In games I find one of the biggest turn offs is the feeling of loneliness - like you're the only one doing anything. It's present in pretty much every single player game, which I guess is what often attracts me to MMORPGs. I hate the knowledge that you are the only one pushing things forward, it's not engaging and it certainly doesn't reflect real life.
What I want from games is something that I can compare to the Lord of the Rings - the seperation of characters who are all doing different things at the same time, it's also present in the hobbit and is immensely satisfying to read.
A prime example of a lonely game is Fallout 3. The world is sparsely populated as it is, and your only companions have very poor AI and are pretty much totally unresponsive. I like the Tales series of games, especially Tales of Vesperia, because the characters will converse with each other in totally optional skits. You don't have to view them, which makes them all the more watchable! There were similar interactions in Baldurs Gate 2, but those were even better; you could have a party mixed with good and evil aligned characters, and they'd be constantly at each others throats! The tension made it dynamic and the fact that it wasn't forced (you chose who you want to join your party) made it all the more real.
A game that tried really hard to stave off this lonely feeling was GTA IV, and that is one of the reasons why I think it was so successful. Every 20 minutes or so you'd have a friend calling you up and asking how you're doing, if you want to go for a drink, bowling, or just a drive. I'd often phone them for a date, turn up in a helicopter, and cause total mayhem. The least lonely game I ever played was Legend of Mir 2, because it felt like it was a local game, very tight community, it was something special that I doubt will ever be possible ever again. I miss that game, if just for the friends I made!
I'll have to make a post about this classic MMO sometime.
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