That special something

[nikomas1]

What's the special thing that draws you into a game, For me it has to be a compelling story. I'll give you an example.

In Saint's Row 2 you play a power hungry(He/She likes the words "This is my city), Cold hearted bastard. No Niko emotionality crap, But the character still have a lot of personality. There were some points of Saint's 2 when I thought it were a lot better than GTA4.
On the complete cold hearted bastard I might have overdid it a bit but it defines the character pretty well, Play the "Revelations" extra mission and you will know what I mean.

Anyhow the story in saint's 2 really hooked me and I think it had the best story in recent memory, Thereby it had that "special something" that made me play it for a long while. I don't even think that the story were the primary focus of that game (Unlike GTA4) but I still found it more likable than GTA4.

 

[Twilight_guy]

For me its always a matter of exploration and freedom. Is there a big map to explore and find stuff? cool. Linear puzzle to puzzle? not so cool.As long as there is diversity to mix it up and keep giving me new stuff to do, a game will keep me entertained, but I really think that the ability to go anywhere and see a variety of stuff is something I really like in a game.

 

[Good morning blues]

There can be a number of hooks, but the thing that takes it from "great game" to "one of the best games" for me is the setting. The settings in Quest for Glory, Final Fantasy VII, and Half-Life 2 were great - the first two charmed the hell out of me, and the latter drew me in like nothing before.

 

[jebussaves88]

There are manthings, but currently, it has to be a feeling of "wow... now matter how hard I try, ill never be able to achieve this in real life". Rushing a horde of Locust chainsaw revving, grenade in hand, ready to tag some sorry mother; Yes. Speeding down a street at 180mph, bumping into competitors as I fly down the infamous San Francisco hills in Grid, with an unparralled sense of speed and danger; Yes. Flying at a Ghost armed with nothing more than a plasma grenade and still coming out on top; Yes! Cartwheelig four times in Dirt; yeah I'd say so. Oh and the last part of Half Life 2: Ep 2; could I feel more badass?

Edit: Apologies about mispellings, but my keyboard seems to be on the way out.

 

[rossatdi]

Interesting action set pieces, primarily in terms of FPSs. This is why I loved HL2 and cna't stand Bio Shock.