POLL: Most important part of a game

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Another gameplay voter here.

I find the question hard to answer though as most brilliant games have both those qualities. One thing is easy it's not the graphics that make a great game.

But gameplay has the upperhand in my opinion because a game can have a great story but if the gameplay sucks you will only play the game once to see the story end, there is no incentive for another run through it. If the gameplay is fun there is more reason to play the game once more. Perfect example would be Secret of Mana and Might and Magic. Mana has a great battle system and very little story but I still play it. Same goes for might and magic, especially VI where there is a huge world but little story to guide you, but it has never been more fun to rain death on a bunch of goblin with a starburst spell.

Of course there has to be a good story present. It doesn't have to be fleshed out as much as planescape for example but even hints of a greater back story must be present, e.g. diablo had actually no story but you felt a certain background to the world that goes beyond the story told in the game, same goes for Might and Magic VI.

 

Gameplay, no question. If a game has great gameplay and a crap story (*insert numerous FPS titles here*), it's still plenty fun.

If a game has a great story and crap gameplay, it's gonna be uninstalled real quick like.

 

Gameplay, if I want good story, I can always read books.

 

I am surprised that no one has yet voted for graphics. Although I picked gameplay, since I'm not big on heavy plot stuff when I want to play a game, but instead just want to enjoy playing it. Still, I think that a game is no fun if the graphics are atrocious. If anything, graphics create a good sense of verisimilitude, and really spice up what otherwise might be a bland game. I feel that if I picked up a popular game like Starcraft or one of the D&D-based games that had stick-figure graphics, I would say disgustedly, "this is crap," and move on to another game. Probably one with worse plot and gameplay.