What do you actually ENJOY about games and why?

[Mrkillhappy]

I enjoy a good well rounded characters such as the ones in Persona 4 just because it helps with immersion, an interesting plot because it can create a greater suspension of disbelief or just simply make me shrug off the stranger moments. Fun game mechanics because who doesn't enjoy a good platformer, good level design, and quirky humor can help out a game a lot I mean the humor just added so much charm to Earthbound and made it one of my favorite games of all time. Also adding in a bit of challenge is always welcome seeing as how I like games such as Battletoads, Castlevania, Demon's Souls, and X-COM.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Customisation and playing a game my own way/expressing my morals through my choices/roleplaying. Probably the main thing. Even in shooters and that sort of thing, the loadout and playstyle is enough. I will rarely be the most generic thing there is and simply can't play as classes other people have suggested. This is probably why Monster Hunter, Dark Souls and Armored Core are my three favourite games - lots of class fluidity and player agency.

 

[Alarien]

Fun.

Is there anything else?

Basically, the gameplay has to be interesting, or the story has to be engaging. Even just the execution of the game can be flawless.

Basically, the gamecrafters have to have made something that 1) appeals to me in some respect and is 2) pulled off in a reasonable way.

It doesn't have to be the next Mona Lisa. It doesn't have to have a story that rivals H.P. Lovecraft. It just has to be damned good at what it wants to do.

Case in point: my first impression of Super Meat Boy was "oh god, WHY?!!! I did this 20 years ago, why am I doing it again?!" But I kept playing. Seriously, I kept subjecting myself to the pain. Because I couldn't NOT do so.

Something has to make me want to play that next few minutes. That next hour. That next 40 hours. What that is, I don't care. So long as I'm having a good time.

 

[AlbertoDeSanta]

I love the Escapism of Games. It's the best method for that escapism, since you are the one controlling an aspect of it. It's great. Movies/books don't allow the level of control that gaming does.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

I love a good visual asethteic, even technical marvels that are "killing the industry", mainly because I know how it's done and how much work and skill it takes to make something look really nice.

Also custom characters, I'm a creative wanker so using the tools on hand to make something wicked looking with teh assets provided is always a nice motivator. Doesn't have to be incredibly deep so long as I can make something that I like the look of (hence why I prefer Sainst Row 3's character creator as opposed to SR2's, looking side by side SR2 looks like dog balls).

 

[Captain Sunshine]

Haha, oh I love this thread, nice to see some positivity!

Cor, it depends on the game. I think the main fantastic thing about the genre is variety. You can expect so many things of games and get so many different results, it's wonderful to look down the list of games you have and have arcadey fun hits or deep melancholy masterpieces or loud shouty war games.

I love stories in games! Really good ones. God, you are really in a game with a good story, making the choices and fighting for the next thing to happen and pushing it along. Getting involved with characters, feeling like it's your story as opposed to one being told to you. Glorious. Something very personal about games like that. I will love Final Fantasies 7-10 til the day I die.

But I also love beautiful design and creativity. Rayman Legends is probably my game of the year with The Last of Us. So beautiful, so FLUID, really pulls out that sense of rhythm and free spirit that I get from playing a song perfectly or running around like a little kid, and all that character blaring off the screen in every wacky voice and derp face and slick art.

AND CO-OP GAMES! I've never laughed harder than in Mario Kart or trying to play through something awful like Ghost Squad, or hankering down for real intense boss battles together, or devising strategies in your living room... Real sense of unity, it's wonderful.

Games are brilliant.