What is your Favorite Aspect of a Video Game?

If you have an account on this website, I'd venture to say you enjoy video games, at least to some extent. Now, of course, we all enjoy games for different reasons. Some of us like the epic story lines and immersive atmosphere, who could forget the gripping narrating of the recently released Alan Wake, or the terrifying inescapable play of Dead Space? Others of us enjoy dynamic, well-rounded characters; take General Shepard from the highly popular Mass Effect series or Kranos from the God of War series. Still others of us enjoy the more technical aspects of games; they lean more towards the graphics and gameplay of the games. The tight control of the Arwing you had in Starfox 64, or the way your jaw dropped when you saw your first cutscene from the Final Fantasy series, to name a few. There are even some musical fanatics out there who enjoy a game with a great musical score. The swelling orchestration of Halo, the happy bouncing tunes of Super Mario 64, and the haunting musical styles of the Resident Evil series.

It almost goes without saying that everyone loves a game that gets all of these right. Unfortunately, these games are a dime a dozen; even more so with the ever-increasing ease of creating a decent video game. This brings me to the question of our discussion, which of these stand out the most to you? What immerses you fully into the video games and make you feel as if you can reach out save Princess Zelda yourself from the evil clutches of Ganondorf?

For me, I'd have to say the storyline and characters are what draw me into games. They are the core of the gaming experience, and the actual things with which you can relate to in the realm of video games. The best of characters are seem almost real and make you wonder maybe, just maybe, you can be like him or her.

I totally see where you're coming from. I suppose it would be more of a game if it lacked a story, as a opposed to lacking gameplay. Perhaps it's just my background and passion as a writer that involves me so heavily in the narrative aspect of it. You make excellent points.

Gameplay, replay value, music, graphics, presentation.

Gameplay is, well, obviously a key aspect.

Replay value is a big thing, because I do NOT want to pay 50$ for a game and beat it in 10 hours, even if I enjoy it.

I like a game with a good soundtrack (such as Super Smash Bros.), mainly because it adds to the atmosphere of the game.

Graphics are not as big of a deal for me, but it`s good to have something nice for the eyes to look at.

Presentation is usually how some people judge a game, so that is vital.

There are other aspects too, like if a game has relateable characters, it`s more fun to play.

Great point! Replay value never even crossed my mind.

Story/Setting

For me the most important is story and the setting it's in. Without a decent story I can't get passed go..I just feel there's no reason in it. I need to feel immersed with the characters story etc. I think setting has a lot to do with it as well. Take Bioshock for example,it's a rail shooter,but you feel drawn into it,not only due to the story,but the amazing environment.

Gameplay is a very close second. Without decent gamplay any game will fail. I always welcome choices,anything to make me feel in the game,and not just on rails.

Soundtrack,is important I think it adds to the setting and overall mood of any game. If you have a dark crampt enviroment and no/not the right sound all is ruined.

Graphics are probably last. I am of the mind great gamplay trumps graphics any day!

Indeed. We share very similar opinions, Blood.

Story, and the ability to "suck me in". I like looking at the time after playing a game and being surprised that I spent 4+ plus without even knowing.

Thanks, guys! It's really interesting to see all the different opinions. And eh-ut, I couldn't agree more.

Combat.

If a game does not have a manageable combat system, I will quickly get rid of it in some shape or manner.

Why do I place so much emphasis on combat?

Well, considering what my main genres (FPS, TPS, WRPG, and RTS) are, they severely depend on combat systems. If the story (my 2nd emphasis) is high caliber enough (no pun intended), I can wade through clunky combat systems, albeit the experience won't be the absolute top that I am looking for.

My 3rd emphasis is on sound. Depending on the game, sound can take over story in terms of emphasis. See Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for a prime example. It's the only game I've ever played in my 15 years of experience that makes me want to keep turning up the volume on myhttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121120&Tpk=z-5500

I see where you're coming from. Especially with the type of games you play, story and character development would most certainly take a backseat to refined controls and fast paced action. I myself am an avid RPG player. True, I do play MW2 and Battlefield 2 every once in a while, but I just can't find the depth to those games as say, Oblivion or KOTOR. And sound is one of the few things that transcends many genres, helping you to find a sniper hiding in a forest in Battlefield 2, or alerting you when someone is sneaking up behind you in Oblivion.

Gameplay

Origenality

Graphics

Free Roam

Genre

For me, I'd have to say the storyline and characters are what draw me into games. They are the core of the gaming experience, and the actual things with which you can relate to in the realm of video games. The best of characters are seem almost real and make you wonder maybe, just maybe, you can be like him or her.

