensely competitive video game market, certain genres may become overshadowed or even disappear, while others consistently remain popular. On one side, there are a few genres that have maintained their appeal since their initial release, but less common categories often find it tough to sustain this level of interest.

It’s fortunate that certain renowned games have miraculously resuscitated a particular genre when it seemed close to disappearing, elevating them back to their past prominence for a new wave of gamers to appreciate. For a game to accomplish such an impressive feat, it must demonstrate the value of the genre, ensuring the games themselves are top-notch, as these exceptional titles below have done, each being recognized for reviving its own genre.

6. Devil May Cry 3

The Third DMC Game Injected a Burst of Stylish Energy into the Hack and Slash Genre

Although games such as “Dungeons and Dragons” and the original “Diablo” series are often acknowledged for bringing hack-and-slash elements into existence, it was actually Capcom’s “Devil May Cry” that truly refined and defined the genre. The initial installment of this highly successful franchise was generally well-received, but its sequel, “Devil May Cry 2,” was perceived as a significant decline compared to its predecessor, largely due to the overly simplified difficulty level that even a determined toddler could conquer with enough effort.

Back then, when game developers like Platinum Games weren’t frequently releasing character action games, a misstep from a game like Devil May Cry could have potentially led to the downfall of the entire genre. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, and we can be thankful for Devil May Cry 3, which built upon everything that made the first game exceptional. In this version, Dante is not only more witty and charming, but the combat was significantly enhanced with the introduction of the Styles system. This feature allows players to select a playstyle that they can then develop and boost throughout the story, enabling them to inflict maximum damage.

5. Street Fighter 4

Street Fighter 4 Proved Fighting Games Could Exist on Modern Consoles

In the 80s and 90s, arcade games, particularly those in the fighting category, gained massive popularity. However, as more advanced home consoles became widely available, it seemed like the peak of fighting games was about to wane. While titles such as Tekken and Soulcalibur still managed to attract players, the fierce competitive spirit that was a hallmark of the genre appeared to be fading. That is, until Street Fighter 4 made its appearance. With a fresh new look and a commitment to ensuring game balance, many fighting game enthusiasts believe that Street Fighter 4 helped revitalize the genre’s presence in mainstream culture.

Essentially, Street Fighter 4 significantly demonstrated that fighting games weren’t limited to arcades alone and could indeed provide equal fun, popularity, and competition on contemporary systems. Prior to its release, some referred to those times as a ‘dark age’ for fighting games. However, with the current resurgence of the genre, it’s clear that Street Fighter 4 deserves much praise for resurrecting the genre from obscurity.

4. Fire Emblem: Awakening

Intelligent Systems’ Final Ditch Effort Brought Tactical RPGs Back into the Spotlight

In the early days when Japanese Role Playing Games (JRPGs) were gaining popularity, many creators experimented with modifying the traditional turn-based battle system to offer players a fresh experience. The concept of a strategy RPG where gameplay required a more tactical approach gained traction with games like “Final Fantasy Tactics”. However, just as the turn-based combat it emulated started to lose its charm in the 2000s, these strategy RPGs followed suit.

In the era of swift-moving action games and frenetic first-person shooter titles taking center stage, it was a challenge for series like Fire Emblem to keep players engaged. The situation became so critical that the developers at Intelligent Systems were given one final opportunity by Nintendo to create a commercially successful game, or risk discontinuing Fire Emblem altogether. Fortunately, Fire Emblem: Awakening not only rescued the series but also rejuvenated the tactical role-playing genre. A key factor in its success was making the game user-friendly, including options to disable permadeath to reduce stress during gameplay and allowing players to combine certain units for added combat effectiveness.

3. The Walking Dead

A Modernized Point-and-Click Adventure That Felt Fresh and Exciting

At one time, the point-and-click gameplay format reigned supreme in adventure games, with “Secret of Monkey Island” being a beloved representative. However, as developers mastered ways to offer players more control over their character using diverse camera angles and control systems, point-and-click gameplay started to seem somewhat outdated. Yet, it was Telltale’s “The Walking Dead” that underscored its relevance in the contemporary gaming scene.

As players navigate through the game world using clicks on specific environmental elements to control protagonist Lee, they’re also required to quickly react when zombies attack, adding an element of suspense that elevates the ordinary point-and-click adventure experience into something thrilling and immersive. This heightened tension made the game a massive hit, leading to numerous follow-up games in this genre, with Telltale Games being one of the prominent creators, but not the only ones as other developers also contributed.

2. Minecraft

Bringing Survival to a Whole New Audience of Players

Prior to Minecraft’s public release in 2011, the survival game genre was not yet widely popular. Games such as UnReal World and Wurm Online had paved the way for defining this genre, but they didn’t manage to capture mainstream attention or ease of play, making it challenging for developers of these niche games to establish themselves amidst an industry where other genres were already gaining prominence.

Minecraft, initially, may have started off as a game. Yet, it significantly transformed itself. The captivating, colorful visuals and boundless creative possibilities already made the game attractive to gamers across age groups. However, what truly set it apart was its survival mechanics, particularly the necessity to combat monsters while simultaneously ensuring that the hunger meter remained full by consuming enough food. To this day, Minecraft remains one of the most popular games globally, demonstrating how engrossing survival games can be when developers invest time in making them accessible for both novice and experienced players, as well as those who rarely delve into gaming.

1. Resident Evil 4

Survival Horror Came Back Like a Corpse Rising from the Grave

In the early 2000s, it appeared as though survival horror was nearing its end, a notion that might seem hard to fathom today. Despite the initial Resident Evil games being massive successes, an overwhelming number of Resident Evil clones flooded the market and Capcom’s reluctance to abandon fixed camera angles left many gamers yearning for something more contemporary and innovative.

To mix things up and breathe fresh life into the genre, Capcom introduced Resident Evil 4 – a game that boldly broke the mold, ushering in a new chapter for survival horror. The most noticeable alteration was undeniably the shift to a third-person perspective, placing players right in the heat of the action as they strategically aim their shots when confronted by hordes of adversaries. Another key modification was swapping out the traditional slow-moving zombies with faster and more aggressive Ganado, adding an exhilarating twist to gameplay. With so many survival horror games today mimicking its innovative style, it continues to earn every ounce of praise for resurrecting the genre from its previous stagnation.

2025-07-20 09:34