Line #17 Main/EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame


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9	->''"The strangest thing about it is, from a cold, critical, non-gushy standpoint, the actual gameplay aspect of ''Franchise/SilentHill'' is kinda shitty... No, intuitive gameplay isn't ''Silent Hill'''s strong point; we're here to get our story on."''
10	-->-- '''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation''' on ''VideoGame/SilentHill2''
11
12	Some games feature little more than an ExcusePlot to justify their core gameplay. Some games, conversely, feature virtually no gameplay and focus almost exclusively on storytelling. Then there are games which actually [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory put quite a bit of effort into their story, but the story is nevertheless ignored or overlooked by most in favor of the gameplay]].
13
14	This is the OppositeTrope of the latter case: games which significantly feature both story and gameplay, but most players, critics, ''etc.'' largely ignore the gameplay in favor of its storytelling, characters, setting and so on. There are many reasons why this might happen: sometimes, the game might have an unusually well-constructed narrative but rather samey, unoriginal gameplay; sometimes the gameplay might have significant problems, making the story superior by default; and sometimes it's purely subjective taste.
15
16	StoryToGameplayRatio matters here: just as a game must have a significant story focus in order to qualify as an example of PlayTheGameSkipTheStory, so a game must have significant gameplay focus to qualify for this trope. {{Visual Novel}}s, {{Environmental Narrative Game}}s, and some experimental {{art game}}s don't qualify for this, as there's little meaningful gameplay to start with (with certain exceptions listed below).[[note]]That said, an argument can be made that the ENG genre is the LogicalExtreme of this trope, focusing so purely on the storytelling and WorldBuilding that traditional gameplay beyond exploration is outright removed from the equation.[[/note]]
17
18	Difficulty also plays a role, as this trope most often appears on either extreme. A game that prioritizes story over gameplay may adjust the difficulty so that even an inexperienced player could be reasonably challenged without breaking their immersion in the story, [[ItsEasySoItSucks a design choice which would likely alienate hardcore players]]. Likewise, a [[NintendoHard much harder game]] that happens to have an engaging story and/or cast of characters will develop a PeripheryDemographic of fans that care about the story or characters, [[ItsHardSoItSucks even if they don't have the skills to actually play the game]]. If the developers realize that many players may be playing the game just to experience the story and don't much care for the gameplay, they may offer a special difficulty setting to accommodate them: a StoryDifficultySetting.
19
20	See also PlayTheGameSkipTheStory (which inverts this), BetterAsALetsPlay, JustHereForGodzilla, ExcusePlot, StoryToGameplayRatio and the various InteractiveStorytellingTropes.
21
22	'''Note:''' While in principle any game with any amount of story could qualify as an example of this trope, try as much as possible to limit examples to cases where there is evidence that criticism or fan reaction towards the game in question focuses more on the story at the expense of the gameplay, as opposed to just games where you personally thought the story was better than the gameplay.
23
24	----
25	!!Examples
26	[[foldercontrol]]
27
28	[[folder:Action Game]]
29	* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' is an example of a game perfectly aware that it is just a glorified cutscene. The gameplay's very simplistic and repetitive, but it isn't the main interest of the game, which is essentially an interactive {{Anime}} about an overly muscular six-armed god punching planet-sized monsters in space accompanied by ClassicalMusic. Some of the game's [[DownloadableContent DLC chapters]] are literally anime shorts with no gameplay more interactive than occasional [[PressXToNotDie Quick-Time Events]].
30	* Unlike most of Creator/{{Treasure}}'s output, ''VideoGame/SilhouetteMirage'' is surprisingly story-heavy, with lots of dialogue, characters, and plot depth, and a localization by Creator/WorkingDesigns. Unfortunately, said localization also rebalanced the difficulty for the worse by making the game more grind-heavy and difficult to play aggressively (since your attack energy could be drained extremely quickly by enemies); the original Japanese version is better, but still had issues in with underdeveloped levels and bosses being easily exploitable, so it isn't regarded as well as Treasure's other run 'n' guns.
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Action Adventure]]
34	* ''VideoGame/AquamanBattleForAtlantis'''s gameplay is limited and can quickly become repetitive, while the story has highlights from several of Aquaman's adventures and takes twists and turns before climaxing in a battle between brothers.
35	* ''Videogame/BatmanDarkTomorrow'' had a story co-written by ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'' scribe Scott Peterson that sure feels like a standard adventure of the Dark Knight, and the cutscenes were the only praised aspect of a game widely bashed for stiff controls, repetitive combat and unhelpful camera angles.
36	* ''VideoGame/{{Deadpool}}'' received mixed reviews, with most complaints directed towards the schizophrenic difficulty, short length, and terrible boss battles. The main thing that drew attention to the game was ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} himself, at long last making his debut as the leading man outside of a comic book, where your average Joe finally got to experience all the crass comedy and batshit-lunacy that comes with The Merc with the Mouth.
37	* ''VideoGame/DeathStranding'' is this in '''SPADES'''. The gameplay is so unique and divisive that it's pretty much a 50/50 on whether you'll find it a satisfying, almost meditative experience, or a dreadfully boring slog. Just like many past [[Creator/HideoKojima Kojima]] games, almost the entirety of the plot is told through non-interactive cutscenes, codec conversations and supplementory reading like in-game emails and articles, so if you're strictly interested in the plot but not the delivery/traversal mechanics, you can watch a cutscene compilation and read all the extra material on the game's wiki, and not really miss much of the story.
38	* Most of the fans of ''[[VideoGame/DinosaurPlanetRare Dinosaur Planet]]'' are content to watch the story and cutscenes on Website/YouTube rather than play the game itself as the game is a [[ObviousBeta leaked development prototype]] filled with glitches that doesn't work well with most emulators.
39	* ''VideoGame/EnslavedOdysseyToTheWest'' has gameplay that is seen as decent at best and mediocre at worst. However, it's generally agreed that the gorgeous visuals, the smart script by noted novelist and screenwriter Creator/AlexGarland, and the performances (especially by Creator/AndySerkis, who plays the main character) are what really make the playthrough worthwhile.
40	* ''Videogame/GothamKnights2022'' has received a fair bit of praise for the story campaign. A well-done story about the various members of the Bat-Family coming together to protect Gotham after Bruce's death; it features four playable characters that all feel distinct from one another not just in gameplay but also in terms of writing, and a host of iconic Batman villains. However, this is countered by gameplay nowhere as fun as the ''Videogame/BatmanArkhamSeries'', criticized for repetitiveness, padded open-world elements, and poorly optimized performance.
41	* Downplayed with ''VideoGame/{{Iconoclasts}}''. It is a solid title, gameplay-wise (the bosses in particular steal the show), specially considering it was mostly made by [[Creator/{{Konjak}} one person]]. The art and animation are also top notch. However, it does feel stiff and simple compared to [[{{Metroidvania}} other Metroidvania-styled games]], and even other games by the developer. The game's main focus, and its greatest feature, is the story, filled with complex characters, surprisingly deep and dark themes, and several genuinely shocking twists.
