Topic: What appeals to you most in a video-game?

Music? Gameplay? Storyline/plot? Extras? Graphics? Discuss.

As for me, it is the first three examples I have put above. I am drawn deep by intriguing fantastical stories, excellent gameplay features and astounding musical compositions to go along with it.

1.Gameplay
2.Storyline
3.Music
4.Graphics

To me graphics has always been a bonus not a must, if a game has great graphics cool but it's not a selling point for me.

Same.I couldn't have said it better.

GamePlay and Music
Graphics and story dont mean a thing to me if the game play is boaring (CoD)

Guns and a first person perspective.

Gameplay and music. I don't really care about anything else all that much.

Ugh, those are what I stay away from.

I like lots and lots of content

The overall experience. How everything works together to make that experience memorable.

SAME HERE exception is ONSLAUGHT

Halo and more Halo.

On a regular basis, it starts with gameplay. Next is the soundtrack, then comes graphics/aesthetics.
Many people like to think that a beautiful environment doesn't make a game anymore appealing than a dull one, but
it really does make a big difference in your experience. Unless you're blind. But who am I to tell you what you do and do not think?

It does make it a bit more appealing but it really doesn't add much to the experience for me as I can have just as much fun with a horrible looking game just as much as a beautiful ones. My favorite games are all Retro and nothing todays games have done have swayed me into believing differently, no matter how beautiful they look. Granted there are some really fun ones.

Music. If a game doesn't have a good soundtrack, everything else has to be basically flawless in order for me to really enjoy it.

Gameplay and the overall experience matter to me the most. As a mostly portable gamer, I can live without a decent soundtrack as I usually have my iPod with me. As for graphics, they should fit in stylistically with the game and not make me want to look away, whether or not they're realistic. Unless the game is story-based, I don't really care for the story, as it's usually poorly written anyway.

Well it all has to work together for one thing. A video game ain't much without graphics, aesthetically pleasing graphics of course. And then a good soundtrack is a major plus for me. Most games I really like have amazing soundtracks ;3

Then it of course has to be fun, but that's relative, so you know.

I loves me some good graphics. To me "good graphics" doesn't mean "real looking". Zelda: ALttP and FFXIII both have amazing aethstetics imo though one has visible pixels and the other has 1080p cutscenes, they both have a great fantasy style I love. Then there's those great indie games that have a certain style to 'em, I mean you can't say graphics don't matter, that's why they're called "video" games after all.

So for me I guess it's

1. Graphics
1. Soundtrack
1. Gameplay
1. Story, if it's a game where story works

Probably message. Atmosphere and level-of-rewarding-ness would come after that.

I wasn't aware there were games with messages, except for the obvious evironmental drivel that's often poorly excecuted.

@Mickeymac Haha not environmental drivel! More BIT.TRIP's life and afterlife of man (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WMG/BitTrip), Jason Rohrer's death, connection to others, mania, creativity, immortality, and perfectionist stuff, World of Goo's subliminal political musings (http://www.gameobserver.com/features/inside/all-platforms/we-are-world-of-goo-part-1-the-goo-filled-hills-211/), etc. I'll let you know if I think of any more.