Rank these video game elements in order of personal importance to you.

ranking things like these is a silly idea. as if by sacrificing on controls (like what purposely gimping the control scheme?) you are going to reap massive benefits in graphics

1. Story

2. Gameplay

3. Playability

4. Replay Value

5.Entertainment

6. Controls

7. Concept

8. Sound

9. Presentation

10. Graphics

The list can be compressed because things like gameplay and entertainment go hand in hand.

1.Gameplay

2.Story

3. Concept

4.Replay Value

5.Graphics

6.Sound

7. Controls

8. Presentation

My reasoning for controls being so low on the list is because if you are entertained by good gameplay, the controls shouldn't be an issue.

Other than gameplay, the story is the most important thing in a video game. If it wasn't for the interesting story and hilarious scriptwriting in Portal 2, I probably would've stopped playing after the first puzzle. I hardly play multiplayer games anymore, I need a good single player story to have fun and feel immersed in the game. What's the point in playing the single player story mode without a good story to follow? The story is what makes you feel attached to the game and motivates you to play.

1. Gameplay, story, Presentation

2. Graphics, Sound

That's right. Get 'em right or go home. I can't decide between a good story and good gameplay. They are both incredibly important to me and I've played games that were lacking in one or another and still enjoyed them tremendously. Example: Castlevania LoS had some pretty terrible gameplay but I still had fun because of the story while Demon's Souls had an almost non existant story and some of the best gameplay I've ever experienced. Of course, the presentation really helped both of those games out a lot. So, yeah, I could go either way there.

Graphics and sound aren't nearly as important, but I still want them to be good. Some games I just can't even bear to look at anymore despite how much I enjoyed them int he past. Thank goodness for resolution and texture mods is all I can say. lol

As for everything else listed inthe OP. I removed the options that I felt kind of go without saying. Entertainment should obviously be most important. Isn't that why we play games to begin with, to be entertained? I also consider controls to be a part of the gameplay since broken controls = broken gameplay. And replay value is a given, because if you enjoyed the game then you'll most likely want to play it again. If you don't ever want to play it again then it probably wasn't that great.