Music. It makes it so much more immersive. A crappy story is passable, same with crappy graphics. Audiophiles can't go without a great soundtrack.

Characters! Haha. If not, then I choose story.

Story
Visuals always get better, and those that try to blow your minds with visuals is now considered outdated. Most N64 games have that problem, as well as a few Gamecube games. So games with detail like Uncharted, and Tomb Raider, will be considered meh in 15 years.
I'm not much of a sound enthusiast. I don't have a playlist with all the Sonic themes. However I have gained alot more respect for VGM over the past few weeks.
Story is the root of a game. You make garbage out of a story, you get negative fan reaction. Look at Mass Effect 3, Paper Mario Sticker Star and Metroid Other M for example. You get brilliance of a story, and you will be praised. Zero Escape, Professor Layton, and several Legend of Zelda games know that feeling.

Alright, I'll start replying to people's posts, maybe that'll get people looking, I am determined! That goes though if answers are actually somewhat decent and I feel I can reply to them, if not then I wont bother as it probably wouldn't be a good reply anyways. ;p

@Jamouse Yeah man, that's really great, I always remember my early childhood as the two zelda games that were out were Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, I always preferred Ocarina of Time because it seemed to be much easier (also saw my family beat the game basically, so I knew what to do) but Majora's Mask was a lot more complex, I wanna play it again, but incase they do re-make it, I don't wanna spoil the feeling because playing Ocarina of Time 3D I hadn't played it in so long (from playing it so much as a kid - still am a kid, just Im talking about like me being in Elementary School, and Im just loving this vast world) I just fell in love, though I already knew what to do, it was still so awesome to see it all redone, and nicer controls, brought back a lot of memories, me being scared of them Skull dudes that come out at night (I'd literally turn off the N64 if I saw one LOL). But yeah, back to the whole Interaction between game and character. Majora's Mask really had that, you didn't have to just stick with the main characters you could go off and do your own thing and follow whatever characters you wanted, and they always rewarded you which then forced you to go check out another characters life, its not just a game based around yours. ANYWAYS, thats probably long enough of a reply, I'll probably only do 2 or 3 replies per answer, being if they're all this long. I love replying don't get me wrong.

@Tasuki My words exactly, I was doomed into wow when my friend first introduced me into it, I need to start my lore character and everything so I can catch up on it before it ends (if it does) being there isn't a whole lot more to go on, I hope the ending is really and truly epic though. Without story WoW would just be the same thing over and over, but the story adds so much more, and that goes with any game.

@CaptainSquid Yeah for sure, I mean a lot of people (practically all of us) will judge a game without even knowing we do, we look at it and just by seeing screenshots we kinda put a thought into our head like "looks good and fun" sorta thing. Visual Appeal is just great, especially little art snapshots, just great.

ALRIGHT one more!

@Whirlpool I have to disagree with one point there, you say Legend of Zelda has a good story, some of them didn't in my opinion. I have to say as much glamour OoT gets, I didn't really find the story groundbreaking, I never really was attached to any character, besides the Owl, that was the only one I actually felt somewhat sad about, when you see him that last time outside the Spirit Temple, other than that I just didn't see any real connection between me and any characters compared to Majora's Mask as I replied to earlier. Majora's Masks ending was more rewarding the more you did, you got to see the outcome of all the people, and if you were involved with them beforehand you just knew and wait, wtf Im doing like a Zelda review here, but yeah.

Alright, that ends my replies, let me know what you guys thought of em, I hope if they were just meh now, I'll be able to improve

That leads me to the actual point of this thread though, the question.

Question #377: Out of all the years you've lived, what was your best so far? Why?

@Link977: Nice responses. And I dont think WoW will end anytime soon, of course you never know. Although I can't wait for Blizzconn this year to see what the next expansion is.

To answer your question. I can't really say they all had good points and bad points. If I have to choose one I guess I would go with 2003 mainly cause I had a really good paying job. I was making about 6k a month and I really enjoyed the job as well. It was a shame that our boss was embezzling money from the company and because of that the corporate people decide to clean house and fired all of us because of him.

@Link977 You give a pretty good point. However when talking I wasn't internationally talking about Ocarina of Time. In fact, Ocarina of Time is a strong reason why I said "Several" I as well had no great feeling or empathy for any characters. Except for Skullkid, but that is mostly because of his significance in Majora's Mask.

Favorite Year? I'll go with 2012. It wasn't bad, in fact it was probably my most adventurous. Then again, I'm pretty young, I'm sure this year is all the more adventurous.

my best year would probably have to be 2011, it's the year I got baptized into Jesus Christ. (Whoop, whoop.)
It's also the year I met a lot of new people that I'm very good friends with now.
Over all it was a pretty good year.

i have to give 2 best years: 1984 when my son was born and 1986 when my daughter was born. (worst year: 2005, when we lost her.)

For some reason I REALLY like 2004, but I can't even remember what I did that year. It's looking like it might be this year though. All these amazing new games coming out and I might have me a special lady friend soon.

That's incredibly depressing...

This is a really easy question for me. Of these 15 crappy years I've lived, I'd have to give it up for 2001. The year I went to preschool. At such a young age I was still incredibly carefree, I have some memories left, but I had human interaction with kids my age, some of whom are still my friends to this day.

1994, because that's when I was born, and then the world changed forever.

If I had to pick one in the 13 years I've lived, it would be 2012 (Although 4 months out of there were terrible). It's the year I joined NL, bought KIU, and got a Wii U. However, from June to September, I think, I couldn't play on my 3DS.

This year might be my best year, seeing how things are going. However, I start high school this year, and I won't be homeschooled anymore... it'll be hard to adjust...

@3Dash
I'm in highscool but i'm still homeschooled (holla!) so I feel for you, having to adjust and all.

Hmmm, best year of my life. I'd probably have to go with 2012 at the moment. Maybe it's just because I have the most memories from it, but I also bcame a part of NL during the year and it's fantastic community. Not to mention the 3DS had a swell year of games as well, and the Wii U was launched.

@CapnPancakes @3Dash
Hooray for fellow homeschoolers.
I felt so alone... Anyways, my parents almost decided to send me to public school in 2011, it was my best year because I convinced them to let me stay home. (since I was homeschooled all my life, I don't think I could adjust.)
(By the way this is a weird continuation of my answer.)

@3Dash @CapnPancakes @Konata

I'm homeschooled too

I like meeting homeschool gamers, all my homeschool friends don't like Videogames.
>_<.

Cool. But yeah, my mom decided I get too distracted when I'm homeschooled (case in point: I'm posting right now) and so I'm going to a "real" school next school year. So really, this year could go either way for me. I could love it, or hate it.

I'll be praying for you x3
(I get a free week this week, so I'm allowed to post :3)

Off Topic: Adding your 3DS friend code @Konata

On Topic: I forgot to mention that 2010 was a great year as well. Loads of 3DS hype plus fantastic games like DKCR, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Sonic Colors, and so many more.

Off topic: I'll add your FC too @Konata, once I'm done with school.