The most important things in a game.

Gaige

Gaige

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Out of the following qualities you'll find in a game, what are the most important 3 to you? Graphics, music, story, gameplay, replayability/sidequests and characters.

Personally, characters, music and story are the most important to me. I prefer games such as Wild Arms 2 or FFVIII, with bad graphics for the modern day, because they had great OSTs and storylines (at least in my opinion.) What are the more important things to you?
 
Music, villains and story, in that order.

A good soundtrack and voice acting cast is one of the main things I judge a video game by. Good music makes a monotonous game much more enjoyable to me, and good voice acting can turn bad characters into good ones. I've bought games based on soundtrack alone in the past. Quite often, if effort has been put into the soundtrack, and a good voice cast has been hired, then the rest of the game is good as well.

Villains I find to be more important than protagonists - protagonists always have predictable and boring personalities; its extremely rare these days to find a protagonist who is actually unique and/or interesting. Villains are always much more interesting characters when they're given enough attention. A game with crap or annoying protagonists but a brilliantly designed villain who appears regularly, has an interesting goal and at least a passable voice actor and battle theme, is a good game to me. Alternately, a traditional "I'm going to destroy everything because I'm evil, EVIL! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!" sort of villain with a sense of humour is good...or an unexpected villain who was originally a protagonist (best examples of this are
Lezard Valeth, Kalas, and Popola
) is good as well~

Storyline comes in at a distant third. I do like some form of direction in games - I hate sandbox games, or games that just leave you to wander around, or feel pointless because of a lack of story. Unless its Disgaea, I like having some direction in my efforts, feeling like I'm actually doing something, not just playing for the sheer hell of playing...another reason I hate sandbox games.

Although, for the record, a game with a sense of humour or an anime art style will always take priority with me, although I don't consider these essentials to games, just a personal preference that will enhance the experience.
 
Definitely gameplay.

Gameplay is the one common denominator which just needs to be there regardless of the genre. A good storyline is cool, but most sports games, beat'em ups, and platformers work just fine with little to no storyline. If a game has shit music you can just turn it off, and while good graphics are definitely nice regardless of the genre, graphics have to be pretty horrible to make a game unplayable.

It doesn't matter if it's Tekken, Final Fantasy, Civilization, or Super Mario Bros. You gotta have good gameplay.
 
IMO, you can't have a good story without good characters so I just count them as the same thing. They would be my first priority because even if a game really sucks, I can still play it if I'm engaged with the story. That's all I'm focused on so other factors don't matter as much.

Music would be next for me. Great music can enhance the story and get you pumped up. It creates the setting and in a way, it can tell the story as well. It should be used in conjunction with good characters.

I would say gameplay comes after music. In the end, it would be nice if it was a fun game as well.

I think my decisions would change for different genres though. Fighting games like SF really don't have much of a story element in them so I guess music and gameplay would be higher. For the most part, I stick with these choices though.
 
Replayability,Characters,Gameplay.

Now Ima tell you why.

Replayability:You spend alot of money on these gamesanrd they had better be woth rhte average $110 for a new PS3 game, If I get a month out ofa game for $100 I consider it a win.

Characters: You have to care about the character and there story, if you careenough you can look past a games faults, but f the Characters lack depth and the ame is bad its just a painful experience.

Gameplay: If you care about the characters story and the gameplay is of high quality, not full of bugs does not demand you be "ON" all the time and then its gives you the chance to indulge the game 1000%.

If you like the Characters and feel engrossed by the story and the gameplay is consistent then a game can be what the designers intended, a fun and enjoyable experience..........who sets out to make a bad?

No body does........its these elements that make aor break a game IMO, take FFXIII for example.........

I dont think Music is that much of a problem these days, because on alot of games it can be turned down.
 
Gameplay is very important, but only while you play a game. What you take away from a game (as in any media), is the storyline and the characters and the music. Even if the storyline is very basic, often storylines contain simple but really cool ideas. These things stick with you and can inspire you.

