RE: Is gameplay really the most important part of a game?
I think you are understanding the word gameplay in a different word then most people do. You take it as purely mechanics, but most people understand it as - is the game fun to play.
And some things you don't consider mechanics can even be easily considered mechanics - for example: the exploration and puzzles in Zelda are certainly mechanics of the game. They are part of how you play the game. If they aren't executed in a fun way, they make the gameplay less fun.
The same for narrative (or how I call it - storytelling) is also a part of how the game plays. And again, if the story is not integrated well, it will disrupt the gameplay making it bad.
When people make the argument "gameplay over everything" what they usually are talking is the fact that some companies just go for a game that look visually spectacular but isn't really that fun to play.
Anyways - Great post for starting a nice debate! Would you mind if I included it in today's "best of gaming"?
Yep I don't mind! And yeah to me gameplay definitely refers purely to mechanics, I do consider puzzles part of mechanics but I don't like puzzle games (or puzzles in games) very much, so BOTW was definitely not a game for me!
This is how I was feeling too. "Gameplay" is a pretty broad term. "Mechanics" gets more specific, but games are such a package deal.
Even for mechanically light non video game fare from pen and paper to board games to slot machines, people value style and aesthetic so much. It really can affect the mechanics and thus, the gameplay.
Bloodborne had great combat mechanic, but that deep gothic feel, added so much to the tension of the game it wouldn't make sense otherwise. Imagine Bloodborne's mechanics being ported to Grand Theft Auto 5. Shambling around with melee weapons and single shot guns in a modern city that was way too big and open wouldn't feel the same at all (despite being fun as a departure!)
So I'd say I'm firmly in the gameplay/mechanics camp myself. How many beautiful games have we seen that jut don't do the job with how things happen in the world. It's my major beef with the Rocksteady Batman games. Being Batman feels like a chore and beating on guys feels more like a dance dance revolution rhythm games than hard hitting Batman style combat.
Thats my take anyway. I know people adore those games though. Great post!
I totally agree with @gaming-trail. Gameplay for me is how the game feels and plays, not the mechanics. Gameplay is the most important part of a game, more important than visuals and sound. If the gameplay is good than the rest doesn't matter as much because you will have fun playing the game. This is why a lot of retro games are still hot. The visuals/graphics maybe outdated but the gameplay is still excellent.