flintstryker
Banned
Of course! video games stories are largely worthless in the grand scheme of things
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Does a game with bad story but perfect gameplay deserve 10/10 Reviews?
- Thread starter Arnie7
- Start date
I think it really depends on what the primary goal of the devs is. For the most part I really do feel that excellent gameplay should trump everything else, but on some rare occasions I'm willing to make some exceptions.
I'll use the Corpse Party games as an example. The story is a bit of a mess, but still interesting enough and the gameplay is barely there to steer you along. Sounds pretty mediocre, right? To some that may be true, but it's big focus on sound design is what elevated it above mediocrity and to a pretty good level. Its use of audio gives that sense of dread with every move you make. It creates a really unsettling atmosphere that I can't help but applaud. It succeeds in exactly what it sets out to do and I can't help but award it bonus points for just that.
The game definitely isn't a 10, but I could see how a game with amazing gameplay OR story could be elevated to that score if that's the entire point of that game.
That's pretty much my two cents on that.
I'll use the Corpse Party games as an example. The story is a bit of a mess, but still interesting enough and the gameplay is barely there to steer you along. Sounds pretty mediocre, right? To some that may be true, but it's big focus on sound design is what elevated it above mediocrity and to a pretty good level. Its use of audio gives that sense of dread with every move you make. It creates a really unsettling atmosphere that I can't help but applaud. It succeeds in exactly what it sets out to do and I can't help but award it bonus points for just that.
The game definitely isn't a 10, but I could see how a game with amazing gameplay OR story could be elevated to that score if that's the entire point of that game.
That's pretty much my two cents on that.
HammerFace
Banned
Like many have said in this thread it all depends on the type of game. Some games just aren't story focused and as such if their story is bad it really doesn't effect the game in the grand scheme of things. Other games are incredibly story focused and gameplay being lacking or nothing too exciting doesn't make them bad games either.
Also someone jokingly mentioned that John Carmack quote earlier and God I hadn't thought about it in so long. I hate that quote so much.
Also someone jokingly mentioned that John Carmack quote earlier and God I hadn't thought about it in so long. I hate that quote so much.
Storm Kyleis
Member
Different genres have different needs. Some games are meant to tell a story through player interaction, others are meant to be fun without a focus on story or even any narrative premise, others are meant for families or educational purposes. It's hard to pinpoint what a game needs in order to be perfect, because a game can be so many different things.
You can't blame Super Mario Galaxy, Football Manager or Tetris for a lack of narrative focus.
You can't blame Super Mario Galaxy, Football Manager or Tetris for a lack of narrative focus.
M0nochromatic
Member
I guess it depends on what 10/10 means.
Reviewers typically look at games and assess whether or not the game is worth purchasing and enjoying. In that regard, yes, there are video games that do what they set out to do so well, that they should be played by anyone with the ability to experience them. A game with a "bad" story can still qualify as the above.
Reviewers typically look at games and assess whether or not the game is worth purchasing and enjoying. In that regard, yes, there are video games that do what they set out to do so well, that they should be played by anyone with the ability to experience them. A game with a "bad" story can still qualify as the above.
Trigonometrize.
Member
If you're the type of reviewer that starts at a 10 and then deducts points for any flaws you come across, no, they apparently don't deserve the 10.
If you're not stupid and don't do it like that, then easily, yes. I mean, if the crappy story is actually wasting your time when you could be playing the game, then it'll probably still not make the 10, but in no way should it conceptually work where a bad story automatically makes it a not 10/10 experience.
If you're not stupid and don't do it like that, then easily, yes. I mean, if the crappy story is actually wasting your time when you could be playing the game, then it'll probably still not make the 10, but in no way should it conceptually work where a bad story automatically makes it a not 10/10 experience.
If it executes that gam-play well enough to such an extent that balances things out, then yes a game could warrant that score. I also believe in the opposite, well-executed story telling can elevate a game. I can easily see how someone could give Planescape: Torment a 10/10, and that would pretty much be on the back of dialogue trees and story-telling alone. I didn't care for the combat in the game at all, but still see it as one of the best RPGs, and overall gaming experiences, that I've ever played through.
A 10/10 does not represent a perfect game to me, because no such thing exists. A 10/10 game is a simply a very superior title.
A 10/10 does not represent a perfect game to me, because no such thing exists. A 10/10 game is a simply a very superior title.
Bad videogame stories imo are stories that do a poor job of setting up context or motivation for the game.