Gameplay for me is just a way to facilitate the player’s involvement with a game. Good gameplay is a plus, and for really good games it is absolutely essential, but only as a means for allowing the player to slip smoothly into the game’s universe.

 So to me gameplay is important, but the things that I take away from a game are the storyline elements, music, characters and overall design. Ultimately they all have a very important role, and the best games have all of these elements working in harmony.

As for graphics… These also help make games easier for the player, but to me they are not as essential as good gameplay. There are many 2D games which still retain their magic, and not just for people who play for nostalgic purposes.


EDIT:

So in order for me it would be:
Story
Music
Gameplay (but that it is the most important when the game is actually being played)


 
My 'most important' is quite close between gameplay and storyline.

Gameplay is pretty self explanatory - I want the game to be challenging and take a while to complete. I count replayability in with this as well, because to me, if I want to replay a game it's got to have had good gameplay.

Storyline is, of course, important too, and I too include characters in this. If a character gets on my nerves it'll get more and more difficult for me to continue playing the game - a bit like Penelo in FFXII for me, she really annoyed me.
I don't want a storyline that confuses the hell out of me either, a twist is good but if I have to sit there at the end of the game and think, 'what the fuck just happened there?', it's annoying.

Graphics don't mean much to me at all. A couple of my all-time favourite games are old PS1 classics where the graphics are, in comparison to today's games, shocking. But I love them because they're fun to play and they're quite difficult to complete.

Music as well, that's not something that bothers me much. If I like the soundtrack to a game then yeah, I'll sit there with the sound on, and the music sometimes enhances the setting. But if I don't like the music, I'll just mute the sound and put my stereo on - a good soundtrack is nice, but if the music isn't the best, it doesn't affect gameplay for me.

So, in order of most important...

Gameplay
Storyline
And if I have to choose out of that list, 'replayability' is 3rd
 
I'm ranking gameplay first. I understand that when it comes to games like Final Fantasy, you wouldn't necessarily purchase the game because of gameplay. But when it comes to games to general (and not just FF and RPGs), you're going to need to recognise some strong enough incentive to get to buy the game in the first place, and to me, it's the gameplay. If I see a game that looks like it will be fun to play, I go with it. I mean, once you have the game, it will be the gameplay that will playing a crucial factor for the next few hours, helping to dictate your personal reception towards the game. It's no good if you're stuck with a game that is an absolute ordeal to play through, is it?

Then I suppose the story comes next. This would normally apply to situations where I buy an RPG of course. I know I wouldn't be buying games like Guitar Hero for any kind of story at all. In a JRPG in particular, a strong story helps keep you motivated to continue onwards. A captivating enough story would make you carry on playing to unravel its twists and turns. I look at many games in my collection. Most of them have entertaining stories in one way or another and I must say, it makes a huge difference towards your personal liking of the game. I've put this below gameplay because Dragon Quest IX has proved that you can make an excellent game when you focus less on the story and more on how to make the game enjoyable and long. Compare that to FFXIII where it falls flat on my list despite its graphics and average story.

Then err...music I suppose. It doesn't matter what game I'm playing. I want a good soundtrack in the background that isn't bland or destroying my ears. Good music makes quite a difference in my liking towards a game. A lack of it indicates a degree of blandness while horrific voiceacting tells me that the developers/publishers/localising teams just don't give much of a shit at the product.
 
1. Gameplay

Gameplay is easily No. 1 for me. It doesn't matter what genre the game is, if it is not a fun game for me to play, then the game is boring and it makes it a real chore to play.

2. Storyline

Storyline is a close second. Since I play a lot of RPGs having a good storyline is a must for me to continue playing through the game. Even if everything else is great, in a RPG if a story is uninteresting, then I can't play it. In other genres I don't really care too much about story. If I am playing a fighting game, I just want to kick some butt. If I play a FPS I just want to blow things up etc. Having a good story is just a bonus.

