Quote Originally Posted by maxpower
Here's a question though what do you look for in a new game? Are you interested in Grafix, gameplay, fun factor, or something else? What factors are the most important in your purchase decisions?
Here is what I look for in a new game:
1. Is the gameplay fun?
Games like Paper Mario, Smash Bros, and the Zelda games have terrific game play. Wind Waker may have had a whole bunch of open sea to spend hours of monotony in, but it also had a funfight engine. I could even pick up enemy weapons, and either smack the enemy with it, or throw it at them. Not to mention all of Link's tools.

2. Does the game have fun or deep characters?
I won't like a game if I don't like the main character, or the side characters. It's just not gonna work for me. If the characters are all bland, business suit wearing or black leather jacket wearing stiffs with little to no character (like in most first person shooters I've seen) count me out.

3. How expansive the world is, or how much replay value is in the game.
If I can explore a video game world almost indefinitely, this will make me very happy. The Elder Scrolls series totally has this one down. So does Smash Brothers (and Final Fantasy Tactics, for that matter.)

At the same time...

4. A lot of monotony kills a game.
If I have to spend too long leveling up, I don't want to play the game. Unless the battles are fun, like in Final Fantasy Tactics.

Of course, I don't ever really know most these things until I've played the game. Generally, then, I just try to make a judgement of #2, based on how the characters look. Heh. Doesn't always turn out well...

Wuv, Yer Mom