42	* It is widely agreed that the whole point of ''VideoGame/Killer7'' is the [[MindScrew bizarre plot]], with the shooting, monster killing and inventory puzzles serving as little more than filler between story points.
43	* ''VideoGame/LANoire'' almost encourages this, with the game giving the option to skip over difficult shooter scenes if the player has trouble so that they can go back to the FilmNoir investigative gameplay that makes the game more popular.
44	* ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'': While the gameplay is perfectly functional, it's considered pretty average and doesn't really add anything new most people couldn't find in a different third person action game at the time. It was the plot and characters that really elevated this game to the cult status it has today.
45	* The earlier entries in the ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'' franchise were widely praised by critics for both their gameplay and their storytelling (especially in the second entry in the series, ''Soul Reaver''), but the gameplay of each subsequent entry was less and less positively received until by the time of the release of the fifth entry, ''Defiance'', multiple critics said that the only reason to play the game was for its story.
46	* ''VideoGame/MurderedSoulSuspect'''s investigative, adventure game aspects were considered generally well done; the lackluster stealth combat against patrolling wraiths that regularly interrupted said investigative sections was likewise heavily criticized.
47	* While the story of ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'' has received unanimous praise for its interesting characters and plot that properly fleshes out events alluded to in the first game, the gameplay has been more divisive. Many players enjoy the gameplay's slow and deliberate pace, which pairs well with the beautifully realized WideOpenSandbox and the story's maturity. A few other players think the game is overly obsessed with realism and detail at the expense of being fun to play. Ultimately [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]], since most critics praised the overall gameplay.
48	* ''VideoGame/SolatoroboRedTheHunter'' has serviceable gameplay, but the loop can get tedious rather quickly due to the lack of combat variety and the inconsistent stop-and-go pacing (especially in side quests). The story is universally praised as being the best part of the game, especially the second half, to the point where some sees ''Solatorobo'' as more of a glorified Visual Novel rather than the action-adventure game it was marketed as.
49	* ''VideoGame/TombRaiderTheAngelOfDarkness'' is generally considered the worst game in the Tomb Raider series, due to its buggy gameplay and overall being an unfinished mess of a game, and it received awful reviews at its release. However, it has been since VindicatedByHistory, as it has been revealed that Core Design were forced to release the game half a year early, and many fans now appreciate the story, which is now praised as one of the best in the series. In a complete reversal, Crystal Dynamics, who were once seen as the saviours of the ''Franchise/TombRaider'' franchise, are sometimes criticised for their weaker handling of darker storylines compared to ''The Angel of Darkness''.
50	* ''Videogame/TronEvolution'' has a good script that serves a great lead to ''Film/TronLegacy''. But even if the game has tight and responsive controls and no bugs, the gameplay is troublesome, with repetitive levels, overabundance of bottomless pits, long load times after death, and plodding fight segments that slow the pace of the game suddenly. The biggest issues are the frequent deaths and absolute necessity of upgrading your weapons to avoid dragging out combat.
51	* ''VideoGame/WeHappyFew'''s gameplay is largely just {{Fetch Quest}}s, gathering tons and tons of useless items, the occasional StealthBasedMission, and a monumentally repetitive and clunky combat system, but the story and the characters are very engaging and enjoyable and its themes and setting have garnered near universal praise. Unsurprisingly, Dark Horse Comics and Golden Circle Films have already announced plans to make an art book and a feature length film, respectively.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Adventure Game]]
55	* ''VideoGame/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream'' has what is widely considered a great plot (adapted and expanded upon from [[Literature/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream the original story]] with direct involvement and chilling voice-acting from the author Creator/HarlanEllison), but it also possesses lackluster point-and-click gameplay, and also relies on the classical MoonLogicPuzzle just one too many times.
56	* The first ''Mata Nui Adventure Game'', commonly known as ''Mata Nui Online Game'', is often said to be the best ''VideoGame/{{Bionicle}}'' media for its immersive tone, charming characters, the definitive depiction of [[BigBad the Makuta]], fun animations, subtle worldbuilding and cryptic foreshadowing that set up the following decade's worth of stories. No one really talks about the point-and-click gameplay, which is absurdly easy and straightforward apart from a couple minigames and puzzles that might take a few minutes to complete. Most of the game entails traversing landscapes and reading the characterful dialogue. It also has [[OrphanedReference hints that lead nowhere]] because [[DummiedOut some quests and plots were cut]] due to the rushed development.
57	* ''VideoGame/TheNeverhood'' is widely beloved by its fans for being a quirky CultClassic with loveable characters and an interesting world, but the puzzles can get obtuse and most require you to have [[GuideDangIt some sort of guide on hand]].
58	* ''VideoGame/PsychonautsInTheRhombusOfRuin'' is a very short point-and-click that can probably be beaten in about an hour. Maybe three, tops. However, it's a direct sequel to the first ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' and [[SequelGap it was the first new story in the franchise in over a decade]]. It offers worldbuilding as well as new backstory on certain characters.
59	* ''VideoGame/TalesFromTheBorderlands'' demonstrates how Telltale's engine fails at action, as its [[PressXToNotDie quick-time-event]] focus can be compared to three FPS games that came before it. It also demonstrates 10+ hours, 5 episode long story with enough humor to fill [[Funny/TalesFromTheBorderlands a page of examples]].
60	* The memento puzzles in ''VideoGame/ToTheMoon'' are pretty much the epitome of "excuse gameplay", doing little other than provide breaks in the narrative.
61	* The first season of Creator/TelltaleGames' episodic ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' game is excellent at being an interactive storytelling experience, and middling at best / terrible at worst whenever it tries to have game mechanics more involved than the occasional QuickTimeEvent. Occasional {{Stealth Based Mission}}s and a couple of truly regrettable shooting sequences keep the game just barely outside of the category of "interactive fiction" by a strict definition, but the story is definitely the thing to play it for, not the gameplay. It's telling that later works by the same developer, including subsequent seasons of ''The Walking Dead'' itself, largely drop or severely downplay these action set pieces, focusing almost exclusively on story.
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder:Driving Game]]
65	* Most of the interest for the Sega CD version of ''The Adventures of Batman and Robin'' doesn't come from its rather repetitive and difficult driving gameplay, but for the fact that the game features 17 minutes of exclusive animated footage done in the style and recorded by the actors of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', effectively serving as a "lost episode" of the show.
66	[[/folder]]
67
68	[[folder:Edutainment Game]]
69	* ''VideoGame/SpanishForEveryone'' has a ridiculous SoBadItsGood story packed to the brim with implied mature themes, making its cutscenes quite the experience. The gameplay, meanwhile, consists of four bland minigames that don't do a very good job at being fun and teaching you Spanish, which you have to play over and over again to progress very slowly. Watching the story on [=YouTube=] makes it a much more bearable experience.
70	[[/folder]]
71
72	[[folder:Fighting Game]]
73	* ''Franchise/{{Blazblue}}''. While tons of fans [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory completely ignore the story for the gameplay]], there are a large portion who become immersed in the game’s incredibly intricate story architected by Toshimichi Mori and its lovable and colorful cast of characters that they end up finding the most enjoyment from watching cutscenes on Website/{{YouTube}}.
