Poll: Attention RPG Fans! Do You Favor Gameplay Or Story?
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Story.
Most RPG gameplay is a snooze, or passable at best. RPGs in which I actually enjoy the gameplay are usually the ones that attract accusations of not being "a real RPG".
I play RPGs, real or otherwise, because it's one of the few genres where developers are allowed to spend time on dialogue, setting, characterization and such.
Most RPG gameplay is a snooze, or passable at best. RPGs in which I actually enjoy the gameplay are usually the ones that attract accusations of not being "a real RPG".
I play RPGs, real or otherwise, because it's one of the few genres where developers are allowed to spend time on dialogue, setting, characterization and such.
Obv it'd be ideal to have great gameplay and story, like (imo) FF6 or DA:O. But I'll slog through any gameplay if the story's good enough, while I couldn't care less about RPGs with weak stories.
(Eg, I'm one of the apparently few people who fell in love with DA2's story, and none of its flaws made me want to stop playing. On the other hand, I still haven't played Skyrim, and don't really have any interest in it.)
(Eg, I'm one of the apparently few people who fell in love with DA2's story, and none of its flaws made me want to stop playing. On the other hand, I still haven't played Skyrim, and don't really have any interest in it.)
Gameplay.
A game can survive on gameplay alone, but it cannot survive on story alone. Example: Dragon Age Origins. The gameplay was horrible and the pathetic excuse for a combat system put me to sleep more than anything. Then again, the story and characters weren't to likable, either. Guess Final Fantasy VIII is a better example then. Not even sure how good/bad the story was, I couldn't get past the horrid magic and junction systems.
A game can survive on gameplay alone, but it cannot survive on story alone. Example: Dragon Age Origins. The gameplay was horrible and the pathetic excuse for a combat system put me to sleep more than anything. Then again, the story and characters weren't to likable, either. Guess Final Fantasy VIII is a better example then. Not even sure how good/bad the story was, I couldn't get past the horrid magic and junction systems.
...say wha? someone else who loves turn based combat as i do? The sky must be falling!FFP2 said:
(to be honest while i love turn based stuff, especially in FF and Kotor games, i can take it or leave it in the scheme of things.)
OT: Good stories keep the games in my memory and i tend to replay them over and over, games with shit story and good gameplay i tend to playthrough once and be done with it. (if that even, gotta catch me on a good day.)
It would have to be both for me. BUT, if the characters that I am going to be playing with are absolutely shit, then no. I don't really care how good the gameplay or the story is. If I don't find the characters interesting then I wont play it.
Neither. RPGs are all about the environment. 
The genre is hard to define, but I find that a typical aspect is that there is a very even mix of storytelling/setting and gameplay. The best RPGs are those that can make the game mechanics blend seamlessly into the story and the world.
So for RPGs in particular they are both equally important. It's the balance between the two that make an RPG.
The genre is hard to define, but I find that a typical aspect is that there is a very even mix of storytelling/setting and gameplay. The best RPGs are those that can make the game mechanics blend seamlessly into the story and the world.
So for RPGs in particular they are both equally important. It's the balance between the two that make an RPG.
Great gameplay usually gets me to go through even a shitty story, while a great story may have difficulties keeping me interested if the gameplay is a pain. That being said, I still value the story more.
May I ask you, why is that? Take for example Tetris, Mario and Pac-Man; do you not care about them / not find anything enjoyable about them?Mr.Tea said:
Story. Obviously, I want high quality in both, but I can deal with bad gameplay as long as I am interested in the story. Of course, the best is when you can incorporate both, like the Social Links in the Persona series.
Usually neither. The CRPG is the most improbable set of genres.
The gameplay in an action-RPG will always be inferior to a pure action game and in a tactical RPG the gameplay is more shallow than a strategy game.
Want a good story instead? Then don't play videogames at all.
CRPGs work on the hope that when mediocre gameplay, a mediocre story and limited player choice all come together you'll get something that is more than the sum of it's parts.
Sometimes it works, usually it ends in disappointment.
The saving grace of the genre is that narrative choices are even more rare outside the CRPG genre and that that there's often no lack of hopeful ambition going into the creation of these games.
The gameplay in an action-RPG will always be inferior to a pure action game and in a tactical RPG the gameplay is more shallow than a strategy game.
Want a good story instead? Then don't play videogames at all.
CRPGs work on the hope that when mediocre gameplay, a mediocre story and limited player choice all come together you'll get something that is more than the sum of it's parts.
Sometimes it works, usually it ends in disappointment.
The saving grace of the genre is that narrative choices are even more rare outside the CRPG genre and that that there's often no lack of hopeful ambition going into the creation of these games.
It needs a mix of both or some form of suspension of disbelief to cover for one of them. If a game has a shitty story, then it feels very lackluster when you achieve something, because there is no reward. If a game has shitty gameplay, then it becomes a chore to play through, but it has it's moments. However take a good Silent Hill for example, the controls feel like you're controlling the character's ass instead of the rest of their body, but that emphasizes the scariness of the game. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Bayonetta and old DMC's have a story only set up to guide the player between fights, but the main characters maintain a joking demeanor as if they're in on the joke.
I can't think of many good RPG examples of bad gameplay right now so that's why I used two games outside of the genre for my point. I would have to say Pokemon would be an example of bad story though, I can't think of a single moment in any of their stories I felt any kind of emotion, without playing Nuzlocke, so they leave me very unsatisfied.
I can't think of many good RPG examples of bad gameplay right now so that's why I used two games outside of the genre for my point. I would have to say Pokemon would be an example of bad story though, I can't think of a single moment in any of their stories I felt any kind of emotion, without playing Nuzlocke, so they leave me very unsatisfied.
Story all the way.
In any type of game, not just RPG's.
I'd pull my teeth in between the cutscenes if the story was worth it.
Record of Agarest War 2
Mass Effect 1
Dragon Age Origins
Walking Dead
Indigo Prophecy (Not sure if that's an RPG)
I can't even think of an RPG with a bad story and good gameplay...
Dark Souls?
Shit I love that game...
So there are exception
In any type of game, not just RPG's.
I'd pull my teeth in between the cutscenes if the story was worth it.
Record of Agarest War 2
Mass Effect 1
Dragon Age Origins
Walking Dead
Indigo Prophecy (Not sure if that's an RPG)
I can't even think of an RPG with a bad story and good gameplay...
Dark Souls?
Shit I love that game...
So there are exception