Other than gameplay what matters most to you in a game?
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immersion, obviously, but a VERY big part of that is story, or specifically narrative. at the very least the game needs a compelling narrative; if i cant find a reason to keep going, i quickly get bored.
like crackdown 2 so completely failed to do, every game needs something to drive the action. a great big murder playground is great and all, but unless im given some kind of believable reason to be there exploring it....well, like yahtzee said, you just end up climbing the tallest thing in the game and hurling yourself off of it, and then your bored.
this is why i love MGS and final fantasy; in retrospect theyre quite mediocre games with quite convoluted plots, but their so good at keeping me invested/ immersed in the experience that i dont even notice. contrast with say..turok:evolution (thats the best ive got off the top of my head...), where despite ridiculously varied and entertaining weapons, the game quickly falls flat because the 'go through level, kill stuff' formula quickly gets old; the plot is so terrible you dont feel your in the levels for any reason, or care to kill things for anything beyond the satisfaction of dismemberment. a good narrative can cover for so damn many gameplay flaws, and likewise a bad/ non-existent narrative can make all the entertaining gameplay in the world quickly get boring.
like crackdown 2 so completely failed to do, every game needs something to drive the action. a great big murder playground is great and all, but unless im given some kind of believable reason to be there exploring it....well, like yahtzee said, you just end up climbing the tallest thing in the game and hurling yourself off of it, and then your bored.
this is why i love MGS and final fantasy; in retrospect theyre quite mediocre games with quite convoluted plots, but their so good at keeping me invested/ immersed in the experience that i dont even notice. contrast with say..turok:evolution (thats the best ive got off the top of my head...), where despite ridiculously varied and entertaining weapons, the game quickly falls flat because the 'go through level, kill stuff' formula quickly gets old; the plot is so terrible you dont feel your in the levels for any reason, or care to kill things for anything beyond the satisfaction of dismemberment. a good narrative can cover for so damn many gameplay flaws, and likewise a bad/ non-existent narrative can make all the entertaining gameplay in the world quickly get boring.
Gotta be story (including characterization). Co-op multiplayer (my wife likes to game, too) is also a big plus.
Story. Without a good story, any amount of good gameplay turns into simple button mashing. Not that that is a bad thing; when done right, it's awesome. But when you're frustrated or bored with all the challenge the gameplay offers, alot of the appeal starts to go. Its story that will back up that interest. /opinion
I'd say story, though I'd use a vague definition for that to include general atmosphere and backstory; a game with a basic plot but elaborate atmosphere/backstory will still leave an impression on me.
Also music. A good soundtrack is what it takes for a game to leave an impression on me.
Also music. A good soundtrack is what it takes for a game to leave an impression on me.
Story, story, story. Story matters most to me, but if gameplay is good enough then I can forgive it for having a weak story.
I don't think I could nail down ONE THING that is most important to me. As long as I'm engaged, it's usually doing alright. I liked Just Cause 2, because flying planes into enemy bases is fun as hell, regardless of shitty dialogue and inexistent story. I also liked FFX, which had an amazing soundtrack, and my favorite turn-based battle system (regardless of shitty dialogue and seriously "what the hell" story).
graphics. I personally can't sit and enjoy fully an ugly game, even if it's genius story-wise. it ruins the whole mood. if you can't do proper 3d, then go back to basics - everyone loves pixel games, minecraft is a good example. 
and reading the comments above, lots of people mention music, I guess I'm one of the few people who don't pay that much attention to the BGM, unless it's on repeat...until like in Bayonetta.
and reading the comments above, lots of people mention music, I guess I'm one of the few people who don't pay that much attention to the BGM, unless it's on repeat...until like in Bayonetta.
In single player games, well-written characters and dialogue. If the characters and their interactions are believable, the story will grow from that. So much better than writing a story and then tailor-making some narrow characters to fit in the "slots" you've created.Sean0925 said:
In RPGs and MMOs, character customization, mounts that are more than just animation changes, and housing--basically, the sense that I own my character and his little corner of the game world.
Strong well written story, gameplay, fun, atmosphere, believable charecters, sense of immersion, music that enhances the atmosphere, good voice acting. In that order, and yes I realize fun is #3, but not every game needs to be fun mind you, horror games should be as un-fun as possible.
How much fun I have. I guess no one cares about that anymore its all about story for some reason.....