It's been debated over several forums across the years what makes a good video game. Is it the graphics, storyline or innovative gameplay? Quite frankly it's all of these elements combined into making a great video game for consoles and PC. With the continuous evolution of technology, games are pushing the boundaries of hardware and graphics. When the first game was developed, every game was pixel based. For example, 16-bit, 256-bit and so forth. Games nowadays still depend on pixel and polygons however, the characters and environments are more defined. With that said, characters and environments are then intertwined with a solid story which must be progressed by the player to reach the end.
The way the game is designed is one of the pulling factors which allows gamers to purchase it. Characters and the storyline are two of the most compelling elements in a game. So much so if real world players can relate to the characters, it makes the game much more powerful. Gamers can relate to the characters' resolve thus, in a sense, understand what they are going through. There are numerous titles on the market today based on storylines alone; these games fall into the category as fantasy, sci-fi and role playing games. Creating an attachment with characters allows game developers to develop sequels which explore other elements of the characters as well. In doing so, developers can create new stories pulling the gamers into that niche and discovering others. This is what drives game developers to continue making new games for a growing fanbase.
In addition to characters and plots, another element in games are its gameplay. If a game contains beautifully modeled environments and characters but a poor battle/strategy mechanic, the game is immediately unappealing. Gamers need to be able to over come battles successfully in the quickest way possible without struggling too much on battle mechanics. Some games introduce a very confusing user interface and a long tutorial which becomes an immediate turn-off to players. No gamer wants to read paragraphs of tutorials for a complicated UI. They may remember the functions in the beginning but over time, the player may quit the game for a week. Upon their return, they may forget how the commands work thus, frustration can arise.
As conclusion, a great game is defined by a solid storyline, characters that relate to gamers and an innovative gameplay. With the constant introduction of new ideas and technology, these two elements can be woven into a great gameplay. There are a multitude of titles on the market right now with original ideas, characters and gameplay for old and new gamers to discover.