3. Likeable characters

While this isn't really manditory for me, it helps me to enjoy the story a bit more. Storyline and Gameplay are definitely most important though.
 
Gameplay: If the game is not even fun to play, or the controls are overly complicated or even just awkward, I won't even bother with the game.

Story/characters: The story, especially for an RPG has to keep me interested. It's gotta flow and a few twists would be good. I also need interesting settings. I have to be able to relate to the characters, care about the characters, and I need a villian that I want to take down. (Barthalamus and Vayne did not do it for me and are rather forgettable)

Music: I can handle a game with dull or uninspired music. However, if the music is very annoying, I can not play it. So not as important as the two above.

Replayability goes with the first two above. If the game has good game play and a good story/characters I will probably replay it in the future.
 
1.) Story

This is a tough one because you can't really know the whole story without actually completing a game, and completing a game for me requires that I like my next 2 qualities, which are graphics and gameplay. But either way, if a story is engrossing enough to keep me going all the way through then I think the story is a success.

2.) Graphics

Now that the technology is available, I guess this has creeped up my list. I used to care very little about graphics and focused more on the storyline like I've always said when I talked about FFVII, but now with all these great graphics being doled out to gamers everywhere I think it's inexcusable for any game to have shitty graphics.

That being said, I don't like how developers are also straying away from the story and gameplay and focusing more on graphics. It'll be much better if the three were balanced.

3.) Gameplay

You have to feel like you're immersed in a game and I think that the gameplay is the prime factor in determining that. You want to know how you're controlling your character and that that method of control is very entertaining to you.
 
With RPG/Adventure games, I'm really big on character progression. If the game lacks on it, I don't like it. That's why FF appeals to me so much.

As for Shooters, I like a variety of tasks and scenarios as well as upgrades. That's why I love Metroid and Medal of Honor.

And Platformers. Not exactly my kind of game, but replay value and addictiveness come to mind. MARIO!!

Over all, graphics are only important for me if the game lacks in any other field. Like FFXIII_ the graphics are beyond amazing. But the gameplay is average (below for FF standards) and the best music in the game is played so often that it gets old.

Replay value is a heavy factor for shooters. It can make me overlook it's flaws if it scores high in that category.
 
I'd say story,character and gameplay are most important in that order.........

Story
The only things I like in FF games especially is the story without that I could never be a fan of the series..........the FF's with shit stories are the shit ones........for example FFXII had a shit story,but the graphics and gameplay (my opinion) were good.........but still I believe in my opinion because of the terrible story this is one of the worst FF's.

Characters
Without likeable characters/hated villains there really is no story in the game.........But I like characters with their own personality and are represented throughout the entire game about themselves and their past.

Gameplay
Well I'm not really that bothered about the gameplay.......because I just play for the story like i've stated above..........But if the gameplay is not good I won't be really playing the game after I've completed if the gameplay is shit..........If they have a ton of sidequest and the gameplay is shit there really is no need to do it..........not unless the game is like FFX-2 with multiple endings............But the gameplay is important more for me after completing the game.............
 
To me graphics, gameplay, music. That's the order.

Graphics, if the worlds and the characters look odd , I won't buy it. (okay there are some exceptions like old games.)

Gameplay, it has to be fun to do because you have to deal with it the whole game.
If gameplay is good, I don't even care about the story. I will just skip the cutscenes and all and continue the gameplay, same goes for characters, if I don't like them then at least the gameplay is still fun. DMC 4 is my example for it, I loved the gameplay, but the story could be much better.

Music, the music gives a certain vibe to the game and if it's music I don't like, then the whole vibe of the world fades away. FFx-2 is a wonderful example, because the music sucked so bad, I enjoyed the missions less.
 
Soundtrack, extra gameplay, and some freedom for the gamer are the three for me.

