It definitely helps, it gives the game more depth and makes players more likely to cotinue playing so they can find out the ending.
Not necessarily. If I was looking for an adventure/action/RPG game, then yes, a story is very important. However, if I was looking for a pick-up-and-play game, then why would I be interested in a story?
Exactly, it depends on the genre and the gameplay. Take hack n'slash and shoot 'em up games. Some of these games would be weird if they had a storyline but some of them have a really nicely implemented one.
The amount of story you need to make a game enjoyable really changes depending on the game. A puzzle game needs no story, a platformer needs a general sense of why you're trying to accomplish a certain task but too much story can be a dealbreaker. I only want a storyline to come into contact with the actual gameplay if it adds something signifcant to it.
To me, it's black and white ... either the game is a game with a story, which is the reward, or a high score game, which is the reward. I don't find high scores or scores in general that rewarding, so I'm definitely a story guy. I don't expect great stories from app store games though. I expect functional ones, sure. If I only bought games that had great stories, my iPod would be empty. Functional story is as good as I can expect or hope for. SO ya basically, I hate high score games, so, I'm stuck in neverneverland as far as iPod gaming is concerned, because it seems like very few people aren't obsessed with arbitrary numbers.
i hate almost all score games. i need the sense of accomplishment when i beat a game and a score game doesnt have that. i also love games with stories