I'm glad that many fans find comfort and joy in the stories and emotional weight of video games. I do too. But, for me, interesting stories, characters, and locations are virtually meaningless without a strong mechanical foundation underpinning them. If a game plays poorly, no amount of professional voice acting, clever writing, or spectacular graphics can salvage it.
When I watch a movie or read a book, I look forward to interesting writing, impressive production design, and artful composition. When I play a game, whether it's Apples to Apples or basketball or Contra, I expect a different set of features. I expect a set of rules, and a set of goals, and the opportunity for me as a player to navigate those rules and reach those goals according to my own strategy. Therein lies the joy of games, at least to me.
