What makes a good game? What makes a game worth playing?

[Necronaught]

Mechanics that reward skill not numbers of players. Multiple play styles with the ability to customise loadouts (no classes with stale loadouts), pacing, balance and teamplay that doesn't negate solo pwnage. A skilled player should be able to go through multiple foes.

Clever map design, not repetitive, breakable choke points and flank distractions (with a clear indication of where the front line is, so you don't get shot in the back all the time) coupled with secondary and tertiary objectives. Several meta objectives that are non combative and CAN affect the overall outcome, albeit not on a devastating level.

 

[Leper Messiah]

What makes a good game? Well it's incredibly subjective but for me I like freedom to complete task how "I" want and not have some contrived design choice block me. I don't often want to "do" a task the way the game designers imagine and thus I'm often made to play a game in a way I don't particularly find fun. Give me a mission/task, give me various tools to perform the mission/task, let me accomplish mission/task how I want. My problem is I don't do things the way the majority seem to do things/want.

It's like asking what makes good music, I'll say guitar based preferably heavy metal. Someone else will say hip hop. Someone else will say jazz etc etc

 

[[VR] M4st0d0n]

- What is best in game?
- The open world. Fleet ships. Materials in your inventory, and the atmosphere in your spaceleg hairs.
- Wrong! To crush your enemies! See them clog before you. And to read the salt in the chat.

 

[Barking_Mad]

"OK, just one more go"

 

[Ralph Vargr]

As I get older and my time becomes more valuable I think about what games are worth my time. What makes a worthwhile game?

I think of games that have withstood the test of time. Games like chess and basketball (of course chess is much older).

1. Unlimited mastery potential

Both chess and basketball offer an almost unlimited potential for mastery. Very few people can reach the level of a grandmaster or an NBA player.

2. Strategy

Both games require strategic planning.

3. Competition and cooperation

Competing is fun and social especially when you're cooperatively competing.

But the above doesn't cover single player games. I think for a single player #3 is replaced by immersion. The story and mechanics of the game have to be immersive and engaging which is very subjective. It has to make you feel like you're part of the story.

I'll add

4. Immersion

I've been playing IL-2 Battle of Stalingrad online. It's not very fast paced but it allows for unlimited mastery, requires strategy and is both cooperative and competitive. Also, it can be very immersive as you feel like a WW2 pilot.
I also enjoy sim racing which is very competitive and allows for a great deal of mastery but lacks strategy and cooperation.

Whatever makes a game fun and worthwhile is difficult to define. I can't quite put my finger on it. Any other thoughts and insights?

Replay value.

 

[Backer42]

I also enjoy sim racing which is very competitive and allows for a great deal of mastery but lacks strategy and cooperation.

I don't consider simulator racing to belong in the category of "video games". It just ended up there for using computers with 3D accelerators. Simulators have their own merits.

Whatever makes a game fun and worthwhile is difficult to define. I can't quite put my finger on it. Any other thoughts and insights?

In random order (not a ranking):

1. good controls (a must of course)
2. good mechanics (no repetitive grind)
3. good artwork, visually pleasing, good level design (not "number of polygons")
4. good music (composed for the game, not licensed), good sound design
5. good writing (includes things like believable characters and good humor)

For many games getting high ratings with "reviewers" for their graphical fidelity or for appealing to that "retro itch", but falling flat for me personally, I can pinpoint the categories above, where they fail and why. The more recent games excelling at all categories, giving a roundabout fun experience seem to be from Japan and usually don't get ported to PC.