What do you look at first when considering a game to play?

Gameplay than the others! :)

Of course I always look at the audio first! If the music's not good, then the game isn't worth playing. I mean, the music gotta be somewhat progressive and not repeat itself every minute untill you start to hate the the game. That's why I love Tetris. Because of the A-Theme.

Breakdown for me goes as Story>Gameplay>Audio>Visual.

If a game has a lame story, it will be boring. However it needs at least a decent gameplay so it does not bore the players or annoy them. Audio is probably way more impacting the human senses than visuals, that's a proven fact - and I am sure that a good audio reflects more quality than just good visuals. Imagine for instance, Crysis with clunky sounds. Nope, it would not work. Visuals... if they are good they help, but if all the rest is good, they can be lower and still pass. :)

Pure Audio option with 0 voters :D

depends on genre
but from games i play visuals does not play much of a part
so gameplay first

I think that this is a bit unfair question and all 90% answers to gameplay are not exactly right. What i want to say is that in any case visuals are ombined when judging game. I am sure that if Half life had its good gameplay and it would just be plain 2d textures, not even 80% of current players would consider playing it. So that means that player would even not play game even if he see that gameplay is good, becouse graphic is repulsive. I belive that players in general just expect graphic to be somewhat good. But this does not mean that it should be or it is a must.
In any case i think that visuals are combined with gameplay when judging for sure and not just some side track when deciding.

Gameplay mostly for me but depending on the game, i can sometimes look for something else. It's really a case by case choice.

always gameplay first

Gameplay.
People who pick visuals surely haven't been around for the Golden Age of gaming which was the 90's to early 2000

I answered gameplay, but maybe that's just what I want to think I think. I reckon a lot of people, like me, like to think that they're not wooed by visuals. But most of us will dismiss ugly games before even playing them.

On a *cough* completely *cough* unrelated note: please play my ugly-as-sin alpha demo XD You'll never find out how bad the gameplay, audio and storyline are otherwise, and that would be a shame.

I think that high audio quality delivers more to the game than high visual quality, but gameplay rules over both.

Gameplay > Audio > Storyline > Visual

For example, check out newgrounds.com/portal/view/555812. Even though it's an animation, it's a great example of audio and storyline carrying the entire thing.

eeh, how can you tell if gameplay is good when you choose the game? You can't judge the gameplay from videos. You gotta feel it. Not all the games have the same gameplay as you perceive it by watching gameplay video.
I choose games by their general appearance. If I like what I see and hear, I get it.

Visuals -> Gameplay -> Story

How can I look at anything else than graphics before I start playing a game. But the genre or an intriguing premise do matter of course.

Gameplay then graphics.

how do you look at the audio o_O

I picked visuals. That's what got me interested in both Dwarf Fortress and Minecraft initially. They looked neat. "Visuals" shouldn't just mean graphical realism.

I agree with Gerty.......:D

Gameplay first, then audio second.

More specifically, music. Because I love music.

first gameplay then the storyline :D

Gameplay > Visuals > Storyline > Audio

If the gameplay is boring or repetitive it won't matter how great everything else is. I'm not going to lie, visuals are important.

The visuals don't have to be photorealistic, or groundbreaking, but they do need a sort of charm to them at least. Things like Lottie's Dungeon, Sarah's Run, the Scott Pilgrim video game, and Minecraft are all examples of games that don't have the "latest" or the "best" graphics, and yet all look GOOD. Even VVVVV was simplistic yet good looking. Dwarf Fortress is just ugly, and I can't bring myself to play it no matter how many people recommend it.

Next is storyline, but I already expect cheesy, juvenile stories from games. If I want a great story I'll read a book.

Audio I don't care about. Bad music I turn off, and I've yet seen a game with sound effects so bad that it kept me from playing the game.

visuals for sure. Note the question asks what's the first thing you look for not what's the most important thing you look for. Visuals are the first thing you see so their the first thing you'd go by. The biggest factor in a good game is gameplay for me but ****** graphics means i usually won't give the game a look.

Storyline, please.

Must be the visuals, that's the only thing you can get the true feeling out of. You could watch videos of actual gameplay before playing the game, but you can't control the character or w/e yourself, so you don't get the touch of it. Of course if there's a demo which you can download, then the gameplay would be important too.

