I look for characters first. Yes, I judge appearance, how many characters there seem to be (I love large casts of characters) next story and third is gameplay.
I probably also base a lot on aesthetics.
X-Com thread?
X-Com thread.
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Anyways. Gameplay for sure above anything else. Above the art style, the story, the music, anything. It's all way down on the list under gameplay. I'm a lot like Huxley in that individual elements such as genre depend on my mood. But strategy games, in particular grand strategy, turn-based and 4X, are my favorite genre by far and if it falls into one of those above categories I've probably dumped a lot of time into it (or am planning to in the near future.)
Edit: Immersion is pretty good, I'd probably rate it my personal second. When it comes to immersion I've yet to find something that can top Morrowind.
Last edited by Pike; 08-02-2013 at 01:03 AM.
It depends on the type of game.
For JRPGs, I look first and foremost for story and characters. I can compromise on graphics and even gameplay if I can really be immersed in the story. (e.g., Lunar SSSC).
For other types of games, I generally like either complex ones that require (or at least can involve, depending on your play style) a lot of thought and strategy, or ridiculous, simple, brainless button-mashers that I can have fun screwing around with for 30-60 minutes at a time.
Alternatively, I also like fun games.
It's hard to grasp. I can't pin it down. If a game I'm playing just.. 'feels' right, then frankly that's all it needs. Just the feeling I get from it, like, this is the game for me.
Fun is not always a requirement, hyper competitive games like Dota and Counter-Strike can be very painful if you're losing, but you can still learn and develop as a player, which can be much more satisfying than a pure "fun" game that's pretty to look at.
I'm willing to sacrifice across the spectrum depending on the game. Xenogears and Morrowind are pretty abysmal on the gameplay meter, but I was still able to appreciate and enjoy the powerful storytelling and world-building techniques they pioneered. But my favorite games are the ones that reach a little further and can balance all those things at the same time, like Dragon Quest or Metal Gear Solid.
Good music.
I can be remarkably flexible about basically anything else in a game, but if the music gets on my nerves or is noticeably absent for long periods of time, I just feel let down.
Conversely, if the game is just sort of so-so, but the music is phenomenal, I'll play a game just for the music. TMNT: The Arcade Game is a good example. Gameplay? Repetitive. Music?
Kick.
smurfing.
Ass.
Strategic depth and a good story, preferably in a way that's not offered in other entries.
It depends on the genre. I really only play three genres: platform, action-adventure, and RPG.
Platform - Tight controls, variety in level design, innovative moves/power-ups, and abundance of secret areas or collectibles.
Action/Adventure - Engaging storyline, dynamic hero, weapon variety, gameplay mechanics that make sense and don't get too repetitive.
RPG - Depth of stat/customization system, engaging and innovative storyline, likable characters, abundance of sidequests, strategic element of battles.
Is that good enough for you, Romeo?
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I like story the most. If it's a great story, I can probably tolerate poor gameplay. Good gameplay also helps, though. Graphics isn't a big deal, but I like modern-looking graphics. My favorite genres are rpgs and strategy, but I can play shooters or the occasional racing game and have fun with that too. Good music is a great plus, but not a deal breaker.
Story then gameplay. I can tolerate kinda shoddy gameplay so long as the story is engaging. Heck, I'd even play games outside of my usual repertoire if the story interests me. That said, I wouldn't really say no to fun games with a so-so story every now and then.![]()