It's always story. The world could be beautiful, the game may have the best controls you ever touched, but if the story stinks you will end up putting the game back to the shelf. Opposite if the world is ehh, controls are ehh, but the story is amazing you may end up playing again for the experience.

Just look at no picture books such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, things like that. Before the movies we read all the books, and couldn't wait for the next one to come out. Cried when the series ended as we loved the story the author told to us and wanted more. Same goes with games. Great story will always trump the rest. Just my opinion.