My favorite would probably have to be slowly gaining abilities that open the game world to you. I get such an adventurous feeling when I am exploring a game world and I see something I cant yet reach. It's a promise that there is more to this world, that soon you will have the ability to do more and see more. It's no shock that Zelda, my favorite series, does this better than any other game.
I agree with GG on the Bomber's notebook, it was my favorite aspect of MM and part of why I love that game the most in the series.
Over the sholder aiming, for some reason FPSs don't really do it for me. I think I feel way too restricted when I play a FPS. Having a third person view point with superb over the sholder aiming (not dual analog Max Payne crap) has made me a huge 3rd person shooter fan. I thank RE4 for being the one game to really push this, it's made so many games better, games like MGS that struggled with gunplay.
I am a big fan of open worlds, not so much the GTA style run around getting missions kind, I mean more the Zelda/Metroid/Okami/Fable kind.
I LOVE hidden secrets or easter eggs. I cant stand when games forget that they are games and try to make everything make sense in the game world. Screw that, sometimes you need to find a hidden heart piece to make your lifebar bigger. MGS is one of the best series when it comes to this, it never forgets its a video game and it hides secrets all over the place.
Dvader said:My favorite would probably have to be slowly gaining abilities that open the game world to you. I get such an adventurous feeling when I am exploring a game world and I see something I cant yet reach. It's a promise that there is more to this world, that soon you will have the ability to do more and see more. It's no shock that METROID does this better than any other game.
-Fixed!
-Duh! How could I have forgotten that one?!
-I also like Elements of Random Luck (Yu-Gi-Oh!) and...
-Combination Spells (plus) Moral Choices (equals Ogre Battle!)
phantom_leo said:Dvader said:My favorite would probably have to be slowly gaining abilities that open the game world to you. I get such an adventurous feeling when I am exploring a game world and I see something I cant yet reach. It's a promise that there is more to this world, that soon you will have the ability to do more and see more. It's no shock that METROID does this better than any other game.
-Fixed!
I was just about to do the same thing 
But you are right Leo, in Metroid you never know when you are getting an upgrade, while in Zelda you always know you are getting it in a dungeon. Metroid mixes it better up than Zelda!
Iga_Bobovic said:phantom_leo said:Dvader said:My favorite would probably have to be slowly gaining abilities that open the game world to you. I get such an adventurous feeling when I am exploring a game world and I see something I cant yet reach. It's a promise that there is more to this world, that soon you will have the ability to do more and see more. It's no shock that METROID does this better than any other game.
-Fixed!
I was just about to do the same thing
But you are right Leo, in Metroid you never know when you are getting an upgrade, while in Zelda you always know you are getting it in a dungeon. Metroid mixes it better up than Zelda!
Yeah Metroid does it better than any other as well. I will still take Zelda style over Metroid style though.
Immersion, atmosphere, storytelling, characters, and lastly but not least achievement.
All the things that Iga loves. 
aspro73 said:+ In the older SimCity games where you reach the top of the development arc and everything is going great... knowing full well you can't keep up this level of support with a growing population forever.
+High wanted levels in GTA. Where you have intentionally caused mayhem, but somehow have found a rooftop where they can't get to you and all you can do is rocket launch helicopters until you run out of ammo.
I guess those last two are the same thing.
The next Sim City game needs an easter egg or disaster of a GTA character running around creating havoc. That would make me laugh.
Foolz said:Immersion, atmosphere, storytelling, characters, and lastly but not least achievement.
All the things that Iga loves.
That's not a hook, be more specific artsy fartsy
Iga_Bobovic said:Foolz said:Immersion, atmosphere, storytelling, characters, and lastly but not least achievement.
All the things that Iga loves.
That's not a hook, be more specific artsy fartsy
Except for achievement! Unless the achievement is emotional satisfaction.
Photography! Nice point Monkey. I love that these days. Pokemon snap, something you think would be crap was actually really fun.
Launching a rocket into a horde of Zombiemen in Doom.
Listen to Iced Earth and play Doom
gamingeek said:Photography! Nice point Monkey. I love that these days. Pokemon snap, something you think would be crap was actually really fun.
Play-asia has Hakuna Matata available for $30 USD. It's a camera game (known generally as "Africa").
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-bp-49-en-15-hakuna-70-3d7h.html
I know about Afrika, PS3-less here.
Natsume just picked up the licence from Sony.
Just bought it.
My favorite hooks are:
+ Playing competitive sports games where you pull off a victory in the last seconds (Soccer, Baseball, NFL Blitz). Same can be said of racing games.
+ Snipe mechanics.
+ Melee moves in FPS games. Urban Chaos did this with a riot shield (something I had not seen before).
+ In the older SimCity games where you reach the top of the development arc and everything is going great... knowing full well you can't keep up this level of support with a growing population forever.
+High wanted levels in GTA. Where you have intentionally caused mayhem, but somehow have found a rooftop where they can't get to you and all you can do is rocket launch helicopters until you run out of ammo.
I guess those last two are the same thing.