"Good" vs. Good

[Wunderhund]

I recognize that "good" can fall almost anywhere on the taste spectrum depending on one's standards and preferences, but I'm curious: how many people out there consider "entertainment" to be the most important factor in deciding on what you label "good" (or "great" or "amazing" or whatever)?

I realize that for some, something's overall entertainment value forms the core of their opinion, and that it's all that matters at the end of the day. But recently, I've found myself playing a lot of games that I've found to be very entertaining, but merely "good" at best. Games like Dead Space 3, Crysis 3, Tomb Raider, God of War, Metal Gear, DmC, Hitman, etc, etc. (Deus Ex: HR, Bioshock Infinite, and FarCry 3 haven't soured yet...)

Call me hard to please, but all I can say is that all of the above were very expected experiences. Watered down, almost. It was engaging in the moment, but cheep thrills fade fast. I appreciate all the talent and hard work that goes into some of these titles, but I'm simply amazed with the love being tossed at them. They don't seem to have much of a point beyond being "the next one", and reboots seem to be re-hashes and homages to other better games and their mechanics.

 

[tippy2k2]

For myself, entertainment is like...85% of the deciding factors and easily the most important factor in determining how I rate a game.

For example, two of my favorite games from last year are not very good games:

The Walking Dead
Spec-Ops: The Line

Game-play, these games either barely have it (WD) or it's not very good (SO). However, there have also been very few games that made me reflect as much as these two games. They're great games almost exclusively due to their entertainment value.

With that said, I do recognize that people have different tastes; I'm not blind to the problems with the games that I like. However, if it's entertaining that's all that really matters. All other issues (technical, design, control, etc.) do go into consideration but usually because those issues all affect how much entertainment I am getting from the game.

 

[Wunderhund]

Ah, but you see, you liked them because they made you reflect, not because they entertained you (as you said, lackluster gameplay). This is a result of an insightful, relevant, well-told story with a point. Both of those games are amazing because of that, despite their lack of engaging gameplay.

 

[tippy2k2]

Ah, but you see, you liked them because they made you reflect, not because they entertained you (as you said, lackluster gameplay). This is a result of an insightful, relevant, well-told story with a point. Both of those games are amazing because of that, despite their lack of engaging gameplay.

Well that's something that I would disagree with. I was entertained by both games; it just wasn't necessarily due to happiness or love or whatever you want to call enjoying the game-play. It's the same way that I can be entertained by Schindler's List; it sure as hell isn't because I find joy in suffering

It goes to the classic argument of "Can games be good if they're not fun?" and I would 100% argue that yes, a good game can be made out of something that is not fun. Spec-Ops alone proved that by having some pretty shitty game-play but is considered by many to have been 2012's GotY.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Out of those I only love DmC and Metal gear. Metal gear because I have been a fan of the story for so many years and learning what happens next is entrhalling, DMC cause it's just a blast to play and if you delve deeep into the mechanics it really does have a memorable quality to it. The story's really funny and cool too.


The rest, they don't really catch my interest.

 

[DoPo]

It goes to the classic argument of "Can games be good if they're not fun?" and I would 100% argue that yes, a good game can be made out of something that is not fun.

I'd absolutely agree but also I'd like to point out that "fun" does not only mean "lighthearted pleasure" - it's a synonym of "enjoyment" and one can enjoy non-comic stuff, too. Evident by people enjoying not only comic stuff.

Different things appeal to different people - one may, for example, like action another may appreciate story. More realistically, it'd probably be a mix of those. At any rate - these two people may have different reactions to the same thing.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

I try not to think to hard about it.
If I start looking at things objectively, I'm going to find flaws and my experience will be soured. That's why I don't look at reviews for games or movies until I've finished the thing.
If I go in expecting to have a good time, unless the thing is really, REALLY bad, I can overlook most of the flaws.
Ignorance really is bliss.

 

[Kolby Jack]

If I had fun, it did its job. Though for games I expect the fun to last a good while if I'm paying $60 for it. Movies have more leeway.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

"Good" games are ones that I play and end up criticising, despite enjoying the overall product. These include Assassin's Creed 3 and Armored Core V - both due to failure to meet expectations and familiarity with the series. Unironically good games are games that I play and end up praising after I'm finished. These include Bayonetta, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Portal and Resistance. I'd say most of the games I've played are good, but the examples I gave are sort of the top of this category. Great games are ones that challenge the top three - Monster Hunter, Armored Core and Dark Souls. Back when it was the top two, Dark Souls was one of these games, and it has become my favourite over time.

So basically I've dodged the question of exactly why these games are "good", good or great, but I have at least identified which are which.

 

[Lieju]

It goes to the classic argument of "Can games be good if they're not fun?" and I would 100% argue that yes, a good game can be made out of something that is not fun.

I'd absolutely agree but also I'd like to point out that "fun" does not only mean "lighthearted pleasure" - it's a synonym of "enjoyment" and one can enjoy non-comic stuff, too. Evident by people enjoying not only comic stuff.

Different things appeal to different people - one may, for example, like action another may appreciate story. More realistically, it'd probably be a mix of those. At any rate - these two people may have different reactions to the same thing.

Yeah, some of my all-time favourite books and movies were not 'fun', but made me even feel uncomfortable, because it made me aware of why good people do bad things, or to see my own behaviour in a completely new light, or it made me sad or something like that.

When it comes to games, there aren't as many games that go for it, apart from horror games, I suppose. Eternal darkness;sanity's requiem and Dragon Age 2 were the kinds of games that did make me feel like that, and I like both of them a lot for that.

I'm kinda poor, so the games I get to play often are ones I either know I will enjoy, or ones I get cheap or borrow from my friends, and those are often bad, lackluster or okay.