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Types of Roleplaying Games:
These are some of the more common roleplaying genres, which most roleplaying games will fit into. Some games, such as Shadowrun, are a combination of two genres - Fantasy and Cyberpunk.
Fantasy - Roleplaying in an imaginary world that is usually a blend of Earth's own Western/European Dark Ages and Renaissance (often with some Greek and/or Roman mythology thrown in). Characterized by sword weilding characters and magic-users who are charged with saving the world from some overwhelming and ancient evil.
Horror - Roleplaying in an imaginary world in which exists terrible creatures straight out of the horror movies. Characters are often normal people trying to stop the horror from overtaking an unsuspecting populace. Usually set within a time period ranging from the 1890s to modern day.
Supers - Roleplaying in the four-colour-comics world of bigger-than-life heroes with special powers. Usually set in the present. Characters are superheroes who need to stop the evil mastermind from taking over the world.
Space - Roleplaying in the "final frontier". Often set in the far future. Characters are spacefarers (human, alien or robotic) who generally are "exporing strange new worlds" (ala Star Trek). Or they may be overwhelmed heroes going up against an evil empire (ala Star Wars).
Cyberpunk - Rolpleying in an imaginary world where life is cheap, huge corporations run the governments and all money is credit. Set in the near future. Characters are humans who are usually enhanced by the addition of cybernetics. Some characters strive to make the world a better place, which causes them to butt heads against the evil corporations. Some characters just want to survive.
Old West - Roleplaying in the historical world of cowboys and indians. Can be set in any of the "pioneer" eras (early-middle to late 19th century) but usuallypost-Civil War. Characters are generally lawmen trying to accomplish missions and follow orders in the face of the enemy.
Military - Roleplaying in one of the many wars of the human world. Usually set in one of the more modern conflicts (World War II) but it can be others. Characters are soldiers trying to accomplish missions and follow orders in the face of the enemy.
Post-Holocaust - Not as common as it used to be. Roleplaying in the world of post-nuclear-disaster. Usually set in the far future after the radiation has had time to die down. Characters can be humans, mutants (animals, huamns or even plants), cyborgs or robots who are usually charged with exploring the ruins of ancient cities (such as what's left of New York or Chicago).