what makes you want to play a game?

[kuuchan]

the most enticing aspect of a game to me is (extensive) character customization and subsequent mc characterization

if a game gives me the option to customize my mc from their appearance to their dialogue and my choices are referenced in the game i find it extremely appealing, especially as a self-inserter

for example, in our life: beginnings & always i found it fascinating how you could customize even the most specific details of your mc's appearance, and the dialogue options were similarly diverse.
on the other hand, i also enjoyed how vague the descriptions of mc were in obey me! because it allowed me to fill in the blanks with my imagination and i thought it to be inclusive

let me know your thoughts! and if anyone has recommendations for games with character customization, i'd love to hear them!

 

[Fishish]

For visual novels I mainly look at what the story and genre is! I love games with elements of fantasy, mystery or horror so when looking at a plot synopsis I usualy look for some inkling that the game will include some of these elements! I also love when visual novels contain some gameplay elements outside of reading and dialoge choices (Like danganronpa or 999) thought I dont think its necessary for my overall enjoyment as one of my favourate visual novels is completely linear XD (ooe). For games outside of visual novels im more of a mixed bag and love probably at least one game from every major catagory from stratergy to cozy to RPG's!

If your looking for visual novels that allow you to create your own character I would recomend a date with death or killer chat perhaps! Both games are free with optional paid DLC and have a kind of chat room format. For more general games a lot of farming games (or other "cozy" management games) allow for the creation of your own character and subsequent romance of people within the town! staples of those games incude games like story of seasons, stawdew valley and feilds of mystra! For RPG titles even something like baulders gate 3 has heavey elements on creating a character and having the choices you make with that character reflect on compainion opinion and romance!

Regardless I hope you find something you enjoy!

 

[ninnikuryona]

im a simple gal. i see female mc, im HOOKED. yes im ashamed of myself. but on a more serious note,

i guess art is a big deal for me? unfortunately i find it very hard to deal with a vn/game thats not cutesy/anime-like for me. i know its a very dumb worldview. i know that story is important too, most important for visual novels actually, but its extremely rare for me to just drop a game or a vn in the middle of reading. i always feel the need to 100% complete a game before i can decide if i liked it or not. same with manga. literally a week ago i binged a 36ch manga even though it started pissing me off like 20 pages in;w;

oh, and sometimes i start reading vns/playing games(/read manga but thats not relevant to the discussion) just because i get curious about a single character/a very brief storyline/ending/whatever. thats how i started barbaroi lol, i was very interested in the protagonist (vndb says theyre a trans woman, and its a very interesting detail for a vn from 2004, but so far i sadly cant say how accurate it is). same with friendly lab, i read the walkthrough and it was so complex, like most yura works tbf, that i got genuinely curious how "bad" it actually is. im glad i did though, because the story is really engaging!

basically im not picky about my vns/games at all. if it catches my attention even slightly, i will give it a shot, and if it manages to force me to binge read it in like two seatings or for ten hours straight (like enzai did), no matter how bad it is, this fact makes it a very impressive work in my head

 

[Fishish]

same with friendly lab, i read the walkthrough and it was so complex, like most yura works tbf, that i got genuinely curious how "bad" it actually is. im glad i did though, because the story is really engaging!

basically im not picky about my vns/games at all. if it catches my attention even slightly, i will give it a shot, and if it manages to force me to binge read it in like two seatings or for ten hours straight (like enzai did), no matter how bad it is, this fact makes it a very impressive work in my head

I think so many games labeled "bad" are so charming! I have a major soft spot for a lot older visual novels because they just seem to lack any kind of chill facter XD. Enzai was a mess and I love it to pecies and honestly since Yura has been around in the visual novel scene for so long just love looking at her old stuff just to see the art progression!

 

[ninnikuryona]

and honestly since Yura has been around in the visual novel scene for so long just love looking at her old stuff just to see the art progression!

very true!! i have the same mindset for a lot of devs/vns, as in i prefer checking out their oldest stuff first and slowly moving towards newer vns to see how far theyve come with their storytelling (and art if they make it themselves)!:D

 

[Syntaxcha]

I usually go go for the storytelling... not that I am picky but I just easily get bored so it's important to me that my fixation gets captured by the story right away.

 

[plumtree]

My first impression of games is usually based on the promo art/character design (I have played games with art that I'm not into and absolutely loved them but I'm way more likely to give games with pretty art a chance)

 

[alicent]

storyline is definitely the main thing for me! interesting settings, background story, and fully fleshed mcs and characters that have their own interior lives or their own stories going on would easily hook me in.

 

[1chi]

In otome, I primarily pay attention to the character design, plot, and voice actors. All three aspects are equally important to me, and if I don't like even one, I can lose interest very quickly

 

[sophiamolin]

When it comes to visual novels, the script is what matters most to me; character design and art are secondary. Only characters with genuine depth can truly resonate. Unfortunately, many titles nowadays rely solely on pretty art, and the caliber of writers is uneven. In recent years, only a handful of games have reached "masterpiece" status.

 

[ichigomilk]

The first thing I look at is the art/character design because that's the first thing I see when I look up a game. Next, I would read the premise and see if it's interesting or hooks me. But even if I'm not a huge fan of the art/character design at the beginning, I will usually still give it a try if the premise is good because I know the art/character design will grow on me. If I'm still unsure after those two things, I will look up reviews and ratings people gave the game just to have a general idea of how others feel about the game.