I'd rather have an ugly toy than a Mona Lisa; at least I can play with the toy. But then again, I could sell the Mona Lisa and buy myself a nice computer.

The Visuals...it wouldnt let me vote so i had to type it

Everyone is lieing.

Everyone look at visuals first, you cannot check gameplay without seeing the visuals first, unless you hear a description from someone else.

My game for example lots of people said they hated it, without playing.
But all those that played loved it.

Later I talked with lots of people about that, and figured that if you ask, everyone will say they prize gameplay, because it is a game, and whatnot, but actually most people judge by the visuals first, they only feel the gameplay while playing.

So, if the game is pretty, it will attract people.

If the game is a good game, it will retain people.

gameplay! not import the graphics, high graphics not work in my pc, and sound, not need high sound, need first good speakers! and story, likent play campaigns (specialy estrategi games)

Gameplay is by far the most important thing because that's what your essentially doing. Playing the game. I was actually selected to be in a focus group a few years back for Timeshift. They showed us multiple trailers for the game and asked which would make you want to purchase it more. I stated that showing ACTUAL gameplay footage is by far the most important thing, and showing bs cut scenes which show NOTHING about how the game plays mean nothing to me.

I was the ONLY one in the group who thought/said that. They all said that cut scenes and awesome graphics is what makes them buy it, so they would rather see a movie style clip, (with no gameplay), then actual gameplay. To think someone would run out and spend 50 dollars after seeing cut scenes spliced to look cool.... I was quite shocked.

Also, Gameplay = Controls. Which is also why I am constantly shocked that so so many people play with a controller which offers a horrible clunky feel in comparison.. If gameplay = control... then you ruin the gameplay by playing with a controller...

Anyways.

Quoting:
*I answered gameplay, but maybe that's just what I want to think I think. I reckon a lot of people, like me, like to think that they're not wooed by visuals. But most of us will dismiss ugly games before even playing them.*

This is exactly what am i trying to say. Players think about gameplay when judging game, but the fact is that 50% of players "throws game away" just becouse there is bad graphic, and not considering playing it. Probably there is small percentage of those players on Indiedb community, becouse this players are usually developers themselves and they know what to look up for. While other AAA gamers usually close game trailer after 1 milisecond if there is any sign of bad graphic.

Well, I voted gameplay as well. I think it still is the main ingredient. Though I do judge a game by it's total package.

Mostly I do take a look on who made that game. If it's an indie I don't judge graphics and art that critically than when a multimillion dollar company developed it.

I don't look for games that uses the most system resources available for graphics, but I want to see art. See the 'love' of the developers!

Gameplay wise... I'm a bit simple though... don't make it too hard for me and give me some freedom of choice and movement.

The best way to look at this question in my opinion is not to take any preconceptions I have about games when answering this question. When I first turn on a game or watch a game trailer or look at a screenshot, I am watching first and foremost the visuals. A visual style can make or break whether a person chooses to play a game or not... not to say that Gameplay isn't important, but that it comes secondary by the impression that the game makes on the player.

We're an entirely visual culture. So visuals will have the most impact. Gameplay can draw in fans and keep people playing your game or, in the case of a game demo, want to play more.

This is why I chose visual because that's what I blindly answered.

Agree with latest!

If anyone says anything other than visuals, there are just lying to themselves. Visuals get you interested, gameplay keeps you interested.

Completely depends on genre, rpg will need to have a good storyline but since most indie are unique titles the gameplay gets my vote.

first gameplay then visuals and storyline

Gameplay and storyline...usually.
Mostly gameplay first, for me.

Graphics and audio certainly make a strong first impression, but the gameplay is what keeps me playing.

This is kinda late, but I voted visuals. A game has to have an interesting art direction before I will be tempted to play a it. It doesn't have to be the best in the biz, but it has to look uniform and correct.

gameplay because usual when i play any game i will listen to my own music

Story. That's become key now to me. Last time I got a game for gameplay reasons (Bayonetta) I got surprised by a sacrelig + idiocy storyline + overtly-stupid sex jokes that made me get rid of my copy of the game.

They ruined a perfect combo-system and game engine...