All the people who debate these types of topics tend to put topics like the soundtrack, graphics, history and other aspects above when talking about what is the most important thing about video games. And it is that, this is not a new topic, in fact it is something that lies since video games took more importance at the time of the NES and its later generation, especially because there was an evolution in all aspects designed for something focused on entertainment.
The gameplay is undoubtedly the most important thing in a video game, each video game is made with a purpose, but it should always be done with the user in mind, and this is the key to this, that is why there are so many games that are very memorable. today, for its mechanics and how innovative it was for its time.
However, do not misinterpret things, all aspects in a video game are important, none should be neglected, only that there are works that have shown that it does not take technical muscle to impress the player or a very memorable soundtrack to captivate, there are examples. In fact, the main problem when making a game that focuses all its attention on its appearance is that interest is easily lost, games like The Order 1886 were forgotten for being a game that only looked good and showed the power of a PS4, it did not stand out in anything else nor was it innovative, there are games that without being something particularly new have known how to create a really good experience, such as Horizon Zero Dawn for example.
The soundtrack is a very important component as well, many of the players give importance to the soundtrack in a video game, and it is something that not only happens in this industry, it also happens in others such as cinema. It is an aspect that has transcended in video games, and has given us jewels worth hearing without even playing, even world-famous games such as Super Mario or Donkey Kong Country had that fame in part because of their soundtrack, with hundreds of official interpretations and also made by fans.
The gameplay is practically the hallmark of a video game, it is what differentiates it from other types of entertainment, if a video game only depended on its story, its graphics or its soundtrack it would not be the same, it cannot be focused on a single thing, yes, you have to have a balance. In this industry there is a lot of diversity of works, some that give more importance to certain aspects, and with their respective audience of course, but the majority that really is successful is precisely because of their playability, their mechanics and how the player adapts to them.
Despite this, a video game must always be eye-catching, no matter how much anyone denies it, a video game must also be both a visual and aural pleasure, after all, it is the first impression we have when we see it, whether in To a lesser or greater extent, it is still very relevant even for large franchises that do not depend so much on these aspects.
In short, I think that the gameplay and mechanics of a video game are the most important, if the story is given more importance, that's fine, there are works that do not overly neglect their mechanics to focus on that, such as The Walking Dead or Life Is Strange, using a decision system that affects the story depending on which one you choose, and this gives players a certain degree of curiosity, to know that something different could have happened if they had taken another path. With the soundtrack it is different, it is something that complements the game and the experience of each one, it is not something that influences the gameplay so much, and it is also important because many of the famous franchises are largely famous for their music. A video game cannot depend on just one thing, so there must be a balance, depending on what is given more importance or what type of audience you want to focus on.
