what is a video game

[GeorgeBubbinzInSpace]

That's assuming the game has a story or characters. Those aren't inherent. 

yeah I kind of brushed over this in my first post when I said some of the best games are the simplest ones with little to no story or characters at all. I'm just saying I think it's a struggle that video games will always have to deal with, whereas movies and novels will not have those same limitations. there are exceptions to that as well though, I guess. some novels don't appear to have much of a story at all or it is so inaccessible that you might as well not bother. like finnegans wake or something. I'm just talking about the general differences and limitations both forms of media have, I guess.