What makes video games so great? (In your opinion)

[Sub Zero]

In my opinion, video games are great because of one thing..it can provide great, unforgettable memories. I've never seen something that can be so memorable as video games, probably because I'm a no-life nerd.

[Spikkle]

Games are an artistic medium that lend themselves to a unique kind of audience collaboration with the author.

To use a rather played-out comparison: a reader collaborates with the author of a book to 'create' the final work they consume, by the simple act of picturing the scenes that the text evokes in their head. They change the 'set dressing' of the story and hence the impression that it gives, making their 'reading' slightly different from that of another reader. This is a big part of what makes something like a book club enjoyable, as comparing these different readings can let you see the text in a way you might never have considered by yourself, even though you both read the same story.

Games take this concept to a whole other level; instead of the set dressing of the text, you're invited as a player to change details about the plot, characters, details of conflicts and their eventual outcomes, and all sorts of other elements. The extent to which you can change these things, and what exactly you can change, varies wildly by genre and game, but one thing is for sure, it breeds that sort of book-club style discussion on a huge scale, where you can not only discuss your interpretation of the story, but also the ways that your story differed from your friend's.

So yeah, to sum up a very long-winded post. I think games are great because of the stories they tell, the ways they let players express themselves through play, the discussion that springs up around those stories, and the friendships that those discussions can foster.

[carefreejules]

If a game makes me cry, that is a translation of "omg that was so good I'm gonna remember this forever".

[Zihark11]

An escape from reality. Life is boring lots of the times. video games help be more imaginative (even though those types of games get more rare every year but...) and lets you see lots of different things from many perspectives. Being in someone elses shoes etc. The list of reasons could keep going.  

[Shrimpica]

Above Everything else, Great Gameplay & Bossfights. Everything else is a bonus

[Fabulously Olivier]

Video games are the culmination of all other art forms, and they combine all of them with interactivity. They have the most potential of any artform as such.

 

Every gamer is going to prioritize different things. I don't seek challenge and often actively avoid it. I seek quality storytelling, characters, and replayable RPG choice mechanics.

[DragonFlames]

It's a good distraction from many mental issues and anxieties I have. My first ever game was Pokémon Blue, which came out around a very, very difficult time for me, and it provided an escape, no, a lifeline. I'm not even exaggerating right now. If Pokémon wasn't around then, I most likely wouldn't be here now. It's not as serious now, but playing video games has stuck with me all these years for that reason.
For a more positive note, I love playing what basically amounts to an interactive book or a movie (I play mostly JRPGs, so...). I love immersing myself in a world and really feel like I'm there with the characters. Though I do enjoy playing the odd racing game, since I am a bit of a motorsports fan through my father. We always watch big racing events together.

Gaming also let me to my best friend, with whom I would sit down and play games - even single-player ones on occasion (we did a full playthrough of both Tellius games together last year. We didn't record it, though).

[EricaofRenais]

While I play I am no longer a type one diabetic who hates reality and I can pretend to be able to beat up all that is evil.  In my real life the people/things I consider to be bad/evil tend to win so games are one of the things I use to keep going on my bad days.

[Rapaille]

The fact that you can directly interact with the game which is something you can't do with movies and books (I think that movies and books are better at all other things that I like, but maybe that's because I haven't played that many games tbh).

 

[Hanes]

I like video games because it's a good way to have fun, there aren't many if any singleplayer games in real life and I ain't interested much in being physically strong and active so videogames are a good way for me to channel my attention and fun to something. I really do hate it when normies go about criticizing video games bad bicoz yu not exercise like come on man. If I walk enough and dont shove my mouth full of biscuits (Yummy) I should be fine by today's standards.