74	* Compared to the sequels, the first ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokai'' has relatively shallow and repetitive gameplay. The story mode, however, is a very admirable cinematic recreation of the manga's story from the Saiyan Saga to the end of the Cell Saga that was TruerToTheText than the original anime series, making it a combination of ''Anime/DragonBallZKai'' and ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' before they were even made.
75	* ''VideoGame/DragonBallFighterZ'' zig-zags this. It's an extremely fun and well made fighting game, and the story mode is largely well-written, with entertaining character interactions and an original plot featuring an intriguing villain. So, initially, it wouldn't seem to be either this trope or PlayTheGameSkipTheStory - however, the story mode itself suffers from a tedious, repetitive structure, being [[ItsEasySoItSucks overly easy]], and generally far too long, meaning that even those who enjoy the game generally just go on Website/{{YouTube}} to watch the cutscenes.
76	* ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos'' is seen as a lackluster fighter especially compared to its Capcom-developed counterpart, ''VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium''. For players, its most outstanding element is the pre-battle dialogue; [[https://www.gamefaqs.com/neo/914539-svc-chaos-snk-vs-capcom/faqs/26771 every possible combination of combatants has a unique conversation to go with it]], many of which are very entertaining to read. And yes, the game will even acknowledge {{Mirror Match}}es, with the resulting conversations lampshading the matchup. Finally, it's worth noting that SNK must have paid big bucks to get this game localized because the translation of all these lines of dialogue is surprisingly spot-on.
77	* ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds''. Most fans of the game are more interested in the world of Foenum and the backstories of the six ungulate fighters than the actual fighting gameplay, especially since both the world and characters were made by the [[Creator/LaurenFaust same woman]] behind ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''. This was actually encouraged by the game devs and one of the main reasons behind the creation of the visual lobby mode, where players can explore the world, watch matches, and other stuff even if they are bad at fighting games.
78	[[/folder]]
79
80	[[folder:First Person Shooter]]
81	* ''VideoGame/BioShock'':
82	** ''VideoGame/{{BioShock\|1}}'' attracted much praise for its story, setting and themes, but also received criticism for its radically simplified game mechanics in comparison to the game's [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual predecessor]], ''VideoGame/SystemShock2'', which were widely perceived as having been intentionally "dumbed down" for the benefit of the console market. It also attracted significant criticism for its heavy use of {{Fetch Quest}}s and its DisappointingLastLevel. ''Edge'' magazine went so far as to describe it as "an uninspired FPS with inspired presentation".
83	** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' was similarly received: extensive praise for its storytelling, but criticism for its gameplay, which had been simplified even further from its predecessors. Much like the first ''[=BioShock=]'' it was also criticized for its DisappointingLastLevel.
84	[[/folder]]
85
86	[[folder:Hidden Object Game]]
87	* ''VideoGame/CriminalCase'' is a pretty standard HiddenObjectGame with limited search locations and rather generic mini-games. However it has a very solid story-telling that multiple LetsPlay channels have been created to showcase the game's story.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Interactive Fiction]]
91	* The actual gameplay parts of ''VideoGame/EightyDays'' are so overshadowed by the quality of the story that ''The Times'' named the game one of the best ''novels'' of the year.
92	* While ''VideoGame/WhereTheWaterTastesLikeWine'' was praised for its charming AwesomeArt, moody Gothic Americana[=/=]MagicalRealism atmosphere, awesome original Blues soundtrack, and engaging stories about the plight of the American underclass and non-whites during TheGreatDepression, it has also been described as a "walking simulator" with several mechanics that are poorly implemented.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Interactive Movie]]
96	* The type of games Creator/QuanticDream became famous for. Since interactive movies focus on story over gameplay by definition and most of them originate from the same studio, their characteristics are as identical as they fit into this trope: the player basically [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin plays a movie]] with only marginal and very unobtrusive input, usually in the form of [[PressXToNotDie QTEs]] which non-player observers often don't even notice. The focus absolutely rests on enjoying the compelling story and the games' well-written, professionally voiced and, more often than not, [[InkSuitActor A-list-actor-MoCapped]] characters. Specific examples include:
97	** ''VideoGame/HeavyRain''
98	** ''VideoGame/BeyondTwoSouls''
99	** ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman''
100	[[/folder]]
101
102	[[folder:MMORPG]]
103	* ''VideoGame/FallenLondon'' has been praised by multiple critics for its great, immersive writing and complex world-building -- which is the main reason a number of players get frustrated about having to complete repetitive tasks and wait over 3 real-life hours to get another full candle of actions to read more of the game's writing.
104	* While ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline''[='=]s gameplay gets very repetitive after a while (shoot some ships, beam down, shoot bad guys, beam up, shoot more ships...), the storyline gives continuity for Trekkies on what happened in the Prime universe after the supernova event depicted in ''Film/StarTrek2009''.
105	* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': The mechanics aren't anything special, and handles a lot like a clone of ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft.'' The game's primary selling point is the eight basic storylines, the Imperial/Republic storylines from levels 50-65, and the ''Knights of the Fallen Empire'' and ''Knights of the Eternal Throne'' arcs, which are all but a single-player campaign. All of these having full voice acting, multiple branches of the storyline depending on player choice, and a unique companion mechanic for PvE.
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:MOBA]]
109	* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' features the vast world of Runeterra as setting for imaginative characters and stories, but there's definitely a good portion of lore fans who would not care less for the actual game itself. Beyond the game not being strictly necessary ([[MultiplayerOnlineBattleArena MOBAs]] aren't exactly a genre built for maintaining complex storytelling), probably the biggest factor is ''League'''s notoriety of difficulty and attracting toxic players, making it rather inaccessible to casual newcomers. Following the release and minor NewbieBoom from the widely successful ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'', [[https://www.thegamer.com/league-of-legends-arcane-story-universe-runeterra-wild-rift/ one article came out]] advising new viewers to search for lore from sources other than ''League'' itself, at most suggesting the ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'' card game and the ''Wild Rift'' mobile port.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:Platform Games]]
113	* ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'''s story and writing are considering top-notch, but the game's [[NintendoHard notorious difficulty]] drags it down gameplay-wise.
114	* ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'' has gameplay that can be seen as lackluster and very easy for the most part, while the story is seen as extremely memorable and possibly the series' best, due to a combination of [[VileVillainSaccharineShow macabre villains]] and [[ArcWelding lore]].
115	* Consensus on ''VideoGame/{{Nefarious}}'' is that the game tells a pretty nice, witty story about the classic ExcusePlot of platformers, but from the villain's perspective; but control of the player character is loose, there are a bunch of bugs and glitches, and the stage design isn't that great. To that end, the franchise continued from there on out as webcomics rather than video games.
