What Do You Value Most in a Game?

[DarkDesertFox]

For me it would be the lasting appeal. I love games that I can play for a long time and always come back to play later. Multiplayer also adds to that though because if I finish the story for a game and it has multiplayer I get more value out of the game. This is aside from actual gameplay obviously. What other factors of a game are important to you? I do apologize if the poll options seem limited since it's late here while I'm making this.

 

[Paperboy012305]

I like games to where after you complete the game, there's some extra quests you can complete as an extension to your adventure. Sometimes you can go back to different levels to play them again if you're aiming for 100%+ or just for the fun of it.
And, if your eager, you can restart the game and play another adventure. Again and again and again.
You can speedrun it, start a nuzlocke (Which works best on Pokemon, but others too if you can find a way to) ect. As long as you think you can challenge yourself it'll be fun. (Try not to get angry all of the time)

So yeah, I like games that have long lasting appeal. Animal Crossing is a perfect example, as it never fails to tire you out. You always have something to do everyday.
I also love games that have online mechanics, but, since I can only choose one. Oh well.

 

[Hunnybuns]

I like games with goals and hardwork. And I also enjoy an ending, but not where you can complete the game in a week. Maybe a month or so. It's always fun turing on your console and getting pumped to continue on your adventure. Also games that give you a chance to get rare items, and rare things (pokemon, demons, pets,etc.) that you can be proud to have. I love going back to playing Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey and seeing all the demons I have and it's nice looking at the accomplishments I've achieved. I really do value the storyline, and definitely the art.. I also like virtual worlds, like the sims, or acnl. I also play an app called Line Play c:

 

[Stil]

Longevity and Customization

 

[Bowie]

Story. Of course, it's always nice to be able to go and come back to a game after you've "finished" it, but you can do that with pretty much every game, in one way or another. So, I'd have to say the story is the most important thing to me. The music and the graphics are also important, but if I had to choose what came first, I'd have to choose the story.

 

[Stalfos]

Fan-service.

Just kidding. Lasting appeal of course, but it's quite hard to pinpoint what gives a game just that. I think it's more a combination of things.

 

[Threads]

Story and atmosphere (this can include graphics and sound) mostly.

Most of my favorite games of all time have very strong/prevalent atmospheres and that continues into games that I really enjoy today. In some cases a game that meets the above mentioned qualities I care about it can make up for what it may lack in another such as lasting appeal or another.

 

[xiaonu]

Multi-player.
I find a game is more fun with friends or making friends.

my other option is character customization since its not in the list

 

[Halloqueen]

I hold different series to different standards.

Some are series that I like primarily for the story. To that end, I'll drop a series that once had good storytelling and got lazy with it. Some I just like for their gameplay and lasting appeal. An ideal game for me has both quality storytelling and enjoyable enough gameplay to revisit again and again.

I don't care about graphics. You'll miss out on some quality games if you get hung up about things looking outdated or not as pretty as possible.

Music is a nice bonus to any game, but it's never a selling point. Multiplayer is good to have, but I stick to single player games most of the time.

 

[Alienfish]

How well you can actually control the game without needing to smash 5 buttons everytime you want to do something (unless it's a fighting game) and that the learning and playing curve is not too steep.

Sure the story and lasting appeal is important too but if the controls and maneuvering of the game is crap then I'm not gonna keep going.

 

[MiraculousGiraffe]

lasting appeal is always nice. I like getting so into a game I want to keep playing it over and over again. The only bad thing about great games is that denial you go through when you finish it because you want more not just the same thing over again haha. Great graphics are nice and always welcome and i'm a sucker for a great sound track *cough cough the last of us soundtrack cough cough* All of these wonderful elements coming together is what makes me loves games and ponder why a lot of people don't try to appreciate them more.

 

[inkling]

lasting appeal bc some of my fave games are older ones that i want to always go back to and replay. for some reason, they stayed with me and made an impression. newer games have done this too but it was just an example of why i chose that option. i think "lasting appeal" is pretty general though and all those other categories can definitely contribute to a games lasting appeal.

