Games Don’t Have to Be Fun to Be Good

Death Stranding isn't fun for some people, but they still like it. Here's why that totally makes sense.

[iplay1up2]

They don't have to be fun, but if they aren't they better be rewarding!

[Gazondaily]

Games dont have to be fun to be good....right...

[SolidGamerX]

Apparently you don't even need to own the console to play it on right now to know one way or the other.

[sushimama]

ALL forms of media and entertainment don't have to be fun to be good.
Movies, Books, Games, Stories, Music.
The Walking Dead tell tale series, especially the final season was not FUN at all, but it was awesome. Scary games are not fun for lots of people, but they love them anyway.
Death Stranding is going to win A LOT of people's 'Game Of The Year' awards. Mine is Sekiro, but Days Gone is really awesome.

[The Wood]

Sea of thieves is fun according to some here on n4g right. . . . . .

What's the better game? Why isn't experience more important.

[himdeel]

There's truth in there. The Last of Us had no fun or joy in it, and it was one of the best games I've ever played. The last Tomb Raider was fun to me but wasn't that good. I went on the beat TLoU on grounded. I finished Tomb Raider and immediately uninstalled it. Fun and good are all relative to an individual mostly.

[rainslacker]

I recall SoT being criticized for not being fun, but some people loved to say how it was fun to play with friends. So, the game wasn't fun, but playing with your friends is fun, which is usually true regardless of if there is a game involved.

[naruga]

the game is super and the more you playing it the more you love it.....my only minor complaint is the actors , Kojima had far better artists to design faces than just relying on holywood and also would have saved him a ton of money to include smthing else (bigger more detailed world for example being able to see or use the content of the package , gameplay elements etcetc

[rainslacker]

They have to be entertaining. Not all things that are entertaining are what I would call fun.

[PhoenixUp]

Games don’t have to be good to be fun?

[nowitzki2004]

Lol nice one, go write an article now

[affrogamer]

Here we go again...

PS: I love Death Stranding. It's my GOTY so far!

[RangerWalk267]

To each their own. Luckily I borrowed death stranding from my brother before I made a purchase. Good thing I did, because I didn't purchase it

[Knushwood Butt]

Good thing you warned us.

Like!!

[Cernunnos]

My GOTY too. Loved it. The last 3-4 hours are pure magic. And the gameplay got really afdictive.

[mark_parch]

seems to be very divisive not sure if i will enjoy it but will definitely pick up at some point

[ApocalypseShadow]

Basically, fun is subjective.

Games have to be fun to those that enjoy them to make them good. GT or Demon Souls or any game requiring skill and perseverance might be considered boring. Others will find them extremely fun because of the challenge. Some might find puzzles boring or RTS boring or music games boring, etc. Even games you do like might have boring elements. Or games you don't like may have fun elements.

Comes down to what each individual likes. What else is new? Numbers and reviews aren't commandments that need to be followed. But you have to play them yourself to find out. Instead of making an article, go play it to know one way or the other. Not second hand conjecture.

[TFJWM]

"Games have to be fun to those that enjoy them to make them good."

I disagree they have to be entertaining not always fun to be good. Like movies you can enjoy a game that is not "fun" but keeps you entertained. I'd use Joker as an example at no point was I having fun watching that movie and almost left as I saw my wife was getting upset. Afterwards we both agreed it was a good movie but at no point was it fun.

[NiteX]

It was good, yet you almost walked out on it?

[TFJWM]

@NiteX "and almost left as I saw my wife was getting upset."...

"It was good, yet you almost walked out on it?"

Umm yes if my wife was going to walk out I was going to go with her...

[Mr_Writer85]

@TFJWM

Not all films are meant to be fun. They're passive entertainment, like reading a book or listening to music.

Games are interactive entertainment. So being fun and enjoyable is vital to the experience.

People wouldn't go and see The Joker for fun. They would go to be entertained.

[TFJWM]

@Mr_Witer85 I enjoyed My name is Mayo but how can just tapping a button be fun? I have enjoyed walking Sims but how can just walking in the right direction be fun? Fun and enjoyment are two different things. If the reward of the story is doing something that is not fun inbtw it can still be enjoyed and a good game.

