Story is automatically a good thing?

[Game_boy]

Bodhesatva said: 

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Hold on now, the question isn't "do you like stories in some games?" but rather "do you think that story is automatically a good thing?"

Again, a good analogy would be graphics: better graphics is always better. There isn't a point where better graphics becomes a bad thing (although what defines "better" certainly is subjective; it doesn't need to be higher polygon counts).

For you, is a focused plot always and automatically a good thing? Is a game worth less to you if it doesn't have a story or has little emphasis on its story?

I might be the opposite to most people. I think an epic, overbearing story detracts from the gaming experience. I want to just play, with the minimum of backstory. I do want games to have continued depth (not puzzle games) but the story should be the minimum to explain the situation. Games that have optional reading if you want more detail are better, for instance Metroid Prime had the scans you could spend hours reading but ultimately there was very little reason to be running around Tallon IV looking for random powerups.