Can a good story save poor or medicore gameplay for you?

[BreakfastMan]

Well, considering I really liked Deadly Premonition... Yeah I can forgive crappy gameplay if I like the story. Of course, I can also forgive a crappy story if I like the gameplay, so I guess it works both ways for me...

 

[Grey_Focks]

Only to a degree. The first mass effect had some gameplay issues, but I was intrigued enough to keep playing. Really though, that's about as far as I'll go in that direction.

I can get a good story from books, movies, TV, etc, but good gameplay is something I can only get, fittingly enough, from games. I've played plenty of games with bad/no stories just because they were fun, including a lot of multiplayer ones. A good story is certainly always appreciated, but gameplay always has, and always will, be the deciding factor for me.

 

[Kargathia]

I can't really say I played Dragon Age: Origins for the gameplay. It generally felt like a clunkier version of WoW. And after a good 2-3 years of raid leading it wasn't exactly novelty either to order stupid party members around.

Yea, excellent story and characters definitely raised that one from "mediocre" to "pretty dang awesome".

 

[NicoDK]

No, not at all. From what i've heard and seen, Mass effects story is effing awesome, but the gameplay had me running for the door.

 

[KezzieZ]

I think so.

The first example I can think of is Silent Hill 4. People tend to hate that game since the gameplay is mediocre if not downright annoying and it was clearly rushed, but I do find the story interesting (especially since there's a lot more info in a book about the game's canon that gives more backstory to the situation). I still prefer Silent Hill 2 since the cult in 1, 3, and 4 can be silly if you don't put in research, but I find Silent Hill 4 to be decent despite the gameplay.

Sometimes, I'll also have an interest in the art direction, but graphics don't carry nearly as well for me as story does.

 

[delanofilms]

Silent Hill 1-3 (2)

Ninja'd.
I loved this game with a passion.

 

[theevilsanta]

Honestly no. A good story with poor gameplay will never keep me playing. I'll play it a bit longer, maybe. But never beat it. I need to be having fun, not just faffing about until I get to another plot point.

 

[GonzoGamer]

No.
I don't play the story.
By the same token, I don't buy a novel because the pages are fun to turn.
If the story is such a big part of the game that it can take over, it can't be a very good game.

 

[Ipsen]

Despite my favor to story-heavy games, I have to say the gameplay must come first. A game having a 'good' story, but poor gameplay would have to hook you in by story from the beginning, and keep up the suspense, since the actual interaction won't pick up the slack. Vice versa, a story could be meh, or slow to get rolling, but if the game mechanics are fun to tinker with, it leaves room for that story to grow on you.

Good gameplay buys time+enjoyment.

 

[Blemontea]

I wouldn't say a POOR game for I over analyse games and the controls would eventually get to me, but as for a mediocore game that the only thing wrong gmaeplay wise is that its uninspired then yes a good story will glide me along on a slide of sunshine and rainbows. even if its a dark gloomy story.

 

[Jakub324]

Oblivion had bugger all for me in gameplay but the story was good and the characters were believable.

 

[Shock and Awe]

Id say so, if the focus was on the story and the gameplay was just mediocre and not just bad.

 

[azazellee]

I loved FFVIII, so, yeah, I suppose so.

 

[metaphyzxx]

Worst case scenario, a good story will extend my desire to play a game with troubling gameplay. Once the gameplay interferes with my ability to progress in the story, then not even the story can save it.

 

[DirgeNovak]

Absolutely. Silent Hill, Legacy of Kain, Primal, and others prove that.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

I've finished Silent Hill: The Room three times. So yes, story can save a game with poor gameplay in my eyes.

 

[King Kupofried]

It depends on a lot of things. How long the game drags on, whether it is bad due to difficulty.

In general though, sub-par to average gameplay I will tolerate, as long as it is playable.

Outright bad gameplay? No. Usually, if a game utterly fails in gameplay in every possible way, the story is just as much garbage anyway.

 

[Mackie Stingray]

Yes.
Okay, so there are times this is not the case, but I know I've a greater tolerance for gameplay and presentation issues if the story's worth it, and I know I've set aside games with decent gameplay if the story didn't grip me.
It's all about the story for me. Gameplay has to be amazingly, confoundingly bad for me to set down a really, really good story.
Style sometimes wins out over substance with me, but it's rare.

 

[withoutnumbers]

I have a really hard time playing games with crappy gameplay mechanics. I play games to play games. If I want a good story, I'll go read a book or watch a movie. Gameplay comes first, and if they get the story right, that's just heaps of icing on the cake.