 

[Tao]

Out of the options I would say a 'story/campaign', though mainly the thing I want is a reason to be playing the game, an objective to be ultimately working towards.

Something like Minecraft for example I just can't be bothered with because I don't have a reason to be playing it, or I have to really go out of my way to invent a reason to be playing it. There isn't a goal for me to accomplish other than 'build a house', and ultimately that doesn't lead to anything either.
Something like the typical Bethesda RPG though there is an overall 'point' to it. I could ignore the main questline altogether to spend my taking on random dungeons I come across or run around as a naked guy breaking into peoples houses and stealing their cheese wheels. The story is irrelevant at that point, but at least I have a reason to be playing.





Otherwise, a more important thing I value is customization. I've played many crappy games longer than I otherwise should/would have done just because some half decent customization options were available.

Shove a decent character creation screen in front of me and there's an hour spent already. If there's a huge variety of clothing options, I'll ignore the stats attached to them entirely and spend a good 50% of the game looking for the perfect coat in the perfect shade of magenta to make a perfect outfit.

Then there's things that actually change the way the game is played like different weapon types, attributes, stat distribution, racial skills, skill points, party members (like Pokemon/Digimon, not pre-determined parties). Then stuff that ties in with the story like dialogue trees, faction alliances, morality.

It's stuff that also ties into replay value I guess, but I'm not likely to play a game soon enough after 'finishing it' that I would need such varied ways to make the experience different from the last. I just like being able to play it the first time (and usually the only time) the way I want to.

It could be argued that all the above could be covered by "yea, you like RPG's", but so much of that stuff exists in other types of games these days that it's no longer weird for me to pick up an FPS and think "where the hell is the customization?". Even Mario Kart has customization and stats these days.

 

[Kapriznyy]

Character development is, by far, the most important thing to me. I don't really care about replay value or lasting appeal I guess. Graphics don't matter much to me either as long as they're not completely and totally hideous. I just want to play something where I can get invested in the characters. The plot/story can be total trash, too, as far as I'm concerned, as long as the story revolves around characters who are interesting and well developed. If a game has a terrible cast then I lose interest pretty much immediately.

 

[ellarella]

there's a good deal of variety in my taste of games, but the ones that truly claim my heart almost always have a strong story. my favorite game is Planescape: Torment, and it's frequently used as an example of a game with terrible gameplay but an amazing story.

it's really hard to rank the value of all those things, as they all can have a significant meaning on a game - like how the Hotline Miami series is almost entirely carried by the strength of its soundtrack, whereas a game like Caves of Qud has zero sound and just pure lasting appeal and atmosphere. it's all about variety and the developers working with their strengths.

 

[Alienfish]

And yeah if they actually keep original voices when it comes to Japanese (or other) games rather than doing some *****ty dub just to please an audience who can't read. Also I hate when they blame on cultural stuff as for these, part of the games are somewhat significantly cultural for Japan when it comes to both dialogue and gameplay so a lot gets missed there (same for crappy anime dubs and openings made in English).

Seriously, pulling this crap with people that can't read or just want a smooth game-play as for VA and such is probably my biggest pet peeve. Like if you want dub for that matter or don't bother learning anything maybe you shouldn't play these games or watch that stuff.

(one thing if it's an obvious kids show for people like 3 year old but when they do it with more mature games and series I just want to poke their ass with a fork).

 

[LunarMako]

How much I can do in a game. I get bored easily if I'm doing the same thing over and over again. So the more different things I can do to switch back and forth, the better.

 

[Wholockian]

I love the story aspect of games. I mean, if there's a great story I can forgive bad graphics... Not so much the other way around

 

[Byngo]

customization by far. some of my fav games are ac:nl and splatoon, one which is all about customization and the other having pretty good customization options.

close second is a good story

 

[Alienfish]

Yeah I love customization, but yeah as long as characters doesn't look/sound too crap I'm fine with most. But yeah sure I love those (mmo)rpgs where you just can buy shizz to all eternity and walk around like a bro with it on.