Poll: Final Fantasy: Gameplay or Story?

[Gizmo1990]

Which one is more important to you? I have always valued a good story over good gameplay. That is not to say I do not enjoy games that have good gameplay and little to no story but FF has always been different.

For example I think that FF XII had the best gameplay in the series so far (except for the summon system) but as the story was a badly done shot for shot remake of Return of the Jedi I did not enjoy the experience.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Both are important, but not *as* important. Gameplay is inherent to games; story isn't. Add an interesting story to a game that already features a gameplay mechanic that is both fun and original and you'll get a great game, but more games can do without story than they can without gameplay - which, as I already mentioned, is the defining feature of a game. Otherwise where does that leave all the fighting games, the beat 'em ups, the sports games, the racing games and the puzzle games? I can think of excellent games in all categories that feature all gameplay and no storytelling at all.

 

[Gizmo1990]

Both are important, but not *as* important. Gameplay is inherent to games; story isn't. Add an interesting story to a game that already features a gameplay mechanic that is both fun and original and you'll get a great game, but more games can do without story than they can without gameplay - which, as I already mentioned, is the defining feature of a game. Otherwise where does that leave all the fighting games, the beat 'em ups, the sports games, the racing games and the puzzle games? I can think of excellent games in all categories that feature all gameplay and no storytelling at all.

I agree, I was realy only asking which people felt were more important in a Final Fantasy game.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Both are important, but not *as* important. Gameplay is inherent to games; story isn't. Add an interesting story to a game that already features a gameplay mechanic that is both fun and original and you'll get a great game, but more games can do without story than they can without gameplay - which, as I already mentioned, is the defining feature of a game. Otherwise where does that leave all the fighting games, the beat 'em ups, the sports games, the racing games and the puzzle games? I can think of excellent games in all categories that feature all gameplay and no storytelling at all.

I agree, I was realy only asking which people felt were more important in a Final Fantasy game.

I'm not sure about story but FF has grown into such convoluted, trite mess that a little more coherence in storytelling would be a healthy measure, that's for sure.

 

[Rawne1980]

I think story holds up a game more than some people think it does.

Take Spec Ops - The Line.

People rave about it yet gameplay wise it's nothing special. It's a bland as feth third person shooter. So why do people love it? Because it has a decent story.

With regards to Final Fantasy, it's always been the story and the characters (well, some of the characters) that kept me playing. The gameplay has never been anything fantastic but the story (up until 13) was enough to keep me going.

The 2 Final Fantasy games people talk about the most (7, 8 and 9) had very simple controls and combat mechanics yet it worked great. FFX changed a few things up (and added Blitzball .... fuck you Blitzball) but it still worked well and the story was decent enough.

FFXII changed the gameplay mechanics completely but I still enjoyed it and the story was okay (held together mainly by Fran and Balthier because they were teh funnies).

Final Fantasy 13 came along and changed far too much in the combat mechanics. The over complicated what has always been simple but it didn't "add" anything to the game plus the story was so bizarre I stopped paying attention and muted it to listen to music while I played (plus if Snow had said "hero" one more time my foot was going through my TV).

So while the gameplay mechanics of FFXIII worked, the story was as much fun as piercing my penis with a large rusty nail and then soaking it in vinegar.

Without a semi decent story to hold them up the FF games just don't work.

 

[Hobbit in Denial]

Gameplay. A fantastic storyline is all well and good but without decent mechanics to interact within that storyline the game becomes meaningless. If your aren't having any fun physically playing the game then I very much doubt the storyline will make up for it, no matter how good it is.

 

[teqrevisited]

If it comes under the story then I'll say the world it takes place in. Having a whole world full of things to find, places to explore and stories to be heard. Even aside from the main story lines there are things like the Hyne backstory explaining the origin of the sorceresses, the Cetra and the Calamity from the Skies or the history of IX's Terra.

Gameplay is equally important though. I've got a high tolerance to grinding but there are still limits, which is why I've yet to finish FF II. Then there are the minigames. I sunk so many hours into Triple Triad I don't even want to know the number.

 

[sextus the crazy]

I'd put up with meh gameplay if the next FF game (hell, the next Squenix RPG) had as good a story as FFVI did.

 

[scorptatious]

I guess I sorta want both of them to be good.

Final Fantasy IX was almost perfect in both aspects in my opinion.

 

[kyogen]

I'm not a great fan of turn-based combat, so the story is what grabs me (or not) with Final Fantasy. What I like in stories is not typical of FF fans, however: XII and XIII interest me far more than IV and VI, for example. Oh well.

