12-04-2006, 09:56 AM
I'd say control and story line are about equally important. Games that have JUST graphics but a shoddy plot and horrid gameplay are a dreadful gaming experience.
A perfect example of this is Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. The graphics and framerate were pretty damn good, they even include "breast bounce" physics (yay boobies!). However, the story was downright idiotic and the RPG-style stat building element clashed so dreadfull with the games' origins that it made playing it a chore. Take away Lara's dual nickle-plated .45's and the classic control scheme, and you don't have a Tomb Raider game anymore.
Naturally, for RPG games, the gameplay is less of an issue. Generally it's more an easy flow in and out of battles, as well as an intuitive combat system. The story is what ices the cake, here. It's what gives you a Final Fantasy VI instead of a...I dunno...a Breath of Fire I.
For fighting games, gameplay is all there is. If the hit detection sucks, or the controls are stiff and unresponsive (*coughMortalKombat*), then you're in for a frustrating experience. The computer AI plays a part in this. When the computer can do ridiculous things that no human could ever achieve and counter moves before you even start to throw them, I'd say that's a huge gameplay issue right there. Yes, I AM talking about Mortal Kombat again. Try and get off a fucking jumpkick against your computer controlled opponents. It's practicalyl IMPOSSIBLE in later stages.
Platformers pretty much require good controls, but a good story to keep you playing. Otherwise, jumping on all those guys and doing finger-cramping combinations of button presses aren't worth. Back in the day, "The princess is in another castle" was enough to keep people going. Kids these days need goals!
FPS games need high quality graphics and consistently high framerate, along with controls that respond to a fucking feather touch. Anything less than these, and you're going to die a heck of a lot.
Strategy games need story and little else. Graphics come or go; it's the victory that matters. As long as all the menus are done up intuitively, that's all that matters.
Action/adventure titles need all three. You need good graphics to make it interesting; you need good story to keep in interesting; and you need good control so people want to play it.
I might add that I generally enjoy games with superior soundtracks, as well. It's one of my gripes with Twilight Princess: the music is downright awful, compounding my dislike of it. Final Fantasy X has amazing music (except for on the Mi'ihen Highroad) that I absolutely love, as do the Megaman games.
I prolly left out a very genres of game...but oh well. In other words, it pretty much depends on the genre.
A perfect example of this is Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. The graphics and framerate were pretty damn good, they even include "breast bounce" physics (yay boobies!). However, the story was downright idiotic and the RPG-style stat building element clashed so dreadfull with the games' origins that it made playing it a chore. Take away Lara's dual nickle-plated .45's and the classic control scheme, and you don't have a Tomb Raider game anymore.
Naturally, for RPG games, the gameplay is less of an issue. Generally it's more an easy flow in and out of battles, as well as an intuitive combat system. The story is what ices the cake, here. It's what gives you a Final Fantasy VI instead of a...I dunno...a Breath of Fire I.
For fighting games, gameplay is all there is. If the hit detection sucks, or the controls are stiff and unresponsive (*coughMortalKombat*), then you're in for a frustrating experience. The computer AI plays a part in this. When the computer can do ridiculous things that no human could ever achieve and counter moves before you even start to throw them, I'd say that's a huge gameplay issue right there. Yes, I AM talking about Mortal Kombat again. Try and get off a fucking jumpkick against your computer controlled opponents. It's practicalyl IMPOSSIBLE in later stages.
Platformers pretty much require good controls, but a good story to keep you playing. Otherwise, jumping on all those guys and doing finger-cramping combinations of button presses aren't worth. Back in the day, "The princess is in another castle" was enough to keep people going. Kids these days need goals!
FPS games need high quality graphics and consistently high framerate, along with controls that respond to a fucking feather touch. Anything less than these, and you're going to die a heck of a lot.
Strategy games need story and little else. Graphics come or go; it's the victory that matters. As long as all the menus are done up intuitively, that's all that matters.
Action/adventure titles need all three. You need good graphics to make it interesting; you need good story to keep in interesting; and you need good control so people want to play it.
I might add that I generally enjoy games with superior soundtracks, as well. It's one of my gripes with Twilight Princess: the music is downright awful, compounding my dislike of it. Final Fantasy X has amazing music (except for on the Mi'ihen Highroad) that I absolutely love, as do the Megaman games.
I prolly left out a very genres of game...but oh well. In other words, it pretty much depends on the genre.