116	* Many of the 3D games, particularly ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure 1'' and ''[[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 2]]'', tend to fall here compared to the rest of the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' franchise. A lot of the gameplay of both games tends to be very divisive due to the GameplayRoulette making them feel like 3-5 games tacked into one, with even Sonic's gameplay considered somewhat clunky compared to other games. The stories however are some of the most beloved entries in the entire franchise thanks to having significant CharacterDevelopment, their DarkerAndEdgier direction that feels like they [[GrowingWithTheAudience grew with their older fans]], and featuring the debut of several fan-favorite characters. In fact, once the series started to focus less on its plot and characters with ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' (itself being this trope's [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory inverse]]), is part of what contributed to the series' BrokenBase as some fans feel like the plot and characters should prioritized more while others feel the gameplay should still be top priority with story at a distant second.
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	[[folder:Puzzle Games]]
120	* ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'' has a quite a following of fans who care more about the quirky, charming cast of characters and surprisingly deep lore than the gameplay, which is largely agreed to have peaked in [[VideoGame/PuyoPuyo2 1994]] and, barring a few outliers, is consistent enough from a single-player perspective to rarely stand out for better or worse.
121	** ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyon'' is largely praised for going for a more traditional anime artstyle instead of the cutesy art that the series usually embraces, and overall more visual novel-esque presentation. ''Puyo Puyo~n'' is also largely derided for being an excruciating, badly-balanced mess of a puzzle game that's geared towards [[FakeLongevity artificially stretching]] a single-player mode that would normally take 15-30 minutes into a multi-hour affair.
122	** ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyoTetris'' is beloved for its story cutscenes and voice acting. ''Puyo Puyo'' fans who care more about the gameplay mechanics either "tolerate" the game for being a NewbieBoom or outright dislike it; it's seen as a crossover of two puzzle games whose PlayerVersusPlayer modes run on fundamentally-incompatible gameplay philosophies, creating a bias towards ''Tetris'' at higher skill levels due to ''Tetris''[='=]s garbage blocks not actively disrupting the field like ''Puyo Puyo''[='=]s garbage does. ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyoTetris2'' is a MissionPackSequel that gives fans another helping of story and character interactions but, outside of giving ''Puyo Puyo'' and ''Tetris'' players their own separate online leagues, makes several balance issues ''worse'' than they were in the first game.
123	[[/folder]]
124
125	[[folder:Rail Shooter]]
126	* ''Rainbow VideoGame/{{Cotton}}'' is a seriously flawed shooter whose poor reception would [[FranchiseKiller kill the franchise for two decades]], but the game features 20 minutes of fully-animated cutscenes which have decent production values and stay true to the funny, light-hearted appeal of the franchise. Indeed, there wasn't much demand to rerelease the game alongside the rest of the series [[MilestoneCelebration for its 30th anniversary]], mostly because ''Cotton'' fans agree you're better off just watching the cutscenes elsewhere.
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	[[folder:Real-Time Strategy]]
130	* ''VideoGame/BowserJrsJourney'' has a well-written story starring [[EnsembleDarkhorse Bowser Jr.]], as he goes through CharacterDevelopment and his SpoiledBrat traits grate on the rest of his minions, forcing him to change and go on a quest to get them back. The gameplay, however, is pretty simplistic and repetitive, not to mention the amount of grinding you have to do.
131	* ''VideoGame/EldritchLandsTheWitchQueensEternalWar'''s review often praise its story, worldbuilding, and compelling character interactions, but the gameplay is usually considered to be average or worse, on par with a [[UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash Flash]] game.
132	* ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}'' had this issue with its slow pace, 3D mechanics and tricky interface; but the story in the manual was some really good reading, as was the story in the cutscenes.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[folder:Rhythm Game]]
136	* ''VideoGame/LoveLiveSchoolIdolFestival'' isn't exactly seen as an innovation or refinement of the RhythmGame genre; many fans are in it for the story segments and hundreds of CostumePorn-laden cards to collect.
137	* ''VideoGame/Persona4DancingAllNight'' has been praised for its storyline, but not as many people enjoy its rhythm gameplay. It doesn't help that a good portion of the playerbase, fans of the Persona series, may be more interested in [=RPGs=] than rhythm games.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	[[folder:Role-Playing Game -- Eastern]]
141	* Most of the praise for the ''Franchise/{{Drakengard}}'' series has gone to its story, pitch black tone, and memorable cast. The games themselves tend to have extremely poor gameplay, with repetitive and monotonous combat on the ground, and even worse controls during the air missions. This trope was part of the reason ''VideoGame/NierAutomata'' was a collaborative effort with Creator/PlatinumGames in an attempt to deliberately avert this and actually have a game in the series with genuinely good gameplay. And now all games onward from Yoko Taro, like the VideoGameRemake of ''VideoGame/{{Nier}}'', or the mobile game, ''VideoGame/NierReincarnation'', have made an attempt to match up to the standard that ''Automata'' has set for the franchise, with quite successful results! And now, plenty of people are waiting for remakes of the older ''Drakengard'' games, so that they meet the same standards as well.
142	* ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'': The story is often stated to be the strongest point of the game, with some even believing it to be better than ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound\|1994}}'''s story, due to the intricate lore, the incredibly [[TrueCompanions close bond]] between the protagonists, and Ninten's [[ItsPersonal personal stakes]] against Giygas. The gameplay, on the other hand, is [[BrokenBase incredibly divisive]], with many finding it to be archaic and [[NintendoHard unforgivingly hard]].
143	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games have often been praised for both gameplay and story. However, some games are more noteworthy for this for different reasons:
144	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' is often criticized for its bizarre design choices and grindiness that results in being either outright broken, or almost unplayable if you make a mistake, and said grinding is ''worse'' in its original NES version, with things such as ''decreased stats if you don't grind one stat enough'', and it might have [[FranchiseOriginalSin even inspired some games in the series with its]] [[ScrappyMechanic clunky mechanics]]. On the other hand, the story is very complex, especially for an NES/Famicom game, where the characters, aside from the protagonists who are criticized for being [[FlatCharacter rather flat]], were praised for being interesting and sympathetic, and the Emperor is considered to be [[LoveToHate the best villain of the three NES titles for the series, due to his vile nature]], and the fact that he ''[[TheBadGuyWins won]]'' in the middle of the game, before [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Kefka]] made it more noteworthy.
145	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' was where the series [[GrowingTheBeard began to truly find its footing]] with its story, with CharacterDevelopment and a plot that's praised for being expectional at the time. A more {{Downplayed\|Trope}} example, though, in which the gameplay is also acknowledged for its improvements there, with a [[SequelDifficultyDrop decrease in difficulty]] compared to the previous games, unique powers given to each of the characters, a more streamlined battle system, bosses with multiple quirks, and the introduction to the Active Time Battle system, which requires players to keep a good eye in the gameplay.
146	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' is considered by many to be [[SacredCow among the best games in the series]], due to the unique and complex characterizations of the main cast, and the CharacterDevelopment that comes along with it. However, the gameplay is considered to be [[ItsEasySoItSucks rather easy]] [[GameBreaker and broken]] for it to be fully engaging.
147	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' made the controversial decision to abandon the turn-based combat system of the previous games, while also introducing a ScrappyMechanic known as the Gambit System (which can essentially run the game on auto pilot). Playing the game is just tiresome to a lot of diehard ''Final Fantasy'' fans. The story however continues to be held in higher regard, especially [[VindicatedByHistory as the years go on]] - often compared to ''Series/GameOfThrones'' meets ''Franchise/StarWars'' - as well as the superb quality of the dubbing and translation, especially compared to the poor English dub of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX''.
