What do you prefer: Story or Gameplay
- Thread starter Thewonandonly
- Start date
Yup, same for me.
Strong gameplay can hook me, but my motivation is far greater when there is a strong story present.
If I want a story, I'll read a book. I only watch movies to see all four of the horse's hooves leave the ground when it runs.
Gameplay for me. I do enjoy some stories in games, but if the gameplay for a game is bad you couldn't get me to play it regardless of how good the story is.
If I had to choose, Id say gameplay.
But I think an understated third choice is a game with "personality".
But I think an understated third choice is a game with "personality".
This is also a super important thing
It really depends on the genre. Platformers, racing games, fighting games, I don't really care about story. RPGs and action games, are usually important to have a good story to keep you playing until the end. An alright gameplay is enough for these games, if the story is good.
Always gameplay. Without an addictive hook, I'll quickly tire of it regardless of how good the story is. That's not to say that story isn't important, but I find it to be one of the least important factors unless I'm playing any kind of RPG and to a much lesser extent, an Action/Adventure game (where the story is usually through the gameplay anyway). Also, if the story and characters are very strong, I can mostly accept the tepid gameplay to finish, such as was the case of TW3. Although I'll probably never want to actually replay it.
They can, but often don't. Just look at any modern ND game since Uncharted 2. All spectacle with very shallow gameplay.
They can, but often don't. Just look at any modern ND game since Uncharted 2. All spectacle with very shallow gameplay.
Last edited:
Gameplay. Even the greatest video game story of all time is like... direct to DVD quality.
The only exceptions are games where the gameplay and story are so intertwined that it's be impossible to differentiate them. That the story is expressed through the very act of play.
The only exceptions are games where the gameplay and story are so intertwined that it's be impossible to differentiate them. That the story is expressed through the very act of play.
It depends on how everything comes together really as the two are never binary choices.
For my money, Id take a Witcher 3 over a BotW any day. Simply because of how it all comes together. (Plus, BotW does NOT have good gameplay. I know im in the minority here, but the combat (straight up blocking and hitting things was basic at best...frustrating at most because of shattering weapons...but I digress)
Really, the question should be between Witcher 3 or Dragons Dogma. Again, Witcher 3, but Dragon's Dogma still to this day has the best combat in an open world game.
For my money, Id take a Witcher 3 over a BotW any day. Simply because of how it all comes together. (Plus, BotW does NOT have good gameplay. I know im in the minority here, but the combat (straight up blocking and hitting things was basic at best...frustrating at most because of shattering weapons...but I digress)
Really, the question should be between Witcher 3 or Dragons Dogma. Again, Witcher 3, but Dragon's Dogma still to this day has the best combat in an open world game.
Story. Most games nowadays have serviceable gameplay, but that's not enough to be worth playing.
Keep your Shadow Of Mordors and Watch Dogs. I'd rather play Wolfenstein and Soma.
Keep your Shadow Of Mordors and Watch Dogs. I'd rather play Wolfenstein and Soma.
Gameplay always comes first. Games with crap story might still be amazing because they are really fun to play. I would be a lot less inclined to play a game that just has story going for it because I would probably just get bored or annoyed playing it.
I prefer having both, but gameplay is more important. At least for most of the games I like, the overwhelming portion of time is spent outside the narrative flow.
Story, by far. That's the reason why I have Persona 5 on the GOTY place, NieR Automata as the second best game of the year and just below them Odyssey and BoTW.
With this I'm not saying I can tolerate a really bad gameplay if the story of that game is excellent. It all comes together. For example, Mementos in Persona 5 usually puts me on a really bad mood.
With this I'm not saying I can tolerate a really bad gameplay if the story of that game is excellent. It all comes together. For example, Mementos in Persona 5 usually puts me on a really bad mood.
Depends on the game. For the Kingdom Hearts series, it's story -> gameplay. The gameplay is great (1,2,BBS,0.2), but the epic story is the driving point all thanks to Tetsuya Nomura. What a tensai. Of course, if you're not a fan of the story, you can just skip the scenes and enjoy the gameplay.
If we're talking about sports games, it will always be gameplay -> story. My career doesnt interest me one bit in 2K.
If we're talking about sports games, it will always be gameplay -> story. My career doesnt interest me one bit in 2K.
Story- honestly, some of my favorite games have very basic, easy, and repetititve gameplay, but the story keeps me engaged. .Hack G.U. Last Recode for PS4is the most recent example of this. As long as theres good and well written context for what I am doing, that is enough for me.
OP
OP
My bad I didn't even see that thread haha. I just finished wolfenstien and love the story so much but didn't like the gameplay, yet it's still in top 5 game of the year games for me.
I play most games to experience the story. That's probably why I prefer JRPGs. As much as I enjoyed Breath of the Wild, it falls short of being among my favorite Zeldas because the story was meh. That's not to say there aren't exceptions. Super Metroid is in my top 3 and barely had a story.
Both, as others have said its not and absolutely should not be an either/or situation. There's a reasonable argument to be made that the two aren't even meaningfully distinguishable from eachother.
"You can make a good game with a mediocre story, but you cant make a good game with a mediocre gameplay "
This is how i approach videogames.
This is how i approach videogames.
I can play a game with no story at all but gameplay that is just that good and fun.
I couldn't play a game with just story and no/bad gameplay whatsoever.
Both are iomportant but how much depends on the game itself and how much the player values it.
A narrative is for example completely irrelevant in a Super Mario but part of the gameplay in Danganronpa.
But yeah: Gameplay
I couldn't play a game with just story and no/bad gameplay whatsoever.
Both are iomportant but how much depends on the game itself and how much the player values it.
A narrative is for example completely irrelevant in a Super Mario but part of the gameplay in Danganronpa.
But yeah: Gameplay
If I'm playing a single player game or campaign, then story. It's what will keep me going.
Definitely gameplay for anything multiplayer.
Definitely gameplay for anything multiplayer.
I can be impressed by both good plot and good gameplay, but feel that the latter happens more often. Perhaps the standards for a plot are higher because of all the competition from other narrative mediums.
I was in the strictly gameplay camp for a very long time, but since finding Dragon Quest V, I've started appreciating story a lot more. I feel like good gameplay is important and can lead to great games, but my most memorable and favorite gaming moments are all based on story. These days I think story is more important to me overall.
I like when a game is honest about what it's trying to and doing the best possible job at it.
A game like Mario is all about interacting with the world through mario's controls. That's the core of what Mario is and the developers have never betrayed that. Story, in this case, isn't paramount.
Then you have something like, say, Persona or Witcher, where the clear draw is the breadth f story they can tell and everything they do is in service of their characters and plot. In this case, the gameplay is there to accentuate the plot and help you immerse yourself into the action. Witcher and Persona are not bad "games" by any stretch of the imagination, but I'd dislike them if I disliked the plot, where that's not necessarily the case with Mario.
Point is: Do what your team is good at and put all of your efforts in service to what the core of the game is.
A game like Mario is all about interacting with the world through mario's controls. That's the core of what Mario is and the developers have never betrayed that. Story, in this case, isn't paramount.
Then you have something like, say, Persona or Witcher, where the clear draw is the breadth f story they can tell and everything they do is in service of their characters and plot. In this case, the gameplay is there to accentuate the plot and help you immerse yourself into the action. Witcher and Persona are not bad "games" by any stretch of the imagination, but I'd dislike them if I disliked the plot, where that's not necessarily the case with Mario.
Point is: Do what your team is good at and put all of your efforts in service to what the core of the game is.
Last edited:
Always gameplay. Story is just window dressing.
This is utterly false.
