What do you prefer when it comes to games: a good story or good gameplay?

[Emotive]

There's been a few that have successfully combined a good story with good gameplay, but I think it's one of those subjective things where one group of people would say a certain game is, the other would say it isn't. But the question I have for you all is this: when it comes to games, do you prefer a good, in-depth story or involving gameplay that gets your attention, making the story take a back seat?

I love a good story to my games, but sometimes I play for the gameplay (like the Devil May Cry games unless I feel like watching the scenes again). So, some games I like for the story, while some I more prefer the gameplay of. So, I'd say I like a mix of both, depending on what mood of game I'm feeling like playing.

How about you all?

[Beerkeg]

Bit of a difficult choice really. Of course you'd want both good story and good gameplay in any game.
If you only have good story, but bad gameplay then getting the story is more of a chore. Like the pages of a book made out of stone slabs.
However having good gameplay and bad story isn't too much of an issue since if you're having fun by just playing you don't really need a conclusion by the end since you had fun anyway. A good example is Dark Souls. Since it doesn't really tell you a story, you have to look for it and piece it together yourself. Most people going through the first time won't even take the time, you're told to go and kill things and the killing of things is fun so you don't really care why, you kill them. Suddenly the game is over and you start to wonder why you did any of that. If you then go in you'll find a rather interesting and and rich story.
Bad story in good gameplay is usually just a minor annoyance when it gets forced in your way.

I'd say gameplay has more positives than story overally. That being said, I've only played a few games just for gameplay or story, mostly I want a mix of both. A game with good gameplay that keeps me invested with interesting story.

[GraceMellody]

Story hands down. Its why I like VNs, the gameplay can be minimal but the stories are gorgeous

[lolin]

gameplay always always always

most games don't have spectacular storytelling anyways

[Emotive]

Bit of a difficult choice really. Of course you'd want both good story and good gameplay in any game.
If you only have good story, but bad gameplay then getting the story is more of a chore. Like the pages of a book made out of stone slabs.
However having good gameplay and bad story isn't too much of an issue since if you're having fun by just playing you don't really need a conclusion by the end since you had fun anyway. A good example is Dark Souls. Since it doesn't really tell you a story, you have to look for it and piece it together yourself. Most people going through the first time won't even take the time, you're told to go and kill things and the killing of things is fun so you don't really care why, you kill them. Suddenly the game is over and you start to wonder why you did any of that. If you then go in you'll find a rather interesting and and rich story.
Bad story in good gameplay is usually just a minor annoyance when it gets forced in your way.

I'd say gameplay has more positives than story overally. That being said, I've only played a few games just for gameplay or story, mostly I want a mix of both. A game with good gameplay that keeps me invested with interesting story.

Really? I thought it told a decent story, but I haven't played it yet solely because of the notorious difficulty of it. lol But that's interesting, I would've thought it had a good story to it since it's so popular.

Story hands down. Its why I like VNs, the gameplay can be minimal but the stories are gorgeous

I think I know what VN is but, just to be sure it's what you mean, is it a visual novel?

gameplay always always always

most games don't have spectacular storytelling anyways

I think some do, but relying so heavily on good graphics for a story is something that's kind of starting to bother me. With the PS5 and other consoles on the rise they'll probably prioritize graphics over story a lot, but that's certainly how it's looking. I might also be wrong though. I hope I'm wrong, for the price of those next-gen consoles I'd hope I'm wrong.

[lloydiboy]

Whilst I much prefer it when games engage me through the story, if the gameplay is poor it won't matter as it will detract from the story telling and make getting through it a chore. Likewise a game with great gameplay but little story won't hold my interest for particularly long as whilst it may be fun to play, there will be no payoff to it from a cerebral sense.

Odd cases here for me would be the Pokémon games. The gameplay is generally very compelling, but the story is paper thin. But there is _just_ enough story to keep me interested in playing. Then there is animal crossing, which literally has no narrative, except the one you create yourself in a life sim.

[Emotive]

Whilst I much prefer it when games engage me through the story, if the gameplay is poor it won't matter as it will detract from the story telling and make getting through it a chore. Likewise a game with great gameplay but little story won't hold my interest for particularly long as whilst it may be fun to play, there will be no payoff to it from a cerebral sense.

Odd cases here for me would be the Pokémon games. The gameplay is generally very compelling, but the story is paper thin. But there is _just_ enough story to keep me interested in playing. Then there is animal crossing, which literally has no narrative, except the one you create yourself in a life sim.

I can empathize with the odd cases. In my case it's almost any Yugioh game. lol But same thing. Like, in Nightmare Troubadour there's next to no story with minimal dialog, and the translation isn't overly accurate from Japanese into English, so the gameplay is probably the only saving grace (other than being able to use the Egyptian God Cards). So, I know what you mean entirely.

[GraceMellody]

Bit of a difficult choice really. Of course you'd want both good story and good gameplay in any game.
If you only have good story, but bad gameplay then getting the story is more of a chore. Like the pages of a book made out of stone slabs.
However having good gameplay and bad story isn't too much of an issue since if you're having fun by just playing you don't really need a conclusion by the end since you had fun anyway. A good example is Dark Souls. Since it doesn't really tell you a story, you have to look for it and piece it together yourself. Most people going through the first time won't even take the time, you're told to go and kill things and the killing of things is fun so you don't really care why, you kill them. Suddenly the game is over and you start to wonder why you did any of that. If you then go in you'll find a rather interesting and and rich story.
Bad story in good gameplay is usually just a minor annoyance when it gets forced in your way.