[TFJWM]

@Tiqila Maybe your definition of fun is different than mine. I watched Mindhunter about the FBI catching serial killers and the show did have some "fun" moments. Reading the books it was based on is a different story. It is interesting to know how they picked a part the minds of killers but after finishing the first one it was a good book but it was not fun...Things can be good without being fun....

[Traecy]

Well said.

[KeenBean345]

Who plays a game that's not fun for them? Fun is subjective but I can't imagine playing a game if there was no enjoyment in it for me

[Tross]

I think what the author is trying to say is that maybe "fun" isn't quite the right adjective for certain types of games like Death Stranding, but the headline is a bit clumsily phrased. Terms like relaxing, deep, depressing, heart-warming, rewarding, etc. could apply to a game too and may be better terms for a particular type of experience, though I agree that there should be some kind of enjoyment in it regardless of what the correct term is.

[Eonjay]

Death Stranding is fun though. And addictive. This whole thing is utter nonsense at this point.

[TFJWM]

If you have fun you have enjoyment but you can enjoy something that isn't fun. It also is seeming to come down to semantics.

[mike32UK]

Many, many people. There are alot of things to get out of a video game other than just fun, same as movies.

That dragon, Cancer is one of the most moving pieces of art I have ever experienced but I certainly wouldn't label it as "fun".

[rainslacker]

People find enjoyment in different things. Sometimes, being challenged is enjoyment for some. I don't find Souls games fun in general, because I find them frustrating. Not that I think they're bad games, just I don't enjoy them. If I enjoyed them, due to the challenge, then I could still find it entertaining.

[KeenBean345]

I feel that regarding souls games. Playing through code vein was really tough but I enjoyed the game due to having to think about boss patterns and stuff like that, and with Souls, Sekiro and bloodborne it was a lot the same. Definitely not everyone's cup of tea though

[SinisterKieran]

no, they have to be fun but whats fun is subjective. i find death stranding very fun.

[Kabaneri]

Death Stranding is very relaxing for me, great game to play while getting baked and listening to music/podcasts.

[Suzyp]

but.. the game is fun.

[SolidGamerX]

Just go with it, its easier for them if you just accept the narrative they're trying to spread.

[The Wood]

'Just go with it, its easier for them if you just accept the narrative they're trying to spread.'

So true. Let's forget all the positive reviews and laser focus on the ones that are in line with their narrative as you said. How many of them have played the game?

[TheGoodestBoi]

I disagree, fortunately I find Death Stranding fun

[Prubar]

Don’t really plan on playing Death Stranding but I’ve thought of this before. When I was putting in my 500th hour into Skyrim I couldn’t tell if I was actually having fun. I certainly enjoyed the shit out of it but wasn’t sure if I was having “fun”.

[Ristul]

I feel the same about skyrim, and even fallout. Fun is an overrated word. They are rewarding though.

[nowitzki2004]

Same with Witcher 3 for me as well, might be my favorite game of all time. I wouldnt exactly call it fun, it was one hell of an adventure though thats for sure.

[contra157]

Doesn’t make any sense

[ifrit_caress]

Games have to be a few things, viz fun, entertaining, challenging and/or rewarding. For me, a game must be any 2 of the four for me to enjoy it.

[AnubisG]

Well, I would say that they do have to be fun. However, fun is different for everyone. What one person finds fun, another might find borring. Death Stranding is a good example.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

More articles to justify Death Stranding? Hey we get it, games don't have to be fun. I remember years ago games would be rated on a category of "Fun factor"....which is interesting because only Perfect or Near-Perfect games had scores of 9-10 in Graphics, Sound, Gameplay, in addition to Fun Factor category. How can you have Perfect scores and have terrible Fun Factor?

[timotim]

If any game is good to you, then it should be at least fun to you. We are playing them after all...that's where the fun comes in. If its not fun, then its not good. However, just because you find a game fun or good, doesn't mean others will.

[jznrpg]

Wel what’s fun to one person may not be fun to others. But I do think games need to be fun in some way.

[THE-JAGON]

STOP SAYING Death Stranding isn't fun THATS BS !!! I believed that bs before i played it after i preordered it but when i started playing it i was like WTF! this is addictively fun to play and after 50 hours its still fun i still want to play it and finish it !

