What do you look for in a game?

[Shorty]

When judging games to play, what do you base your decisions on? What do you look for? Aesthetic value, story, gameplay? Puzzles, RPGs, FPSs? Are you more inclined to pick up a game with a male or female protagonist? What other factors influence your decision?

[Shauna]

Fun, mostly. If I can enjoy the experience of playing a game, I can overlook minor problems here and there.

But uh, I don't let many factors dissuade me from getting a game. If I think I'll like it, I'll probably buy it. xD

[Denmark]

gameplay, gameplay, and gameplay. if my actual gameplay experience keeps getting interrupted with STORYTIME, the actual gameplay had better be really good (see: 3-D Zelda games). most of the time, though, the gameplay is the only important thing. put the story in the manual or something and let me play the game.

I get bored of a game if it requires me to wait around for a period of time that I feel is unnecessarily long. this is really the main reason I've started but haven't finished FF7-9: random battles (which, for the most part, I enjoy fighting, as I try to fight all random battles in an RPG rather than running from them) take F O R E V E R to start up, and to occur, and to finish. if that's the limitation of the hardware, fine, I just won't play those games. If I'm going to spend my time playing a game, I want to spend that time PLAYING THE GAME.

[Karifean]

Either something to get invested in, or something that's just awesome fun.

[Loony BoB]

Fun.

[Spuuky]

Sigh. I don't understand people who say things like "fun" in response to questions like this. If someone asks you what kind of food your like, or what your favorite food is, it is not a legitimate answer to say "the delicious kind."

The question actually being asked is obviously "what do you find fun in games?" Denmark is the only person who has legitimately answered this question, I think. Karifean arguably has with the first half of the answer.

Anyway, I look for one of the following: Immersion (which is hard to find), depth of strategy and progression (somewhat easier to find), or accessibility of the game to being played without thought, skill, or practice.

The first kind of game is something like Skyrim (which is a mediocre game maybe a 6.5/10, but a good example in what it's trying to accomplish and is well known).

The second type would be a game like X-COM, or King's Bounty, or the Total War series.

The third type is something like Mario Kart or Dynasty Warriors.

[Depression Moon]

Gameplay 1st and foremost

[Shauna]

I can't really give any more of a specific answer because I don't have any sort of set genre I look for, and I can enjoy a game that goes against what I love about many other games. Similarly, there are games I probably should enjoy when looking at the other games I enjoy that I just cannot find my footing in.
I enjoy many different games for many different reasons, and I can't really pinpoint anything they all have in common other than "I enjoyed the experience of playing them" whatever that may be. ~shrug~

[Karifean]

Alright then. Here are the top three aspects of a game that make me love a game.

#1: Immersion. If I can get emotionally invested in a game and care for the characters, the world, the story, even the antagonist, it has succeeded. These kinds of games utilise the video game as a way to tell a story, much like a book or a movie, but they also use the advantages of a game to provide you with the feeling that you are part of the world and not just watching events pass. If a game has this feature, no others truly matter - sure, they are nice bonuses to have, but I already have more than I could ask for.

#2: Challenge and Strategic Flexibility. I like it when I am given bricks which I can build up in different ways to reach my goal. When it's a challenging task to find the correct order, even better. The flexibility is what prevents it from being a simple puzzle game and makes it something more rewarding. YOU found YOUR way, not THE way. Of course, challenge is mainly only welcome when you're ready for it, but when you are, it can be pretty awesome.

#3: Multiplayer. Singleplayer games are awesome in their own right (and I think #1, Immersion, works better in Singleplayer), but multiplayer take simple enjoyment to a whole new level. It is a lot of fun to face challenges with a friend by your side, and from time to time, it's fun to do a competitive match to prove your skill. Multiplayer is IMO the most fun if the people you're playing with are sitting right next to you, not in front of their computers a hundred miles away, but there's some merit to both of them. I can't really describe it well other than saying when you play with others, you'll just have a great time.

[Spuuky]

See, that was a real answer. I do truly appreciate strategic flexibility also, but I find it incredibly rare. RPGs naturally have it more than most games, which is nice, but in the end most RPG options are all the same. It's VERY hard to find in puzzle games.

[Aulayna]

Lately, probably due to the amount of time I've lost over the past 10 years to MMOs, I've really been drawn to games that let me customise the appearance of my character and other things about it. I dunno it just helps me become more invested in what happens to that character.

However saying that I binged on Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep for about 60 hours when I had no internet because I knew what to expect and knew it was a formula I liked.

I also really like games with very compelling stories. But at the same time I wasn't able to finish Bioshock Infinite because I didn't find the gameplay enjoyable and likewise with The Last of Us because I'm really not a fan of sneaking and stealthing around... and supposedly both of those games have amazing stories so I may have to force myself to finish to them at some point.

But generally I like flexibility, a story premise that interests me, gameplay mechanics that don't annoy me or just feel badly designed. I do tend to gravitate more toward RPGs but I've also picked up things like Saint's Row on a whim and really enjoyed them - so whilst I may first look for a good looking RPG that doesn't stop me from considering other options.

Friend recommendations also play a lot into it too.

[Quindiana Jones]

Fun.

[Spuuky]

I'd like to add to my answer:

Fun is a dealbreaker for me. If a game is "fun" or contains elements of "fun" I'm no longer interested.

[Shorty]

itt spuuky is not a fan of katamari

[Madame Adequate]

It kind of depends on the game. I'm not looking for anything in particular for the most part, and I'll play a kart racer or derpy platformer as readily as I'll play a hardcore strategy game. I am always looking for good worldbuilding and interesting plot though.