In particular, some people use these ten terms in odd and often incorrect ways.

Now, however, gamers often use the term “walking simulator” for titles that are true games.

Simulation

This is a tricky one, because simulation is something that happens on a spectrum.

A video game controller and a screen displaying a game catalog in the background.

Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek |KateV28/ Shutterstock

However, people in the gaming world throw this word around a little liberally.

Many classical CRPGs and tactical strategy games used this perspective before the advent of true 3D graphics.

So it’s not isometric in any sense of the word.

Death Stranding’s Capital Knot City.

Death StrandingTim Brookes / How-To Geek

The firstFalloutgame, for example, was trimetric.

These games are built on a game rules framework, such asDungeons & DragonsorGURPS.

So, for example, it can never apply to a single-player game.

Flying over Westminster in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020Tim Brookes / How-To Geek

Such as buying premium currency, or buying lootboxes.

DLC (Downloadable content) are digital items you buy once and keep forever.

This can lead to things freezing, jumping, or even reversing on screen.

Fallout 2 from Black Isle.

Interplay/Bethesda Softworks

If it’s not resulting from a connection issue, then your game isn’t “lagging.”

They can, by the way.

However, installing something from local media is not “downloading”.

Screenshot from Bethesda RPG Starfield on Xbox.

StarfieldTim Brookes / How-To Geek

That only applies to data that you receive from a server.

For example, many games with ray tracing on current-generation consoles have ray-traced shadows, but not reflections.

Yet many players think the reflections are ray-traced.

Helldivers 2 by Arrowhead Game Studios

Helldivers 2Arrowhead Game Studios

Here’s a tip: ray-traced reflections usually reflect objects that are not currently visible on-screen.

Traditionally, an indie game is an independent game.

This means the studio that developed the game is not owned by a publisher or parent company.

A screenshot of a ceiling with light reflections from the game “Cyberpunk 2077."

Cianna Garrison / How-To Geek

There is no creative control or interference from outside the developer, such as financiers or shareholders.

Which is why you see a lot of pixel art games.

The thing is, many people now think of “indie” as an aesthetic.

So there was some confusion whenDave the Diverwas nominated for best Indie gamewhen it’s very much not independent.