[343_Guilty_Spark]

It's a Movie with Chores.

[neutralgamer1992]

What than why do we play games? Fun is the one thing missing many times. Last time I played a great game without fun RDR2. It's realism made sure it was anything but fun and don't even get me started on the long animations for many actions

Fun should be the major factor in reviews. Some of the most average games are the most fun

[DaDrunkenJester]

I strongly disagree. Using Roguelikes as an example? Um, the difference here is roguelike usually has fun and addictive gameplay. If it doesn't then those roguelikes suck.

You need fun and engaging gameplay no matter what if you're going to force the player to play it first 40-50 hours. David Cage games use gameplay differently as you're constantly engaged in the narrative and making decisions. Death Stranding is 40 hours of boring with 10 hours of actual intriguing things.

[Traecy]

Games have to be fun but not all the time fun in a traditional sense,one way of fun could be overcoming obstacles which feels rewarding & that's fun. Having fun playing videogames or just in life can be described or had in many different ways may one agree or disagree.

[Gatsu]

I think the gameplay in DS is fun and super addicting. You get so many stuff to use on Episode 3.

[TheKingKratos]

Ok that's BS.

[Hedstrom]

This is kinda how i feel about RDR2. Its not fun, but its a good game!

[spambot0815]

if you are a trophy hunter, yes but if you prefere to play a game than work it, no.

[bluefox755]

Yeah they do, fortunately DS is both. "Death Stranding isn't fun for some people..." What game is fun for all people? I don't like run and gun games, but I don't write articles pretending like this is some profound point. Can we stop the rage bait? It's so predictable at this point.

[Stanjara]

If it isn't fun why bother? - Reggie

[SegaGamer]

I'll remember this the next time any game gets criticism for being boring.

[BlackDoomAx]

Can't wait to try this boring game ! said no one ever.

[Realms]

This extra scrutiny only happens with exclusives, funny how all of Sony games are expected to go above and beyond the industry standard while others go decades without taking any kind of risks and yet are praised for their solid game play without any other factors being taken into consideration. Yes games should be fun, but the definition of fun is so nuance in video games that the criteria often changes to fit certain agendas specially when it comes to reviewing.

[ShockUltraslash]

Okay. Then they don't need voice acting to be good.
They don't need dialogue to be good.
They don't need plot.
They don't need level design.
Combat.
Nothing.
A game don't even have to be published to be good.
Okay?

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

So now games don’t need to be fun? Then what’s the point of playing it if it’s not fun? This is getting ridiculous. So because some people find DS boring or a walking simulator we now have to make excuses for it by redefining the word fun? Lol only a Sony exclusive could get away with that.

[PaleMoonDeath]

Silent Hill wasn't fun, Resident Evil isn't fun, some might even say MGS isn't fun. But I get engrossed in the worlds non the less. I play horror to get scared, I play tactical games to be tactical. Tale as old as time, if you need to explain that to people then maybe they aren't worth writing or preaching towards.

Death Stranding is incredible, if it's your cup of tea, like every other kind of strange game out there. Nothing new here.

[Hardiman]

I guess it depends on what you enjoy and what you find fun. I like Modern Warfare, I'm enjoying DS, I love Concrete Genie, love Days Gone, Witcher 3, Borderlands 3, The Last Guardian, Shadow of the Colossus, GOW, HZD, Uncharted series, TLOU, Fire Watch, What Remains of Edith Finch, Gone Home, RE2, Soma, Amnesia, Slender the Arrival, Outlast, Friday the 13th, Tetris Effect, The Forest and so on and so forth.

It's the same with film and tv. Loved Endgame but I also enjoyed Greta. Like TWD but I also like True Detective. I just think it's good to have options because I like a full spectrum of media.

[LordJamar]

No they don’t but they better have some other aspect to make is enjoyable and engaging otherwise the game just a dry boring fru fru artsy fartsy mess

[2ndhandcorn]

Just like the dentist .

[Sevir]

The very notion that DS isn't fun is hilarious... The problem is people wanted this to be something else, instead of what it is. This game is more so about the journey and the experience then the action of punching and kicking, shooting and killing. Those things are all there, and they are tense experiences but they aren't the focus. And I LOVE THAT. Death Stranding by far is my favorite Game from Kojima because it is a design and story departure from everything he's made, and everything I've played all year.

