Video Games: Graphics or Story Line?

[Dervish]

I'd actually argue well-crafted pixel art can make for some of the most charming and stylish visuals.

Look at this;

And tell me that's not beautiful.

Totally in agreement! I just meant to illustrate something made today with the earliest of video game graphical styles can look incredible.

 

[Fijoli]

I'd have to say story line, but honestly for me personally, I need neither. The one thing I must have in a Video game is Replay value, I game that I can play forever and ever and with my friends, Is a game I keep in my heart.

It all started with secret of Mana on the SNES, then Mario kart on Game cube, until finally a lot of games started to become very multilayer based. Casual, Competitive, or even just for fun. Playing with people around the world and replay value are truly what I look for in my games. MMOs, MMORPG's, Shooters, Hide and seeks, and more types keep showing up and emerging. It's all very exciting and fun when shared!


EDIT: I have all the storyline I could ask for right here on Iwaku, and if only some of you had game designer friends, dear lord O____O

 

[Snakey]

Many people have mentioned game play, and I would be very much inclined to agree with them. But @Fijoli brings up a good point, the best games are those enjoyed with others. Regardless of story, game play or graphics the most fun I have when playing games is playing with others. Even if said others are kickin' my ass. The element of community brings something special to games, unpredictability. Emergent experiences divorced from the static programming.

As for the actual question, I'll again parrot others and say graphics. While Good story is awesome, poor story is merely 'meh'. On the other hand, good graphics/aesthetics are cool, but poor graphics completely unbearable.

 

[Sakurako]

I personally prefer games with a storyline, but it's not a necessity. Replay value is the most important just like Fijoli said. Amazing graphics are totally awesome, but I can have just as much fun playing pixelated games as I do games like Skyrim and Final Fantasy (recent).

 

[LogicfromLogic]

I'm pretty much a story whore, but I do love good graphics!

 

[Superpiggeh]

As should be apparent from some of the posts of others here... Really,what is a game without proper game play?

I think everything else is secondary compared to that, unless of course, the focus are explicitly the story or graphics. In that latter case, I'll consider the story more important to me than graphics. A game purely focused on graphics feels more like a game intended to demonstrate the power of a platform (be it PC or console). Worth very little to me.

 

[GYARA]

I am the person to say it.
Playing a game for the graphics is like watching porn for the story.

I mean it.

There are a lot of awesome pixelated games/ retro games/ actual old games I love and play to this day.
The best examples being pokemon R/S/E/FR/LG, Minecraft or Realm Of The Mad God.
No graphics can fix a shitty, unplayable (or boring story-wise) game.
All 60 fps, 1080p craps of the eight gen of consoles are doomed to fail, because there is more eye-candy than good gameplay.
Just look at BF4 or AC: Unity. No graphics can save them. It's like you put a ribbon on shit. Slightly prettier, but still shit.

 

[cider]

Depends on the game. In some genres, a story is redundant. Likewise for graphics in others.

As should be apparent from some of the posts of others here... Really,what is a game without proper game play?

I think everything else is secondary compared to that, unless of course, the focus are explicitly the story or graphics. In that latter case, I'll consider the story more important to me than graphics. A game purely focused on graphics feels more like a game intended to demonstrate the power of a platform (be it PC or console). Worth very little to me.

Gameplay is so obviously more important than any other part that I think it's redundant to mention, and I'm guessing the OP probably thought likewise.

@GYARA As for what you're saying about the graphics in Unity (haven't played BF4), it's true, though the same could be said about the story, as you're comparing it to technical issues.

 

[Oblivion666]

Story without a doubt, I'm not the type to be all pissy about graphics. Like that Sonic lyric crap looked great in most aspects, but oh dear nightmare on elm street. You could say we were too slow in seeing that bullet. However, some graphics do matter since if you are trying to have the most dramatic story ever with pixalted characters on a 2d scroller, then I most likely wont be all amazed. Now if you can get both perfect then great, just like the giants in dragon age inquisitions also seem to have that perfect rock throw...... haxing bastards throwing a u turning fucking boulder.

 

[Darog]

Aesthetics =/= Graphics.

I for one can't really choose either, you can't really compare one to the other since they both have very different goals to what they give to the player.

 

[SlamifiedBuddafied]

Others have basically stated my reasons, but I'll leave two cents anyways.

Replay value is a priority, but I do very much enjoy new graphics and excellent stories. Well, not always. Sometimes I like a fun mindless game to pass the time. But when it comes down to replay value, there are only a few games which come to mind (save for MP games) which I have played so many times I've had weeks of dreams in which I was in whatever world that was.

Like Deus Ex : Human Revolution. I replayed that game over and over for almost two months straight until I was sure I'd looked through every nook and cranny the game had to offer. I think my replay times on that game has to have hit at least twelve. Great game play, amazing story and beautifully rendered graphics. Second to that in replays would have to be the first Dragon Age, which I've probably played more times than Deus Ex. Once again, incredible game with ridiculous replay value. Most of all though would have to be The Sims series. Though it doesn't have typical replay value, it's one of those games that just keeps getting bigger and never truly ends.

But as for MP, the Left 4 Dead series, primarily because of the modding community. Near endless amounts of maps and replays with friends or total strangers. Wandering the streets, fields and marshes of wherever to kill hordes of zombies.