148	** ''VideoGame/CrisisCoreFinalFantasyVII'''s story is still praised for fleshing out Zack Fair's personality and his relationships with Aerith and Cloud, but is unfortunately dragged down by some frustrating and arbitrary combat and uninteresting level design. The 2022 remaster adds some quality-of-life improvements to make the gameplay more approachable.
149	* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
150	** While the [[FightLikeACardPlayer card-based gameplay]] itself is contested, the actual story of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' is rather interesting with its growing mystery, Sora's AllLovingHero status being seriously tested at points and introducing several members of Organization XIII that would go on to become highly popular characters. This, combined with the fact that players who dive straight into ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' will be [[ContinuityLockout very confused]] as to why Sora isn't immediately playable, makes many argue that ''Chain of Memories''' story is at least worth sitting through.
151	** The gameplay of ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'' is seen as very weak, feeling like an extremely stripped-down version of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' with a lot of repetition due to the mission structure. The game's strength comes from its writing, with the focus on Roxas's life and relationships being its main draw. In the HD [=ReMix=] collections, this is taken to its logical conclusion by removing the gameplay entirely. However, some critics will argue that the cutscene collection is still missing a lot, and that the gameplay at least helps put the player in the same headspace as Roxas.
152	* The ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' series is known for its quirky characters and parody-stuffed writing that {{lampshade\|Hanging}}s every RPG trope in the book with cute versions of your favorite gaming console or franchise as characters. The gameplay in the first game was downright terrible, and even with improvements made in the following titles, the combat is still button-mashy busywork with formulaic dungeons and repetitive sidequests. The first game's resounding success came from the humor and characters, and definitely not from the gameplay. While the series gradually got better about this, the lighthearted story is what fans come back for in each installment.
153	* ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' series:
154	** ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' gets this from quite a lot of players. The story is considered one of the best if not the best in the entire ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' franchise for its deep themes and interesting characters and one of the most sympathetic villains in the franchise. Its gameplay, however, is divisive, with most fans either tolerating it or flat out hating it.
155	** The general opinion on ''VideoGame/PaperMarioColorSplash'' is that the writing has high moments of good humor, the setting is creative, and the visuals are SceneryPorn. The gameplay is at best contested, the combat in particular being disliked for being based on consumables, lacking in strategy, and offering little reward for winning battles.
156	** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'', despite the designers going to great lengths to making a battling system better than the one from ''Paper Mario: Color Splash'', wound up with this again, with players and critics alike praising the plot and the new characters, the witty and intelligent dialogue, and the beautiful and creative scenery. However, the battles against common enemies use a mechanic involving sliding rings and lines around a set of polar coordinates seen as out of place, slow, overly complicated, and, like with ''Color Splash'', unrewarding, though opinions are much better when this system is applied to bosses. Hence, the prevailing way people approach ''The Origami King'' is to wander around, listening to [=NPCs=] and solving puzzles, but avoid as many enemy encounters as possible.
157	* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'':
158	** ''VideoGame/Persona3'' has one of the most praised storylines in the series, and fans [[NewbieBoom brought in]] by later entries are often encouraged to experience it. With the major gameplay improvements of ''VideoGame/Persona4'' and ''especially'' ''VideoGame/Persona5'', 3's gameplay has not aged well, especially its ManualLeaderAIParty approach in a game with NintendoHard difficulty.
159	** ''VideoGame/Persona2'' has it even worse. The game's story is frequently called one of the best -- if not THE best -- plot in the ''Persona'' series, and even ''Shin Megami Tensei'' as a whole. However, many people are extremely put off by the aged gameplay, to they point they confess of being incapable of getting into it and expressing regret that they won't experience the plot for themselves.
160	** While this doesn't apply to ''VideoGame/Persona5'''s base game, many fans seem to feel this way about the added Third Semester content in ''[[UpdatedRerelease Royal]]''. From a story perspective, [[spoiler:Maruki]] is lauded as one of the game's best villains, Yoshizawa makes for a great narrative addition, and Akechi ends up getting the CharacterDevelopment many felt as though he lacked in the vanilla game. From a gameplay perspective, on the other hand, most of the Third Semester's content is crammed into a one-and-a-half month timeframe, which is significantly short by the game's standards, allowing for little to no breathing room to collectively finish Yoshizawa's Confidant and complete [[spoiler:Maruki]]'s Palace. The fact that Akechi and Yoshizawa's Tier-Three Personas are relegated to being [[EleventhHourSuperpower 11th-Hour Superpowers]] that can only be used against the FinalBoss further adds to the fan perception that the Third Semester wasn't well-thought out in terms of proper gameplay integration.
161	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
162	** Over the years, as the stories have become more complex and the world building has increased, the main series has attracted players who play the Pokémon games for the lore, the characters, and the settings, starting with ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite''. When the subsequent generation, ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'', dialed back on the story in favor of exploration and competitive play, these fans were not happy. In response, the generation after that, ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', became the most story-heavy main series Pokémon games to date, whose backlash from fans of ''X and Y'' made it clear that this franchise has both Enjoy the Story, Skip the Game and PlayTheGameSkipTheStory.
163	** ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'' are somewhat unique as far as the main series goes. The games are often considered to have some of the strongest plots and worldbuilding in the entire franchise, but the legion of bugs ([[GoodBadBugs fun]] and [[GameBreakingBug otherwise]]), framerate drops, and general lack of polish tend to discourage fans from actually wanting to ''play'' them.
164	** The ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' series is generally considered to have SoOkayItsAverage, if not NintendoHard, gameplay by both fans and critics, but they developed a dedicated fanbase due to their suprisingly deep plots by Pokémon standards. Some even considering their storylines ''better'' than most of the main series games.
165
166	[[/folder]]
167
168	[[folder:Role-Playing Game -- Tabletop]]
169	* ''{{Literature/Dragonlance}}'' was originally a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' setting, but is far better known to the general public for the dozens of novels, short stories and comics that use the evocative characters, mythos and world of Krynn than for the game modules set there, which tend to have a middling at best reputation among D&D players.
170	** Some of this is due to the stories fully embracing aspects of the 1st Edition AD&D rules into the narrative, which caused problems when later editions emerged. Some examples were Clerics and Wizards being heavily restricted in their behaviors (Wizards were only ''allowed'' to use daggers for weapons by the ''gods'' themselves), and thus any class that utilized magic other than a genuine priest of the gods or wizard of the Towers of High Sorcery was either non-functional or a renegade to be hunted. This meant Barbarians, Paladins, and Druids had no magical abilities (which made the latter class useless), Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks would be considered renegades to hunt down, and Monks flat out didn't exist. Most of the new player races were used as comic relief in the novels (Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Gnomes), and one that wasn't was over-powered (the Irda). Non-player monsters races were heavily culled, thus limiting foes that weren't Draconians or Goblins to be encountered in small groups only if they existed at all. Finally, the original continent of Ansalon was pretty small-sized to fit the narrative of the first three novels and was thus limiting to [=DMs=] who wanted to tell original stories. While anything is possible for a creative DM, all of this had the effect of trying to work on a coloring book that was already 75% completed, you only had a small number of crayons to choose from, and half of those crayons were goofy colors you may not want to use anyway.