 

[Zhukov]

People play FF games for the gameplay?

...

Really?!

Huh. Guess it takes all types, eh?

I always regarded Final Fantasy as CGI anime that would stop every few minutes and refuse to show me the next scene until I had ground my way through a bunch of menus, usually with some soothing music to stop me from going mad before I was done.

 

[FinalDream]

Story is more important to me. That's why I really like FF13/FF13-2 - I enjoyed the story. The game play mechanics can change all they like, which can be a good thing in some cases, but as long as the story holds my attention then I'm in.

 

[krazykidd]

Story . That's why i hated FFX-2 and FFXIII-2 . The stories are so shit and renders null the stories from the previous games ( to a certain extent ). I couldn't stand the charlies angels bullshit from X- and what ever the fuck XIII-2 was suppose to be . But when you get a good mix of both story and gameplay you get , in my opinion so don't quote me for saying this , the best final fantasy , which is number 6.

 

[Tropicaz]

See, I was going to say story, but then I thought, 'what did I think of FF13's story?' The answer: I didnt. I dont really know how good or bad it was, because for me, the gameplay was so bad with the linear corridors and basically auto attacking everything that I never got to delve into the story because I hated the game.

So for me, if I feel the gameplay is good enough I'd prefer a great story in a FF game. However if the gameplay isnt there at all then I wont get to see the story at all, no matter how good it is.

 

[Kekkonen1]

Both are important, but not *as* important. Gameplay is inherent to games; story isn't. Add an interesting story to a game that already features a gameplay mechanic that is both fun and original and you'll get a great game, but more games can do without story than they can without gameplay - which, as I already mentioned, is the defining feature of a game. Otherwise where does that leave all the fighting games, the beat 'em ups, the sports games, the racing games and the puzzle games? I can think of excellent games in all categories that feature all gameplay and no storytelling at all.

I get what you mean, but I feel this rejects all the excellent titles which focus almost exclusively on story. I can think of several games with almost non-existent or really lousy gameplay that I still consider excellent games due to having a good story, such as Planescape Torment, To the Moon, Killer 7, Heavy Rain etc.

For me both are equally valid and depending on the type of game I prioritise different things. I do not expect or demand a great story from games such as racing, fighting etc (although should they have it it can be a nice bonus) nor do I demand great gameplay from certain games as long as the story is good (although again, should they have both it can be a nice bonus).

 

[Kekkonen1]

See, I was going to say story, but then I thought, 'what did I think of FF13's story?' The answer: I didnt. I dont really know how good or bad it was, because for me, the gameplay was so bad with the linear corridors and basically auto attacking everything that I never got to delve into the story because I hated the game.

So for me, if I feel the gameplay is good enough I'd prefer a great story in a FF game. However if the gameplay isnt there at all then I wont get to see the story at all, no matter how good it is.

I would have bared with the lousy gameplay in FF13 if at least the story had caught my attention and been really interesting, god knows I have struggled through many, for me, unenjoyable playing experiences just for the sake of a good story. But since FF13 was so bad both in the story and gameplay-department I too hated it and quit playing some 8 hours in.

 

[dimensional]

Well its an RPG they need both this isnt a competitive game or puzzle game or platformer where gameplay is king its a fusion remove the gameplay and you would be left with a story that lacked weight remove story and you have a repetitive game that serves no purpose. I have never played an RPG that could stand on gameplay alone hey kill this mob repeatedly and level up ur ok why? to take on a slightly stronger one does this have a purpose?

MMorgs are slightly different due to the social nature of them but I really dont think they would last without a story actually come to think of it if you removed the story from an RPG is it still an RPG? what about if you removed the gameplay surely it would be short book or film.

I say both are integral to FF and every RPG anyway.

 

[Melondrupe]

Gameplay wins out for me when it comes to the series. XII and XIII are among my least favorites of the series due to me not enjoying the combat. As far as story's affect on making me like a game, it has little influence. If they made a final fantasy that was a cross between the kingdom building of King of the Dragon and Romancing Saga 2 as well as having fun enjoyable combat that gave me full control of the party as in the first ten; the lack of a straightforward and cohesive story wouldn't bother me.

Thinking of Final Fantasy related games, Bravely Default is the most excited I've felt for the series in a while due to the class system and the possibility for interesting battles the default and brave mechanic may bring.

 

[asinann]

Until FFX, you got both in every game.