:TITLE:Categories :INC:index :SUB:Elements

The contents of the story and the general feeling the characters give.

Action: The story has fast paced scenes and plenty of explosions or gun battles. Or lots of running...
Comedy: The story is light-hearted and makes you laugh, either by the un-seriousness or by character design.
Drama: The story takes a very serious path, often involving real-life scenarios in which you could relate to. A slice-of-life, with it's ups and downs.
Fantasy: Is it actually possible? Plenty of Mahou Shoujo and transformations, parallel universes and witches abound! Maybe pigs fly...
Horror: Plenty of blood and guts laying around. The guy with the knife looks suspicious.
Mystery: Suspense, tension and a little bit of morning dew makes a mystery game. Something has happened, so work it out! Alternatively, hide under a rock.
Romance: Pull some heart-strings, get intimate with another character, and have some fun! Plenty of dating or some fanservice.
School Life: Obviously, a school is needed. It seems like a chore to us, but the characters like learning. Maybe it's the people they meet? Or the lunch they share...
SciFi: Science Fiction. Using intelligence and building something not available today but certainly possible in real-life. Lasers are ficticious...
Shoujo Ai: Romance between two (or more) female characters.
Shounen Ai: Romance between two (or more) male characters. Love has no boundaries.

:SUB:Gameplay

This category is used to describe the gameplay or game engine.

NVL: All games where the text is overlaid on the background and there is no special dialog-box fall under this category.
ADV: The text is presented in a special window, usually at the bottom of the screen. Also known as Adventure or AVG. In some (rare) cases a game will switch between both styles, for these games both the NVL and ADV categories should be selected.
Action: This category indicates that the game includes a gameplay that challenges the player's speed, dexterity and reaction time. Common examples are fighting games, puzzles that should be solved within a short time limit, and shooter games.
RPG: Abbreviation for Role Playing Game. An RPG is a game in which you assume the role of a character introduced to a vast world to be explored. Games typically place emphasis on gaining equipment and experience points through fighting enemies in order to advance through different levels.
Strategy: A strategy game is one that challenges the player to think critically in order to achieve victory.
Simulation: A simulation game attempts to recreate aspects of reality and puts the player in control.

:SUB:Plot

Indicates the plot type of a game. There are only two options: Branching and Linear.

Linear: A game with a linear plot has a static story; it is not possible to get different paths or endings. Many games in this category do not prompt the player with choices and simply tell the story as it is. This is, however, not a rule: it is also possible for a game to provide choices, but they have no influence on the story itself. (e.g. Utawarerumono)
Branching: A game with a branching plot has a story whose path is directly affected by choices made by the player during the game. These different paths are sometimes referred to as "arcs" when they pertain to the stories of different female characters within a game.

:SUB:Time

Indicates the time period in which the story has been set.

Future: The game is set in a time beyond that of our own. Games may incorperate elements of future technologies or events yet-to-come.
Present: The game is set in the current day.
Past: The game is set in a time before our own. Games may or may not adhere to historic fact.

:SUB:Place

Indicates the place in which the story is told.

Earth: The game takes place on our own planet.
Fantasy World: The game takes place on another world. The game's environment could be similar to that of our own with a few significant changes, but it could also be radically different.
Space: The game takes place in the vacuum of space between celestial bodies. For example, this category can be used to define games where the characters may inhabit spaceships that journey across the universe.

:SUB:Protagonist

Indicates some information about the character the player takes control of.

:SUB:Sexual content

Indicates the types of sexual content that the game contains.

Sexual content: This is a generic category to indicate the presence of any sexual content in the game. If there is any such content, this category should be selected.
Bestiality: Sexual activity between characters and animals.
Also includes tentacles.
Incest: Sexual activity between members of the same family. Most of the time under the justification of participants not blood related (step-sister etc.).
Lolicon: The usage of female characters with childlike features in sexual situations.
Shotacon: The usage of male characters with childlike features in sexual situations.
Yaoi: Sexual content depicting activity between males. Also known as: Boys' Love.
Yuri: Sexual content depicting activity between females.
Rape: Situation in which a character is made to engage in sexual activities against their will.