 

[Marrychan]

Without a doubt, what draws me in first is the visual style, and I admit it gets extra points if the protagonist is female. I don't know if that's good or not, but I rarely drop a work even if I'm not 100% enjoying it, so even if the two initial factors grab me, I end up playing it all the way through to have a more complete experience.

Outside of VNs, I follow the same rule. I love, for example, the Story of Seasons/Rune Factory franchise, and Princess Maker is one of my favorites in that regard. But if you're interested, Volcano Princess has the same style as Princess Maker and is a bit simpler to learn; I highly recommend it. Especially since it has endings with both female and male characters.

 

[Shikuromi]

I usually look for specific tags or voice actors! One of my favorite interests as well is looking for otome spinoffs of eroge/galge such as D.C. Girl's Symphony ~Da Capo Girl's Symphony~ Bonus points if its 18+

Though sometimes very wacky plots also gets me hooked into trying them out, like Koi Sentai Love & Peace the P.S.P.

 

[AkinaSR27]

Mine is the premise and story! I also looked up the scenario writer's line of works and take note of it as well. For example, I wasn't interested in silent hill cause I'm bad at horror games but I power through f because I want to read a story written by Ryukishi07. Sometimes though I look up the seiyuu or voice actors when I want to play a game with lighter story. I also play based on friend's recommendations and most of the time me and theirs tastes align.

For character customization recent new story of season games are what comes to my mind immediately!

 

[Sahsame]

CGs are not very importnat for me, customation maybe a little bit but what makes me want to play a game is romance(sometimes also adult content, but mistly romance). If it has romance i dont care what game it is: stardew valley like, bg3 or our life. As long as it has romance i want to play it :D

 

[nanacho]

I usually notice the character designs first, and only then do I start paying attention to the story and the world. If either one grabs me, I usually end up enjoying the game. Sometimes a game doesn't click with me right away, but once I start playing, it turns out to be even more fun than I expected. Those are the moments when I really get absorbed in it.

 

[Pismy]

The art style gets my attention first, but i'll only stay if the storyline is good. I have played some games with beautiful artwork that i never finished because the plot was bad :<

 

[橘子猫猫]

The question you raised is very good! The game is another independent world for me You can experience different character personalities and stories. Playing games feels very good! My mood will also become relaxed.

 

[usagi-k]

my reasoning is gonna come off as a bit shallow but i get drawn into games by pretty artstyles or because a specific character just immediately calls out to me ^^ ofcourse a good / unique story always get to me too but i usually think of it as a bonus since if i dont like the characters i cannot bring myself to play something even if i know it has an amazing story :(

another thing is also character dialogue although this is a bit more rare but i have often picked up games solely because i saw screenshots and thought that the dynamic between characters or the writing style is something i'll enjoy

 

[qixianxiaomiao]

The story background that interests me makes me think this game is worth playing. The excellent character design and art make me appreciate it even more. The most important thing is to have fun while playing:D

 

[Shanice]

I often find games by chance, but almost every one I've discovered has earned a special place in my heart. If I truly connect with a game, I'll definitely see it through to the end. I love visual novels with all my soul and almost always prefer them over any other genre.
For me, the key factors are a compelling plot (which I usually find interesting anyway), beautiful art, the characters, and the voice actors. Of course, I have my favorites, but they aren't the deciding factor when choosing a game; I love discovering new favorites as well. Honestly, there's probably no one I haven't liked yet, haha! And while I used to prefer games with happy endings, believing every boy deserves his happiness, I've become more of a realist now. I understand that in some stories, a happy ending simply isn't possible, so I've learned to accept bittersweet or even bad endings as wel.
Basically, I'm just a girl who tends to fall for pretty much every game I pick up

 

[nyao]

I actively follow my favourite voice actors and might even play a game if they voice someone who isn't an LI. Although, this usually leads to me wishing said characters were LIs…

Character design is also a huge factor for me. If I do like a VA, but the design of the character isn't my type I might be put off from playing.

 

[mohuwari]

I pay more attention to the plot. I'm not particularly concerned with character illustrations, voice acting, and other aspects. A captivating story, especially one with a mysterious or suspenseful element, is what draws me in and keeps me reading.

 

[Scone]

my reasoning is gonna come off as a bit shallow but i get drawn into games by pretty artstyles or because a specific character just immediately calls out to me ^^ ofcourse a good / unique story always get to me too but i usually think of it as a bonus since if i dont like the characters i cannot bring myself to play something even if i know it has an amazing story :(

another thing is also character dialogue although this is a bit more rare but i have often picked up games solely because i saw screenshots and thought that the dynamic between characters or the writing style is something i'll enjoy

Completely agree with this. I'm a bit of a snob with art styles as well, game covers and/or the reveal art is usually the "make or break" moment for me with a game. A story can check all the boxes, but in the back of my mind I'll still be thinking "I wish it looked better" the entire time. It can dampen the experience, though many games getting modern ports or remakes helps with it quite a bit.

 

[Arielle]

The initial draw is the characters.
While artistic skill matters, it also comes down to whether they embody traits I like or have a voice I enjoy.
The protagonist's personality is crucial too. If I can't warm up to the protagonist, no matter how appealing the other characters are, I might not be able to continue.