I'm happy this isn't a war game, tho, there are segments where this is a focus, I'm happy this isn't Uncharted, though there are moments when big action set pieces are there.

There's just a level of creativity and a really fantastic while bonkers story that makes this so hard to put down. I'm glad this is so polarizing. I'm glad IGN gave it a 60+ score I'm glad there are so many divergent opinions, I'm glad people question the sanity of the creator, this game is a conversation starter and those who've played it and completed it can indulge thoughtfully on the experience they had.

For me, This is Kojima's best work. Especially since I couldn't bring myself to finish MGS3 or 4 and Total skipped 5. And we can all agree those games have more "moment to moment excitement" happening via their design for the genre they are. But DS is just next level. The characters, the Story, Presentation, hell the gameplay which is 90% walking and delivering/ speeding on a trike or commandeered Mule Truck, across terrain, while 10% is tensely avoiding or fighting BT and MULES, there really is something satisfying arriving to your destination and delivering the goods. I almost feel like one of the MULES obsessed with all the side delivery quests helping connect humanity back on the grid.

I'm not even 70% through the game either. But man. It's really just next level.

This game made me really excited for what Kojima will do next in this franchise. Because this has to be a PS5 franchise.

[GrmpyolGamer]

If u r not gaming for fun then whats the point?

[Harryvok]

Can't say i've ever continued playing a game i didn't find fun. As soon as it becomes a chore, i'm done with it.

Could anyone who has played Death Stranding tell me how it compares to MGS V Phantom Pain in terms of pacing and overall 'slowness'? I loved MGS 1,2 and 4 (didn't play 3), but i absolutely hated MGS V, i thought it was incredibly boring and stopped playing after like 8 hours.

[jbrock11]

The game is fun though. I mean yes, the first few hours are unforgiving but they are key to setting up the world and appreciating how the game opens up after chapter 3-4. It's basically a more sophisticated version of Metal Gear.

[bjjcna]

The fact that so many people feel the need to defend, and or heavily praise this game is all I need to know.

If it's good it's good, no need to force feed people with articles like this........of course a game needs to be fun to be good. Fun is subjective, what I find fun you may not.

[KillBill]

Don't have to be fun... but they do have to be entertaining.

[Gaming4Life1981]

Um what? People are now stooping to new lows to defend this game. Look if you think the game is good then just leave it at that and move on. The purpose of video games is to be fun and never in the history of gaming has a good game not been fun.

I know that sony fans hate when a sony game gets criticized but this is just stupid and the comments I'm seeing is just crazy. People saying the last of us isnt a fun game, people bringing up things that are irrelevant like books movies music etc, the list goes on & on.

I've played death stranding and while it's not my type of game I dont knock people who enjoy it but.......if this game was not made by kojima and not on ps it would not be getting the attention it is getting.

In the words rodney downey jr..."Never Go Full Retard"

[ratedviper]

I disagree games have to be fun in order to keep playing or else u just stop and never look at it again.(my opinion). This game is not for everyone but i agree not everyone has to like it. I liked certain aspects but unfortunately there is nothing left after u finish the story which is sad cause i got hooked on Amazon Delivery. Combat could have been a bit better but i get combat was not the focused. Weapons types like snipers are missing which is weird, there are a few annoyed things about the game like easy damage to packages while driving a truck on plain land. Thee are grenade launchers and assaults but not smgs and snipers which is weird he could have included it. For a first game made from Kojima after the departure from konami, it feels like kojima because od the weirdness of the story but at the same time it doesnt. Normally Kojima fills the world with stuff to do but this one feels unfinished. There are even slots for more items to be input maybe there is dlc dont know.

[jimbost79]

This is getting fucking crazy now. I just looked up the definition of fun.

noun
enjoyment, amusement, or light-hearted pleasure.
adjective
amusing, entertaining, or enjoyable.

So yes, they do have to be fun, (entertaining/enjoyable) but everyone's idea of what is fun is completely different and it should just be left at that. I don't like playing chess and it isn't fun to me but I wouldn't tell the millions of other people that do enjoy it, that it isn't fun. You can replace chess with fortnite, fifa or any other game you don't like.