171	* An interesting example with ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'': while the game doesn't really have a default setting [[note]]what with it being the '''''Generic''''' ''Universal Role Playing System''[[/note]], its various genre supplement tend to be extremely well-researched and full of information useful for games in that genre regardless of the system used. As such, many roleplayers buy the supplements for the game and use the information therein for their own campaigns using other games, as ''GURPS'' itself has a somewhat unfortunate reputation for being a MasterOfNone game that attempts to run all genres of fiction but ends up doing none of them very well.
172	* The setting of ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'', as well as the various other [=RPGs=] in the Palladium Games Multiverse, is a very diverse, complex setting that runs on RuleOfCool and being JustForFun/TropeOverdosed. Unfortunately, the game itself is based on the Palladium Megaversal System, a set of rules derived from creator Kevin Siembieda's TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons house rules that is a bit of a kludgy, unbalanced mess gameplay-wise. As a result, the general advice from fans is "read the books for the setting info, and then run your campaign using a different system altogether."
173	** Finally averted as of 2016 as an official port of Rifts to the TabletopGame/SavageWorlds system marries the Rifts setting to an actually playable RPG.
174	* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' is known primarily for two things: its setting being an engrossing combination of {{Cyberpunk}} and ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''-esque fantasy, and its ruleset being one of the most complex and fiddly of any [=RPG=][[note]]its rulebooks often being poorly laid out not particularly helping the matter[[/note]]. While the game's complexity is not necessarily ''bad'' per se, it's often cited as a major turn-off for prospective players. To cater to these people, Catalyst Game Labs created ''Shadowrun Anarchy'', a lighter-weight narrative game designed to allow players to experience the fluff without the complexity.
175	* The CultClassic RPG ''TabletopGame/SkyrealmsOfJorune'', as a game, is a rather uninspired ripoff of ''TabletopGame/RuneQuest'' that uses d20s instead of d100s. What draws people to the game, however, is its setting, which is a vibrant PlanetaryRomance world with colorful races and a unique magic system.
176	[[/folder]]
177
178	[[folder:Role-Playing Game -- Western]]
179	* ''[[VideoGame/AdventureTime Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion]]'' is extremely basic as [=RPGs=] go, and especially if you're playing [[PortingDisaster the Nintendo Switch version]] with its horrendous loading times and numerous {{Game Breaking Bug}}s... but the story and dialog are actually pretty good, giving it the feel of an extended and interactable episode of the show.
180	* The gameplay in ''VideoGame/{{Albion}}'' is... [[SoOkayItsAverage you know, okay]]. A bit clumsy but playable. But boy can you ever spend a lot of time talking to people to learn about [[HumanoidAlien Iskai]] culture or Dji Cantos philosophy. It's not even the main plot as the world-building that's so focused on. As of this writing, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albion_%28video_game%29 Wikipedia page]] for the game consists mostly of a description of the world.
181	* ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum}}'' is another RPG with an excellent story but at best mediocre combat gameplay. The combat can get in the way of the story, as there are a lot more unskippable fights and the fights can be quite hard, especially at the beginning when the player character can die in a few unlucky hits.
182	* ''VideoGame/DarkenedSkye'' is regarded, gameplay-wise, as an underwhelming RPG with shaky controls, poor animation, lots of HitboxDissonance, and a significant amount of bugs. The story, however, is the game's highlight, as it's basically [[WriterRevolt the writers' giving a giant middle finger to the executives]] that told them to make a game about ''Skittles''. Yes, [[ProductPlacement Skittles]]. They're the source of all magic, didn'tcha know?
183	* Like with the above, ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' is widely seen as one of the best games made by ''Bioware'' because of the strong writing, world-building, and the way your player characters race and actions affect almost ''every'' detail in the game. Gameplay is seen as one of the weakest areas however, because it uses ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' mechanics and gimmicks, with semi-MMO elements, resulting in tedious and frustrating gameplay mechanics at times that can bog down many who are less familiar with the mechanics of it. And just like ''Mass Effect'', while the series has improved the gameplay, the story quality has been notably heavily criticized for dumbing down the complexity in favor of just simply being approachable.
184	* ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' is praised for its deep setting, well-written characters, and extensive lore, but panned for its mediocre combat and poorly-designed inventory system. Many players prefer to set the game to its easiest setting in order to steamroll through the combat without having to pay as much attention to inventory management so that they can enjoy the story and, incidentally, create a save to import into the sequels, which have much-improved game mechanics. The [[VideoGame/MassEffect3 third game]] in the series [[StoryDifficultySetting even includes a difficulty setting specifically designed to facilitate players who just want to experience the story]]. Some of the biggest criticisms for ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' revolve around how while the gameplay is some of the best the series has to offer, the ''story'' and especially ''characters'' feel lacking compared to the original trilogy.
185	* ''VideoGame/MaxAnAutisticJourney'' is a look into the mind of an autistic boy first and an RPG second, as significantly more effort is put into showing how autism affects one's daily life than balancing the abilities or providing deep RPG mechanics. Many Steam user reviews praise the story, but note that the gameplay isn't anything special.
186	* The gameplay of ''VideoGame/{{OFF}}'' is average for an RPG Maker game up through Zone 3 where it starts becoming a lot more frustrating, and almost every boss is a DamageSpongeBoss with little challenge. However, this is compensated for by the auto option being pretty useful. The real focus of the game is on the story, and to some extent the puzzles.
187	** The same can be said about several other RPG Maker [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment RPGs]] that focus on story, as well as graphics and atmosphere, such as ''VideoGame/SpaceFuneral'' and ''VideoGame/GhostSuburb''.
188	** ''VideoGame/{{OMORI}}'', in spite of its well received RPG mechanics, is ironically a downplayed version of this precisely because of fans of the more traditional examples of this trope that get into the game that want to go straight to the more story-heavy segments of the game, where gameplay is light.
189	* ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' is noted for its excellent story, characters, and loads of freedom and roleplaying options, but the combat is not the game's strong point. Luckily you can solve most problems with dialogue options rather than fighting (the entire game has a total of three unskippable fights).
190	** Its SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/TormentTidesOfNumenera'' suffers from the same issue: the story, worldbuilding, art and atmosphere were very well praised (although agreed that is not as strong as its predecessor). But the combat is still... questionable, noted for begin dull and boring, and just as ''Planescape Torment'' you can skip most of it with some good dialogue checks. This was actually a disappointment as some fans expected that with more freedom and less time constrains coming from being self-published by a Kickstarter and coming after 15 years of game design evolution would have developed better combat.
191	** Some people joke the ''other'' SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'' actually solved the problem by not having combat at all, focusing purely on the story.
192	* Most reviewers at the time agreed that the main issue with ''VideoGame/SiegeOfAvalon'' was already summed up in its own promotional tagline: "Played any good books lately?" Its main drawing point was the expansive LowFantasy storyline, filled with political intrigue and conspiracies, but as an [[WesternRPG RPG]] it was somewhat underwhelming.