I_haz_teh_gamez

I have to ask, if the story and characters are the primary reason you have for playing video games, why are you still playing video games? It's a lot cheaper to just go down to the local library and pick up a few good books, and as an added bonus you get much better storytelling and more interesting characters than you'll find in any video game.

As for me, I believe gameplay is the only aspect that really matters. I've played and enjoyed games with no story or characters. I've even played and enjoyed games with no graphics or sound. But I've never played a game without gameplay.

That's not to say that a good story, graphics, etc., can't make a good game better. It can. But it can't make a bad game worth playing. And a bad story, graphics etc. can't make a good game worse. Unless they're getting in the way of the gameplay.

[QUOTE="I_haz_teh_gamez"]

For me, I'd have to say the storyline and characters are what draw me into games. They are the core of the gaming experience, and the actual things with which you can relate to in the realm of video games. The best of characters are seem almost real and make you wonder maybe, just maybe, you can be like him or her.

TleilaxuMaster

I have to ask, if the story and characters are the primary reason you have for playing video games, why are you still playing video games? It's a lot cheaper to just go down to the local library and pick up a few good books, and as an added bonus you get much better storytelling and more interesting characters than you'll find in any video game.

As for me, I believe gameplay is the only aspect that really matters. I've played and enjoyed games with no story or characters. I've even played and enjoyed games with no graphics or sound. But I've never played a game without gameplay.

That's not to say that a good story, graphics, etc., can't make a good game better. It can. But it can't make a bad game worth playing. And a bad story, graphics etc. can't make a good game worse. Unless they're getting in the way of the gameplay.

You're exactly right. I do read quite often. However, I find it much easier to lose hours upon hours of my time playing a video game then reading a book. Being only 16 years old, I'm much more drawn to the technogically driven world of today. Yes, a book does gerenally have a better storyline and more fleshed-out characters, but how many stories can you be actively engaged in and, in most of the games I play, have a direct and definitive result of the outcome? It is almost as if you are given the creative license to write your own story, choosing what quests you do, the people you want to be at the end and those you don't even down to your character's personality. It is things like this that you cannot do in a book, and is what so greatly entices me about video games.

And yes, you are correct about gameplay being the only truly important aspect of a game, this is a question about your favorite. What stood out to you the most at the end of the game, and a good story is just something that really makes me look back and say: "That was really a great game.", or the opposite, if true.

I hope this cleared up any confusion, and thank you for being inquisitve.

gameplay. and story.

(this is in order, 1 is most needed 7 dosent matter.)

1. Story

2. Gameplay

3. Physics (not always needed, but sometimes a big factor)

4. Possible Open World

5. Replay Value

6. Graphics

7. Controls

(In short Story and Gameplay are really the main things you need)

I like :

Story

Gameplay

Graphics / sound -They Go together

Controls- have Got to be Good

Originality

Replay Value

Multiplayer (Not a Must just something Extra )

You're exactly right. I do read quite often. However, I find it much easier to lose hours upon hours of my time playing a video game then reading a book. Being only 16 years old, I'm much more drawn to the technogically driven world of today. Yes, a book does gerenally have a better storyline and more fleshed-out characters, but how many stories can you be actively engaged in and, in most of the games I play, have a direct and definitive result of the outcome? It is almost as if you are given the creative license to write your own story, choosing what quests you do, the people you want to be at the end and those you don't even down to your character's personality. It is things like this that you cannot do in a book, and is what so greatly entices me about video games.

And yes, you are correct about gameplay being the only truly important aspect of a game, this is a question about your favorite. What stood out to you the most at the end of the game, and a good story is just something that really makes me look back and say: "That was really a great game.", or the opposite, if true.

I hope this cleared up any confusion, and thank you for being inquisitve.

I_haz_teh_gamez

For the record, there are books that allow you to decide how the story goes. They're called Choose Your Own Adventure books.

Anyway, the idea that any game actually lets you write the story your way is kind of silly to me. You're not writing anything. The story has already been written. Every possible branch that the story may take, every possible ending, every possible piece of dialogue, has already been written. The quests you choose, the characters you take with you, the personality you create for yourself, any other decisions the game lets you make, none of these create anything new. They just lead you to different branches of the story that has already been written. Much like a Choose Your Own Adventure book.

And because I wasn't very clear before, yes, gameplay is my favorite aspect of gaming. All of my favorite games have one thing in common: I can lose myself in them for hours at a time purely because they are so much fun to play. I simply don't care one way or the other about the quality of the story in the games I play, or even whether there is a story. I guess that's at least partly because I'm a grumpy old fart (comparatively speaking) and the games I grew up playing often didn't have stories at all, and when they did it rarely went beyond "the President has been kidnapped by ninjas".