Topic: What Makes A Game Great To You?

Video games are great. But what makes your favorite games special to you? Is it because of the story? Or is it the way they immerse you in the experience? Or is it the cohesion of all the elements of the game? Share your opinions here.

I'm wierd in that I actually have some sort of criteria:

1) I must enjoy roughly 2/3rds of the game a great deal.
2) At least one stand-out feature that it does better than most games I've played, if the feature in question is not totally unique. (though it still must be well-done enough within the limitation of its time even if it is unique)
3) Almost every other feature must be at least "Okay" or better (preferably better)
4) I feel the need to come back to it multiple days in a row, unless I beat it in one go (very rare).

Also: Generally positively memorable at least one year after I play a significant amount of it (at least 33% of the overall game, with the exception of games that last over 60 hours minimum, then it must be at least 20 hours).

Admittedly not the best criteria and I don't always hold to it, but a criteria nonetheless...

I like a lot of games, but games that stand out to me are games that:

• Have a lot of replayability
• Tight controls
• Are not cheap (death is due to player error and not uncontrollable circumstances)

Other features that I would love to see more but are not required to be a great game are an expansive world to explore and online with decent communication options.

I can't say I really have strong standards. I simply prefer a game to give me memorable experiences that other groups of games cannot give me. The music and visual choices are usually what keep games memorable for me. To remember the fun times I had playing Yoshi's Story with my mother, or the same troubling spikes in Labyrinth Zone are always good things.
Besides, I'd naturally know the game's good if I keep coming back to it, so that's usually not my concern.

I'm asking WHY are the games you play enjoyable?

IMO I believe a game should:
have quality cohesion
have an immersive design
have functional controls
not be afraid to try new things

For me, it use to be about just having fun, but as I grew older I've been considering more about my experience with a video game. I think the most critical part of my experiences today really revolve around how a game makes me feel and think. I like to immerse myself into a really great, thought provoking experience. If a game gets me involved in that sense, chances are I'll finish the game and really enjoy the experience. It's the kind of game Metroid Prime Hunters has evolved into. It's my favorite game, and although I've owned the game for nearly 9 years, I still find different subjects to write about and create topics for. On another site I visit, I nearly have a weekly roll of subjects going. Later today, I plan on writing down the draft for my next topic. Hunters is not just very thought provoking, it's continually fresh. Add on its vast amount of replay value, whether it be alternate completion routes or bot matches, and it's a game that's hard for me to put down and hogs my attention from the newer games I own.

I'm an absolute nut for a good story, so the plot itself has to be well-made, with the gameplay being built around it and complimenting the story without stretching it. However, a good story is worthless to me if the characters aren't plausible. If there's one thing I hate to death, it's lazy or terrible character development.
Besides that, fast-paced core gameplay mechanics are also very important. It can be complex or simple, as long as it's not too slow.

I think the greatest games start off good but don't become great until a certain level of skill is developed.

Either that or something nobody has ever done before that works perfectly.

Story I am not bothered about unless it is so good that I would like it regardless of it being a film or book or game.

It's hard to say. To me the game doesn't have to be something new for me to love it. It should improve on the idea. That's why I absolutely love Bayonetta 2 and Super Mario 3D World - those games are everything I love in games. Challange, building upon established concept and improving it. Also, I appreciate some violence in some games, like God of War 3 - the fluid combat system, flow and all the things done and simplistic, bare-bones revenge plot makes it all more rewarding and end result makes it all more epic. The reason is probably because like games like Blood and Shadow Warrior. Of course I could live without that, but I absolutely hate when it's censored. I sometimes just need some game full of blood, body parts and make enemy bite my shotgun bullets, like in FEAR or Soldier of Fortune when there is everything flying around. Some games without it feel little shallow or missing something for me.
Plot is secondary to me, unless it is really forced to be taken seriously, then when it's idiotic broken down mess, with some retcon stuff (damn Arkham City... you could've been damn good but pay off and retcon was god awful). I could name a few games like that, but then kids would cry, so I won't bother. To me it should be something that would make you care, get things going and that's it. Not watered down shallow crap that tries to sound philisophical, complicated and deep when it really isn't, like last few Final Fantasy games for example.
I also like when developers are not holding/limiting their imagination - like Platinum Games. Some of their games can feel short, but you don't feel ripped off and get your money worth.