What makes a game good?

[Hitmantis]

I want to know what makes a video game awesome to you. Is it the controls, the character development, the soundtrack? What, in your opinion, makes or breaks a video game for you and why?

 

[Ghonzor]

Gameplay
Story
Voice acting
Controls

 

[walls of cetepedes]

Money in the reviewer's pocket.

 

[Sassafrass]

whether it has a good story and also whether it's playable. doesn't hurt to have decent graphics either.

 

[pipboy2010]

I think it goes story > gameplay > graphics. As a PC gamer controls don't really bother me, am used to them being complicated.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

The freedom a game allows you like a freedom in SR2. A good bunch of weapons and vehicles.

 

[Hollock]

to change a game from good to great today, has to be story.

 

[JRCB]

I think it goes story > gameplay > graphics. As a PC gamer controls don't really bother me, am used to them being complicated.

That sounds about right. Voice acting would be slightly behind gameplay.

 

[karloss01]

story and voice acting. thats why my fav is the Legacy of Kain series. the story and acting was always the best in gaming, graphics improved and the gameplay went a bit up and down (soul reaver 1 had the best gameplay).

 

[Generator]

As long as its fun, nothing else really matters. (My profound comment of the day.)

 

[pipboy2010]

I think it goes story > gameplay > graphics. As a PC gamer controls don't really bother me, am used to them being complicated.

That sounds about right. Voice acting would be slightly behind gameplay.

Agreed, I hate having to skip through cut scenes that sound wooden or drone on. Feels like a waste of time on my part, and as though I'm skipping out chunks of the game. Never a good sign.

 

[j0z]

I think it goes story > gameplay > graphics. As a PC gamer controls don't really bother me, am used to them being complicated.

I agree, although I would expand it to be Story>gameplay>voicacting>graphics.

 

[The87Italians]

Originality.

 

[AvsJoe]

Boobs.

Just kidding. I'll go with a tight and epic story with tonnes of side-quests and missions. Or hockey. Yep, hockey makes a game good.

 

[L3m0n_L1m3]

Gameplay, graphics, story, controls. Simple as that.

Shame most developers can't seem to get that right...

 

[Xyphon]

Gameplay is on top. If you want graphics over gameplay, go watch a movie.

 

[Hazy]

Gameplay trumps all, if you ask me.
A good looking game is fine and all, but it doesn't mean Jack if you cannot play it.

 

[Cama Zots]

Ingenuity, unique concepts, intuitive, good story, endlessly good multiplayer, and a map editing system. Over all, it must be fun.

 

[countkillalot]

Let me have a go at this ...


Gameplay (definition: The collective experience of playing a game): Broken down to two parts:

Enviroment: A consistent art-direction with working together with audio (music,ambiance and FX) and script (dialogue and voice-acting) to trigger the (what i personnally have found to be) the key element of immersion

System: A small well-balanced (personnally prefer asymmetric) set of rules that make sure the player always feels they are being treated fairly (even if that is not the case)

and last but not least: POLISH .. nothing can ruin an otherwise decent game than a lack of QA.

It's hard to make a bad game with these in mind

/ $0.02 :]

 

[Kelbear]

Polish.

Whatever the games chooses to present, whatever innovation or lack of innovation they bring, it MUST be polished.

Halo 3 didn't bring much new to the table, but everything it brought was done well, and that is why I enjoyed it, even though I didn't like Halo 1 or 2.