MAKING IT OR BREAKING IT (Gamer Nation)

"I think it ultimately comes down to is the vision of the game realized? Because there are some games that are very, very linear that are still amazing games because they wanted to present the story in a very, very specific way. And if you don't like that, if you want a game that has a lot of choice, then don't play that game. That doesn't mean it's a bad game, that just means it's not for you."

- Sohinki

MAKING IT OR BREAKING IT is the 6th episode of Gamer Nation. It was released on November 3, 2012.

Description
''What makes or breaks a game? We let you know what we think!''

Discussion

 * Sohinki introduces the topic of the episode: "What makes or breaks a game?". He (after a little nudging from Jovenshire) explains that he thinks how much fun a game is to play to be an important element.
 * Lasercorn enjoys games that offer a lot of choice and freedom, such as Dishonored.
 * Jovenshire thinks the replay value is important. If it costs a lot to purchase, then it better be worth more than one playthrough, Sohinki suggests could be from a rich single-player or a good multiplayer. This was a problem, he describes, in The Darkness II; it had a good six-hour campaign and a co-op mode worth about one hour of play before he was bored.
 * Mass Effect is a favorite of Joven's because of its amazing story, relatable characters, and replayability. Sohinki notes that, while he enjoys Mass Effect, he feels that the gameplay overshadows the story a bit.
 * Lasercorn considers gameplay more important than the story; if the gameplay is good, then he does not care about the story as much. A good example of this is Bulletstorm.
 * Sohinki talks about the realization of the vision had for the game. For example, some games are very linear because the developers wanted it that way, and this does not make the game bad.
 * The guys bring in Ian and Anthony. They both feel that gameplay is the most important element of a game. Story and graphics are important, but they should not overshadow in importance the actual gameplay.
 * Regarding what "breaks" a game: Ian dislikes repetitive voice acting and Anthony dislikes games that coddle the player.
 * Jovenshire dislikes bad writing and dialogue. He could not get through more than two hours of Final Fantasy XIII because of just that. Sohinki mentions that some games feature writing that is so bad, it actually makes the game better.
 * Lasercorn prefers more open-ended games. He dislikes linear ones (with a few exceptions) as well as games that do not feature enough violence.
 * Generally speaking, Sohinki does not enjoy an excessive amount of cutscenes. For example, Gears of War 3, in his opinion, could have been better if it did not rely on cutscenes as much. Games that incorporate story into the gameplay are good.
 * Twitter questions:
 * @CageGardner: "Story and characters.Gameplay is an added bonus. :D"
 * @NinfyJ: "i think more than the graphic, a game needs a good story and charming characters"
 * @KellieMDavis: "i think it has to be a combination of all three for md"
 * After the Twitter questions, the three continue to discuss important elements of a game, including its "X factor that you can't really put your finger on", pacing,

The hosts talk about what "makes or breaks" a game, such as its difficulty, fun, replay value, a justifiable price, balance, controls, gameplay, etc. Ian and Anthony added a good balance between gameplay, story, and graphics. Things that "break" a game for them is things like repetitive voice acting and when a game "holds your hand" throughout its entirety. The other guys added bad writing and dialogue, excessive cutscenes, pacing, etc. Jovenshire then read a few Twitter replies to the same topic.