What makes a good game great?

[Symmetric-XBA]

We've all had these moments where you buy a game in great anticipation, thinking that it's going to live up to all your hopes and dreams. Then you play it and wonder wtf were they thinking.

What makes a good game great to you? What do you look for in a game to make it a day 1 pickup instead of waiting till it hits the bargin bin?

[vman]

well, i think inherent interest in the subject of the game, which would include genre, has much to do with whether or not I like a game. Like, for me, Halo is one of my favorite games because I like FPS, but I also like the arcade feel to the game as well as the sci-fi genre. Others may prefer Duty or Battlefield because they like FPS, but also like military and quasi-realistic environments.

another example: I like Batman. So after I beat Arkham City, i thought it was the best game I ever played. If I wasn't a big Batman fan, I wouldn't have that opinion on the game.

What makes a good game for me is when I'm genuinely interested in the story. What makes it a great game is when I want to play it more than once (replay value). Some games try to fabricate replay value with multiple endings or bizarre achievements but for me, the game has true replay value if you want to replay the game, just for the hell of it, because it is so damn fun.

also, as a hardcore gamer, the only reason why I would wait for a bargain bin game is purely financial.

[Variation-XBA]

Is this cause our talk? heh.

Story and gameplay to me are the most important. Enslaved was one of my favourite game of 2010 just behind Alan Wake, because of the amazing story and perfect gameplay.

Of all my favorite games, it always has a great story or gameplay (or both if it's fantastic)

[fenixseth]

For me it's story first, if the story's no good then I find a game hard to get through.

[Nater]

Story and Gameplay for me.

[thAshAdyOne]

Story. No one can really be compelled to get through a game with a wack story.

Unique gameplay will keep a person coming back though. If the Arkham City wasn't fun, I would not be torturing myself with Game Plus mode right now.