# what really makes a good game?



## T3GZdev (Jul 2, 2010)

what do you think really makes a good game? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





my personal choice is gameplay what what do you guys think?


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## Guild McCommunist (Jul 2, 2010)

Well, gameplay is what makes a game, so that's a pretty silly question. You can have a good game without flashy graphics, sound, a good story, or a lot of replay value. But you need good gameplay at the core of every game.


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## Scott-105 (Jul 2, 2010)

Uh...Gameplay


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## VashTS (Jul 2, 2010)

the most important part to me is the developers logos.  that and the credits.  can't have a good game without credits.


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## Rydian (Jul 2, 2010)

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FakeDifficulty



			
				QUOTE said:
			
		

> Fake difficulty is defined by five criteria, in addition to the sub-category (The Computer Is A Cheating Bastard). If any one of these criteria are present in a game, fake difficulty is present.
> 
> 1. Bad technical aspects make it difficult. Making a difficult jump is a real difficulty. Making a same difficult jump with overly complex controls, bad jumping physics, or an abrupt mid-air change of camera angle - and therefore the orientation of your controls - is not.
> 
> ...



That site (well, that section of it) has a ton of guides on what most videos games do wrong and how they do them wrong.  I actually link it to people I know who are making a game, in hopes it turns out better.


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## ehayes427 (Jul 2, 2010)

It's all about gameplay.

I don't care so much for the graphics, as long as the gameplay
and the controls are smooth and fun.


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## T3GZdev (Jul 2, 2010)

VashTS said:
			
		

> the most important part to me is the developers logos.  that and the credits.  can't have a good game without credits.


hahah yea, gotta give the developers credit. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



dont think people play games to see the develoupers in the credits tho.
or do they?!?


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## Hells Malice (Jul 2, 2010)

Story.

But gameplay helps, and I WILL play a game with a shitty story if the gameplay is good enough.
But I will always play a game if the story is good, no matter how bad the gameplay is.

Good thing Tales games are spectacular in both aspects, eh?

I invisibly voted story on your poll.

Oh, and just a random note.
My firefox tries to correct gameplay into "gamecock"
...what.


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## yuyuyup (Jul 2, 2010)

gotta be hard and fun like a dead clown


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## ojsinnerz. (Jul 2, 2010)

This is a really fucking stupid question.




			
				Hells Malice said:
			
		

> Story.
> 
> But gameplay helps, and I WILL play a game with a shitty story if the gameplay is good enough.
> But I will always play a game if the story is good, no matter how bad the gameplay is.
> ...



Tales games have awful stories. Hell, even the fanbase admits that the story isn't their strong point. Personally, the only one with a good story was Abyss. This is coming from a guy who loves Tales games.


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## Finishoff (Jul 2, 2010)

For me its story and gameplay both tie together.
Persona 3


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## ojsinnerz. (Jul 2, 2010)

Finishoff said:
			
		

> For me its story and gameplay both tie together.
> Persona 3


I'm sorry, I think you meant to say Persona 4


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## Satangel (Jul 2, 2010)

Gameplay.
Some golden examples of fantastic games with shitty graphics: Tetris, Donkey Kong, Age of Empires 2, Pokemon, ....


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## Finishoff (Jul 2, 2010)

ojsinnerz. said:
			
		

> Finishoff said:
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No I stand by what I said. I did enjoy Persona 4 but not as much ^^


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## jan777 (Jul 2, 2010)

Satangel said:
			
		

> Gameplay.
> Some golden examples of fantastic games with shitty graphics: Tetris, Donkey Kong, Age of Empires 2, Pokemon, ....




yep, idk what all those graphic whores are talking about, 

those games are legends without HD or 1080 or something.


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## Jockel (Jul 2, 2010)

Herp derp no it's all about the graphics and violence!

