What's most important in a good game？

http://news.mmosite.com/content/q/2012-04-20/what_kind_of_games_on_earth_can_grab_players_1.shtml

Are you kidding me? Aesthetics including graphics and character design is only an added plus, which is definitely not the most important thing in a good game. They may seem nice at first, but that doesn't really affect the fun of the game. Even more, many games with good aesthetics are just Apple of Sodom, such as Crysis, Mass Effect, and Far Cry 2. In addition, sometimes excellent graphics are a double sided sword, coz players have to get a high hardware to run it.

Gameplay obviously comes first! It is the core structure of the game as a whole. If the main concept of the game doesn't work or isn't fun, it will totally ruin the game. Aesthetic will only get you so far if the gameplay is absolute shit. I won’t play any boring games even I like the way they look. And I used to have a lot of fun with some games with nice gameplay and bad graphics, such as Minecraft and Runescape.

In short, gameplay is far more important than Aesthetics. If the gameplay is good, then who the hell cares about the aesthetics.

Furthmore, below's my top 4 things that I look for in a good game.
1. Gameplay (According to what I have said above).
2. Storyline (A lot of games are very popular due to their great storyline, which makes me wanna play through the game again).
3. Aesthetics (Great graphics and art style will make a game better, but which is not the main point).
4. Sound (Without doubt, it is the least important).

What do you think is most important in a good game?

 

i actually think a great soundtrack and voice acting can turn a game from a mediocre one into an interesting one, i dont care about graphical quality nearly as much as i care about art direction and color pallet, as long as the visual style is eye catching and stimulating.

 

Depends. I will like the game if it has at least one great feature and mediocre everything else. I like DMC for it's combat and don't care that everything else, apart the soundtrack perhaps, is shit.

Sometimes the little things may add up to make a great game and the game becomes more than the sum of it's parts. Deus Ex is a classic example of this.
Anachronox has crap graphics (and partly aesthetics), crap combat and it's buggy at times, but the soundtrack is decent and the writing coupled with humor and charm made me like the game very much.
Divinity 2 has mediocre combat, but good aesthetics, good story and humor + great soundtrack make it one of my favorite games.
Fable 3 has charm, but shit writing, shit choices, dogshit combat and derpy aesthetics so I hate the game.

There is really no order in which I look at features. It's just the question whether the good bits can outweigh the bad ones.

 

Aesthetic is low on the list of things.

For example, Bayonetta is all about aesthetic, but I tried it once upto chapter 3(?), then got distracted into other games. Never replay it.

 

Sound is the least important? Maybe for you, I think it is one of the most important part of the game. A game with boring or annoying audio puts me off (this includes ambient, sound effects and music). Aesthetics is also important in a way, but it won't make a game good if the other parts suffer. But aesthetics =/= high end graphics. As for gameplay, its importance depends on the kind of game I play. There are storyfag games that I play for the story and I don't care if the gameplay is shit.

 

Eh. Sound is not too important because more often than not you must play soundless (student, henpecked husband, chafed son...)

 

Aesthetics are p. damn important if you plan on selling your game.

They don't have headphones where you live?

 

You want to get sneaked upon? Even leave an ear out is too dangerous.

 

"Character modules"? MMOsite is goodlyful foar the spealing.

 

Hm. Thinking. Thinking.

If a JRPG played like fallout but looked like a generic gamemaker-esque JRPG and forgonified textual descriptions, would you enjoy it despite its lack of aesthetics?

Did . . . I just commit a logical fallacy?

 

Atmosphere, if the ambiance can overpower any other flaws you can remain immersed and have an enjoyable time whilst glossing over the blemishes. The problem with atmosphere is that it tends to peak and trough.

 

Addiction.

If many hours pass in what seems like minutes, then you are playing a good game.

All good games have this in common.

 

You cheating bastard.

Being addictive isn't really itself an aspect of a game, it's something that's created by the other aspects.

 

I am going to keep this concise & simple...

1) Exploration -- I love a HUGE, open world with branching pathways.. The new tradition of dungeons that unravel like a ball of string, always in one direction, completely bores me to tears.
2) Puzzle solving -- Not in the Myst tradition. Just TONS of secret walls, hidden doors, puzzles, traps, & deviously designed dungeons.
3) Atmosphere -- Nothing sets the stage like a good soundtrack and detailed dungeons. Not necessarily "amazing" graphics, but highly personalized, detailed tiles get me interested. Something with Sprites, like Lands of Lore, is more interesting to me than a thousand bland dungeons with Crysis level graphix!

Also, my BIGGEST peeve is with the new tradition of releasing "RPG's" without stats or levelling treadmills... I'm sorry, but leave my damn treadmill alone! It's not really compelling to play a game for long periods without some type of character advancement & customization. The "treadmill" is what sold Diablo, and moving the opposite direction is like removing the "Role" from RPG. You might as well give me a straight-ass action game!

 

Unfortunately This.

 

Well, as for video games, sound and graphic are more important than other kinds of games.

 

Yep, i agree with you.
But if you have to choose which is the most important part in a good game, what do you think?

 

I got the same experience as you when I played Bayonetta.

 

I don't think aesthetics are unimportant, exactly, but they certainly aren't the #1 most important thing. As long as the graphics are artistic and well done, and aren't an outright eyesore then that seems enough to me. Graphics and sound that fit the tone of the game can help enhance it, but they certainly can't rescue crap from being crap.

 

Well, I can't agree with you. You can find much good music out of game.

 

It's rather simple question. Just strip all these elements, game's still good without it. What's left? Only a Challenge, I think. Rest is just infinite iterations of it.

 

Bros let me tell you about this new generation of gamers. I have had at least 3 different 18-20 year old friends who I have shown some awesome games. What's the number one reaction? "Holy fuck, look at that water, it doesn't look real at all."

 

Fun does not only come from challenge, sometimes it's exploration, or collecting certain things, or a certain writing style / humour.. But the fun (gameplay) is what counts first and foremost because no storyline, aesthetics or sound can make up for lack of good/fun gameplay. For that, you can watch a movie instead. (Or a LP on youtube)