Soundtrack is something everyone can agree on; I do enjoy sports games like MLB and Fifa, but the soundtrack is quite awful... although it's good thing that in some games you can upload your own music into the game.

Extra gameplay; like hidden bosses, online tournaments, item collection etc. It's nice to be able to play a game after you've completed the story mode. Though a good variety of extras is essential.

Freedom for the gamer; to be able to take your mind off the story and go wherever you want every now and then is something nice for me. like going to multiplayer mode in sports games after a few hours on 1p franchise mode, or going heart piece collecting mid-story in Zelda.

Obviously I do care about characters, story etc, but I like to be able to play a game for a good length of time than just enjoy it for one plyathrough.
 
Characters, story, and gameplay.

The story just has to hold my attentions. The characters have to have a lot of personality and should be consistent but human. For gameplay, the game and world(s) have to be designed well and the game should play properly.
 
Rydia said:
Gameplay: If the game is not even fun to play, or the controls are overly complicated or even just awkward, I won't even bother with the game.

Story/characters: The story, especially for an RPG has to keep me interested. It's gotta flow and a few twists would be good. I also need interesting settings. I have to be able to relate to the characters, care about the characters, and I need a villian that I want to take down. (Barthalamus and Vayne did not do it for me and are rather forgettable)

Music: I can handle a game with dull or uninspired music. However, if the music is very annoying, I can not play it. So not as important as the two above.

Replayability goes with the first two above. If the game has good game play and a good story/characters I will probably replay it in the future.
Click to expand...
exactly
a game could even have the crappiest graphics ever and I'd still play it as long as it has all of the above
 
Story, characters and game play. I like a game that is fun to play as the story is to follow and character development is a must for me. Heck a game I have on the Playstation called Evil Zone was a fighting game and still managed to have a great story to it and character development. Which is more than I can say for some of the modern fighting games I've played, like Soul Caliber IV.

I like mind-blowing graphics as much as the next guy but if the only good thing about a game are the graphics I'm not going to care enough to play it. I need a story I can wrap my head around, characters that are interesting and game play I can never get tired of.
 
music, story, and gameplay

MOD EDIT: Can you please put a little more effort into your posts please? This is classified as a spam post in a post count section. Maybe just elaborate a little on why you find music, story and gameplay important. Thank you.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
3. GAMEPLAY

 The reason, simply because if the gameplay is repetitive, I'm going to die, and hate this game. I LOVE when games are addicting and very unique. That lures me in straight away.

2.CHARACTERS

Now, in order for me to enjoy PLAYING this game in the first place, I'd like some characters that I can remember. Good back story and the such, not that Super Mario paper cutout character backdrop, I'm talking a evil shakespeare rough life kind of past; like Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII for example. There also better be a decent variety so I don't feel isolated and bored. An example of this scenario would happen to be Fallout 3; You meet a bunch of interesting characters, only to be ditched by them and then forced into a world of random people who don't say much. BORING!

 1. STORYLINE/VOICE ACTING/PLOT/CUTSCENES/LENGTH

A mashup of the above I guess could count as storyline. I LOVE cutscenes, I love tear jerking plots and motivation. I NEED motivation to complete a game, not just some half arsed task that I don't really care about. The length, I usually prefer to be short and sweet, but if it's a Final Fantasy game. Bring on the length! GIVE ME CONTENT, SQUARE! I also prefer when there's voice acting, just to make the experience a little more cinematic, I usually like to set my controller down during cutscenes and not have to mash my thumb through slowly scrolling text. If it's an old PSX game, then it's ok, but if the game is made now, I say there's no excuse to not having voice acting. When it comes to a plot, there better be some emotional moments and some action packed climactic moments, too! I love that stuff! It makes the story bend in every direction. I love a BIG story, that takes you traveling across massive lands with your beloved characters who feel like your good ol' buddies after the quest is over, you know? They go through some emotional ups and downs, establish a bond with eachother... That is what I believe is a fantastic storyline for a game or... just about anything.
 
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