What makes you get invested in a story?

I'm currently writing a handful of projects, one dark fantasy, psychological horror, and one a dark comedy psychological horror. I always struggle the most for the beginning part of the story because I don't know how to show to the viewer why they should give a fuck. Any ideas?

Actual connection to characters. Giving the characters a decent personality and making the players feel like a friend of the characters really is a big key to making them give a shit about anything that happens to them.

The amount of times a game tried to make me feel bad about a characters death without ever investing time in them is crazy. You have to nail the character introduction first before anything else matters because once the player puts themselves in the character's shoes, then whatever is at stake for the character starts affecting the player.

i really like when characters have clear motives. some of it is still complicated but you feel like you can understand why they do what they do. even if you dont always agree with it. best example i can think of is joel from the tlou series. one of my favorite stories ever. i really felt like i could see the world through the character's eyes during that game. not only because i was playing as them, but in the way the story was told 

I mean when it's an anime or something, I like when it compels you to watch more of it so you can see more of the characters development, and that it's entertaining and has interesting themes of ideas ^_^

Mystery! I love having to put the puzzle pieces together and figure things out. I guess it’s the “show don’t tell” trope. Also descriptions, I like to imagine the place in my head and follow along as if I’m the main character. Helps me understand what the author is getting across.

ANGST, TRAGEDY AND YAOIII!!!!

I personally like when there is a slow build up and lots of description of how things look like how does the character look  what’s the personality how does the setting of the area they are in look lots of detail and a whole lot of backstory goes a long way x

Plot twists

neuroses, external pressure, complex social norms the characters have to interface with, (dysfunctional) family dynamics, romance (especially slow burn or awkward, but not too twee), something that tethers the fantasy nightmares to real problems. i think of shirley jackson and v.c. andrews. 

I usually get invested in stories when they have an amazing build up!! They both die in the end really shocks you because you really hold out hope for the characters only for a devastating brick to be thrown at you. I don't think the author kissed the brick before smashing my teeth in. I LOVED THE BOOK SO MUCH THOOOOO!!

Okay so if you mean like the hook of a story, it's a careful balance of character presentation and pacing. If you start the book with an exposition dump, I'm not gonna be able to pay attention. What I really like is when it starts off with an interesting character dynamic, so these 2 characters can interact and possibly explain some of how the world works through dialogue naturally, ESPECIALLY if the dynamic is complex and morally gray.
If you mean something that keeps me interested in a story after I've already read it, it's the world building. If I find your books world interesting enough, I'm gonna want to keep going back to it and thinking about it.

Theses a few things that make me know I'm going to inhale that book.

1. When it's a bully romance and he hates her, but she doesn't know why. Example: Steel Princess by Rina Kent

2. When you spend multiple books being mad at a character. They do things that make you think they just like making others miserable. Then you get to that character's book, and they are the character that breaks your heart. Example: The Devils night series by Penelope Douglas but the character's book is Killswitch