My genre definitions are pretty loose. I simplified & combined lots of categories in my CSV data when I wrote the statistics tool, but honestly there are lots of games that are either genre-defining or so different from anything else that I’ll just give them their own genre. I hate to use something like “platformer” or “action adventure” as that hardly tells anything about what kind of game it is. What genre is Undertale?

Hardspace: Shipbreakers is a dad game to me because it’s the kind of game a dad might play after coming home from work, feel like they’re doing something useful, with visual signs of a job well done, wrap it up and still have time for their kids. I think this is similar to films like Grayhound where we watch a hero who does his best to maintain a stalwart face, endures hardship, inspires, maybe has a weak moment but pulls through and keeps everyone protected until finally coming home and falling asleep when the job is done. This is what I describe as a dad fantasy.

Dad simulator is just Octodad, and I think I might want to make a category for “humor” or “parody” games instead.