What is most important to you in a video game?

Graphics, Challenges, Length, Gameplay, Difficulty, Replayability...These are all that I care about when I buy a game. Storyline, Gimmics, Mario...who cares.

looking into the future I see at least 4 nerds who will try to prove me wrong when I said "who cares"

Just for the record, graphics are important to a game. Yes, gameplay takes precedence over all else, but graphics do play a large role. Larger than what a lot of people say.

For me, the immersiveness of a game is due to the graphics. The gameplay is fun, but, for example, a game like Legend of Zelda (1), the gameplay is awesome and fun, but I never feel like I could be part of the game. And don't throw the whole Wii Remote thing at me, because when I used to use that, I felt less like I was in the game, because my arm often got tired and I was fully aware of my arm waving. Sometimes I forget I'm using a controller.

Graphics make atmosphere and interesting locations, which increases immersiveness, and thusly increases gameplay. They go hand in hand, and without graphics, the gameplay CAN suffer; it doesn't always, but often it will.

Story is usually Numero Uno when it comes to the games I play considering the majority are RPGs, but gameplay is definitely a close second.

Graphics has never really been a big push for why I play a game considering most of the stuff I still play is 8-bit. :P

Characters matter to me alot, I like Kingdom hearts because I get to play as Sora, who is funny and skilled with his keyblade, and I like to see how Riku is doing (Riku is HOT!!) and Kairi is always missing or somthing, so I don't like her much, I think Sora and Riku should leave her alone and find other girls, because Kairi is annoying xp but in number 2 she is pretty, so i understand why Riku and Sora like her, mabye they saw into the future

And the badguy characters like Axel, Xigbar and Xemnas (Or sexy, xiggy and mansex as I call them) are cool.

So characters have to be made well for me to like the game

For me, it depends on the impact the game has on me. It matters not about the graphics or story alone, but how well the recipe mixes together for the final product and the impression I'm left with before, during, and after playing it.

That being said, I don't automatically judge a game because of its graphics or storyline. It depends on the game. I could be playing a game with crappy graphics, but awesome gameplay and story, or a game with absolutely no story and fun gameplay.

A game like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe has good graphics. All flashy and stuff, but the gameplay seriously SUCKS. I found this bad even for Disney game standards.

Using this method, I'm very flexible and play whatever I feel like without letting my high standards get in the way. If I like it, I like it. If I don't, I don't. Simple as that. Gameplay matters above all else since they are games.

Graphics are THE most important thing. Things like Gameplay and Story are nothing more than keychain-like accessories to a dazzling graphics engine.

Gameplay, i hate people who complain about graphics. A good story is important though.

Gameplay and the storyline.

Graphics does not make a game any better if it has crappy gameplay and a boring, yet stupid storyline.

Originally Posted by CurryMonster

It depends largely on what kind of game I'm playing, but generally speaking, I go for story above all else. You could present me with the most beautiful-looking game in the world, and it could play like a wet dream, but if it doesn't have characters and events that I generally care about, I'm not going to bother. There are obviously a few exceptions to this (I'm not playing Rock Band or Soul Calibur 4 for their intricate plots), but most of the games I play are FPS or RPG, so I consider story to be very important.

I play beat 'em ups for plot. Yeah. Only reason I'm a Mortal Kombat fanboy. And why I was disappointed with SCIV (may be a good fighter but at least the others had some semblance of plot).

Story comes first. Gameplay closely follows.