1. Delicious Idea
1.1. Well executed
1.2. wrapped up in pretty graphics
1.2.1. not always needed but it can help
1.2.2. pretty is relative, sometimes easy to read is more important
2. A belivable world
2.1. One that is internally consistant
2.2. Or very interesting
2.2.1. I'm willing to allow a lot of world flaws if the premise is interesting
2.2.1.1. though that does not excuse poor execution
2.2.1.2. This caviat applies more to games that attempt something drasticly different
3. Fun to play
3.1. Has challenge and does not artificially burden players
3.2. Is a fun toy
3.2.1. Games as Toys
3.2.1.1. Skyrim is like legos
3.2.1.2. Wow is like
3.2.1.2.1. Dice
3.2.1.2.2. PvE Adventure and overcoming great challenges
3.2.1.2.3. I need to talk with someone who played a lot of the PvP to understand what that is like
3.2.1.3. Minecraft is like a Treehouse
3.2.1.3.1. In the sense that a tree house is something you add more imagination to in order to enjoy it more
3.2.2. In the sense that it can be fun to mess around with the elements and their combinations
3.2.2.1. like
3.2.2.1.1. legos
3.2.2.1.2. lincolin logs
3.2.2.1.3. kinex
3.2.2.1.4. erector set
3.2.2.1.5. dolls