Poll: If you had to choose...

[MechaBlue]

I'd prefer a great story with acceptable gameplay (meaning something that's playable) over a game with great gameplay with a terrible story.

I think that games are an excellent medium for storytelling if they're done right. There's still some experimentation to be done, but it's just plain more impaction when in MGS3...

Spoiler

you have to shoot The Boss yourself than it would be if you just had to watch Big Boss pull the trigger on such a great character. It gets even more emotional when you know the truth behind her death on a replay through.

My standards for stories are pretty low and if you can't even write something on par with Devil May Cry's main story, you've got some SERIOUS story telling issues.

 

[PrimoThePro]

I feel like if the story is done really well, it just proves that games can be works of art.

 

[Blemontea]

I guess story im not positive but ill go for it, but its not that hard to do both many games have proven that before...

 

[Dr. Paine]

Story, full stop.

I've stuck with games with some minor issues (Mass Effect springs to mind, it was halfway through the game before I could even change guns) because it has a great story. However, I don't care how fun the gameplay is, I will drop a game if it has a bad story.

 

[katsumoto03]

Story is what keeps me playing games. Without it, I'd get bored very quickly. Not to say that gameplay isn't important, I just prefer good stories.

 

[Shepard's Shadow]

Story. A great story can make up for average gameplay.

 

[DazZ.]

I play games for the game part.

You don't need a story for football/poker/tetris, you don't need it for others.

 

[Stalk3rchief]

It's hard choice, but if I REALLY ABSOLUTELY had to pick, I;d say gameplay... because it's a game.

 

[Alon Shechter]

Gameplay.
*Looks at Serious Sam, one of the best games I've ever played despite its ridiculously boring story*

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

either or, depends on the games, its much easier for me to forgive gameplay if hte story and characters are compelling, then it makes me want to play the game, not a chore, as gameplay (like someone mentioned, prototype, or infamous) is fun and all, it gets old quick with a boring cookie cutter set of characters and storyline (the way it was told at least)

so for shooters and rts's, gameplay, but for just about any other, story for sure, honestly i like old school combat and stuff so it really doesn't bug me at all or do i call it "bad gameplay" (unless its straight up 1990 shooter bad)

 

[SwimmingRock]

Have to go with "story etc.". It would depend on my mood which I'd play, but I could enjoy either. However, trying to put this in more relatable terms, it comes down to the following (personal opinion!): Bayonetta vs Nier. I greatly enjoyed Bayonetta, but stopped caring once I'd gotten all the achievements. Nier has really stuck with me as an experience and that's just worth more to me.