193	* ''VideoGame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth'' is like a few brand-new quality episodes of the show, with some mostly bland gameplay added in. Most of the fun of the battles comes from the hilarity and strangeness of the moves and environmental hazards. The gameplay itself is choosing attacks by-the-numbers without much in the way of strategy, buying new weapons from time-to-time, and equipping them with [[DoubleEntendre strap-ons]] through a clunky menu system. The easiest difficulty allows the player to blow through battles fairly quickly and enjoy the story without needing to configure equipment too often.
194	* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' may have a pretty unique battle system that combines a turn-based RPG with a BulletHell game, but the overworld puzzles are pretty trivial, and even the battles tend to wear thin on subsequent playthroughs. It's the complex plot and characters that keep players coming back for more, along with the one gameplay mechanic the game ''doesn't'' tell you about: [[spoiler:the game's recording quite a bit more than you'd expect, and this data persists across deaths, soft-resets, and file resets, affecting the course of events]]. Fortunately, the game's also pretty short, so getting through the more tedious elements doesn't feel as much like a chore, and you can always sit back and watch a LetsPlay. [[spoiler:Not that the game isn't above actively making fun of you for doing so.]]
195	[[/folder]]
196
197	[[folder:Simulation Games]]
198	* ''[[VideoGame/WingCommanderPrivateer Privateer 2: The Darkening]]'' has an enjoyable dark mystery story in a science fiction setting, outstanding visual design with an all star-cast which includes Creator/CliveOwen, Creator/ChristopherWalken, Creator/JohnHurt and Creator/DavidWarner. The gameplay on the other hand is a clear step down from its predecessor and the rest of the ''VideoGame/WingCommander'' series, with tedious grinding for money and annoying random battles which are virtually impossible to escape from.
199	[[/folder]]
200
201	[[folder:Shoot-em-ups]]
202	* Most ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' fans don't consider the ''Touhou'' [[ShootEmUp shooting games]] ''bad'', but they ''are'' designed by a man who thinks if you beat his games after only 20 hours of trying, it's ''[[NintendoHard too easy]]'', so the difficulty can [[ItsHardSoItSucks turn them off]]. To them, it's more fun to indulge in the characters, the lore, the connections to various East Asian mythologies, and the massive universe of fanworks surrounding those elements. Additionally, some fans who do play the games [[MorePopularSpinoff prefer the fighting game spinoffs]]. This is perhaps why the general scrolling shooter fanbase [[FandomRivalry has a beef with]] that of ''Touhou'', as many shooter fans [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory feel that stories are completely irrelevant to shooters]].
203	[[/folder]]
204
205	[[folder:Survival Horror]]
206	* ''VideoGame/CryOfFear'' has received massive acclaim for it’s story, soundtrack, and top notch horror atmosphere but the gameplay suffers from clunky combat, an extremely restrictive inventory, poorly implemented platforming sections, and frequent TrialAndErrorGameplay.
207	* ''VideoGame/DeadlyPremonition'' is a 2010 survival horror which [[https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/deadly-premonition-review/1900-6258973/ critics]] [[https://www.destructoid.com/review-deadly-premonition-165168.phtml made]] [[http://www.gamecritics.com/daniel-weissenberger/deadly-premonition-is-the-game-of-the-year-part-1 sure]] to point out (even [[http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/23/deadly-premonition-review overtly negative reviews]]) that despite the outdated graphics, bad sound effects and broken gameplay, is worth playing to follow a downright bonkers story with the JustForFun/HolyShitQuotient up on the roof, be it for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp5krDoflLI hilariously clunky dialogue]] or [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHMuwlchhmM just plain weird moments]].
208	* The gameplay of ''VideoGame/RuleOfRose'' is an intricate, [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic beautifully scored]] vehicle for the game's story. As a vehicle for actual ''fun'', however, it fails completely and miserably. The protagonist is a young child and fights like one, combat is no more detailed than 'hack at your enemies and try not to die', many of the more powerful weapons are hidden off the beaten track, and most of the gameplay itself consists of unintuitive {{Fetch Quest}}s which the player will '''[[PermanentlyMissableContent have to]]''' delay finishing if they want to find out [[MindScrew what the hell is going on]]. Even the developers seemed to acknowledge this trope: ''all'' of the game's climactic moments either don't involve direct combat (such as [[spoiler:Jennifer taking down Wendy]], which occurs in a cutscene) or combat at all (The GoldenEnding path, which is achieved by [[spoiler:''not'' responding to Stray Dog's attacks and convincing him to commit suicide]]).
209	* As per the page quote, ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'' is often held up as the pinnacle of the series and one of the greatest examples of the SurvivalHorror genre (some have gone so far to say that its story is one of the best the ''medium'' has to offer). However, most of its acclaim was focused on its story, atmosphere and visual design, with many critics less impressed by its awkward, repetitive combat and nonsensical, unintuitive {{Moon Logic Puzzle}}s. Interestingly, the game featured an option that rendered the normal enemies such a negligible threat that just about any weapon is a OneHitKill and bosses aren't that much tougher, [[StoryDifficultySetting allowing players to experience the game solely for its story and puzzles]].
210	[[/folder]]
211
212	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
213	* ''Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics'' includes a card game known as Takoyaki amongst the 51 playable games. The game isn't well-liked by many players, other than children, due to the outcome being based entirely on {{luck\|BasedMission}}. However, it provides some [[FoodPorn tantalizing trivia]] about ''takoyaki'' (fried octopus balls) every time you complete a round and sound effects of ''takoyaki'' being cooked whenever you successfully flip your cards (to simulate flipping takoyaki dough), which has earned it some fans.
214	* There is a good portion of the ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' fanbase that follows the game's background and universe through novels like ''Literature/CiaphasCain'', video games, [=RPGs=], and lore in the Codices without actually playing the wargame. This isn't surprising, as actually building, assembling, and painting a viable army is [[CrackIsCheaper an expensive and time-consuming hobby]], and the universe is very detailed and intricate, appealing to many who may not have the time, money, or interest to invest in the game.
215	[[/folder]]
216
217	[[folder:Third Person Shooter]]
218	* ''VideoGame/{{Futurama}}: The Game'' is an interesting example, it was well-received by fans of the show, not because of its SoOkayItsAverage gameplay, but because of it writing being funny and true to the show, thanks to being written by David X. Cohen, the show's lead writer. The cutscenes from the game were later edited together into a DVD bonus feature on the ''Futurama'' movie ''[[Recap/FuturamaM2TheBeastWithABillionBacks The Beast With a Billion Backs]]'', entitled "The Lost Adventure", allowing people to skip the gameplay altogether.
219	* ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'' is best-known for a top-notch script [[{{Woolseyism}} especially in the localized versions]] that keeps players entertained the whole way and having one of the most [[LoveToHate lovably hateable]] villains in existence, yet has an unconventional and [[BrokenBase polarizing]] control scheme that [[SomeDexterityRequired demands dexterity]] and gives the middle finger to left-handed players, especially during its Land Battle segments.
