Roleplay Genres & Categories

Text-based roleplays offer a variety of genres for players to explore. These options include fantasy, action, science fiction, adventure, romance, comedy, war, drama, horror, and school/slice-of-life. Additionally, roleplays can blend two or more genres together if their story involves more than one defining element. This allows for rich and diverse storytelling experiences.

Fantasy in Context

TRON, for example, is heavily based on science fiction, whereas film trilogies like the Lord of The Rings contain a thorough mixture of medieval fantasy, adventure, and action. Such works are examples of Tolkien-fantasy (after J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of those films) or [epic] high fantasy. This genre is highly unrealistic, placed entirely out of the real world, and will often include its own history, mythology, races, cultures, and language (all created by the author). Expect to see dragons, lots of battles between good and evil, and intricate world-building. You could also put this into perspective by separating fantasy into three separate categories:

Mostly or Somewhat Realistic

The following genres are typically associated with realistic or practical themes that could exist in the real world.

• Low Fantasy, which contradicts high fantasy. Low fantasy is practical, similar to the real world, and engaged with the real world (but with added elements of the fantasy genre). A popular example is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

• Superhero Fantasy, which is commonly centered around comic books from the 1930s. This genre usually focuses on the adventures of heroic figures in the real world. A popular example is the film series Iron Man.

• Historical Fantasy, which takes place during an actual historical event or time period (e.g. World War II) but with a fantastical twist. A popular example is the film Gladiator.

Mostly or Somewhat Unrealistic

On the contrary, there are several genres which are highly unrealistic and not possible enough to exist in the real world.

• Fairytale or Folklore Fantasy, which is full of fairy tales, myths, legends, and lots of mythical creatures (such as goblins, mermaids, or centaurs). A popular example is the film Maleficent.

• Science Fantasy, which combines elements of science fiction and fantasy, usually featuring advanced technology and magic in the same world. A popular example is the film franchise Star Wars.

• Paranormal Fantasy, like the name suggests, is fantasy that emphasizes the paranormal and supernatural (think of demons or scary ghosts). A popular example is the film franchise The Conjuring.

Can be Realistic or Unrealistic

The last set of genres could fall into either category, depending on how the author depicts the world and the elements within it.

• Medieval Fantasy is usually set in a medieval-inspired world, often using elements such as castles, knights, and feudal societies. The scope of world-building is also a lot narrower here. A popular example is the film Hercules.

• Dark Fantasy combines grim, sinister, unsettling, or disturbing themes with fantastical ones, usually to evoke horror or a sense of dread. A popular example is the film Gretel and Hansel.

• Contemporary Fantasy, or modern fantasy, is simply fantasy that takes place in the modern era, or, more specifically, in the time period of the maker. A popular example is the film series Harry Potter.

• Urban Fantasy, much like the name suggests, always takes place in an urban environment, setting, or location (i.e. a city or metropolis) with intertwined fantasy tropes, archetypes, and creatures. A popular example is the film Suicide Squad.

Understanding Boundaries

Please bear in mind that the boundary between realism and unrealism is very subjective and highly dependent on individual perspectives. Moreover, numerous fantasy narratives seamlessly navigate these categories, blurring the lines even further. After all, no one said defining them would be easy...