For example I think Super Meatboy has a better story than Binding of Isaac. In SMB you are given a clear goal right off the bat, a reason to view the antagonist as a villain, and the story is appropriate for the style of gameplay.
Binding of Isaac on the other hand has a story that is at odds with the gameplay. BoI's story is incredibly intricate and legitimately disturbing in a sobering way, while the gameplay is a silly twin stick shooter with funny items and characters. The gameplay and story tell two different stories and constantly feel at odds with each other, even though taken on its own compared to SMB BoI has the better story.
Really most classic examples of "bad stories" in games are ones where they just dont make sense for the tone the gameplay.
For example I think Super Meatboy has a better story than Binding of Isaac. In SMB you are given a clear goal right off the bat, a reason to view the antagonist as a villain, and the story is appropriate for the style of gameplay.
Binding of Isaac on the other hand has a story that is at odds with the gameplay. BoI's story is incredibly intricate and legitimately disturbing in a sobering way, while the gameplay is a silly twin stick shooter with funny items and characters. The gameplay and story tell two different stories and constantly feel at odds with each other, even though taken on its own compared to SMB BoI has the better story.
Really most classic examples of "bad stories" in games are ones where they just dont make sense for the tone the gameplay.
I think games like Metal Gear Solid V and Bloodborne fall into this discussion perfectly. I played through both of those games without really caring about the stories they had to tell. The gameplay on both those games is just so superb, anything else is just icing on the cake in my opinion.
Sir Ilpalazzo
Member
They always were.
Pantaghana
Member
Review scores are arbitrary.
If the person doing the reviewing decides to give a lower score because of bad story no matter how great the gameplay is, it's their right.
Same goes for someone giving a game a higher score because of a great story in spite of terrible gameplay.
If the person doing the reviewing decides to give a lower score because of bad story no matter how great the gameplay is, it's their right.
Same goes for someone giving a game a higher score because of a great story in spite of terrible gameplay.
alice_kiss_lara
Banned
souls
One and done.
I mostly play games for stories, but Super Mario Galaxy is the best game in my 31 years of gaming.
JustSomeone
Member
No game deserves a 10/10 IMO.
But the ones I consider closest to 10 don't usually have a particularly good story.
But the ones I consider closest to 10 don't usually have a particularly good story.
No game deserves any score, and any game could be a 10/10 to somebody.
Jonneh3003
Banned
Yeah for sure, if the gameplay is perfect then nothing else matters.
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
Can't always be true. Would perfect gameplay matter if the plot was Custer's Revenge's?
MineralCraver420
Banned
Bayonetta 2 is a 10/10 for me. That having been said, for every one of my 6 playthroughs I've done, apart from the first, I've skipped all the cutscenes. The story never really got in the way of the gameplay at all, which is why I can give it a 10/10. If a game with 10/10 gameplay has a bad story with unskippable cutscenes (or even pseudo-cutscenes like MGSV's helicopter stuff), then it isn't a 10/10 for me. Ultimately, like every rating system ever, this issue is subjective.
Using what metrics is good gameplay measured? Fun-o-meters? What a ridiculous statement, gameplay is as much subjective as narrative.
For me, a game with stellar mechanics can and should get a perfect score. I play games, I don't watch them.
The Spoony Hou
Member
A good story adds flavor to a mediocre game. A great game doesn't need it.
Dragon Puncher
Member
Depends on the game, but mostly I would say yes. Gameplay is more important than story, so having the best gameplay should be applauded, not dragged down because of an insignificant story.
by that logic, no game will ever get a perfect 10/10
You can measure it however you want. It doesn't matter.
Saying gameplay is perfect has nothing to do with it being fun, difficult or unique. Perfection means the developer went out of their way to give you incredible amount of control over your character and how that character interacts with enemies/AI in that game world. If a developer does that they deserve 10/10 reviews imo.
Yeah.
Often, too many games seem to have poorly plotted stories with bad dialogue, often poor acting, and unintruiging scenarios. I find myself mashing that skip button to get to the good part. I've accepted that most jrpgs I like fall into some of these, yet I'd still have a blast.
Often, too many games seem to have poorly plotted stories with bad dialogue, often poor acting, and unintruiging scenarios. I find myself mashing that skip button to get to the good part. I've accepted that most jrpgs I like fall into some of these, yet I'd still have a blast.
Yes but if game is not trying to tell a good story but focusing on purely gameplay.
Last of Us says hi.
Last of Us says hi.
Tomasoares
Member
It's not about the individual aspects of the game, but how much fun is that game for you.
