What is it, then, that makes a story good? As a response to this question, the community has named a number of things, all of which build a strong sense of immersion. Simply put, anything that helps players lose themselves within the story is good, and vice versa. An interesting plot with a few unpredictable twists is a good start, but the really important thing is the ability of players to get into it. This can be aided by building a comprehensive world with secrets to uncover, writing believable characters that players can relate to, and also presenting players with difficult choices that have the power to change the story, or even the shape of the world. However, everything that happens needs to be believable for the setting, characters, and their motivation.

In connection to the trinity of games that conquered the chart above, people kept repeating several other things, such as multiple interwoven story arcs, the fact that the gameplay is connected with the narration, or a sense that you can lose yourself in the world, just like when playing a tabletop RPG. On the other hand, there is also a list that can be made out of the elements that make the overall story feel underwhelming, such as a stereotypical or generic setting, a lot of unnecessary text that doesn’t serve any purpose, or predictable characters and unimaginative plot points.

The answer to good storytelling also doesn’t have to be tied to the story itself but to how it is presented. Is the text engaging to read? Does it flow well? Does it come in manageable chunks? Is the illustration of what’s happening guided through the cadence of the writing? The technical aspects of the story are important as well, and that’s why many people have actually drawn the distinction between a good story and good writing in their responses.