What is the most important factor that determines game quality to you?

[StaceyPowers]

I have noticed it is the popular thing to say that the single most important factor in determining the quality of a game is its gameplay. But tbh, for me, story and characters almost always matter more, and/or ambiance.

What about for you? What is the most important factor that determines the quality of a game? Or is it more of a gestalt result of a combination of factors?

[Head_Hunter]

Thanks a lot for drawing my attention on this wonderful topic. When it comes to choosing a game or knowing a video game that is made quality, it's through the gameplay, and graphics to me. 

[m76]

Characters and storytelling are the most important for me too, but it can't in of itself determine the quality of a game. You can have the best story ever in a game if everything else is terrible the game will be terrible.

A game needs to meet a certain standard in all metrics to be considered a quality product.

[Withywarlock]

I used to say controls, because per the Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN), "What's the most important aspect of any video game? Well, how about being able to ****ing play it?!" But a good game controls do not make, because you can have good controls and still have poor gameplay. And gameplay would be my second answer, but what is gameplay? The answer to that will vary from person to person, game to game.

What I think is the most important factor is fun. Like gameplay, it's not a particularly helpful word because fun can come in different forms. I don't necessarily think that fun is about the width and duration of a smile upon talking about a game. From different games it can be the joy you had being disempowered or horrified, or intellectually stimulated, or overcoming a great challenge. Upon hearing the phrase "no D&D is better than bad D&D" I realised fun is the single most important factor that determines a game's quality. If it's technically incompetent, it doesn't matter. It would certainly help if it was technically competent, but no game has ever stood the test of time on its technical competence alone.

[Justin11]

The trailer helps in a good capacity to know if the game at least, will be a good game or not. The reviews other persons have made through it is encouraging too, to go for the game or abandon it. 

[Head_Hunter]

At times when I want to know if a game is a quality one or not earlier on, I simply go to the game village to have some fun around the game first time, it will determine if it's my urge for the game or not. 

[Boblee]

The depth and breath of the game in its gameplay matters to me a lot. The mechanics used, the graphics view and the soundtracks. 

[Empire]

Depends of the game. In a FPS, constant 60fps is extremely important. CSGO, you want to get it High and best FPSas much as you can in that based game. MSFS2020 FPS is not importnant and so as long as you are locked and stable at 35 FPS. In first-person games, I want at least 100 FPS (have 144HZ monitor), but possibly 144fps, then graphics. In TP and any other type of games I'm okay with 60FPS and then the best graphics I can get.

Also in multiplayer games FPS more important than Graphics, and in single games, I'm less strict on fps numbers in favour of graphs.

[Head_Hunter]

The game-play, the mechanics, graphics, and the background etc, matters alot to me, in order to certify the video game as quality one. 

[Boblee]

There was a friend of mine who mentioned something about the game file size being a good factor in determining if the game would worth it for him to play. 

[Justin11]

One can simply watch the trailer, ask questions to get proper information about the game he or she wants to buy and have fun around.