I'd say gameplay has more positives than story overally. That being said, I've only played a few games just for gameplay or story, mostly I want a mix of both. A game with good gameplay that keeps me invested with interesting story.

Really? I thought it told a decent story, but I haven't played it yet solely because of the notorious difficulty of it. lol But that's interesting, I would've thought it had a good story to it since it's so popular.

Story hands down. Its why I like VNs, the gameplay can be minimal but the stories are gorgeous

I think I know what VN is but, just to be sure it's what you mean, is it a visual novel?

gameplay always always always

most games don't have spectacular storytelling anyways

I think some do, but relying so heavily on good graphics for a story is something that's kind of starting to bother me. With the PS5 and other consoles on the rise they'll probably prioritize graphics over story a lot, but that's certainly how it's looking. I might also be wrong though. I hope I'm wrong, for the price of those next-gen consoles I'd hope I'm wrong.

Yeah VN is just visual novel

[Beerkeg]

Bit of a difficult choice really. Of course you'd want both good story and good gameplay in any game.
If you only have good story, but bad gameplay then getting the story is more of a chore. Like the pages of a book made out of stone slabs.
However having good gameplay and bad story isn't too much of an issue since if you're having fun by just playing you don't really need a conclusion by the end since you had fun anyway. A good example is Dark Souls. Since it doesn't really tell you a story, you have to look for it and piece it together yourself. Most people going through the first time won't even take the time, you're told to go and kill things and the killing of things is fun so you don't really care why, you kill them. Suddenly the game is over and you start to wonder why you did any of that. If you then go in you'll find a rather interesting and and rich story.
Bad story in good gameplay is usually just a minor annoyance when it gets forced in your way.

I'd say gameplay has more positives than story overally. That being said, I've only played a few games just for gameplay or story, mostly I want a mix of both. A game with good gameplay that keeps me invested with interesting story.

Really? I thought it told a decent story, but I haven't played it yet solely because of the notorious difficulty of it. lol But that's interesting, I would've thought it had a good story to it since it's so popular. :?

Yeah, the story is great, but you're not really told most of it directly. Like you have to read item descriptions and actually pay attention to npcs.
Also the games aren't really that hard, they're just hard at first. It takes time to learn how to play and how bosses work, but since the gameplay is very responsive and nice it isn't really a problem.

[Emotive]

Bit of a difficult choice really. Of course you'd want both good story and good gameplay in any game.
If you only have good story, but bad gameplay then getting the story is more of a chore. Like the pages of a book made out of stone slabs.
However having good gameplay and bad story isn't too much of an issue since if you're having fun by just playing you don't really need a conclusion by the end since you had fun anyway. A good example is Dark Souls. Since it doesn't really tell you a story, you have to look for it and piece it together yourself. Most people going through the first time won't even take the time, you're told to go and kill things and the killing of things is fun so you don't really care why, you kill them. Suddenly the game is over and you start to wonder why you did any of that. If you then go in you'll find a rather interesting and and rich story.
Bad story in good gameplay is usually just a minor annoyance when it gets forced in your way.

I'd say gameplay has more positives than story overally. That being said, I've only played a few games just for gameplay or story, mostly I want a mix of both. A game with good gameplay that keeps me invested with interesting story.

Really? I thought it told a decent story, but I haven't played it yet solely because of the notorious difficulty of it. lol But that's interesting, I would've thought it had a good story to it since it's so popular.

Story hands down. Its why I like VNs, the gameplay can be minimal but the stories are gorgeous

I think I know what VN is but, just to be sure it's what you mean, is it a visual novel?

gameplay always always always

most games don't have spectacular storytelling anyways

I think some do, but relying so heavily on good graphics for a story is something that's kind of starting to bother me. With the PS5 and other consoles on the rise they'll probably prioritize graphics over story a lot, but that's certainly how it's looking. I might also be wrong though. I hope I'm wrong, for the price of those next-gen consoles I'd hope I'm wrong.

Yeah VN is just visual novel

It's nice to guess right for once for a change. lol

Bit of a difficult choice really. Of course you'd want both good story and good gameplay in any game.
If you only have good story, but bad gameplay then getting the story is more of a chore. Like the pages of a book made out of stone slabs.
However having good gameplay and bad story isn't too much of an issue since if you're having fun by just playing you don't really need a conclusion by the end since you had fun anyway. A good example is Dark Souls. Since it doesn't really tell you a story, you have to look for it and piece it together yourself. Most people going through the first time won't even take the time, you're told to go and kill things and the killing of things is fun so you don't really care why, you kill them. Suddenly the game is over and you start to wonder why you did any of that. If you then go in you'll find a rather interesting and and rich story.
Bad story in good gameplay is usually just a minor annoyance when it gets forced in your way.

I'd say gameplay has more positives than story overally. That being said, I've only played a few games just for gameplay or story, mostly I want a mix of both. A game with good gameplay that keeps me invested with interesting story.

Really? I thought it told a decent story, but I haven't played it yet solely because of the notorious difficulty of it. lol But that's interesting, I would've thought it had a good story to it since it's so popular.

Yeah, the story is great, but you're not really told most of it directly. Like you have to read item descriptions and actually pay attention to npcs.
Also the games aren't really that hard, they're just hard at first. It takes time to learn how to play and how bosses work, but since the gameplay is very responsive and nice it isn't really a problem.

Ohh ok. I can see why it would seem hard in that case. It makes me think of how difficult a lot of other games can be at first until the player gets used to the game mechanics.