Honestly, i expected something more interesting before i clicked this thread.
Like linear and restricted progression vs "open world", realistic vs abstract leveldesign, 2D vs 3D or something like that.
But no, let's just leave this thread as boring as it is.


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## ojsinnerz. (Jul 2, 2010)

Jockel said:
			
		

> Herp derp no it's all about the graphics and violence!
> 
> Honestly, i expected something more interesting before i clicked this thread.
> Like linear and restricted progression vs "open world", realistic vs abstract leveldesign, 2D vs 3D or something like that.
> But no, let's just leave this thread as boring as it is.


You're on GBAtemp. You got exactly what you came for.


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## Rydian (Jul 2, 2010)

Jockel said:
			
		

> Honestly, i expected something more interesting before i clicked this thread.
> Like linear and restricted progression vs "open world", realistic vs abstract leveldesign, 2D vs 3D or something like that.
> *But no, let's just leave this thread as boring as it is.*


Well, you're not helping that.

Feel free to start that sort of discussion, but don't come in and complain about the lack of it while not contributing any yourself.


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## ojsinnerz. (Jul 2, 2010)

Not only do I enjoy mature games for mature gamers such as myself, I also enjoy graphics because no matter how well a game plays, in some circumstances gameplay is often bottlenecked by bad graphics, such as those on the Atari.


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## westarrr (Jul 2, 2010)

I'd say.. Replayable
But i guess that is part of Gameplay..

Though the Play,create,share does really add a lot of hours into a game...
Which is good, because much time spending is prolly the best...


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## Veho (Jul 2, 2010)

Gameplay, story, play time (once you deduct the redundancy - a million identical "random" encounters, miles of empty hallways, etc.), replay value, music. 

I like music.


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## Overlord Nadrian (Jul 2, 2010)

As Jockel and ojsinnerz said, this topic is stupid. You can't have a good topic without a good first post.

Anyways, this all depends on the kind of game you are playing.

Shmups don't need a story, they don't need good graphics, they don't need anything, except good gameplay mechanics and controls (which is generally something all games need).
RPGs need a good story, but again they don't need good graphics. Decent controls and gameplay mechanics are a must.
Puzzle and point-n-click games are the only kinds of games that at least need decent graphics, otherwise you can't figure out what in the world you are doing.
A rhythm game needs good audio and good controls. If either of those is sub-par, the game is just shit (read: Rhythm Tengoku). No need for flashy eye-stunning graphics, or a story. Guitar Hero and Rock Band have good audio and controls, but they try to add crisp visuals and a story too, which makes them fail miserably. The games are more fun without the damn story.
The list goes on but I can't be arsed to write my opinion on all game genres, I only picked out a couple of major ones.
Oh, BTW, I really can't see how a different console has anything to do with the quality of a game. It depends on who made the game and what they thought would be good for the game. The PSP for example has really impressive specs (and thus would be considered a 'good' console), but it has close to no great games (there are some gems but not many).

Also, graphics and HD come down to pretty much the same thing: the quality of the visuals.

And mature content is absolutely useless. Not a single game needs it to be good. No More Heroes had you cut open everyone, yet there was still no blood and gore, just fun. Had there been blood, I would have most likely brushed it off as being yet another generic gore game.

So, to conclude my post, what makes a game good fully depends on the genre of the game.


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## metamaster (Jul 2, 2010)

I like the _game_play in a game. If a game had great graphics but the gameplay was horrible, I most likely wouldn't like it. 
I can't beleive someone actualy chose mature content lol


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## syko5150 (Jul 2, 2010)

Game play, replay ability and story are the most important things to me. i don't care if the characters are stick figures as long as its fun and keeps me entertained.


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## Infinite Zero (Jul 3, 2010)

I can play crappy graphics game and enjoy with JUST gameplay itself. For me THAT matters


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## T3GZdev (Jan 16, 2011)

what was i thinking back then when i made these treads? 0.0 with there was some kinda way to delete these unwanted treads.


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## zizer (Jan 16, 2011)

it is too late.    lol
Replying to what really makes a good game?   -    nintendo


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## RNorthex (Jan 16, 2011)

y, it's so different for everthing

survival horror games are nothing w/o graphics
rpgs are all about the story
racing/platformer games are about the replay value and near perfect controls
....

basically, everything belongs to the gameplay
because the graphics/controls/sound/replay value/presentation is included in the gameplay

but the #1 thing for me is to be able to get into the game easily[controls/good presentation] with ok amount of content

what is the most cheap and friggin annoying thing about some games, that they've got a good story, but no lenght whatsoever, they are too short
whatever happened to zelda:TP like games? instead you get ultrahard games with just a few hour long gameplay[dead rising]


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## Nintendo_Chick (Jan 17, 2011)

Ninjas, crossbows, jet packs, dragons, monkeys, and ninja monkeys flying on jet packs shooting dragons with crossbows.


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## Hells Malice (Jan 18, 2011)

None of the above.

Story.


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## monkat (Jan 18, 2011)

Necrobumps?


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## _Chaz_ (Jan 18, 2011)

The 3 kids who said Graphics and Mature Content must be from Microsoft.


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## Sc4rFac3d (Jan 18, 2011)

Two things:

- Presentation
- Design

One could actually only have one of the above and it still could be regarded as a good game. Other than that not much matters.


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## Empoleom (Jan 18, 2011)

Hells Malice said:
			
		

> None of the above.
> 
> Story.


agreed, where's story in the poll, I can't vote without this


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## gokujr1000 (Jan 18, 2011)

Gameplay...


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## Okami Wolfen (Jan 18, 2011)

Definitely HD.


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## Ikki (Jan 22, 2011)

You totally missed story


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## PeregrinFig (Jan 22, 2011)

Ramonra said:
			
		

> You totally missed story


Gameplay is still more important than story. If they made a video game based on the story of Hamlet, but the gameplay was that of ET for the Atari 2600, the game would suck.


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## Guild McCommunist (Jan 22, 2011)

PeregrinFig said:
			
		

> Ramonra said:
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Well that's one example. Plenty of people love Bioshock but acknowledge that the gameplay is clunky as hell. They play it for the story/environment (although overall I didn't find the game that fascinating).


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## PeregrinFig (Jan 22, 2011)

Guild McCommunist said:
			
		

> PeregrinFig said:
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See, to me that's ridiculous. Metal Gear Solid has a great story, but if it wasn't fun to play outside of the cutscenes, I wouldn't waste my time with it at all. If I just wanted a good story and didn't care about gameplay, I'd go watch a movie.


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## Guild McCommunist (Jan 22, 2011)

PeregrinFig said:
			
		

> Guild McCommunist said:
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MGS, MGS2, MGS3, and Portable Ops at least were terribly clunky. I mean you could control the game but shooting was a bitch and it definitely feels very dated nowadays. They're still great stealth games but there's definitely issues.

Bioshock wasn't broken by any means, I'd say it has the same level of FPS control as Fallout 3. I'm just saying there's times you'll ignore negative gameplay aspects to go through a good story.

EDIT: Minor typo.


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## Ikki (Jan 22, 2011)

PeregrinFig said:
			
		

> Guild McCommunist said:
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It still is an element that exists in most games. And some people place it on top of everything else.


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## Waflix (Jan 22, 2011)

Like 54 others: Gameplay. Surprising, huh?


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## KingAsix (Jan 31, 2011)

Three things matter to me in a game
-Story
-Gameplay
-Graphics
In order to give me a gaming experience I will never forget I need these three things in prefect harmony. Graphics never did mean much to me and I wish it didn't to other people or we could have even more good games.


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## blackdragonbaham (Jan 31, 2011)

the gameplay makes a good game. a good thought out story is just a aid to make the atmosphere tighter, but in the end not even graphic matters . these won't make you play through a game if the gameplay sucks like hell. otherwise games like mario and zelda won't celebrate such high sells. or looking at tetris or super meat boy. first one you can't add a story to, the gameplay is brilliant though, second one don't offer a timely graphical presentation, but its just somehow the style of it, though i've beaten it.


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## KingdomBlade (Jan 31, 2011)

What makes a good game? The different aspects of a game that makes it suitable and perfect for the player. PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT TASTES. Some don't care if a game has shit graphics and story. (Retro fanboys) Some people love graphics above all else. (Graphic whores) And some people don't care if a game looks like shit, as long as it plays good.


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## Sterling (Jan 31, 2011)

Let me compare a good game to a good woman. I have this great looking gal. God this woman is pretty, and she likes to tease me, but never puts out. This is a game with good graphics and full CGI cut scenes, but these are the only things it has running for it. The game is incredibly shallow, and can only truly say its pretty. So I move onto the next woman, She is pretty as well (perhaps not as much as the last), but she puts out, and she likes to talk, and she likes to get to know me more. This is a game which not only has good graphics, but has less emphasis on cut scenes and more of a story focus. Next woman is bearable at most to look at. She likes to talk and get to know me, and she puts out. Whats great though is she is really fun in bed. This is a game with sub par graphics, but has good story, and game play. The perfect game is never perfect like a woman is never perfect. You take the good with the bad, and if you enjoy just having a teasing trophy wife then good for you.

My ideal womangame is:  Good looking, with a great story to tell, pulls you in, and entertains you... All night, long.


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## Hop2089 (Feb 1, 2011)

Gameplay especially replay value that's why most of the Gundam, Macross, and Another Century's games can get away with average and below average graphics, because the gameplay is exceptional.  It's also the reason the Tales of games are excellent, the stories in most of them are generic but it's the gameplay (characters, and the skits) is where it's at.  for most RPGs it's the gameplay and characters, if I don't like the characters, no sell, if the gameplay is too generic, there better be some excellent characters to back it up, if it's a harem RPG the females must be attractive (the male protagonist can be generic, a loser, or wimp though since it's a harem and you won't see many Leicester Maycraft type characters if any in them).


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## narutofan777 (Feb 1, 2011)

when everything in the game (all area's) are astounding (music, gameplay, graphics).


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## machomuu (Feb 1, 2011)

KingdomBlade said:
			
		

> What makes a good game? The different aspects of a game that makes it suitable and perfect for the player. PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT TASTES. Some don't care if a game has shit graphics and story. (Retro fanboys) Some people love graphics above all else. (Graphic whores) And some people don't care if a game looks like shit, as long as it plays good.


True, but there is such thing as a game that is good by fact based on various factors and not how many people like it, although I don't think it's really possible for us to determine what game is factually good or not, so people instead just say a game is good or bad based on if they like it, which is factually wrong.  It's not people's tastes that determine whether a game is good, it's the facts...which we can't really know/judge.


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## Cloak519 (Feb 1, 2011)

I think replay value applies to pretty much every game. I haven't yet met anyone that likes a game to finish when the story finishes. I found this very irritating about Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. I spent the whole game upgrading my abilities only to be unable to use them upon completion of the story. I felt robbed.


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## Law (Feb 1, 2011)

Punching people.

The ability to punch people really fast.

The ability to punch people so fast you stun them then suplex them to hell.


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## Nujui (Feb 1, 2011)

I think what makes a game good is innovation. I don't care about the graphics as long as they're not god awful.I don't mind much about music either as long as it's good. All I care about in a game is if it's good or not.


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## Cloak519 (Feb 1, 2011)

Sheaperd121 said:
			
		

> I think what makes a game good is innovation. I don't care about the graphics as long as they're not god awful.I don't mind much about music either as long as it's good. All I care about in a game is if it's good or not.


Agreed... though I think a decent storyline is a bonus.


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