What Makes a Game Truly Great?

Just like in the world of fiction writing, game story development plays a critical role in the success of the game.  Almost as important as its graphics, user controls, and playability across a variety of platforms (or a single console), the game story is what most people will still remember years after the big boss has been defeated and the light has returned to some dreary kingdom they spent a few virtual weeks in.  It’s not going to be the key combinations for the special attacks that are retold over and over and over again – but the action, in story form, as a narrative is what people will share with their friends.

Case in point: you aren’t going to say “Man, it’s the best game ever because when you hit A and B while pressing the Z button, your character gets this leaping slice attack with his sword that looks really cool!”  But you might say, “It’s the best game ever, and it was hard to defeat Qwizmo the Terrible.  I had to go through eight caves in an underground ice palace that had been buried following the departure of Princess Nunya twelve years ago.  I had to beat these three big dudes with special powers like lightning, fireblast, and treecalling before I could get to Qwizmo.  By the time I did, my energy was all depleted and if it hadn’t been for this super powerful fairy from another dimension, I would have been toast!  But she saved me, and after a fight that lasted a long time, I finally beat Qwizmo when I realized his weakness is gravity and used my magnetic blade enhancer to attract him to the ground, then cast a critical lightning strike from my enchanted weapon that did him in.”

See?  Much more interesting conversation.  And it’s about the plot, not necessarily the technical specs.

One of the most memorable and well loved story-centric game series’ of all time is The Legend of Zelda.  The hero, Link, is basically the same throughout all versions of this game — but story continuity is often lacking between titles, and Link has emerged from a variety of similar backgrounds.  The games are not a continuous or even synchronous story.  Link appears in many incarnations throughout the series, sometimes as a very young boy, and others at various ages through young adulthood.  He has been human, but also has been a Hylian (an elf-like humanoid inhabitant of the world of the Legend of Zelda games.)  Sometimes he is aided by a special friend, such as his horse Epona, or the fairy Navi.  He is normally on a mission to assist Princess Zelda of Hyrule in some regard against the antagonist Ganon (Ganondorf.)  It is a timeless story where magic, enchanted weapons and items, puzzles, and music all come together to help the hero get through the game.  This is what makes a game truly great.

One Response to “What Makes a Game Truly Great?”

1. Paul says:

   July 22, 2011 at 3:07 pm

   If my games aren’t the whole package…Story, Action, Player Manipulation, Control-ability, etc… then I find myself getting bored or not liking parts. Good to know another thinks like that as well.

   Reply