220	* ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'' was widely praised for its story, but most critics were less impressed by its bland, mediocre [[TakeCover cover-based shooting]]. The game seems to be aware of this, even [[YouBastard criticizing you if you enjoy playing this kind of thing]]. It also doesn't help that in order to set up the tropes it intends to brutally {{deconstruct\|ion}} later, the game spends its opening levels pretending to be a [[RealIsBrown generic brown shooty game where you shoot brown people in brown places]]. On the other hand, a less intentional example is probably the most poorly-received element of the game: its [[MisbegottenMultiplayerMode multiplayer mode]], which features no narrative elements at all (and wasn't even designed by the development team behind the single-player mode, who hated the ExecutiveMeddling addition).
221	* ''VideoGame/DanganronpaAnotherEpisodeUltraDespairGirls'' has been praised for its character development but criticized for it's janky gameplay.
222	[[/folder]]
223
224	[[folder:Turn Based Strategy]]
225	* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'', despite being a franchise that on average places more in PlayTheGameSkipTheStory, has the capacity to be exceptionally well-written when it wants to be... even if this usually is at the cost of good gameplay. To wit:
226	** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'' was released in 1996, and to this ''day'' it's regarded as one of the, if not ''the'', best ''Fire Emblem'' in terms of narrative power. This is due to how the [[DarkerAndEdgier uncharacteristically]] [[CrapsackWorld dark]] tone of the game, the DeconReconSwitch that ties the first-generation and second-generation together, some excellent GameplayAndStoryIntegration as well as the shocking twist of [[spoiler:Sigurd, the main protagonist, being executed at the end of the first-gen]] make it a very warmly-received narrative as a whole. The cost to this was that the game, from a gameplay-perspective, having not aged well and is seen by some as having too poor gameplay to offset the story, with even fans of the game admitting the gameplay is weak. This is due to a sheer amount of {{Scrappy Mechanic}}s more than anything: doubling being locked behind weapons and skills, absolutely colossal and unintuitive maps that bias the game heavily in favor of mount-users ([[Administrivia/TropesAreTools which can be seen as a point in favor of the game]]), a [[GuideDangIt poorly-explained marriage system that can potentially gimp your second-gen playthrough if you don't know what to do]], as well as no trading feature (which was done for GameplayAndStoryIntegration reasons, but it can be deeply uninuitive trying to get an item to another character if they have the wrong item). Combine that with the game being hideously unbalanced, heavily dependent on the Arena for optimization and plenty of GameBreaker characters that wholly invalidate any use to use any others, and you have a game that is very lucky to have such a well-written story, for it alone is what brings people to play the game even in the present.
227	** It's less apparent than some other entries, but ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' often elicits this reaction. The gameplay is considered solid but unremarkable, but veteran players are critical of the game [[ItsEasySoItSucks for being too easy]], while newcomers might not like the lack of quality of life improvements from older games, such as the ability to see all enemies' ranges at once or the option to turn off permadeath. However, the story, while cliched, has an interesting setting and solid characters, especially the main villain, so fans tend have more appreciation for the story than the gameplay.
228	** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' is regarded as having one of the best plots in the franchise, particularly the depth of its worldbuilding and how well it sets up plot threads that pay off in [[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn the sequel]]. However, the gameplay is generally regarded less favorably, due to being relatively slow-paced with a high emphasis on the Enemy Phase, and various other {{Scrappy mechanic}}s.
229	** While ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' is mostly a case of PlayTheGameSkipTheStory, the ''Birthright'' route qualifies for this trope to a certain extent. It has fairly simple and easy maps compared to the other two routes, and is the least challenging route overall, but it's generally considered to have the best story of the three, since some of the more controversial aspects don't come into play in ''Birthright''.
230	** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia]]'' has received praise for its story, voice acting and characters. On the other hand, some are critical of its gameplay, particularly for the bland map design, outdated gameplay mechanics, and for retaining the more [[TalkToEveryone unusual]] [[DungeonCrawling elements]][[note]] As in, unusual for a Fire Emblem game. They're quite common in other [=RPGs.=][[/note]] of the [[VideoGameRemake original.]]
231	** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'': Even though the story is regarded by the fandom for being some of ''the'' best storytelling and world-building in the series, there has been some criticism of the gameplay. The root of the criticisms come from the Monastery grinding gameplay advancement to a halt without participating in it, the [[CutAndPasteEnvironments homogenous map design]] and the samey-feeling nature of the class progression system and its balance. It's very easy to simply class every Physical character as a Wyvern Lord and steam-roll the game, which combined with the other mechanics makes it feel for several the story is the best thing about it by a long shot.
232	** While the main story of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEngage'' falls under PlayTheGameSkipTheStory due to its relatively simple plot, the exact opposite is in effect when it comes to the Fell Xenologue. Many people have praised the Fell Xenologue's fascinating story within the Alternate Elyos, but bash its immensely hard difficulty, especially on Maddening mode.
233	* While the ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' games have serviceable turn-based strategy battles, they tend to be fairly easy and, much like ''Super Robot Wars'' above, serve as another medium through which to convey the games' stories.
234	* It's generally agreed by the ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' fanbase that the series is mostly about crossover plots and highly-choreographed attack animations. The strategy gameplay is merely a vehicle to tell said stories and heavily uses balance by imbalance so that players can, for the most part, run their favorites instead of worrying about which units are viable.
235	** ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsMX'' received praise for representing a significant ArtEvolution, [[DemotedtoExtra demoting]] the entirety of the {{Spotlight Stealing\|Crossover}} Universal Century ''Gundam'' series to supporting characters to make way for ''Anime/MetalArmorDragonar'', having a strong showing of several 1970s mecha series, and featuring ''Anime/RahXephon'' alongside ''both'' of its spiritual predecessors in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' and ''Anime/{{Raideen}}''. It also has a trivial level of difficulty even by ''Super Robot Wars'' standards. The Platform/PlayStationPortable port tries to increase the difficulty by inflating everything's health, which just serves to make the endgame a boring war of attrition.
236	** ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsW'' is known for an awesome cast list where nearly every series plays a notable role (the [[Manga/GetterRobo only exception]] having enough seniority within the series to get a pass), and offers a twist on ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'' by having the characters from the side story ''Manga/MobileSuitGundamSEEDAstray'' become way more prominent than they are in their own canon. From a gameplay front, not only is more than half of the cast outrageously broken by series standards, but the game is glitchy in a way that works even more in the player's favor.
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239	%%[[folder:Wide-Open Sandbox]]
240	%%* Downplayed with the ''VideoGame/LikeADragon'' series. While the gameplay is by no means bad, the beat-em-up combat has a bit of an awkward learning curve to them, and unrefined in the earlier entries. The third game is generally considered one of the weakest entries for its stiff combat, the first two games would've had it worse if they weren't remade. The series' well-written drama story line and the loads of wacky substories and mini-games does a better job at drawing more people into the series, but the gameplay pulls its own weight with its dramatic, and sometimes equally comedic, action. - This entry is clumsily written, so I'm commenting it out until it's been revised.
241	%%[[/folder]]

Context Main / EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame